Last week we announced that we were 'going for the hat-trick' as Digby Brown Solicitors continued its principal sponsorship of St Mirren for the third year in a row. The announcement saw the extension of the original plan for a two-year deal.
Involved in the launch video were Fraser Taylor and Kieran Offord who have made the step from the Youth Academy to first-team and Ema Beka, civil engineer and player at St Mirren Women. Digby Brown employees Amy Gannon, Gary Ross and Jenna Neil have all also made similar journeys as Trainees to Associates and Solicitors at the law firm.
Continue below to read the stories of their respective journeys.
Fraser Taylor - From the West Stand to the First-Team
What was your journey like from the academy to the first-team?
I came through as a young boy. I was at St Mirren when I was four years-old but left about eight before coming back when I was 11 or 12. Since then I’ve worked my way through the age groups – progressing with all the different coaches – and then got my chance in the first-team.
How important were your coaches/mentors on this journey?
They were all massively influential through the age groups. They knew I had some sort of ability and always gave me the chance. All the coaches worked extra with me because of my physicality and were all brilliant with me.
What does it mean to you to represent St Mirren?
It’s a dream. I used to come on a Saturday and watch the players. Then you finally get to know them, work on the park with them, become friends with them. It’s brilliant and it’s something I’ve wanted to do all my life.
When did you know you wanted to be a footballer (work in this profession)?
For as long as I can remember. My mum says that since I could walk, I always had a football and was always kicking it about in the garden. Then I was obviously in at St Mirren from a young age so that was the only real plan I had. I did well in school though so I had a backup, but football was always the number one priority for me.
How important is it for younger players to work hard academically and keep their options open?
Football doesn’t work for everyone. I’ve not made it at all yet. I’ve only played a couple of games and still have a long way to go. It’s about having that security to do something else if you need to.
What are your ambitions for the future?
I want to play as many games for the club as I can and hopefully make the club some money. I’d like to have a good long career and then maybe come back one day and do as much as I can one day.
Fraser Taylor and Kieran Offord
Kieran Offord - From the Youth Academy to the First-Team
What was your journey like from the academy to the first-team?
I joined when I was 14. I started at U15s and came through the age groups. Covid happened when I was 16 and that put things on hold for two years. I missed reserve team football and had to jump from U18s to the first-team quite quickly.
When the new management joined, I got pushed up to the first-team permanently and that’s been really good. It was a lot more physically and mentally demanding and the biggest step for me was trying to keep up with those physical demands every day.
What does it mean to you to represent St Mirren?
I love it. It’s a club that’s such a good community and it’s tight-knit. Whether it's the players or the fans, it’s a real community and a welcoming place.
When did you know you wanted to be a footballer?
As soon as I kicked a ball. I think I’d have been about three.
How much unseen hard work goes into being a footballer and what are the sacrifices you have to make?
There are a lot of sacrifices to be made. A lot of friends my age will be going out a lot and doing what the seeing as fun at the weekends but for us it’s been about being around a ball a lot, working hard and doing more to progress.
What are your ambitions for the future?
I want to see where football can take me and I want to go to the top. I’m quite ambitious. I want to play for Scotland, I want to play in the English Premier League, in the Champions League. I set my goals high and hopefully I can achieve that.
Ema Beka - Balancing playing for St Mirren Women's Team and a full-time career as a civil engineer
What was your journey in football like?
Football has always been my favourite hobby. Academics was always important to me, but from the first time I serendipitously joined a football team at the age of 8, when I happened upon a group playing football near my house, I’ve never not been part of football club, sometimes two. When I moved to Scotland in September 2019, one of the first things I did was find a club to tryout for. I’ve been with St Mirren since October 2019.
How important were your coaches/mentors on this journey?
My football coaches throughout my career have truly influenced my life, within football and out-with. More than technical and strategic skills, I’ve learnt morals of being a team player, finding strength within yourself to perform, and working to achieve progress. I’ve carried all these traits with me throughout adolescence and now adulthood, and I genuinely attribute these learnings to my football career primarily.
What does it mean to you to represent St Mirren?
Representing St Mirren is an honour for me, especially the women’s team. I’ve been with the club since 2019, and in this time I’ve witnessed first hand the effort, dedication, and passion that has gone into establishing the organisation for the Women’s team.
I can truly see now, the trajectory of the club can only go upwards, to which I am truly grateful to be part of the legacy that will become St Mirren Women’s Football Club.
I’m humbled to have been given this amazing opportunity as a Canadian who travelled abroad to work as an engineer, only to find herself just as dedicated to a football club.
When did you know you wanted to be a footballer?
I never committed to football until I trialled for St Mirren. I decided to focus my efforts on my academic career in Civil Engineering instead, as that was a more secure job prospect for me. I’ve now done my best to manage both my civil engineering career and football concurrently.
How much unseen hard work goes into being a footballer and what are the sacrifices you have to make?
Being a competitive footballer requires a time commitment to attending games, training, personal fitness training, keeping up a good nutrition which involves meal preparation and food logging, game match analysis, and participating in club events.
There’s also mental fitness that needs to be trained to be a footballer - managing your stresses (work, personal, and football) and being able to focus on football requires dedication.
