People of the Union puts the spotlight on individuals across FIFPRO’s member associations who are dedicated to improving the wellbeing of professional footballers.
Fraser Wishart is the Chief Executive of Professional Footballers’ Association Scotland and a FIFPRO global board member. The former midfielder talks about his role as a union leader, the value of FIFPRO and the importance of players being part of the decision-making process.
FIFPRO: Tell us about yourself: what’s your current role and what’s your background?
Fraser Wishart: I'm a former professional footballer; I retired in 2001. I started my career in 1984 but didn't plan to be a professional. I was at university and happy being a semi pro. I got the chance to sign for Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership. I took one year out of university and signed a one-year contract. I thought, if it doesn't work out, I'll go back to university. And now, 41 years later, I'm the Chief Executive of PFA Scotland.
I got involved with the PFA as a 20-year-old. Motherwell's club delegate had left, and nobody wanted to take his place. I put my hand up. I was brought up in a socialist, trade union background. My parents took me on marches against apartheid. I believed in trade unions and the socialist movement. That’s why I thought let's do it and let's learn from it.
I linked up with Tony Higgins, the General Secretary at the time, who guided me, and I moved on from there. I became the Chair while I was still playing, and when I retired from playing in 2001, I started working here.
Working for the union caused problems in my playing career. When I was about 27, I had a fallout with the manager at my club. He put me on the transfer list, made me train on my own. After the club was relegated, I was released as they couldn’t afford me. But no other club would touch me for about six months due to a whispering campaign from that manager, who said I was a backroom lawyer. Some big clubs in England wanted to sign me but told me they were advised not to sign me because I was bad news in the dressing room. I thought my career was over. I was lucky that I got a chance at Falkirk. And six months later I signed for Rangers. I’m proud I fought for this and stood up for my principles.
What issue affecting players welfare are you most passionate about?
We provide mental health counselling and are strong on second careers for players, but first and foremost, we are a trade union. We have to look after employment. We must remember that footballers are employees like anybody else. In Scotland, most players don't earn huge amounts of money, so they have to get paid to pay their bills. We provide a legal service that is free of charge to members for any employment related or football regulatory dispute.
Can you share one of your proudest moments or achievements working as a union representative?
A couple stand out. I was proud of us representing Andy Webster in his case. We couldn't have done it without the support of FIFPRO and other unions such as VVCS, UNFP and PFA England, but we were the ones that led. We took the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and are proud of the outcome. It is a good example of what FIFPRO can do: we all worked together to help Andy Webster.
The other standout is dealing with the administration of Rangers in 2012. They are such a huge club, you can imagine the focus that was on us, with radio and TV stations from all over the world reporting on this. It was an intense period. I came under a lot of pressure and criticism from public and media, but I had a job to do. My job was not to protect Rangers, but to protect our members and their welfare. A lot of people, media and fans didn't like that, and emotions ran high. The proudest moment was that we kept every player on board: no player’s contract was terminated.
I am also proud that the players came up with the idea to take wage cuts to prevent that nobody else at the club - people working in the offices or on the training grounds – would lose their job. We persuaded the administrators to agree with that.
If you could change one thing in football, what would it be?
A fairer transfer system, and as a part of that a fairer distribution of the money between clubs. The collective income of the 20 top teams last year was 11 billion US dollars. But that money doesn't filter down to the clubs at domestic level. Smaller clubs need money to compete. You must have a product with more teams able to win a league. In Scotland, we have two big clubs, Rangers and Celtic, and the other teams maybe have between five and ten percent of their budget. How can they compete?
Is there anyone in the union world or in sports in general who inspires you?
I was lucky to have Tony Higgins. He is a very experienced man, speaks well and he saw the benefit of FIFPRO back in the early 90s and helped drive it forward.
What is your favourite football memory?
I played for Rangers against Celtic a few times. One game was at Hampden Park, our national stadium, as Celtic’s home ground was being developed. I hadn't played much that season, but that match I was given the chance. I played well and we won 3-1. The best part for me was that I was playing against my best friend, Andy Walker.
Who is your favourite footballer and why?
Kenny Dalglish, who played for Celtic, Scotland and Liverpool. I think he is the best Scottish player ever. He wasn't quick, but so clever. He was brilliant at shielding the ball, he could pass and score with both feet. He was world class.
FIFPRO is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. What does being part of a global union mean to you?
It means everything. I don't know where the trade union movement within football would be without FIFPRO. It has brought people together from all over the world who have different environments to work in but are all bound by one thing: a strong belief that footballers, as much as anybody else, need trade union representation.
We are stronger together. If you're going to speak to FIFA, I don't care how big your union is, if you're going on your own, you've not got the same power as we will have with 70 unions. Our union is a good example of how FIFPRO can help unions grow. When I started in 2001, Tony Higgins was the only employee. But we’ve grown thanks to the help of FIFPRO. And I see the staff at FIFPRO's headquarters as an extension of our staff. If we've got a problem or need advice, then we can always call them.
What do you hope to see unions unite more on to shape the future of football for the players?
FIFPRO has to secure its role within football governance. Within organisations like UEFA and FIFA, even the smallest countries that don't have professional football have a vote. Why should FIFPRO not have a say about what happens to our members? The international match calendar is a prime example, as we should absolutely be part of the decision-making process. If they are going to change anything that relates to our members’ employment, we must be involved.
