Recognising Dougie Wilkie and The W Academy

That the Parliament recognises the remarkable contribution of Douglas (Dougie) Wilkie to youth football and young people over more than five decades; notes that Dougie began his footballing journey as a young player with Queen’s Park before signing for Dundee United, with his playing career tragically brought to an end following a train crash which left him paralysed; recognises that, rather than allowing this to end his involvement in football, Dougie continued to dedicate himself to the game and, alongside his wife Maureen, moved to New York where he began coaching children in Staten Island; notes that, following their return to Scotland, Dougie and Maureen established Mearns United in the early 1990s, providing local children with the opportunity to play, learn and develop through football; recognises Dougie’s commitment to developing technically gifted young footballers, with an emphasis on bravery in possession, playing football on the ground and prioritising development over winning; further recognises that, over five decades, he has coached thousands of young people across Scotland and internationally, including children from deprived communities, young disabled people and families from a wide range of backgrounds; celebrates the role that football has played in providing young people with confidence, friendships, discipline, belonging and opportunities; recognises that Dougie inspired his sons, Ryan and Kyle, to pursue professional football careers and that his footballing legacy subsequently developed into The W Academy, with the “W” representing the Wilkie family and the values of resilience, courage, family and development; notes that The W Academy now works with more than 600 young players every week from its football facility in Glasgow, with more than 130 players progressing into professional football academies; congratulates Dougie on recently celebrating his 70th birthday and recognises that he remains actively involved in The W Academy and committed to supporting the development of young players, and commends Dougie for a lifetime of service to young people and football and for demonstrating, through his own remarkable journey, that disability need not limit a person’s ability to inspire, contribute and create opportunities for others.