29 min
Ian Murray MP , Hearts Fan on Scottish Football Culture The Art and Science Of Winning
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- Football
Today on the podcast, I’m joined by MP for Edinburgh South Ian Murray. He was previously Chair of the Foundation of Hearts and stepped down in 2016 in order to focus on his parliamentary duties. A football fan first and a politician second, he considers his resignation from the Hearts Board as “the worst mistake I’ve ever made in my life.”
Being a Hearts fan for as long as he can remember, Ian quips that “you can choose your friends and maybe you can even choose your family, but you can’t choose your football team.”
He talks about a number of his most treasured memories watching the Hearts through the years, speaking of each memory with equal fervor. Says Ian, “What’s the difference between a good and a bad football match? The stories you can tell for decades to come.”
Ian considers football “very much a working class game” at its core among the Scottish working class, and that the rampant commercialization of the sport in the past 40 years has slightly diminished that spirit. One can point to the fact that football is no longer priced as a working class game alone to illustrate this. What persists, however, is the sense of community that defines Scottish football culture.
Ian discusses the Hearts’ pride when it comes to protecting its legacy. Its early slogan, in fact, was: “Own the history, change the future.” Among ardent fans, there is an unspoken sense of responsibility to be custodians not only of the club’s history, but also for those of future generations to be involved with the club.
He also explains the cultural and economic differences between football clubs in Scotland and internationally renowned clubs in Spain and Germany. He says that aspiring club founders should not simply copy the model that made another club successful.
According to Ian, “You’ve got to bear in mind that you’ve got to do what’s best for your club and your fanbase. One size does not fit all. In fact, a thousand sizes do not fit all. You’ve just got to determine what’s in the best interest of the club.”
TIMESTAMP:
[00:25] Football fan first, politician second
[02:59] Growing up with the Hearts
[04:11] Ian’s favorite memories of the Hearts
[06:45] The Scottish working class love for football
[09:32] How football culture has evolved over the last 40 years in Scotland
[15:00] “Own the history, change the future.”
[18:09] Whether Scottish football clubs will ever become as high profile as those in Spain and Germany
[20:25] Getting involved in the political arena
[25:44] How Scottish football will continue to develop through the next ten years
Learn more about Ian Murray:
· WIKIPEDIA
Connect with Don MacNaughton:
· WEBSITE
· PODCAST
· INSTAGRAM
· TWITTER
· FACEBOOK
· LINKEDIN
Today on the podcast, I’m joined by MP for Edinburgh South Ian Murray. He was previously Chair of the Foundation of Hearts and stepped down in 2016 in order to focus on his parliamentary duties. A football fan first and a politician second, he considers his resignation from the Hearts Board as “the worst mistake I’ve ever made in my life.”
Being a Hearts fan for as long as he can remember, Ian quips that “you can choose your friends and maybe you can even choose your family, but you can’t choose your football team.”
He talks about a number of his most treasured memories watching the Hearts through the years, speaking of each memory with equal fervor. Says Ian, “What’s the difference between a good and a bad football match? The stories you can tell for decades to come.”
Ian considers football “very much a working class game” at its core among the Scottish working class, and that the rampant commercialization of the sport in the past 40 years has slightly diminished that spirit. One can point to the fact that football is no longer priced as a working class game alone to illustrate this. What persists, however, is the sense of community that defines Scottish football culture.
Ian discusses the Hearts’ pride when it comes to protecting its legacy. Its early slogan, in fact, was: “Own the history, change the future.” Among ardent fans, there is an unspoken sense of responsibility to be custodians not only of the club’s history, but also for those of future generations to be involved with the club.
He also explains the cultural and economic differences between football clubs in Scotland and internationally renowned clubs in Spain and Germany. He says that aspiring club founders should not simply copy the model that made another club successful.
According to Ian, “You’ve got to bear in mind that you’ve got to do what’s best for your club and your fanbase. One size does not fit all. In fact, a thousand sizes do not fit all. You’ve just got to determine what’s in the best interest of the club.”
TIMESTAMP:
[00:25] Football fan first, politician second
[02:59] Growing up with the Hearts
[04:11] Ian’s favorite memories of the Hearts
[06:45] The Scottish working class love for football
[09:32] How football culture has evolved over the last 40 years in Scotland
[15:00] “Own the history, change the future.”
[18:09] Whether Scottish football clubs will ever become as high profile as those in Spain and Germany
[20:25] Getting involved in the political arena
[25:44] How Scottish football will continue to develop through the next ten years
Learn more about Ian Murray:
· WIKIPEDIA
Connect with Don MacNaughton:
· WEBSITE
· PODCAST
· INSTAGRAM
· TWITTER
· FACEBOOK
· LINKEDIN
29 min