I moved to Paris with £40 in my pocket, battled alcoholism and depression but ended with PSG coach on my CV .. I treated brain like a muscle and trained myself to get better SAYS

BIG INTERVIEW

He had fought hard for all of it. He had battled the anguish of being freed as a kid by Motherwell, the graft of b u i l d i n g site l ab ou r, m e nt a l he a lth issues and alcoholism. A ll to get come out the other side on top with a thriving football academy and plans for the future. Now though, after winning his last battle with the depression that engulfed him despite conquering all of his prev ious demons, he’s finally at home with himself. But will Scottish football be as comfortable with the innovative project he’s now piloting at Lowland League club and French scholarship programme Edusport Academy? He’s throw ing open the doors of the club he owns to a world of online investment and support in a bid to find it a name, a home and ultimately a community.

And having been through so much in his 38 years already he has no fear of confronting establishment norms to shift attitudes.

Ew ing is five years sober and now working on a scheme with the Royal Conser vatoire of Scotland to take his football template into the world of dance. He is a whirlw ind of positiv ity and as he revolutionises the small-club landscape with ourfootballclub.com he has a life at his back that tells him no obstacle is insurmountable. Ewing said: “Going back a few years when we created Edusport Academy it was Marmite for Scottish football. “We were denied SFA member- Chris Ewing might player not have made it as a the game but he’s still in love with enough to want to learn. UEFA ‘A’ Licence Currently on the same James McFadden, course as Scotland coach he and Hearts’ Don Cowie, Stoke’s Charlie Adam I want I want to be a coach but said: “It’s not because be better, have knowledge. to educate myself and in international sports “I earned a Masters Degree management last year. can be and want to be the best you “I don’t need it but you There won’t coaches and players. set standards for your and the who have a UEFA ‘A’ Licence be many club owners is great.” networking on the course education fan of the SFA’s coach While Ewing is a huge as a club with his first ever AGM he was less enthused AGMs underwhelmed – I know owner. He said: “I was was of passion in the room can be dull but the lack naivety because it was obvious. Maybe it was expecting it to be an my first one but I was buzzing. environment that was guys in the “We have so many good with the coaching side of things SFA but it needs more at the top.”