WATCH: Innerleithen picks the perfect Card out of the pack

Liam Card, 26, will be Innerleithen’s main man this summer, and his partner Sally Brown, 25, is his Lass.

The pair were introduced to the public on Friday evening at the Memorial Hall, along with Bryony Patterson, 17, who will play the role of Lady Bussser.

Liam, who has lived in Innerleithen all his life – apart from a short hiatus in Peebles – said this year’s festival would be a whole new experience for him.

He said: “The St Ronan’s Games Week has been a massive part of my life since I was very young, and now, finally, I get to become a part of it.

“It’s very exciting.”

Liam, who works as an operative at local company Glendinning Groundworks and plays rugby for Walkerburn, went to St Ronan’s Primary and Peebles High School. In representing Innerleithen, he is following in the footsteps of his brother Jason, who was Standard Bearer in 2010.

Keith Belleville, the chairman of the Games Week, presented the trio with their sashes, and also presented the Principal Guest sash to festival stalwart and Golden Anniversary Standard Bearer Norman Scott.

He said Lady Busser Bryony was an incredibly busy teenager. She plays netball for Peebles, The Borders and the Scotland Under-17s development team. She is also a long jumper and triple jumper, and is Scottish Schools triple jump champion. And to top it all off, she is currently sitting her highers, and sat her higher maths exam on the day of the Introduction.

Introducing Liam, Mr Belleville said: “We have here a very deserving man in the role of Standard Bearer 2017. I know you’ll do us all proud in following in your brother’s footsteps.”

His Lass Sally runs her own media and marketing business in Innerleithen, Saltire Sky Media, and organises an activity day camp for school-aged children in the school holidays.

Accepting his role, Liam said: “I would like to thank the committee for choosing me to represent the Burgh of Innerleithen.

“It shall be my earnest endeavour to carry out my duties to the satisfaction of the townspeople.”

Following the ceremony, the Standard Bearer Elect and his Lass joined the principals from the past three years in performing a raucous Standard Bearers’ Reel.

St Ronan’s Silver Band and the Tweedvale Pipe Band kept the gathering crown entertained before entering the hall for the Introduction.