Ally Dawson has been awarded the PFA Special Merit Award for his work
with the Scottish Homeless World Cup team and a homeless football charity.
The 54-year-old steered the homeless national team to their second World Cup triumph in Paris last October, repeating the 2007 success.
The former Rangers defender got involved in the homeless national
set-up when it began in 2003 and after managing the team for the next couple of
years, he handed the post over to former homeless World Cup player David Duke.
Last year, Dawson re-joined Duke, who is now the chief executive of
Street Soccer, to continue his help with the charity and Dawson conceded he was
humbled to receive the accolade.
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| Ally Dawson (left) receives award for services to homeless football |
“It was a great honour but it was a surprise, we were up for it,” he
said.
“It reflects greatly on the eight players who went over to Paris and
the work our organisation Street Soccer Scotland does.”
Scotland manager Craig Levein may have a selection headache picking
the right players for the up and coming qualifiers but Dawson reflected on an
altogether different range of problems he faced when choosing his squad to
travel to tournaments.
“Some of the guys who went had never been abroad. Initially it was a
concern how they would react being there,” he said.
“They were also away from home comforts, however players who had been
abroad before helped the new boys to settle in.
“The rest was left to me to pick up the pieces, to put them on the
park, to play the games and then leave them again, it worked very well and
professionally with David Duke.”
Dawson also insisted alcohol, which is frequently related to the issue
of homelessness, was not given to players even after the tournament success.
“From the start of the tournament to the celebrations at the end there
were only soft drinks,” he added.
“We had no alcohol and they enjoyed it. I think they remember it
better as well.”
Dawson believes football tournaments such as the Homeless World Cup
give homeless people a purpose and he says this is evident in the way they are
attempting to rebuild their lives now.
“The eight guys we had, were focused they wanted to play and win,” he
added.
“You see the difference at the end of the tournament but you also see
the opportunity they're getting now such as volunteering and coaching.
“Football makes them socialise. They start mixing with people, young
groups and old groups.
“They go through problems together.
It's that camaraderie and it initiates some things for them. That is an
important thing – they then see that there is educational programmes on which
can help them begin to turn their life around.
“We're starting one in two to three weeks’ time so that's the next
part of their development.
“It's all football themed so it's something they should enjoy,
something they can hope to use in the future as well “
Dawson will take charge of the homeless national team this year where
they travel to Mexico to retain their defence of the trophy in October.
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