MEET United Glasgow FC – the multicultural team who put the communities into the Scottish Communities League Cup.
With refugees from Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo
playing with Pakistani immigrants, French expats and Glaswegians, it’s
one of the most diverse sides in Scotland.
They have been invited to Hampden tomorrow for the St Mirren v Hearts final by the Scottish Government, who sponsor the event.
The team have been hailed for showing the three key principles behind
the League Cup competition – respect, tolerance and responsibility.
Set
up by equality worker Alan White in 2011 to unite people from different
backgrounds, they now have dozens of players from more than 20 countries, including Ethiopia and Mexico.
Alan said: “There are so many nationalities and religions that nobody feels out of place.”
Player Nick Ikunda, 25, was 12 when he fled Congo with his family to escape the conflict.
He
said: “It was hard to adjust but I love Glasgow. A football team like
this is great. We are all close friends and are all from different
backgrounds.”