Invincibles of Dalkeith make it five titles in a row

Dalkeith High School's senior team recently won the Edinburgh and Lothians League title, the fifth year in a row the side has won their league.
Dalkeith High School senior team.
Back(left to right) Reuben Earl (non kit) Craig Swanston, Jonathan Louden, Michael Lennie, Ronan Clelland, Euan Greig, Thomas Prior
Middle (left to right) Ross Hope, Ryan Fegan, Lucas Mason, Jack Combe
Front (left to right) Cameron Leslie, Andrew Fleming (captain, holding trophy)Dalkeith High School senior team.
Back(left to right) Reuben Earl (non kit) Craig Swanston, Jonathan Louden, Michael Lennie, Ronan Clelland, Euan Greig, Thomas Prior
Middle (left to right) Ross Hope, Ryan Fegan, Lucas Mason, Jack Combe
Front (left to right) Cameron Leslie, Andrew Fleming (captain, holding trophy)
Dalkeith High School senior team. Back(left to right) Reuben Earl (non kit) Craig Swanston, Jonathan Louden, Michael Lennie, Ronan Clelland, Euan Greig, Thomas Prior Middle (left to right) Ross Hope, Ryan Fegan, Lucas Mason, Jack Combe Front (left to right) Cameron Leslie, Andrew Fleming (captain, holding trophy)

Incredibly the team has also gone through those five years without losing a league match.

After winning this season’s LSFA Senior League A, Dalkeith recently took on Senior League B winners James Young High School for the senior league title, and won the match 4-0 at Forrester High School in Edinburgh.

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Dalkeith High School history teacher Steven Wilson has been the boys’ coach since they first represented the school in first year.

He said: “It’s the same team growing up together from S1. As they have gone through every age group they have won the title. I’m not sure if that has been replicated before.

“It has been a great five years. I’m very proud of them.

“We have been quite lucky to have them. We have inherited a very talented year group. There are a lot of good players in the team.

“What has been good this year in particular is that there were four of our players in the Hibs Academy this season who therefore couldn’t play for us. But other boys that came in did really well, and we have still managed to win the league.

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“I knew we still had a very good group of players, and they have managed to keep that league run going, winning the titles without losing a game.”

Steven believes that the team’s togetherness on and off the pitch has led to their phenomenal unbeaten league record.

He said: “They are good away from football too. They are very well behaved, I’ve never had trouble with them at all.

“They have a very strong team spirit. They are all friends away from playing.

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“That’s the good thing about school football. You are playing with some of your best mates, that you know very well.

“We have given them treats in the past for winning the leagues, like trips to Champions League matches. We have been to Old Trafford twice and last year we went to the Etihad to see Manchester City.”

After a glorious five years Steven is sad that the team is about to be broken up.

He said: “With them being seniors they are all on exam leave now. And despite most of them being S5, sadly most of them are leaving.

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“I think a lot of them will go on to play semi-proffesional if I’m completely honest.

““We have got one kid currently in the Lowland League under 20s league and another in the Juniors. Quite a few of them are playing for the likes of Edina Hibs.”

Despite their league successes Steven added that this side have been unlucky in cup competitions, this year losing in the Scottish Cup quarter finals against beaten finalists Bannerman High School.

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