Alastair Campbell diaries: SFA link, Gordon Strachan and ‘that Cheshire Housewives thing’

By Sean Hamilton

March 22 2021, 6:00 am

Rory Stewart launched a podcast with Alastair Campbell.

Alistair Campbell says he was headhunted by the Scottish Football Association for a board role at Hampden.

The veteran political strategist revealed the SFA’s approach in extracts from his personal diaries between 2010 and 2015.

Mr Campbell’s writings reveal his under-the-radar campaigning role in Scotland’s 2014 independence referendum – including an attempt to bring football legend Sir Alex Ferguson on board as a public face of the pro-UK movement.

But they also lift the lid on a courtship by Scottish football’s governing body between late 2014 and early 2015.

The Alastair Campbell Diaries

With a non-executive directorship on the table, Campbell claims he met senior SFA figures including then-CEO Stewart Regan, soon-to-be president Alan McRae and board member/Celtic CEO Peter Lawwell at Hampden.

SFA offer ‘tempting’

However, their attempt to woo him began in Poland, where Tony Blair’s former spokesman had travelled to watch the Scottish national team in action in October 2014.

Describing the SFA offer as “tempting”, he writes: “Meeting with Stewart Regan and Barrie Jackson (at that time the sole independent non-executive SFA director).

“They were trying very hard to persuade me to join the board. They had someone else lined up but they would prefer it if it was me.”

Hampden Park, home of Scottish football.

He added: “I was keen, but worried it would take a lot more time than they were suggesting.”

Campbell revealed his personal due diligence on the prospective role included conversations with then-Scotland national team manager Gordon Strachan and former boss Walter Smith, with Strachan’s offering of trademark, comedic note.

“Walter felt I should do it and that (the SFA) did have plans for change,” he wrote.

“Gordon was a funny guy – told me Phil Bardlsey (Scotland international) would never play again: ‘Because his wife is on that Cheshire Housewives thing.’ Said he didn’t do politics but I sensed he worked his way round the SFA pretty well.”

Gordon Strachan has since become Dundee technical director.

Sponsorship concerns

March 2015 saw a formal meeting take place between Campbell and the SFA.

However, by that time, the former Labour Party spin doctor was beginning to feel there was distance between his values – chiefly an objection to allowing sponsorship from alcohol and bookmaking firms, traditional big-backers of the game – and those of Scottish football’s governors.

Of the Hampden encounter, Campbell writes: “I was totally upfront RE not changing my stance on booze and gambling but said I would not openly attack.

“Felt it went fine, that they saw both the downsides and the upsides of me being involved. Wanted to use my profile in some ways, but also worried I would be too political, and make enemies.”

‘Safe option’

In the end, former Scottish Media Group director Gary Hughes was preferred for the second non-exec role, the creation of which was recommended in former First Minister Henry McLeish’s review of Scottish football.

But Campbell claims he was ultimately left cold by a lack of energy among the SFA’s top echelon – and walked away feeling like he’d dodged a bullet.

The booze issue would have been difficult at some stage.”

Describing a phone call from Stewart Regan, he writes: “The SFA board had met and had decided to go with ‘the safe option’.

“(Regan) said there was a feeling that my stance on alcohol and gambling, and my close identification with Labour, was a problem

“It was annoying on one level – to get headhunted and to have them pursue me the way they did, and then go safe – but in a way it was perhaps for the best. The booze issue would have been difficult at some stage. Added to which I felt they didn’t quite have the dynamism to turn things round.”