PARTICIPANTS of Football Memories groups across Scotland will once again get the chance to hear from former referees as their whistle-stop tour of the country, courtesy of Specsavers, kicked off with a special guest in Elgin on Wednesday (11th December).
For the second season in a row, the Official Eye and Ear Care Partner of the Scottish FA has facilitated for retired refs to speak to participants of Football Memories, a project which assists people living with memory loss conditions, including dementia and Alzheimer’s, as well as those experiencing loneliness and social isolation.
The special tour got under way at Borough Briggs, home to Elgin City Football Club, where ex-whistler Bill Machray got proceedings under way, with special guest and former Scotland captain, Colin Hendry in attendance.
With more than 1,000 matches between them, both Colin and Bill regaled attendees with stories from their illustrious careers, as well as showcasing some of the keepsakes and paraphernalia they have collected from games they had been involved in across the country and abroad over their combined 40 years in the sport.
Bill, who was a category two official and now works as a referee observer with the Scottish FA, refereed hundreds of matches in Scotland. He, largely, officiated in the Highland League, around the same time Elgin City were in the division, but also ran the line in a couple of Scottish Cup Finals.
Colin Hendry, who grew up close to Elgin’s stadium in Keith, had an illustrious career for the likes of Blackburn Rovers, Rangers and Scotland, winning the English Premier League, Scottish Cup and 51 caps among many other top honours.
Colin says: ‘It was a privilege to speak to those gathered at the Elgin Football Memories group as Specsavers kicked off its fantastic initiative once again.
‘Schemes like these are brilliant for the older and more isolated community across Moray, raising awareness of memory loss conditions and providing people with a space to have a cup of tea and chat football.
‘My own mother still lives in the area and it’s groups like Football Memories which often keep people of her generation active and purposeful in the community.’
With the Elgin visit a resounding success, the next port of call on the tour is Perth in January, followed by Dumfries in February.
Established in 2009, Football Memories Scotland is a charitable project run by the Scottish Football Museum in partnership with Alzheimer Scotland.
With more than 600 groups around the country, often hosted in football settings, Football Memories uses engaging football-themed resources stored in a memory box, such as reminiscence cards, life-size player cutouts, newspaper clippings and books, to stir memories and discussions led by volunteers.
Specsavers will sponsor the boxes for the referee tour and have helped to provide some exciting new memorabilia for them such as old football boots, photographs of former referees and other essential equipment required to help run the groups.
Long-term memories can be triggered for many through the visual cues of images, videos, artefacts and discussions taking place in a small group or even a one-to-one setting, unlocking precious happy moments from the past. The impact can be enormous.
Robert Craig, Chair of the Scottish Football Museum, says: ‘We are excited to get under way once again with the first referee visit of the season in our renewed partnership with Specsavers.
“Their continued support to the Football Memories project, which impacts the lives of all who touch it, is invaluable and helps us to carry on delivering for those living with memory loss conditions or experiencing isolation.
‘Our Elgin group is a great example of the benefits Football Memories can bring to the people, and I’m sure the attendees will have taken a lot from their morning with Bill Machray and local hero, Colin Hendry.’
Willie Collum, Scottish FA Head of Referee Operations, says: ‘The success of Football Memories is plain to see, and this fantastic initiative – now into its second season – is one that our roster of former referees is proud to support, as an extension to our existing partnership with Specsavers.’
Specsavers’ Jenny Stephenson, Scottish Divisional Chair, says: ‘Specsavers is proud to not only be the Official Eye and Ear Care Partner of the Scottish FA, but to also help raise awareness of the vital work Football Memories does in assisting people living with memory loss conditions within local communities across Scotland.’
Specsavers announced in 2024 that it was renewing its’ sponsorship deal, becoming the Official Eye and Ear Care Partner of the Scottish FA, marking 24 years of support and beyond for the partnership – one of the longest agreements of its kind in sport.
The deal will see the partnership continue into 2025, not only helping with the training and development of referees, but also raising awareness of para and grassroots football in Scotland.
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