Guest Speakers at Sportsman’s Dinner & Player Presentation 3rd June2017

Penicuik Athletic

Established 1888

I was a career banker with Bank of Scotland until I retired in 2008. Although my job took me all over Scotland I have lived in the Falkirk area all of my life. I am a keen golfer and in the mid 90’s was Chairman of Glenbervie golf club for 5 years. It was whilst I was chairing prize giving dinners at the club I realised I enjoyed making people laugh and a new career was born. Since I retired I have concentrated on developing my speaking career and I now entertain people on a regular basis throughout the UK. Whether it be a Burns Supper, a Corporate or a Sporting or Charity event I will do my utmost to make sure I “always leave you smiling.” My travels have taken me from Calgary to Chester, from London to Linlithgow and from Ayr to Aberdeen. My stories are all about life, love and sport and resonate with my audience regardless of the occasion. My ambition in life is to be the last man on earth just to find out if what all those girls told me at High school was true! Bill Copeland Bill Copeland is a lawyer practising in Lanarkshire. Until recently he specialised in criminal defence work but given the swinging cuts in Legal Aid, he has become a conveyancer as there is now more money in acting for those buying houses than those burgling houses!!!. Born in Govan, a quaint fishing village on the banks of the Clyde, home to Sir Alex Ferguson and Billy Connolly, he attended a tough school - tough? There was a boy in the class who was allergic to peanuts and they used to take him round the back of the bike shed and make him play Russian roulette with a packet of Revels. There he learned the three R's ….. Rangers and Rangers Reserves. Bill attended Alan Glen's School, which was selective, not doing too well as he selected to go only on Fridays. Left with 6 A Levels but was caught at the gate and made to return them to the Headmaster. Studied at Strathclyde University, graduating B.A., LL.B. which his criminal clients think stand for "buy us a lager and a large Bacardi". Married to Marilyn from Larkhall. It's a mixed marriage, she's a human being and he's a lawyer and dotes on his daughter 12½ (it's a daft name but Marilyn chose it). Hobbies? Plays a mean game of golf - won't pay the green fees. Bill's ambition as a speaker is to follow his grandfathers advice "Always leave them begging for more." Which was the very attitude that led to granddad being struck off as the world's worst anaesthetist. Has been on the circuit for several years and have spoken at dinners for 70 to 700, and is a regular with all of the major Scottish usual suspects such as George McNeil, Craigie Veitch, Andy Cameron, Willie Allan, Willie Hunter, John Gahagan, John McKelvie, Chick Young and Dougie Donnelly and the sportsmen Jim Leishman, Alan Rough, Murdo McLeod, Brian McGinlay, Willie Young, Sir Bobby Charlton, Jack Charlton, Denis Taylor, Jim Watt, Tommy Docherty and Ian St John. On a more serious note Dr John Reid, Sir George Younger, Alex Salmond and Robin Cook

Peter Brown