Stand in memory of John

Pitreavie Amateur Athletics Club are set to receive the backing of Fife Council for the move which will mark the Dunfermline man;s commitment to the sport.

The 89-year-old, the father of 1980 Olympic star Linsey, died in July last year and the John MacDonald Memorial Fund was quickly set up by Darren Watt, employed at Pitreavie for Fife Sports and Leisure Trust.

He had told the Press: “John was a truly inspirational athletics coach.

"The world ‘legend’ is used all too often but on this occasion I’m sure you’ll all agree John is a legend and deserves to be recognised as such.

“I believe he should have a memorial at Pitreavie Athletics Centre so we can remember him daily, have a constant reminder of the lessons he taught and the inspiration he gave.”

A year on, a permanent tribute is on the cards.

Wendy Watson, chief operating officer for Fife Sports and Leisure Trust, said: “The trust received a request to name Pitreavie Athletics Centre’s spectator stand in memory of John McDonald, a much-respected and accomplished local athletics coach who passed away last year.

“The trust has a long-standing relationship with the club and is fully supportive of its excellent work to nurture local talent.

"John has a fantastic training legacy, and, over his coaching career, helped to support numerous athletes, including those who made it to world-class level.

“The trust fully supports the request to name the stand after John and is in the process of working with its partner, Fife Council, to facilitate this.”

The trust will put the request to the council and Rachel Doyle, of Pitreavie AAC, added: “The proposal has the backing of Lesley Laird MP so it’s just a case of waiting for a response.

"I'm hoping to hear back by Sunday September 3, which is the date of the Trophy meeting at Pitreavie AAC.”

John’s long association with Pitreavie spanned decades and he won Dunfermline and West Fife Sports Council’s Coach of the Year award in February 2016.

He memorably assisted his daughter Linsey to a 4x400m bronze medal at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow and was still coaching young stars of the future, including 400m hurdler Jack Lawrie, until his passing.

Contributors to the fund included Ian Mackie, the Dunfermline sprinter who ran for Great Britain in the Olympic Games in 1996 and 2000, reaching the 100m semi-finals in the former.

In a touching tribute, he said John had helped “make my dreams come true”, adding: “I joined his training group and he took me to two Olympic Games, two World Championships and a Commonwealth Games, and at junior level, gold in the World Championship 4x100m relay and bronze in the 200m.

“He did so much for some many people and coached so many junior internationals and a few at senior level but everyone was treated the same.

"He knew how to motivate you and to encourage you, was very enthusiastic and was an amazing role model.

Speaking to the Press last year, Pitreavie AAC president Paul Allan said: “We’re obviously happy with the idea for a memorial fund and it’s nice to see it came from someone at Fife Sports and Leisure Trust, as opposed to someone from the club, which emphasises how much John touched other people’s lives.

“There are a lot of ideas about what we should do in honour of John as he did so much at Pitreavie.

"It was like a second home to him.”