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What did you do before you came to �鶹����?

“I was involved in professional football until I was 19 years old, before I was forced to retire due to injury. I damaged my hip and was told that not only were my playing days over, but that even doing light exercise could be difficult. 

“I then went to college to get some qualifications. Because football had been such a big focus of my life, I wanted to do something new. I tried different subjects, but I enjoyed event management the most. After working my way up to HND, I realised university was a possibility. 

“I’m from Glasgow but I toured all the Scottish universities. When I visited Edinburgh Napier, it felt like home.”

What was your study experience like?

“My time at ENU was impactful for two reasons. It gave me the courage to start exercising again and I realised I liked being part of a community and helping people. 

“I got direct entry into third year of ENU’s Festival and Event Management course. Coming straight from college was challenging because my classmates already had a rapport with each other, however getting involved with sport changed my university experience. I spent my first year at university trying low impact sports without suffering any problems and I joined the men’s football team the next year. This was massive for me as it integrated me into university life, and I felt more connected. It had a positive impact on my studies as well, as I was able to switch off and take time away from the computer.

“As I was coming to the end of my studies, I didn’t know what to do next and arranged a meeting with an ENU career advisor. As I told her my history and experience, something came over me and I blurted out, ‘how do I get your job?’. She told me the University had a postgraduate course called Career Guidance and Psychology. This qualification could allow me to go down many different career paths, such as a career counsellor in a school. It sounded perfect and exactly what I wanted to do. Plus, it would allow me to continue playing on the football team for another year!

“I ended up becoming President of the football club and I continue to connect with the club by playing in the annual alumni vs student match. It’s great to meet other alumni and current students.”

What did you do after graduating?

“Towards the end of my postgraduate course, Skills Development Scotland came to class and held interviews for multiple roles. I got a job working as a school career advisor at Broughton and Trinity high schools in Edinburgh. I then became a full-time career advisor at a school in Falkirk while also managing their school football team. For someone who loves sport and helping others, it was perfect!”

Did you continue playing football?

“After my success playing football at ENU I decided to start playing semi-professional football alongside my role at Skills Development Scotland. It was going really well and I was offered countless opportunities to play at a higher level. The only reason I said no was because I was gay.

“At first football provided a distraction to my own sexuality struggles, however it then became a burden. Higher leagues meant more fans and more fans meant increased scrutiny. It was eating me alive, and I eventually suffered burnout. I caught shingles, however digging deeper I knew it was because I was suppressing my sexuality. If you’re dealing with something mentally it can often come out as physical symptoms. 

“I had a great employer. From their point of view, they saw a guy who was doing great but then suddenly imploded. They really supported me and gave me space and time to work it out. It was a really tough time, and I said to myself, ‘you need to sort yourself out’.

In 2022 you became the first openly gay professional footballer in Scotland. Can you tell us what you were going through at the time?

“I came out to my friends and family slowly, starting from April 2021. I didn’t come out to the footballing community until September 2022 when I was 30 years old. 

“My football manager at the time had no idea I was gay. After every match he would say, ‘go home with your girlfriends or boyfriends, go home, relax, chill out’. That would get sniggers from the players, but he continued to say it. A few weeks later, our captain stood up and said, ‘I don’t care if anyone has a boyfriend here, it’s really not a laughing matter’. I couldn’t believe it. Two leaders in the dressing room saying that! 

“A couple of weeks after that I had the weekend off. I had never been to a Pride event before, but I really wanted to go. I googled upcoming events and the only one happening was in Benidorm, so I went! I was there with a friend, and she took my photo. She went to share the photo on social media but stopped herself because she realised she couldn’t. I pondered that on the way back to the hotel. I thought about all my struggles and told myself, ‘this has held you back your entire life. You’ve led a double life. You’ve been in hiding’.

“I sat back on my balcony and just thought, ‘let’s do it’.

“I posted on social media and went to sleep. I then woke up to a call from Lorraine Kelly! She told me I wasn’t getting a flight back to Glasgow, I was going to London to be on her show.”

Tell us more about your advocacy work

“A couple of months after I came out, I got the opportunity to play professional football. With nothing holding me back I took it and realised a boyhood dream. However now I am retired and focus on LGBTQ+ ambassadorial work. 

“I had no idea the impact my story would have. I’ve received thousands of messages from people who connected with my story. That’s led me to what I’m doing now. I’ve always wanted to help people, and now I do my talking off the pitch.

“I thought I was alone but I’m part of LGBT+ collective. I’m involved with the Scottish FA’s efforts to tackle homophobia. I work with LGBT charity, Time for Inclusive Education (TIE), and visit professional football clubs and academies and run workshops. I’m also heavily involved with integrating Football vs Homophobia Scotland’s work with the Scottish FA outputs to ensure we’re all singing from the same hymn sheet.

“I have also been featured in documentaries and produced my own one for the BBC, Disclosure: Out on the Pitch. In November 2023 I was an Ambassador for the Gay Games - the world's largest LGBTQ+ sports and culture event held in Hong Kong. To be part of the first LGBTQ event in Asia was history making. I’m also a member of the working group for Rainbow Laces. The iconic campaign is a decade old, and the group was formed to discuss its legacy and next steps. 

“I’ve realised that my story is transferable. I have people coming up to me at events to say thanks for motivating and empowering them to not give up.”

What does the future hold for you?

“I do the work I do because I want to help the younger me not give up. I’ve not healed from my 16-year struggle with my sexuality; I’ve put my body under so much stress I’ve got physical symptoms because of it. 

“It means the world to me that I am able to make a difference. After making an impact in Scotland, I will shortly be moving to England to continue my work there.”