How important is it for players to work hard academically and keep their options open?
I would always insist younger players continue to put just as much effort into their academics as they do football because throughout childhood and adolescence, everyone develops in ways that cannot be anticipated. If football is your true passion, it won’t escape from your grasps, but if you ignore your academics, you can miss pivotal learning years in your education. I’ve always managed both football and my education, and I am proud of myself for putting in the dedication to both because I’ve gained so much joy and fulfilment from both aspects of my life.
What are your ambitions for the future?
I intend to continue playing football wherever life may take me. I may not be in Scotland in years to come, but I will always be part of some club in whatever country I find myself in.
From left to right; Amy Gannon, Gary Ross and Jenna Neil of Digby Brown.
Amy Gannon - Trainee to Associate
What was your journey like from trainee to associate?
I can sum it up in three words: varied, challenging, and rewarding. I’ve always felt valued here and supported along the way to reach my full potential which I think is crucial for your development in any workplace.
How important were your supervisors/mentors on this journey?
I can confidently say my supervisors played a pivotal role in my development throughout my traineeship and beyond. I’ve been lucky enough to be supervised by people with different teaching methods and professional styles, which meant I learned to be adaptable.
My supervisors always had the time for me and encouraged my progression within the firm.
What does it mean to you to represent Digby Brown?
The positive impact we have on peoples' lives after their accidents is what I think it means to represent the firm. I’m passionate about helping people and the quality of service we ensure. The specialist reputation of the firm is unmatched in the legal sector and so I’m delighted to continue to represent Digby Brown.
When did you know you wanted to be a personal injury lawyer (work in this profession)?
My brother was in a nasty motorcycle accident when we were younger and this opened my eyes to the impact accidents can have on people and how important it is to seek specialist help. I always knew I wanted to help people in need, so becoming a personal injury lawyer was the perfect fit.
What are your ambitions for the future?
I have a strong desire to progress further within the firm and I’m confident that this is achievable. I feel really fortunate to work somewhere that supports and encourages me to progress.
Gary Ross - Trainee to Associate
What was your journey like from trainee to associate?
I started my traineeship in 2011 and found that it was really varied. Over the 2 years I worked on all kinds of personal injury cases and appeared regularly in court which improved my knowledge of the procedures involved in claims for civil damages.
I then moved into Digby Brown’s Industrial Disease Department after finishing my traineeship and I’ve really enjoyed specialising in this type of work (for more than 10 years now!)
I’ve been fortunate to help clients in cases that involve complex legal and medical issues and found that this helped to develop my specialist knowledge of Industrial Disease.
How important were your supervisors/mentors on this journey?
My supervisors within the firm were crucial in my journey from trainee to associate and I feel like they always supported and guided me to the best of their ability.
The work we do is all centred around being able to help clients as best we can, so being able to ask my supervisors questions and get feedback about my work was very important because at the end of the day the client was benefiting from the best legal advice available.
What does it mean to you to represent Digby Brown?
Representing Digby Brown, to me, means making sure I get the best possible outcome for my clients. It’s important that they trust that they’re in good hands, and I’ve always been proud to be part of a firm with the specialist knowledge to help better the lives of others.
When did you know you wanted to be a personal injury lawyer (work in this profession)?
I actually discovered my passion for personal injury law while I was studying delict in university. I enjoyed the fact that I could combine my interest in helping people with my legal knowledge. Personal injury law deals with cases where people have been hurt because of someone else's negligence, and it’s rewarding to help those people get the damages they deserve.
What are your ambitions for the future?
My aim is to work for Digby Brown long into the future and continue to help people who are going through very tough times.
Jenna Neil - Trainee to Newly Qualified (NQ) Solicitor
What was your journey like from trainee to NQ?
It was a really rewarding process and I really enjoyed having my own clients and case holdings from the start.
All the strategies I learned over the two years are really helpful in practice now as a newly qualified solicitor, and I noticed when I finished the traineeship my confidence increased rapidly.
How important were your supervisors/mentors on this journey?
I think it’s really important to be paired with supervisors who can complement your learning style but also challenge you. This involves a lot of trust and I felt like I could share any concerns I had and work on development ideas with confidence, which has ultimately led me to where I am today!
What does it mean to you to represent Digby Brown?
An accident can be life changing and I think acknowledging this first and foremost is at the core of the work we do. Lending an ear in times of difficulty, taking extra care when discussing sensitive topics, guiding towards helpful solutions and sometimes just being there as a trusted figure when they may have no one else is why representing Digby Brown matters.
When did you know you wanted to be a personal injury lawyer (work in this profession)?
It’s definitely always been an area of law I’ve been interested in. I worked as a Paralegal while I was studying and wrote my dissertation on medical negligence, so I recognised the importance of seeking justice and fair compensation for people and their families who’ve been through difficult, often traumatic situations.
What are your ambitions for the future?
I’m definitely looking forward to developing my career with Digby Brown. As a newly qualified solicitor, I’m proud that I can keep helping people who’ve been injured through no fault of their own and give them the support they deserve. I feel very fortunate to work for the leading personal injury firm in Scotland.
