With the league season just 90 minutes old, we turn our attentions on Saturday to the first Edinburgh Derby of the season as we welcome our neighbours Edinburgh City to the Vanloq Community Stadium.
After more than 560 miles on the road in the past three fixtures, Douglas Samuel’s side return to the Vanloq Community Stadium for a fixture seeped in history, with this being the 111th meeting between the Clubs since the sides first locked horns in the East of Scotland League back in September 1986.
Spartans skipper James Craigen, who has found the net two weeks on the bounce, is looking forward to what promises to have everything a local derby can offer.
“We’re really excited to be back at home – and a derby as well. The games over the last couple of years against City have been tough, they’re a decent side. They’re going to be hurting from the result last Saturday, and we know it’s going to be a difficult game, so we’re going to have to be on top of ours.
“In terms of momentum, everyone wants to get off to a good start in the league. We might have left it late, but we still managed to do that last week. But you know for us, it’s tunnel vision now from August to May.
“We have our objectives as a group of what we want to do. We know every League 2 fixture is going to be really hard. It is important to get off to a winning home start, and that’s something that the management team, the players, really want to do, and that’s our objective for Saturday.
“Hopefully with Hibs and Hearts not playing until Sunday it could be a lead to a bumper crowd too. People want their football fix and should come along and enjoy it. It would be great to have the place packed with local football fans watching two decent teams who want to play football as well, so I think I’ll be a good advert for SPFL 2”
Tale of the Tape:
Played 110, Won 59, Drawn 22, Lost 29. Goals for 201, Against, 133
Stats at home: P 53, W 29, D 10, L 14. F 103, A 67
Record win: 05/12/2009 EOS Premier League at home. 7-0.
Record loss: 15/02/2025 SPFL 2 away 5-0.
Mark Stowe has scored 8 v City. 2 hat-tricks and 1 double.
Supporter Info:
A guide to Match Day at the Vanloq Community Stadium
