As a young deaf boy growing up in Glasgow, George McGowan just wanted to play football.
“I faced a lot of barriers, playing in mainstream football - continuously being subbed, pushed to the side,” he says. “It could be isolating.
“I finally found the opportunity to play deaf football at the age of 15, when I discovered Glasgow Deaf Athletic, and since then, I have never been away from the game.”
For his selfless and relentless support of the game and his commitment to young deaf players, George won the South Sports Champion title in the regional heats of the Glasgow Community Champion Awards, run by the Glasgow Times in association with Vertu, and supported by Glasgow City Council and Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust.
He is now through to the grand final, which takes place on Wednesday (December 3) at Glasgow City Chambers.
“Being in the final is an honour, and I truly believe that everyone involved is a winner for the amazing work they do in their communities,” he says.
George is chairman of Glasgow Deaf Athletic, which at 153 years of age, is the oldest deaf football team in the word (and older than even Rangers and Celtic).
While it has no 11s team at the moment, its indoor futsal programme is thriving. (Futsal is a type of football played in smaller teams).
The club also helps to run deaf football sessions for six- to 12-year-olds at Toryglen Regional Football Centre on Tuesday evenings.
George’s long list of achievements include helping to coach the GB women’s deaf football team, who have just won bronze at the 2025 Deaflympics in Japan following a 2-0 victory over Australia.
The 2025 team had been asked to raise £4000 each to fund the cost of sending athletes and support staff to Tokyo.
Unlike for Olympic and Paralympic sport, the government does not directly fund athletes competing at the Deaflympics.
“We don’t get any funding so even just getting there is very stressful,” says George. “It was the same when I was managing the GB Deaf Women's football team at the Deaflympics in Taiwan in 2009 – we came fourth that time – so it’s unbelievable that nothing has changed.”
During a break from Glasgow Deaf Athletic, George helped develop the Scottish men’s team, who played their first tournament in Turkey in 2024.
He returned to Glasgow Deaf Athletic just before its 150th anniversary.
“I wanted to make sure we reached that milestone,” he says. “The club has survived because of the amazing efforts of people like the inspirational Sandy Brooks who served for 60 years, and Jack Hepner who served for 40 years.
“The club was founded in 1871, and it was the first deaf 11s football team in the world, It is even older than both Rangers and Celtic, which is quite an achievement.”
George adds: “Now my focus is on helping develop the game for future generations of deaf children.
“I want them to have the dream of playing for their country. I am really passionate about that.”
Share