Young footballer Euan’s sportsmanship echoes Paulo Di Canio

Young St Andrews Colt Euan Fleming has won praise from his coaches after an outstanding piece of sportsmanship on the pitch.
Euan is pictured with his team manager Andy O’Neill.Euan is pictured with his team manager Andy O’Neill.
Euan is pictured with his team manager Andy O’Neill.

Euan, a Lawhead Primary School pupil, took to the field for the club’s 2009s last weekend when they travelled to Dundee to meet Dundee West Reds.

The side won their first game pretty convincingly with the second more of a close contest, ending in a draw.

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But the Colts could have made it two wins from two when young Euan raced clear on the Dundee West Reds goal.

Euan managed to get past the goalie but, just when he was set to tap the ball into an empty net, noticed the home ‘keeper had injured himself.

So, instead of firing into the back of the net to kickstart Colts celebrations, Euan stopped the game himself to allow the young goalkeeper to get treatment as soon as he could.

Understandably he took a lot of plaudits for his selfless attitude from both clubs.

Colts youth development officer Graham Nicoll said: “Euan is a fantastic kid and we at the Colts are proud to have a child that has expressed such beautiful sportsmanship at our club.”

• Euan’s act of sportsmanship echoes that of Paulo Di Canio who stopped play while playing for West Ham against Everton in 2000.

After noticing that Toffees ‘keeper Paul Gerrard was injured, Di Canio refused to net from a Trevor Sinclair cross.

It won the Italian the FIFA Fair Play Award.

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