Inaugural Scotland Merit awarded to Purdindas for a decade of service
- Jock Wright
- 11 hours ago
- 4 min read
Long-standing Scotland Coaches recognised for their years of service to Team Scotland and the community
With all eyes turned to this weekend where Mulligan’s - Scotland’s NAF National is set to take place at Glasgow University Union it seems an appropriate juncture to announce the very first recipients of the Scotland Merit award.
The Colours Committee chaired by myself and attended by Loki, Chair of Council, and Sann Scotland Vice Captain met late last year. The Committee considered nominations for the Scotland Merit along with conferring Half Colours and Full Colours on coaches from Scotland who were in attendance at Eurobowl XVI in Budapest last October - see the blog on who received colours here.
The Scotland Merit along with Colours is a new initiative to recognise years of service that coaches give in the name of Team Scotland and the wider community. I was pleased to see the committee consider several strong nominations. The Committee in its inaugural sitting has conferred four Scotland Merits to four coaches who’ve given years of service.
Four Coaches awarded the first Scotland Merits
For more than a decade Team Scotland has chased the dream of winning hosting rights for Eurobowl coming closest in Portugal at Eurobowl XII losing out on tiebreak to Team Poland. I’m delighted to say that I had the honour of being the Captain that secured those rights in Budapest last year and Scotland is now looking forward to hosting Eurobowl in 2028.
However it couldn’t have been done without the support and effort of four coaches in particular, who’ve been stalwarts of Team Scotland over many years.Congratulations to Purdindas, Valen, Loki and LordGarlack on receiving the inaugural Scotland Merit. Thoroughly deserved and here’s why…
Purdindas, Captain Scotland, more than a decade of service
Rightly, in my view the first Scotland Merit goes to Purdindas, Ant Purdie. Receiving two nominations it was noted:
“Ant is a seven-time capped, four-time Scotland Captain who first represented Scotland in Austria in 2013 at Eurobowl IX. Without doubt has been ‘The’ servant of the Scottish Community in the context of Team Scotland for more than a decade. He also, in difficult times, with the tragic death of Dave Millar, stepped up to Captain the team in Malta.
He's been a hugely supportive Vice Captain to me for Budapest, and it was only family circumstances that kept him from a record-breaking eighth Scotland Cap. I can think of no worthier recipient of the very first Scotland Merit”
He received a second nomination supporting the widely recognised service he has given,
“Ant has been a great servant to the Scottish Blood Bowl scene and the team for many years, he carried the team through the dark years of struggling to compete. A deserved recipient"
Valen, twice Scotland Captain, came out of Eurobowl Retirement to help the team get across the line
Valen, Gav, has been around the game of Blood Bowl for more than twenty-years, a winner of Chaos Cup and many other illustrious titles. However, it was hosting rights for Eurobowl in the name of Scotland that he most coveted. When I put out the call he answered and was definitely the front-row dwarf coach that drove the Scottish pack forward in Budapest. His nomination was duly confirmed by the Colours Committee after reading,
“Valen's Scotland appearances date back to Spain, 2008 at Eurobowl V in Scotland's second ever appearance at Eurobowl. Twice Scotland captain leading Scotland to arguably their best performance at Eurobowl VI in Italy by leading the team to 5th out of 12 recording a personal record of 4-1-1 on that occasion.
He came out of Eurobowl retirement to strengthen the squad for Hungary delivering a towering personal performance going 3-3-0 with Dwarfs and playing the role of reliable anchor to a tee. Gav is a phenomenal person to have around the team, keeping spirits lifted and enjoying every moment of the game and the community.
Having retired with six Scotland caps and the best individual record of 18-11-7 now is an appropriate time to award Gav with a well deserved Scotland Merit.”
Loki, six-time Capped coach takes up the role of Chair of Team Scotland
Loki first pulled on the Scotland shirt to represent at Eurobowl XI in Sweden and duly delivered a deeply impressive debut recording a 3 - 3 - 0 result. He then went on to represent his country on five more occasions giving him six caps in total over the course of ten years. He recently agreed to stand as Team Scotland Council’s first Chair who oversees the constitution and keeps me honest as Captain!
Having excused himself from the Colours Committee to consider this nomination the committee deemed the honour of a Scotland Merit to Loki was well deserved.
“Long term and strong commitment to Team Scotland. Excellent performer and willing to adapt to suit team needs. Great guy to boot.”
LordGarlack, quiet but loyal servant of the team and the wider community
LordGarlack, David, has been a long-standing feature of Team Scotland with six caps, first representing the community in Denmark in 2012 at Eurobowl VIII. Quiet, unassuming but absolutely loyal to the Squad. His nomination,
“David is quiet, but stoic and has always been there for Team Scotland when he's been called upon. He's been capped six times, first appearing over ten years ago in Denmark 2012 at Eurobowl X and has maintained a credible 12-14-11. He regularly swaps races to fit in with what's best for the team.
Most recently David has been selected as the Captain of Scotland Futures for Poland in 2026. He immediately turned to the idea of leading the next generation and giving back to the community and the coaches that have come after him.
As part of the group of long-standing coaches who's chased, and finally achieved hosting rights is a culmination of many years' effort and he thoroughly deserves to be recognised with the Scotland Merit”
I’m sure those of you in the Scottish community, and indeed the wider Eurobowl community who’ve come across these four gents will join me in a hearty congratulations for their well-deserved Scotland Merit.
I look forward to seeing folks tomorrow at Mulligan’s and if you’re not there you can tune into the round results here.
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