Amputee footballer Brian to represent Scotland

A Dumfriesshire amputee footballer is gearing up to don the famous blue shirt to take on the best in Europe.

This is the first time Scotland has qualified for the Amputee Football European Championships and Brian Murray is thrilled to be competing in Evian, France, from June 1 to 8.

And he was given a huge boost this week from pupils at Elmvale Primary School in Annan who are going to be cheering him on all the way.

Brian, who lost his leg after an illness when he was 11, said, “It was brilliant to share my experiences with the children, they listened really carefully and asked great questions.”

Cassie in P6 added: “Brian is inspiring – no matter who you are, where you live or what your challenges might be, we can all do whatever we set our minds to, don’t give up.

“Everyone at Elmvale wishes Brian and all the Scotland team good luck next month.”

The 55-year-old, who has played the sport since 2015, is no stranger to the big games. He played for Everton Amputees in the 2015/2016 season and in Ireland with Shamrock Rovers in 2022.

He also represented Scotland in the inaugural Nations League for amputee footballers with a series of games in Fife last October. The squad finished third in the group, having faced teams from The Netherlands, Albania, Kosovo and Azerbaijan, to secure their place at the Euros in France.

The national amputee squad is part of Amputee Football Association Scotland, a charity set up in 2017 dedicated to growing the discipline in Scotland, and the sport has enjoyed significant growth in recent years.

Amputee football is fast paced, dynamic and physically gruelling on the upper body. It is well established across the world, with leagues operating in more than 30 countries worldwide.

The game is played on crutches with teams of seven-a-side; those in goals must have an upper limb amputation while those outfield a lower amputation.

While Amputee Football Association Scotland receives financial support from Scottish Para-Football, the Scottish FA’s governing body for disability football in Scotland, the team are having to raise around £40,000 to get them to France and plenty of fundraising has been under way. Anyone who wants to support them can make a donation at: https://justgiving.com/campaign/scotampeuros.