Former referee Dougie Hope shares career as Specsavers-sponsored Football Memories tour arrives in Paisley

Participants from the Paisley Football Memories group enjoyed a visit from former category one referee Dougie Hope this week, as the Specsavers‑sponsored nationwide tour continued at St Mirren Park on Monday 26 January.

For the third season in a row, the Official Eye and Ear Care Partner of the Scottish FA has enabled football legends and retired referees to speak to participants of Football Memories, a project designed to support people living with memory loss conditions including dementia and Alzheimer’s, as well as those experiencing loneliness and social isolation.

Following a successful launch in Inverness with Scotland hero Darren Jackson and former referee Sandy Roy’s visit to Arbroath, the tour continued in Renfrewshire where Dougie, one of the most revered officials in Scottish football, shared stories from his lengthy career.

Dougie refereed more than 1,000 matches in Scotland, his last being Dundee United’s 1-0 victory over Rangers in the 1994 Scottish Cup Final.

Dougie, who lives in Erskine, says: ‘It was a pleasure to speak to the group at St Mirren Park and to share some memories with the Paisley Football Memories group.

‘Football has an incredible power to connect people, no matter their age or background, and being part of this tour with Specsavers shows how important the sessions are for those living with memory loss.

‘With Scotland heading into a World Cup year, it is a brilliant time to look back on the game and forward to what is ahead.’

Established in 2009, Football Memories Scotland is a charitable project run by the Scottish Football Museum in partnership with Alzheimer Scotland.

With almost 600 groups around the country, often hosted in football settings, Football Memories uses engaging football themed resources stored in a memory box to spark stories and conversation led by trained volunteers.

This season’s sessions are World Cup themed, giving groups the chance to look back on Scotland’s history at the prestigious tournament and even select their best post war Scotland eleven, which will be revealed in the lead up to next summer’s finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Specsavers is sponsoring the memory boxes for the referee tour and has helped to add exciting new memorabilia, including vintage football boots and match day programmes to support group discussions. Long term memories can often be reawakened through visual cues, unlocking cherished moments from the past.

Robert Craig, Chair of the Scottish Football Museum, says: ‘It was wonderful to welcome Dougie to Paisley as the tour continues to demonstrate the real impact Football Memories has across Scotland. His stories from an extraordinary refereeing career were hugely enjoyed, and Specsavers’ continued support is invaluable in allowing us to deliver these sessions for people living with memory loss or isolation.

‘Visits from figures like Dougie bring our sessions to life. His humour, insight and generosity with his time made a real impression on the group, and events like this show exactly why partnerships such as this one with Specsavers are so important.’

Sean Connolly, West of Scotland Divisional Chair for Specsavers, says: ‘Specsavers is proud to continue supporting Football Memories for a third season and to help bring these special moments to communities across Scotland.’

Following the Paisley visit, the tour will move on to Ayr and Motherwell as excitement builds ahead of Scotland’s first World Cup appearance in nearly three decades.

Specsavers renewed its sponsorship deal with the Scottish FA in 2024, becoming the Official Eye and Ear Care Partner and extending one of the longest partnerships in sport. The agreement runs to 2028 and includes continued support for referee training and development, as well as raising awareness of grassroots and para football across the country.

Specsavers Paisley is also a long-standing and proud partner of Scottish Premiership club St Mirren FC – Renfrewshire’s only professional football club.