£6.99

In the first wave of British Karate Federation expansion, 1961 saw the establishing of seven new BKF clubs. One of these was based close to Saltcoats, on the North Ayrshire coast, founded by a black belt judoka, Edward Ainsworth. This dojois regarded as not only the first Shotokan club in Scotland, but the first properly affiliated karate club, regardless of style.

   Using, as the text’s backbone, information elicited from the BKF archive, in addition to material previously thought lost, whilst incorporating interview extracts from Ainsworth, Layton has succeeded in writing a wonderfully readable account of an important and fascinating subject.

   Following the same format as Layton’s other books on early British Shotokan, namely, his two volume Shotokan Dawn, The Shotokan Dawn Supplement, Shotokan Horizon, and, The Liverpool Red Triangle Karate Club: Origin and Early Years, along with his collaborative work, You Don’t Have to Dress to Kill, Scotland’s First Karate Club has that same meticulous eye for detail and historical accuracy as these other highly acclaimed works.

  Scotland’s First Karate Club is a brilliantly researched work that ensures that the efforts of the pioneer of BKF Scottish Shotokan karate and his few club members are not forgotten.

Product Code: CL17