Forget management, Scott wants to run the game in Scotland
Kilmarnock centre-half Scott Boyd had planned to move into management, until his kids came along.
Now he wants to one day run all of Scottish football instead!
After some soul- searching, the 32-year-old decided that life in the hot seat is too precarious for a man with a young family, so now he intends to work behind the scenes when his playing days are over.
Boyd, who won the Challenge Cup and League Cup during his time with Ross County, has already used his hard- earned degree in sports management to gain valuable experience at Rugby Park.
“I graduated in January, and it was such a weight off my mind,” said Boyd.
“I had been doing it for the best part of four years.
“The club have been great, allowing me to come in and help out during my spare time.
“I was able to get a real feel for what the football club is all about, and it has opened my eyes to all the stuff that goes on behind the scenes.
“I’ve done my coaching badges, but I have decided I want to take a different avenue when I stop playing.
“Most footballers go into coaching, but I was fascinated by the business side of things, and I think what I’ve seen at Rugby Park has given me an appreciation of all the work that goes on.”
However, Boyd admits that it was becoming a dad which made him change his plans.
“It was all down to the kids, to be honest,” he said.
“I had my first four years ago, and now we have a two-year-old as well. I realised I needed to provide for my family after football.
“That was what changed my plans. I went from just thinking about myself to looking at the bigger picture.
“As a player, you do have a lot of free time.
“So, instead of wasting my time watching box sets, I focused all my energy on studying.
“I left school without Highers, so I had to go back to college and do them before I was accepted for my degree course.
“It took a long time getting to where I wanted to be, but it was worth all the hard work and means as much to me as the cup finals I played in.”
In 2010, Boyd played for County against Ian Maxwell, who was turning out for Partick Thistle.
A year later, Maxwell became the Jags’ general manager and three months ago he replaced Stewart Regan as the chief executive of the SFA.
“I always used Maxie as an example of the route I wanted to take – even before he got the SFA job,” Boyd continued.
“I had to do some questionnaires for clubs, so Maxie was involved in that and Killie chief executive, Kirstin Robertson, has also been excellent for me.
“She’s been really helpful and supportive of my studies to get me to where I am.
“That’s the road I’d like to take, and this course was following in Ian’s path.
“This isn’t the English Premier League, where players are set up for life.
“Now I have my degree in the bag, I can focus firmly on my football, while still working on things behind the scenes.
“Graduating was such a relief. It means I’m prepared for life after football, so I can just enjoy playing now.”