Rangers FC Goalkeeper sits down with Global Gaming Insider to discuss the role of charity initiatives in modern football - as well as their presence throughout his career - among other things as he previews the Rangers Charity Foundation's Big Ibrox Sleep Out 2025.
To start off, if you could give us a quick overview of the Rangers Big Ibrox Sleep Out Initiative, what are the goals of the event and what can attendees expect?
It's a great initiative from the club which is looking to tackle the issue of homelessness in the city of Glasgow, something that you don't want anybody to experience. Between the club (Rangers FC) and 32 Red, with the help of the Rangers Charity Foundation, the Sleep Out initiative has been put together for many years now. This will be the 11th year that the Sleep Out has taken place and in that time the club has managed to raise £350,000, with 32Red as sponsors themselves, putting in over £50,000.
What we've got going on is a really good, purposeful event - and one that's growing every year. Hopefully this weekend is going to be amazing. As a player it's great to be involved in something like this - obviously for us as players, these kinds of things go so much further in helping with the connection that we have with the club, the city and what those two things really mean to the fans.
How were you first approached about the Sleep Out and how have you found the experience of being involved in the initiative?
It's early days for me, personally, as the wider event has been going on for over a decade. The club brought it to me around a month ago now and I said I'd love to be involved. The schedule between myself and the club is always busy but of course we've managed to make that happen and, as I said, it's really great to be a part of it. I've always found being involved in the charity side of Football extremely special no matter what club I've been at. However, this is my first taste of being involved in this particular initiative at this particular club.
In what way has being involved with the Rangers Charity Foundation benefitted your personal and career growth during your time at the club?
It's been brilliant. The club means so much to the fans - it's a way of life - and I think some people underestimate how true that statement really is, especially here. The Rangers Charity Foundation has done so much work with the community; we've done visits to really sick children and their families - or we've had people coming to the training ground - we have some great family days where we get to meet fans and they get to come into the building and see some of their footballing heroes.
These are the types of things you don't think about when you start playing football. You don't think that you can have that effect on people and change as many lives as you can. Sometimes, it's not even about football at all, it's about the relationships and the connections that you have with people. As players, it's easy to get lost in the football and you can forget at times that there's a life outside of it, but the Charity Foundation here at Rangers have done fantastic work over the years, giving players the opportunities to get involved and make a difference - something that I've been very lucky to do in my career.
How do you reflect on the growing prominence of charity initiatives in British football over your career - do you feel there is still room for more initiatives such as the Ibrox Sleep Out?
Absolutely! I've been at some smaller clubs and I've been at some big clubs and obviously the reach and capabilities can differ between the two but, ultimately, I think every club I've been at has been really positive with regard to player-fan involvement, especially when trying to raise awareness for charity. You can hold a great responsibility as a player, and you can have an amazing impact on the world around you.
I've really enjoyed being involved in charity initiatives throughout my career and I think this sector of Football is just growing. For me, I think that clubs, whether it be through social media or more traditional outreach methods, are pushing hard to improve the lives of their fans and we're lucky enough as players to be able to hold onto the coattails and get involved in all the hard work that they're putting in.
As a professional goalkeeper, you will have spent plenty of time on the road. What would you say are your 'away from home' essentials and will you be taking any to the Sleep Out?
First and foremost, a sleeping bag is obviously a great idea! Although, it's not something that I've needed to bring with me too often. But when it comes to travelling, we obviously have a lot of games away from home, it's very trivial but I've always found that an extension lead is something you can never go wrong with. You never know where you might end up or what sort of hotel you might find yourself in. In perspective, hotels are of course part of our privilege and something we're lucky to have - but to go that extra yard an extension cable I think always sets you up well when you're on the road away from home.
The Rangers Big Ibrox Sleep Out, hosted by Rangers Charity Foundation and supported by 32Red, will be held on Friday 14 and Saturday 15 November. Sign up and donate via the Rangers Charity Foundation website.
This latest update comes following Red32's newly brokered UK-based partnership with Gaming Corps, which was signed during Q2
