Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 14 January 2026
14 Jan 2026 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Football
That is a problem for families in particular, as it becomes very expensive if you start following your team throughout the country, with the travelling and everything else. I agree that we have to look at that.
There is another long-standing issue in our game, in my view, which is the ban on alcohol at football. As members know, I have raised that issue repeatedly, because allowing the sale of alcohol would give our clubs a vital new income stream that could be reinvested directly into football and into the community work that I spoke about. We have already seen a number of pilot schemes across Scotland, including one recently in Paisley, and one in Aberdeen. It is now time for football authorities to gather that evidence and make the case for change.
We are no longer in the 1980s, and football fans and football culture have moved on. The tartan army alone has shown how modern supporters represent Scotland positively and responsibly wherever they go. Alcohol at football is not about excess—it is about adults and families enjoying the match-day experience responsibly, just as they do in other licensed venues such as theatres and cinemas and at other sports.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The final item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S6M-19672, in the name of George Adam, on the importance of football within Scotland. The ...
George Adam (Paisley) (SNP)
SNP
No one will be surprised at my choice of topic for a members’ business debate, but it is not just about my love of our national game—more importantly, it is ...
Brian Whittle (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
Would the member give way?
Stephen Kerr (Central Scotland) (Con)
Con
Would the member give way?
George Adam
SNP
That one mention of St Mirren seemed very popular; I will take the intervention from Mr Kerr.
Stephen Kerr
Con
I was astonished that George Adam had got a minute into his speech and had not mentioned St Mirren or anything about cup finals. I am worried about him, Depu...
George Adam
SNP
Mr Kerr should not worry—he will not be disappointed as my speech continues. I have followed St Mirren since the halcyon days when Alex Ferguson was manager...
Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow Southside) (SNP)
SNP
Would George Adam confirm for the record that, great though St Mirren is—and it is a great football team—it is, in fact, not the best team in Scotland that p...
George Adam
SNP
I know that Ms Sturgeon and her family are big supporters of Ayr United. I have gone down there for many a pre-season game. Our teams have never been in the ...
Kevin Stewart (Aberdeen Central) (SNP)
SNP
A couple of years back, I had the great pleasure of going to St Mirren for a mental health awareness day, which was wonderful. It was amazing how much work t...
George Adam
SNP
With issues such as mental health, in particular for males, football is a conduit to get through to a group of people who do not normally want to talk about ...
Ross Greer (West Scotland) (Green)
Green
I am grateful to the member for being generous in taking interventions. He said that “every penny matters”. Would he agree that that is the case for fans as ...
George Adam
SNP
That is a problem for families in particular, as it becomes very expensive if you start following your team throughout the country, with the travelling and e...
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind)
Ind
I take the member’s point that some fans are responsible, but would he accept that we have a few problems at football with pyrotechnics and people throwing t...
George Adam
SNP
I agree, but that issue has been policed recently. Some clubs need to engage with it. At St Mirren, we had a situation where we sat down with the club’s youn...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
We move to the open debate. 17:53
Douglas Ross (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
I should begin by declaring an interest as a match official for the Scottish Football Association. I have to say that I do not enjoy every day in the Parlia...
Christine Grahame (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member give way?
Douglas Ross
Con
I give way to Christine Grahame, who is perhaps a recruit to refereeing.
Christine Grahame
SNP
Well, we must stick it out and see, but I am genuinely interested: why did you choose to be a referee rather than a player? Laughter. It is a serious questio...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Always through the chair, although I am a match official as well.
Douglas Ross
Con
Of course—we have another qualified referee here, in the Deputy Presiding Officer. Christine Grahame asked why I chose to be a referee. It was not so much...
George Adam
SNP
At the game at which the member officiated on Sunday, was there a VAR decision that had to be made? Laughter.
Douglas Ross
Con
There was—I knew that I was going down that road, and that I probably should not. In the short time that is left to me in the debate, however, I want to say...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
You are exposing my conflict of interest, Mr Ross, but I heartily endorse those sentiments. 17:59
Jamie Hepburn (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP)
SNP
I start by observing that the importance of football can sometimes be overstated. I imagine that most of us will be aware of Bill Shankly’s age-old maxim abo...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Thank you, Mr Hepburn. It would not be a debate about Scottish football if there was not somebody dampening the mood, but I am conscious that we reached dec...
Michael Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I will do my best, Presiding Officer. I thank George Adam for lodging the motion for debate, and I add my congratulations to St Mirren on their league cup w...
Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
Con
Football has always played a crucial role in the psyche of most Scots, whether they follow a big team or just the local lads side. Whether because of the emo...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I can see that my appeal for members to keep to the time limit is falling on deaf ears and I might have to resort to disciplinary action if members’ behaviou...