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Glasgow Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Zander Murray hosts community dinner at Glasgow hotel
Zander Murray will be hosting a community dinner at The Social Hub on July 17. It will celebrate connection, collaboration, and creativity. He also led a Lunch & Learn session at the venue on Wednesday, June 25, sharing his personal journey and calling for greater visibility and representation in sport. Read more: Celtic receive €2m transfer offer for out-of-favour defender Major supermarket chain hiring for new roles across Glasgow The Lunch & Learn event is part of The Social Hub's week-long Pride Hub programme. Zander, who came out publicly in 2022 during his playing career, said: "In a city that means so much to me, this kind of event matters. "It's not just about being seen. It's about being heard." A former striker for Gala Fairydean Rovers, Zander made headlines after a Facebook post changed the course of his life. The 33-year-old said: "I was just sitting on a balcony in Benidorm, no Instagram, no Twitter, just me thinking, I'm finally ready. "So I made this wee post for the lads on my team. Fell asleep. Woke up to messages from Lorraine Kelly. "I'm like, what the f*** is going on? "I was literally told to get a flight to London to be on her show. It was insane. 'I didn't play higher because I hated myself. I had this idea that if I went to a big club, someone would dig up a camp photo, post it on a forum, and the abuse would start. 'You don't get slagged for missing a pass. They go for your sexuality. Twitter, TikTok, the comments. It's brutal. "And it messes with your head. You're already under pressure just being a footballer. Add all that, and it's too much.' Following his announcement, Zander became a vocal advocate for inclusivity in sport, delivering talks at schools, football academies, and corporate organisations, including UEFA and the Hong Kong Gay Games. He is also hosting a community dinner at The Social Hub on July 17. He said: "I go into rooms of young boys and ask three questions. "Who's heard homophobic language this month? In this club? Who's said it? "And after I tell my story, you can see the penny drop. "That moment is when things start to change." Zander said returning to Glasgow always hits differently. He said: "Any work in Glasgow means everything to me. "I don't have to slow my voice down. The crowds get it. "I'm from here. It's personal. I see my younger self in all of them."
Daily Record
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Scotland's first openly gay footballer Zander Murray to host Pride events in Glasgow
Since retiring from football, Zander has become an award-winning keynote speaker, delivering talks and workshops to help shift attitudes and win over hearts and minds. Scotland's first openly gay professional footballer Zander Murray is set to headline Pride events in Glasgow. The 33-year-old, who played for Bonnyrigg Rose and Gala Fairydean Rovers before retiring, will host a Lunch and Learn session on Wednesday, June 25, at The Social Hub in the Merchant City area. He hopes to share his personal journey, the challenges he's faced, and how visibility and representation can help create a more inclusive future for LGBTQ+ athletes. He will also host a community dinner at the venue on Thursday, July 17, a celebration of connection, collaboration, and creativity. Speaking ahead of the events, Zander said: 'In a city that means so much to me, this kind of event matters. It's not just about being seen. It's about being heard.' They form part of the venue's temporary name change to the "Pride Hub" and programme of inclusive events throughout July. Zander made headlines after coming out during his playing career by way of a quiet post on Facebook in 2022. He has also investigated homophobia in Scottish football in a documentary for the BBC's Disclosure programme. He recalled: 'I was just sitting on a balcony in Benidorm, no Instagram, no Twitter, just me thinking, I'm finally ready. So I made this wee post for the lads on my team. Fell asleep. Woke up to messages from Lorraine Kelly. I'm like, what the f*** is going on? I was literally told to get a flight to London to be on her show. It was insane. "I signed for a new club just after coming out, and suddenly the BBC documentary dropped early. I was presenting it, doing press, trying to stay match-fit. It was too much. I had to leave pre-season camp early to lead Edinburgh Pride. Two weeks later, I was off to Hong Kong to speak at the Gay Games. The advocacy just took over. 'I didn't play higher because I hated myself. I had this idea that if I went to a big club, someone would dig up a camp photo, post it on a forum, and the abuse would start. That fear stayed with me for years. I sabotaged myself before anyone else could. 'You don't get slagged for missing a pass. They go for your sexuality. Twitter, TikTok, the comments. It's brutal. And it messes with your head. You're already under pressure just being a footballer. Add all that, and it's too much.' Since then, Zander has become a tireless advocate for inclusivity in sport. He is now an award-winning keynote speaker, delivering talks and workshops across schools, football academies and corporate organisations including LinkedIn, Morgan Stanley, UEFA and the Hong Kong Gay Games, helping to shift attitudes and win over hearts and minds. