Mr Thomas Buchanan

Thomas Buchanan is a PhD Researcher investigating the links between innovative football-based social interventions (FBSIs) and their societal contributions, under the supervision of Prof Michael Roy and Dr Tom Montgomery. Funded by the Scottish Football Association, and through the prism of the national federation’s Extra Time Programme, Thomas’ research explores how football and related programmatic ‘interventions’ can support community wellbeing.

Beyond this, Thomas is also interested in understanding contextual and place-based social dynamics around football clubs, the economic and social history of FBSIs, and how sport can potentially challenge inequities in the spatial distribution of social and cultural capital in under-resourced communities.

With a professional background in leveraging football for community development, Thomas spent eight years working at Celtic FC Foundation - the charitable arm of Celtic Football Club - as the organisation’s principal Bid Writer. He has an extensive history of securing and directing multi-year partnerships alongside grant-making and philanthropic bodies, including the UEFA Foundation for Children, European Club Association, the Scottish Government, The National Lottery Community Fund, Comic Relief UK, and BBC Children in Need.

A Glasgow native, Thomas holds an undergraduate degree in Politics from the University of Glasgow, as well as an MSc in Political Communication from the same institution.

Thomas can be contacted at: thomas.buchanan1@stir.ac.uk