SFSA Senior Management Team 2024
Andy Smith (Chair)
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. Firm in his belie 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.
Stuart Murphy (CEO)
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.
Alastair Blair (Director of Operations)
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.
Henry McLeish
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.
Simon Barrow
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 dedicated 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.
Crawford Boyd
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.
Become involved
If you share our belief that there is much that can be done to improve Scottish football, then you’ll want to talk to us and find out how you can get involved. We are particularly interested in those who are prepared to join our ‘Engine Room’ and help share the load of research, writing, video recording, social media management and campaigning, please get in touch here.