YouTube content kicks-off with Alloa Athletic goalkeeper Tochukwu Ogayi’s remarkable journey from Lagos to Indodrill Stadium - fleeing war-torn Ukraine and sending 300 emails to salvage his dream of playing professional football
The SPFL and SWPL today launch SPFL United – a content series showcasing the inspirational real-life stories that makes league football in Scotland so compelling.
The new campaign is timed to support Black History Month and complement Show Racism the Red Card’s upcoming weekend of action.
Co-hosted by coach and broadcaster Marvin Bartley and Gartcairn Women FC’s Kaela McDonald-Nguah, SPFL United is a celebration of Scottish football’s diversity across all four SPFL divisions and the Scottish Women’s Premier League.
Episode one begins with Bartley uncovering the story of Alloa goalkeeper Tochukwu Ogayi. He left his native Lagos, Nigeria, to pursue his football dream, experiencing the horror of war in Kherson, Ukraine, before fleeing for the United Kingdom via German team Tasmania Berlin.
The series also spotlights St Johnstone flat-mates Aaron Essel, from Ghana, and Andre Raymond, of Trinidad and Tobago, discussing the Saints’ multi-cultural dressing room and why Scotland is now home.
And in the SWPL, Gartcairn player Kaela McDonald-Nguah interviews Glasgow City player Rammie Noel about the challenges she faced as a black footballer in the US before her move to Scotland.
Tochukwu, 28, told Bartley about the challenges of growing up in Lagos, Nigeria in the video series, before expanding on his final days in Ukraine: “It was very difficult. I wanted to go to the bunker just to be safe.”
Ex-Hibernian star Bartley asks: “How scary was it? Did you ever think you were going to lose your life?”
Tochukwu replied: “Yeah - I remember I opened the blinds and looked down and I saw people running with bags. At 5.00am there was a big bang, and you could see a big fighter jet coming down. The flames were enormous. It was very, very scary. It was shot out of the sky.
“My parents were very worried.”
Tochukwu’s family encouraged him to leave the country, and he then played in Germany, before emailing clubs across the world looking for his next move.
He decided Scotland was the place to restart his career, earned a move to the Wasps after a successful trial last summer and has become a firm favourite with fans.
He said: “There’s no better feeling than arriving in a country where everyone speaks the same language. You feel very relaxed.
“It is home for me now. I’ve felt very welcomed.”
The videos can be watched on SPFL and SWPL social channels across the rest of this week.
“There was a big bang, and you could see a big fighter jet coming down. The flames were enormous.”@AlloaAthleticFC’s @OgayiTochukwu tells @dothebartman1 about his incredible career journey, fleeing war-torn Ukraine and finding care in Scotland in more ways than one.
— SPFL (@spfl) October 16, 2024
SPFL… pic.twitter.com/VN7v5n4qQa
Marvin Bartley said: “It was a real pleasure to speak to some of the players across the SPFL about their back story, how they arrived in Scotland, and what makes this league so special.
“Tochukwu’s story is incredibly powerful, and it’s great to hear how happy Tochukwu, Aaron and Andre have been with the move to this country.”
Calum Beattie, SPFL chief operating officer, said: “There are so many important human stories right across the SPFL and SWPL, and we believe the SPFL United content series will really bring some of those to life.
“It’s been great to hear that the players involved have had such a positive time since arriving in the SPFL and SWPL, and we look forward to telling more SPFL United stories in the months and years ahead.
“We’d lastly like to thank Marvin and Kaela for their good work on the campaign, as well all the players and clubs involved for sharing their very personal stories on how they came to arrive in Scotland and play in our leagues."
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