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Alan McRae elected as SFA president at annual meeting
Image source, SNS
Alan McRae has been elected president of the Scottish Football Association at the organisation's annual meeting on Tuesday.
McRae, who has been one of two vice-presidents in recent years, replaces Campbell Ogilvie.
A player with Cove Rangers in the 1970s and 80s, McRae became the club's chairman and led them into the Highland League.
His involvement with the SFA began in 1993 as a council member.
"I feel really proud and privileged - it has been a long and exciting journey," McRae
"I started with Cove Rangers in the amateurs, moving them into juniors and then the Highland Football League over 30 years ago. Since joining the Scottish FA I've served on every one of the committees and boards, as well as working with Uefa, Ifab and Fifa.
"My association with the governing body extends to 23 years and it is a different world to the one I experienced when I played as a semi-professional footballer to where I am now. Once you get involved to want to be a success, as in any walk of life.
"I'd like to focus on cultivating those relationships with all the bodies across the spectrum of the game - both professional and non-professional - and those out with football, including the Scottish Government.
"I would like to focus on the development of young players, ensuring that talented boys and girls can become the Scotland stars of the future and to do that we need to provide more opportunities at grassroots and better facilities on which to play all year round."
McRae, a former president of the Highland League, had been an SFA vice-president along with Ogilvie under George Peat's presidency and, latterly, with Hibernian chairman Rod Petrie.
Petrie was re-elected vice-president at Tuesday's AGM while Gary Hughes has been installed as a second independent non-executive director, which replaces the role of second vice-president. Barrie Jackson is the other independent non-executive director.
Ogilvie, who previously held board positions at Rangers and Hearts, presided over Scottish league re-organisation in 2013.
The Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League bodies merged to form the Scottish Professional Football League, the organisation that runs senior league football north of the border.
A pyramid system was also put in place allowing Highland League clubs and teams from the newly-formed Lowland League a route into the senior ranks.
The SFA president heads up the governing body's board, which comprises chief executive Stewart Regan, Petrie, the president of the Scottish Junior FA, two members of the Professional Game Board and the two independent non-executive directors.
"I am pleased to introduce Alan McRae as president and I would like to thank Campbell Ogilvie for his direction and input as president during his four-year term, especially in the implementation of our strategic plan," said Regan.
"On the field, we have been delighted by the progress made by [Scotland coach] Gordon Strachan and his players during the European Qualifying campaign for Uefa Euro 2016.
"The growth of women's football continues apace, too, and despite not reaching the World Cup, Scotland's reputation continues to flourish domestically and internationally.
"Securing a successful host city bid for Euro 2020 was the culmination of months of hard work, preparation and successful lobbying. I would like to thank Sir Alex Ferguson for his endorsement of Glasgow's winning bid and to everyone who contributed to such a first-class proposal."