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Zander said: 'I go into rooms of young boys and ask three questions. Who's heard homophobic language this month? In this club? Who's said it? And after I tell my story, you can see the penny drop. That moment is when things start to change.' Zander has travelled across the UK and internationally for advocacy work, from the Gay Games in Hong Kong to Pride events in Manchester and London, but says returning to Glasgow always hits differently. He added: 'Any work in Glasgow means everything to me. I don't have to slow my voice down. The crowds get it. I'm from here. It's personal. I see my younger self in all of them. 'You walk into a room in the east end and the lads are pure giggling, acting daft. But once you tell them what it was like growing up gay in a scheme, they get it. You see the shift happen in real time. That's the power of doing it here. 'When I saw my shirt in the museum at Hampden, next to legends like Sir Alex Ferguson and Denis Law, I felt like a total imposter. But then I thought, what if 13-year-old me saw that, that could've saved my life. 'They're smashing it at The Social Hub. Hosting sober events, listening, adapting. You feel seen there, and it's actually for the community.' Zander's upcoming event forms just part of the venue's temporary rebrand as the 'Pride Hub' for July, with a focus on inclusive, community-led programming. He said: "They asked for my input and actually acted on it. That doesn't happen often. It's a real partnership. No egos, just action. More of that, please.' In 2018, Zander's intense schedule and unprocessed stress caught up with him, forcing him to confront his own health and burnout. 'I burned out. Shingles, chronic fatigue. I've never fully shaken it. But it pushed me into something new," he said. "Now I'm thinking about training as a trauma-informed coach. I've got the psychology background, the lived experience, and the drive to help other people who feel like I used to. 'My advice to anyone who wants to do this kind of work is to sit down with your demons. Properly. Have a cup of tea with them. Once you've made peace with yourself, then you're ready. The hate will come. But so will the impact.'
Times
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Times
Footballer denies deliberately getting booked in ‘betting scam'
A former Livingston FC footballer has appeared in court accused of a betting scam by deliberately getting himself booked in a Scottish Premiership match against Celtic. Keaghan Jacobs, 35, is alleged to have attempted to cheat at gambling by picking up the yellow card on purpose during a game against the Hoops at the Tony Macaroni stadium in October 2019. Court papers state that the player is said to have 'acted in a manner whereby he would receive a yellow card for the purpose of enabling or assisting others to cheat at gambling'. Jacobs, above, will go on trial with his co-accused, Conan McDiarmid, in October ALAMY Jacobs, who now plays for the Lowland League club Gala Fairydean Rovers, entered a not guilty plea when he appeared at Edinburgh sheriff court on Wednesday. Sheriff John Cook set down a date for trial in October and issued a bail condition that Jacobs, from Edinburgh, cannot approach or contact his co-accused, Conan McDiarmid. McDiarmid, 40, is facing a charge of allegedly placing bets, and arranging for others to place bets, on Jacobs receiving the caution from the referee Willie Collum. He is alleged to have placed bets 'in the knowledge that it had been arranged that Jacobs would act in a manner whereby he would receive a yellow card during the match'. McDiarmid, from Bonnyrigg, Midlothian, pleaded not guilty in May and will stand trial alongside Jacobs at the capital court in October. Both men are being prosecuted under the Gambling Act 2005, Section 42, 1A. The match resulted in Livingston beating Celtic 2-0 on October 6, 2019. The Celtic midfielder Ryan Christie was shown a straight red card in the 25th minute before second-half goals from Scott Robinson and Lyndon Dykes clinched the points for the Lions. Jacobs played the full 90 minutes and was shown a yellow for an illegal challenge on the winger Jonny Hayes in the 95th minute. Jacobs is a South African national who had two spells with Livingston between 2007 and 2015 and again between 2017 and 2022. The midfielder played 252 times for the West Lothian club, scoring 23 goals, and has also played for Falkirk, Arbroath and the South African side Bidvest Wits. Jacobs is believed to have made football history when he played alongside his three triplet brothers — Kyle, Devon and Sheldon — in a Scottish Third Division match between Livingston and Albion Rovers in April 2010. The 2-0 win in front of just over 600 supporters is said to be the only time four brothers have turned out for the same professional senior team in the same match. McDiarmid played as a defender with a number of amateur clubs including Edinburgh United and Whitehill Welfare before he retired in 2020 and moved into management.
