Fraser Wishart

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Fraser Wishart

| image =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|3|1|df = yes}}

| birth_place = Johnstone, Scotland

| height = 1.73 m{{cite web |url=https://www.motherwellnet.com/database/player-archive/w/fraser-wishart/ |title=Fraser Wishart |publisher=motherwellnet.com |access-date=24 September 2024 |language=en}}

| currentclub =

| position = Defender

| youthyears1 = 1981–1983

| youthclubs1 = Pollok

| years1 = 1983–1989

| caps1 = 154

| goals1 = 5

| clubs1 = Motherwell

| years2 = 1989–1992

| caps2 = 51

| goals2 = 0

| clubs2 = St Mirren

| years3 = 1992

| caps3 = 2

| goals3 = 0

| clubs3 = Dumbarton

| years4 = 1992–1993

| caps4 = 24

| goals4 = 2

| clubs4 = Falkirk

| years5 = 1993–1995

| caps5 = 9

| goals5 = 0

| clubs5 = Rangers

| years6 = 1995–1996

| caps6 = 9

| goals6 = 0

| clubs6 = Heart of Midlothian

| years7 = 1996–1997

| caps7 = 18

| goals7 = 0

| clubs7 = Motherwell

| years8 = 1997–2001

| caps8 = 111

| goals8 = 1

| clubs8 = Clydebank

| years9 = 2001–2002

| caps9 = 9

| goals9 = 0

| clubs9 = Airdrieonians

| totalcaps = 387

| totalgoals = 8

| nationalyears1 = 1989

| nationalteam1 = Scotland

| nationalcaps1 = 1

| nationalgoals1 = 0

}}

Fraser Wishart (born 1 March 1965) is a Scottish former professional footballer, former Secretary of the Scottish Professional Footballers' Association,{{cite press release | title = Sportscotland | publisher = The Scottish Government | date = 6 January 2006 | url = http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2006/01/06150303 }}{{cite news | title = Wishart quits post as union chief | work = BBC Sport | date = 4 June 2007 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6719065.stm }} and current chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association Scotland.{{cite web | title = The Team | publisher = PFA Scotland | url = http://pfascotland.co.uk/about/the-team/ }}{{cite news | title = New union for players in Scotland | work = BBC Sport | date = 4 July 2007 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/scotland/6269676.stm }} He is also an occasional radio and television commentator.

Early life

Johnstone-born Wishart grew up in south Glasgow, attending Hillpark Secondary School, where he played in the school team.

He began his football career with Eastercraig Boys' Club, a successful youth team in Glasgow, followed by spells at amateur club, Giffnock North and semi-professional giants, Pollok Juniors.

Playing career

Wishart signed with Scottish Premier Division team Motherwell in 1983,{{cite web | url = http://www.motherwellnet.co.uk/pa/w/wishart.html | title = Player Archive: Fraser Wishart | last1 = Barr | first1 = Stuart | last2 = Tweedlie | first2 = Kevin | publisher = motherwellnet.co.uk | access-date = 14 February 2012 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} and under manager Tommy McLean he established himself as a regular full back, making over 150 appearances for the team over the next six years.{{cite web | url = http://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/the-club/history/club-history/1984-1994/ | title = Club History / 1984–1994 | publisher = Motherwell F.C. | access-date = 14 February 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160504025932/http://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/the-club/history/club-history/1984-1994 | archive-date = 4 May 2016 | url-status = dead }}

In 1989, he was transferred to St Mirren for £285,000, an amount set by tribunal after the two clubs could not agree on a fee.{{cite news | first = James | last = Traynor | title = Hamilton has a chance to grab first-team spot | page = 17 | date = 14 August 1989 | newspaper = Glasgow Herald }} Three years later he moved to Falkirk, before enjoying the most high-profile period of his career when Walter Smith signed him for Glasgow Rangers in 1993. However, he made only nine appearances for the club in the next two years before moving on to Hearts in 1995, followed by a second spell at former club Motherwell in 1996.

He was transferred to Clydebank in 1997, where he spent four years both as a player and coach during the club's turbulent final seasons. By this point Wishart was already working at the players' union as assistant to Tony Higgins.{{cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/clydebank/1083531.stm | title = Clydebank future in doubt again | date = 23 December 2000 | work = BBC Sport | access-date = 14 February 2012 }} From Clydebank, he then moved to the similarly troubled Airdrieonians in 2001.{{cite news | first = Gordon | last = Hendrie | url = http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Football%3A+WISHART%3A+AIRDRIE+IS+DIFFERENT%3B+Airdrie+1+Clyde+0.-a072592290 | title = Wishart: Airdrie is different; Airdrie 1 Clyde 0 | date = 2 April 2001 | newspaper = Daily Mirror | location = London }}{{cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/scotland/1252538.stm | title = Scottish transfer dealings | date = 31 March 2001 | work = BBC Sport | access-date = 14 February 2012 }}

International

Wishart made his senior debut for Scotland on 30th May 1989, in a 2-0 Rous Cup tie win over Chile, at Hampden Park. This was his only full cap for Scotland.