Gordon claims top SFA job

[DavidMc]

GORDON SMITH APPOINTED CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Gordon Smith is confirmed as the new Chief Executive of the Scottish Football Association. He will take up the position later this month.

The former professional footballer was born in 1954 in Kilwinning, Ayrshire, and after a successful career as a player he combined a business and financial career with his role as a player’s agent and broadcaster.

He started out as a player with Kilmarnock, making his debut in 1972. He made 158 league appearances for the Ayrshire side before signing for Rangers in August 1977. In his first season at Ibrox he won the treble of League, Scottish Cup and League Cup, and followed that the next season with a League Cup and Scottish Cup double. He moved south in 1980 to Brighton and Hove Albion, then in the top division, and played in the FA Cup Final. Later in his career he featured for Manchester City, Oldham Athletic, Admira Wacker, Basel and Stirling Albion.

Gordon Smith is only the seventh man to take the top job at the SFA in over a century. After a variety of Secretaries in the first ten years of its existence, the Association’s Secretaries and Chief Executives have been John K McDowall (1882-1928, Sir George Graham (1928-1957), Willie Allan (1957-1977), Ernie Walker (1977-1990), Jim Farry (1990-1999) and David Taylor (1999-2007).

I think this is a great move by the SFA. Gordon Smith knows whats required in our game and has the experience to be a really huge benefit to our game. We might not see improvements straight away, but there is no doubting that he isnt the man for the job.

Congratulations Gordon Smith.

[LAF]

Lets hope he does a good job.