Football still a force for good even though times are bad
HAVING filled in for my esteemed colleague Matthew Lindsay in his regular back-page slot on Monday, I fear I may have channelled the famously cantankerous tone with which his regular readers will be all too accustomed, so allow me to round off the working week (such as it is) for you with a slightly more upbeat take on Scottish football and those who operate within it.
It is fair to say that those who run our game and our clubs have come in for a fair kicking over the last wee while, and most of the criticism has been deserving in nature despite the difficulty of our times.
But while some haven’t exactly covered themselves in glory over the past few tumultuous weeks, others have quietly continued to use their position to make a positive impact on both their local and broader football communities.
In a wider sense, there have been worthy initiatives such as the Thistle Trust delivering 9000 meals to vulnerable communities in and around Maryhill, Aberdeen running a similar scheme in their own city, Motherwell attempting to ‘sell out’ Fir Park by way of online donations in order to raise money for three local causes, the Rangers charity backing free tuck shops for patients at Glasgow hospitals and the Celtic Foundation working with FARE Scotland to distribute 70,000 meals around the East End of Glasgow.
These are but the tip of the iceberg. Each of these clubs and almost every other in Scotland – during hugely uncertain times for themselves and their own futures – are going above and beyond on a daily basis to help out the communities which they are at the heart of.
So, if the politics of football and the public bickering has left a hugely bitter taste in your mouth, there is a welcome counterpoint to consider too. Football clubs are almost always a positive influence on our society.
On a smaller scale, much of the invaluable work done by clubs and indeed, individual footballers, is often overlooked.
Sadly, my own family has been going through a rough time of late after my eldest son fell ill with a spinal disorder. He is still in hospital and will be for some time, but while the real heroes in his recovery so far have of course been the incredible team of surgeons, doctors, nurses and other staff at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow, there have been others whose own contribution to keeping his spirits up has also been invaluable.
Like a lot of boys his age, he is football daft, and the messages of support that have poured in for him from his favourite club, Motherwell, and so many more besides have been overwhelming in both their volume and their sincerity.
A friend of mine kindly reached out to a number of players and Scottish football fortunate to be in such a position, my own experience is that almost all of them are grateful for it, and look to give back to their supporters whenever they can.
In ‘normal’ times, this doesn’t just come in the form of messages of support for the ill or the annual photocall when clubs visit hospitals at Christmas, but also in the more mundane and unheralded actions of turning up at a youth team’s player of the year event to hand out the medals on a Friday night, or taking questions from punters at a supporters’ function.