A Scottish football legend has been recognised at University of the West of Scotland’s winter graduations in Paisley this week.  
 
St Mirren chief Tony Fitzpatrick was awarded an Honorary Doctorate as part of a ceremony taking place at Paisley Abbey today (Friday 21 November).  
 
Professor James Miller, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of UWS, said: “We are delighted to present Tony Fitzpatrick with an Honorary Doctorate from UWS. Tony’s work has touched the lives of thousands and in some of the hardest to reach communities. 
 
“Tony, through his incredible career and life story, has without question embodied UWS’s values of integrity, respect, inclusivity and accountability. We have honoured him today for his remarkable contributions to not just Paisley, but Scottish society – his story is one of personal triumph over adversity and I know he will be a true inspiration to all of our graduates.” 

Tony, through his incredible career and life story, has without question embodied UWS’s values of integrity, respect, inclusivity and accountability. We have honoured him today for his remarkable contributions to not just Paisley, but Scottish society.

Professor James Miller, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of UWS
 
On receiving the Honorary Doctorate from UWS, Dr Tony Fitzpatrick said: “To receive this Honorary Doctorate from UWS is an incredible feeling. It’s something when you set out in life that you never think will happen to you, I’m humbled, proud and over the moon. As the graduates here today are starting out on their own career journey, one of the highlights of mine was actually the very beginning: making my debut for the Club and starting out as a professional football player. To the students graduating alongside me in this honour: huge congratulations.  

As Chief Executive of St Mirren, one of the priorities for me was to enhance collaboration with UWS as I recognised the many values shared between myself, the Club and the University and so it is such a privilege to be celebrated in this way.

Tony Fitzpatrick 

Tony, a former Scottish football player and manager, made a record 351 league appearances for Paisley-based St Mirren Football Club.
 
He was appointed club captain of the team at aged 19 by then manager Alex Ferguson and later led them to winning the 1987 Scottish Cup Final. He then managed the club between 1988 and 1991 and again between 1996 and 1998. 
 
Tony was Chief Executive of St Mirren from 2016 to 2022 and is now an ambassador for the Club. Tony helped transform St Mirren into a community-owned club and has earned local tributes, with a street named after him (Fitzpatrick Way in a housing development built on the site of the club's former stadium) and even a Renfrewshire Council road gritter named “Tony Gritzpatrick.” The Club also named the family stand after him at the SMiSA stadium. 
 
Tony is passionate about driving change in grassroot sport, focused on championing sport as a catalyst for personal growth, community, and self-belief. He has also worked alongside Strathclyde Police and Police Scotland’s Violence Reduction Unit to help make a difference to those caught up in gang warfare and unemployment in Scotland.  
 
John Needham, Chairman at St Mirren Football Club, said: “This Honorary Doctorate is well-deserved recognition for a man who has given so much to St Mirren Football Club and Paisley throughout his career. Twice as a player, twice as manager, then as Chief Executive and finally as a club ambassador. Tony's commitment and infectious positivity has unstintingly endured many highs and lows and inspired so many Buddies over the years." 

Tony's commitment and infectious positivity has unstintingly endured many highs and lows and inspired so many Buddies over the years.

John Needham, Chairman at St Mirren Football Club

Dearbhla Gallagher, Head of the Division for Sport, Exercise and Health at UWS, delivered Tony’s laureation, which reflected on his remarkable career and life story. She said: “It was a great privilege to deliver Tony’s laureation. Tony has an extraordinary story, and his life and legacy is marked with the character of resilience, leadership and belief – aspirational qualities we hope graduands of UWS will share. Thank you to Tony for sharing his story which I know will inspire so many of our students and graduates past, present and future. Congratulations.”