David Boyd was born in Pollok, where life was simple, noisy, and full of football. His childhood was spent kicking a ball off the walls of the scheme with his mates, the kind of street football that teaches you more than any coach ever could.
After growing up Sunday mornings then meant pulling on the Nethercraigs kit, a team that quickly felt like family and the place where his love for football really took shape.
Around these years he met Gillian—though neither of them knew it then, she would become the centre of his world. Their bond grew naturally over time, built on support, trust, and sticking by each other through everything.
Saturdays were for Victoria Croftfoot, where grassroots football gave him both brilliant memories and even a Jim Harvey Cup win. Life was busy, full of football, friends, and the buzz of matchdays.
Somewhere in the middle of it all he brought home Mylo, the dog who would go on to be his shadow and a huge part of his life.
Football is woven into every part of his life—whether it’s chasing trophies or standing beside his dad watching Europa League nights at Ibrox. It’s the thready that ties everything together.
The team went on a storming run and won the league, the Jim Harvey Cup, and the end-of-season cup. A treble. A moment that changed everything for the club and for him.
Off the pitch, his own story kept moving forward. David married Gillian—the woman who had been his strength through every high and every low. Seven years together and still solid as a rock.
He helped guide the team into the Premier League, holding their own with a solid mid-table finish.
But the biggest victory of David’s life came in November 2024, when he and Gillian welcomed their daughter, Autumn. From the second she arrived, everything shifted. Her wee laugh became the sound that kept him grounded and grateful.
Before long he was supplying teams across the GCFA, including GCR and Lokos. A proper achievement built from hard work and belief.
But David’s real story is bigger than football, business, or trophies.
It’s about survival.
He’s now seven years sober from drink and drugs—a battle many never see from the outside. His past was filled with chaos, misery, and moments so dark he nearly didn’t make it. He lost trust, lost himself, and even attempted to end his own life.
But he pulled himself out.
Recovery wasn’t easy. It was slow. It was painful. But it rebuilt him piece by piece. It gave him back to his family. It turned him into a husband, a dad, a son again. It gave him a life he once would never have believed he deserved.
David knows he isn’t perfect—he laughs about how hyper-fixated he gets on football—but compared to who he used to be, these “flaws” are nothing. Recovery gave him a future. Gillian gave him strength. And Autumn gave him purpose.
Now, every day he chooses to stay on the right path. Every day is a win.
David speaks openly about addiction because he knows how many people are fighting silent battles. “If you’re struggling,” he says, “speak to someone. Addiction kills, and we don’t talk about it enough. My phone is always open. I’m living proof recovery works.”
This isn’t just a comeback story—it’s a life reclaimed. A journey from chaos to calm, from despair to family, from darkness into something brighter than he ever imagined.
One day at a time. One choice at a time.
David Boyd is winning the battle—and building a legacy filled with strength, love, and hope.
Footy Focus season 25/26 
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