Team Leaders Within Scotland

Sean Ankers, Pastoral Director for Shinty
My name’s Sean, I’m married to Virginia and we live in Drumnadrochit, south of Inverness. Together we are chaplains to the men’s and women’s teams at Glenurquhart Shinty club. We moved here at the start of 2020 from South Lanarkshire, for me to pastor a local church. Having experienced life in villages, towns and cities across Scotland, it’s a privilege to be part of a chaplaincy charity that covers not just the whole of Scotland but the whole of the UK. I make it my prayer for all of us as chaplains, and especially as Shinty chaplains, that God will open doors for us to demonstrate his compassion in our close-knit and loyal sporting communities. Coming alongside people is what we do, and having someone come alongside us and partner with us is just as essential. So, I’m delighted to serve our Shinty chaplains in this role of Pastoral Director, and pray that through it we will all be more enabled to fulfil our calling of practically and humbly sharing God’s love with others.



Stuart Coleman, Lowland Football League Pastoral Director
Stuart has been involved in sports chaplaincy since 2011 when he first became Chaplain to Clyde FC, a team he actually played for from 1994-1997. In his younger days Stuart enjoyed a football playing career where he played at senior, junior and amateur levels in Scotland spanning 15 years. Stuart now serves as Chaplain to Cumbernauld Colts FC who play in the Scottish Lowland League, a role he has held since 2016.



Don Currie, West of Scotland Football League Pastoral Director
Rev Don Currie has been chaplain with Saltcoats Victoria FC since Autumn 2014. He became Pastoral Director late in 2021. Faith, Family & football describe his passions and he considers being a football Chaplain a privilege.



Dereck Grant, Highland Football League Pastoral Director
Dereck Grant is married to Gabi Grant, and all three of his children were born in Austria. Dereck is the chaplain for Nairn County, and the pastor for a small Pentecostal church in Nairn. At the same time, he is the Railway Chaplain for the Railway Mission in the north of Scotland.



Jonathan de Groot, Championship Pastoral Director
Jonathan has been chaplain at Partick Thistle, his local team, since 2018. He is minister of Christ Church Glasgow, a church plant of the Free Church of Scotland, in the north west of Glasgow.



Catriona Lamont, Administrator for Sports Chaplaincy Scotland
Catriona is administrator for SCUK in Scotland. She has been chaplain to Hibernian Women since 2015. Recently her husband Derek has become chaplain to Hibernian’s men’s team so they are excited to see what God will continue to do as they serve together with the same club.



Iain MacAskill, SPFL Premiership Division Pastoral Director
Iain has been Chaplain at Ross County since 2009 and currently serves as the SPFL Premiership Division Pastoral Director. He has recently started a new post with the Free Church of Scotland as Church Planting and Evangelism coordinator covering the North of Scotland.



Alison MacLeod,, SWPL 2 Pastoral Director
Alison worships at Central Evangelical Church in Kilmarnock. She became chaplain to Kilmarnock Women in February 2019. Recently she has taken on the role of being a Pastoral Director. Fun fact – She never knew anything about football before she started but loves being with other people, offering a listening ear and helping them.



Jennifer Marsella, SWPL1 and Shinty/Gyms Pastoral Director
Jennifer Marsella. Wife of one. Mother of two. Motherwell Chaplain to many.



Rae Mackenzie, SPFL League One Pastoral Director
Rae is the pastor of Viewfield Baptist Church in Dunfermline. Having spent 3 years as chaplain to Lossiemouth FC, he has now been at Dunfermline for nearly the same time. He loves Jesus, family, sport and cheese.



Brandon Newman, Pastoral Director for Scottish Basketball
Originally from Texas, Brandon and his family first moved to Scotland in 2008. He began serving as Chaplain for Albion Rovers Football Club in 2015 and was later asked to serve as Pastoral Director for League One of the SPFL. In early 2019 he became the first chaplain involved in Scottish Basketball when he was appointed to the Caledonia Gladiators (formerly Glasgow Rocks) of the British Basketball League. Other passions of his include spending time with his family and cheering on all the Dallas pro sports teams.



James Stout, East of Scotland Football League Pastoral Director
I’m James Stout, Pastoral Director for the East of Scotland Football League and currently chaplain at Dunbar Utd, having previously been chaplain at Whitehill Welfare. I’ve been involved with Sports Chaplaincy since 2016 and thoroughly enjoy getting alongside players and staff to offer pastoral support when they need it.



Duncan Strathdee, SPFL League Two Divisional Pastoral Director
Duncan trained as a Tech Ed teacher, ending up as a Headteacher of a Special School in Edinburgh, before taking up the role of full-time Pastor of Dunblane Christian Fellowship in 1998. Having been a Stirling Albion supporter from an early age and watched his eldest son, Jason, play for the youth and 1st team in the early 90’s, Duncan was delighted to be appointed as Chaplain to the club in 2011.



John Toller, Midland Football League Pastoral Director
Bio coming soon