THE REVIEW OF THE GAME - HELP US TO TAKE ACTION NOW!
Date: 5th March 2015
As a growing volunteer organisation, we have been set up organically to ensure that the needs of fans are represented as quickly as possible. It is our intention that by the end of 2024, we will have positions in the organisation which are voted for by our members to ensure a democratic process.
One of our first tasks is to set up a working party to put forward a range of proposals for our members to work towards. In the interim we are delighted to have a range of volunteers from across the country who are willing to help build the organisation into a force that can unite as a body to fully represent our needs.
Andy Smith founded and headed up Scotland’s leading Marketing agency as MD and Creative before he and his partners merged it into IPG a listed US marketing corporation with Andy MD of the enlarged UK operation. From Inverness Andy played a few games for his local side Caley before leaving, eventually settling in Edinburgh and winning an East of Scotland League Medal during a long career with Spartans. A legitimate supporter of three senior clubs his two artificial hips are testimony to the ancient, now rare and probably illegal art of slide tackling. Recently he founded and ran an award winning food business, headed up a members association and now works as a pro bono mentor to several start up companies. Passionate that football in Scotland will never flourish until common good becomes the driving force and frank about some of the goings on that Scottish Football continually repeats Andy’s “Sting in the Tale” blog every Friday has become a must read for thinking football fans everywhere as well as a beacon for change.
A director of the think-tank Ekklesia, which looks at how beliefs and values intersect with politics and society. Simon has been active in journalism, politics and adult education for many years. He is a passionate Dumbarton FC supporter and was an associate director and media officer for the club from 2018-2020. He also follows the national team and is a co-founder of the SFSA.
A former Director and Chairman of Dundee Football club and is recognized as having played a pivotal role in the recovery of the football club post Administration in 2011. A season ticket holder at Dens, Stuart has studied Law, Public Administration and is educated to Chartered Manager Institute level. Stuart founded and now heads a successful Family History research business and has recently become a volunteer at the Sporting Memories Foundation which supports individuals with dementia and isolation issues.
Stuart is passionate about the well -being of Scottish football from the grass roots up and over the years has built up a substantial number of contacts within the senior game ranging from the playing and managerial side to broadcasting and press. He has also been a lifelong Juventus fan and is an active member of the Scottish Branch of its supporter’s club.
He fervently believes that fans should have a bigger say in the running of game and is extremely motivated and driven to ensure that voice is heard. He joined the SFSA Board, taking over the CEO position from Paul Goodwin in 2021.
A former professional football with Leeds United and his home team of East Fife. He is academic , an author and a leading Labour politician where he rose to become First Minister of Scotland. Since then he has lectured around the world and was also instrumental in the most wide sweeping McLeish Report for the SFA. He brings a wealth of experience of football, business and politics to the Board which he joined in 2016.
After a lengthy corporate career, initially in advertising in the media and, more substantially, in recruitment marketing, where he was a board director of one of the top three firms in the UK, Alastair has worked as a writer/content creator, digital marketer and researcher. He is a football historian who has written extensively (five books and counting) on St Johnstone, the club he has followed for more years than he cares to admit. He has also written a well-received book on Scottish refereeing and the impact of Scotland on the laws of the game and it was this that led to his introduction to the SFSA. His remit with us is to streamline and improve our organisation and modus operandi, introducing a rigour into our operations than has already seen substantial, measurable improvements in our social media presence and research capability. He joined our Board in 2024 after a spell working as an adviser.
An avid season ticket holder at Ibrox, Crawford is (at least) a third generation Rangers supporter: his family hails from Govan and he has early memories of walking to the match with his grandfather and father and brother to cheer on the Teddy Bears. In professional life, Crawford is a Lloyd’s of London corporate insurance underwriter and a member of the prestigious Faculty of Underwriters. He is a law graduate and operates his own Managing General Agency in Edinburgh’s West End.
Born in Fife, Heather spent the majority of her childhood in Asia, with sport a huge part of her life from an early age. After graduating from Edinburgh University, Heather worked in Switzerland, France and London, before moving back to Scotland to start a career in TV and radio broadcasting. Twenty years later, she continues to work for the BBC, having previously worked across every discipline in radio broadcasting,. She now produces and hosts a women’s sport podcast on BBC Sounds, writes for national titles, and reports from football grounds around the country on a regular basis. Heather became BBC Scotland’s first ever Women’s Sport Reporter in 2019, and is a passionate advocate for women’s sport. She’s also the co-founder of an app for mums, has a wealth of experience in media communications, and is a keen campaigner for mental health awareness. Heather thrives on a challenge, and has been known to water-ski in Scotland in the winter.
The SFSA has developed a range or working groups that are the real power behind moving the organisation forward. If you can contribute and have the expertise and would like to join one of these groups please get in touch:
Marketing Gurus – have you got marketing or sponsorship experience and ideas that can change Scottish Football then you need to be part of this team.
Digital and web team – Can you help us drive the organisation forward by developing our on line presence then join this group
Writers and bloggers – Do you want to get your voice heard to our growing audience then start contribution to our weekly and monthly newsletters
Governance and transparency – A small group of fans who have been meeting for the last year and who have been instrumental in driving our benchmarking and evaluation work. If you have an interest in this area you can join this team.
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