4 SCOTS remember comrade in inaugural football match
Two teams from the 4 Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland (4 SCOTS) played a thrilling football match in the inaugural Coleman Cup in front of spectators at The Nest in Norwich.
The Coleman Cup was staged on Monday 21 August in memory of their comrade, Sergeant Jamie Coleman, who took his own life in 2022.
Members of Sergeant Coleman's family travelled from North Ayrshire, Scotland to see the Battalion beat the Corporals 1-0 in a thrilling and tightly contested match.
Players were lead out onto the pitch by a piper from the Regiment playing 'Scotland the Brave' ahead of the fixture.
Other attendees at the match included the former head of the British Army, Richard Dannatt, who is patron of Forces2Caneries, the Armed Forces supporters' group for Norwich City, and also Commanding Officer of the Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Gordon Muir.
Lt Col Muir said: “We are temporarily here in Norfolk delivering training to the Ukrainians and the hospitality shown by The Nest and the broader [Norwich City] Community Sports Foundation, has been absolutely excellent.
"This is a really important night for the Battalion, we couldn’t have been more welcomed or had a better night to commemorate one of our soldiers."
Event organiser, Warrant Officer George Lees, 4 SCOTS, said: “Tonight has been superb, this is exactly what Jamie would have wanted, his mates playing football, having a good laugh and having a good time.
"It was absolutely fantastic, and it was good to see Jamie’s family here as well.”
Chairman of Forces2Canaries, Nev Townsend said: “What a great event. We received the initial email request from the Battalion just ten days ago and then from nothing, with the help of The Nest, our members and other key people what we’ve seen tonight has been fantastic.
"It was a great football match and an honour to meet Sergeant Coleman’s family who we presented with a Norwich City shirt after the game."
The Coleman Cup was presented to the winning Sergeant's Mess team by Jamie’s mother Fay Darroch and his sister Saskia Blacklock.
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