WHEN Brian Murray first started playing amputee football he never imagined he would be preparing to board a plane to represent Scotland at a European Championships.
The Eastriggs footballer has been selected to play for his home country in the Amputee Football European Championships in Evian, France.
Brian, who plays as a defender, is flying out with his teammates this morning from Edinburgh ahead of the week long tournament which kicks off on Saturday.
Scotland are in Group D where they will come up against Germany, Poland, who are a professional side, and Greece.
Brian said: “I didn’t start playing until 2015. I started down south playing for Everton just to get back into football. I didn’t even know amputee football existed.”
The former Annan Academy pupil lost his leg when he was 11 following a cancer diagnosis.
He found out about amputee football after reading a magazine in a waiting room at a prosthetics centre.
At 55 Brian is the oldest member of the Scotland squad, but age is just a number.
He added: “I might be the oldest in the team but I’m still pretty fit. And I know I might not play every game but when I do come on I will give it my all.
“This is what we started it for, we qualified as the 16th best team in Europe. Our aim is to get out of that 16th place and work our way up. We want to climb the rankings.
“We’ve been training hard for it. I’m sure the nerves will kick in shortly.”
Ahead of the tournament Brian has received loads of good luck cards from Elmvale Primary School where he recently gave a talk to pupils. He also got a good luck message from Scotland National Team defender Grant Hanley, and the whole team got a special message from Scotland legend Ally McCoist on social media.
Thanks are expressed to all who have given their best wishes to Brian ahead of the tournament as well as sponsors H and I Engineering, Phoenix Decorating, the Mackay Clinic and Capable Clothing.
