Dunfermline: Water polo tournament in Brian Campbell's memory returns

The BMC Cup, which was set up to remember the life of Brian Campbell, will take place at Carnegie Leisure Centre from Friday to Sunday, and is set to feature eight teams.

First held in 2021, the competition was created by Brian's three sons - Alasdair, Darren and Chris, who have all played with Dunfermline - after he passed away two years earlier, aged just 61, following a brave battle with cancer.

In addition to holding numerous roles with the club, who he also coached to a British Cup win at under-16 level, Brian was involved with Scotland and Caledonia boys' teams, the latter of which is a composite side featuring players from Dunfermline and other Scottish clubs to compete in British Water Polo League competitions.

The tournament was set up as a way of marking his contribution to the sport, and to give youngsters in particular opportunities in and out of the water.

Last December, seven under-18 teams and five at under-15 level, with more than 150 players, participated in the fourth BMC Cup, which was held after the first all-female edition three months earlier.

The BMC Cup, which held its second all-female edition in September, returns with a boys under-18 competition this weekend. (Image: Viola Madau.)

In September this year, the second girls' edition took place, and Alasdair said: "This was our biggest ever tournament.

"We had nine teams there in the under-18s girls, which is the most we've ever had. I think before that we had eight in the boys' one. It was brilliant.

"It was actually the first time we've had a mini-UK championships, because we had three Irish, two from England, a Welsh team came up, and then three from Scotland.

The BMC Cup, which held its second all-female edition in September, returns with a boys under-18 competition this weekend. (Image: Viola Madau.)

"The fact that people were willing to travel from Ireland and from Wales up to compete in it kind of shows you how big it's become. The final itself was probably the busiest I've ever seen Carnegie. You couldn't get a space on that balcony.

"It was pretty crazy to see.

"It was great to see Carnegie like that as well for all the young girls, especially the Dunfermline ones, because they actually made the final, which was pretty good.

"Unfortunately they lost to Clonard, which were one of the Irish teams, but for them to be competing in that kind of atmosphere would have been pretty nice, and something they won't forget for a while, hopefully.

"That's why we try and do it, to give opportunities to people in and out the water."

For this weekend's competition, for under-18 boys teams, Scottish clubs Warrender, Stirling, Menzieshill and Portobello will take part, as will English trio Radcliffe, Rotherham Metro and Northampton, as well as Welsh outfit, Celtic Dragons.

In addition, on Sunday at midday, the BMC Cup will host a commemorative match to mark 10 years since Scotland won bronze at the 2014 Commonwealth Water Polo Championships.

The men's team, which included Alasdair, Darren and Chris, defeated South Africa - who have since gone on to play at World Championships and Olympic Games - 6-5 at the competition in Aberdeen.

Four other Dunfermline players - Mark Speed, Andrew Woodall, Davie Baxter and Simon Metcalfe - were also in the Scotland team, and they will all come together with others from the squad to play a Scottish select team.

There will also be stalls with items for sale over the course of the event, which runs from Friday to Sunday, and a raffle, with prizes including items donated by Olympians Dusan Matkovic, of Montenegro, Felipe Perrone, of Spain, and Konstantin Kharkov, of Croatia, with money raised being invested in future BMC Cup events.

For more information, find The BMC Cup on Facebook.