Former Scotland star Steven Naismith has invested in Glasgow SportTech startup ScribePro.
ScribePro’s tools, used by clinicians, coaches and players, aim to make medical management in sport safer and smarter.
Rangers and Everton legend c, who has more than 50 caps for his country, will also serve as an ambassador for ScribePro, sharing the platform’s benefits with football clubs and national associations.
He will also provide input into the ongoing development of its technology, the firm said.
Recent updates to ScribePro include the ability to generate and securely share custom reports between clubs and national associations, while upcoming features will leverage data to provide average return-to-play timelines for specific injuries.
“I’ve known Steven for about 20 years and his experience in football as a player and a manager at both club and international levels are exceptional,” said Jonny Gordon, CEO.
“His career reflects many of the fundamental parts of our business – innovation, excellence, and player care – making him a perfect match for us. It’s a real privilege to have him involved with ScribePro.
“While football and rugby are our main focus, the technology can be used across any sport. Clubs and national associations across the world have been very receptive to using the platform and we have received fantastic feedback, which also helps to drive further development of the product.
“Steven’s investment and new role are testament to what we’re trying to achieve with ScribePro, making it the number one choice for digital medical management in sport.”
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Naismith’s career started as he worked his way through the youth systems at Rangers and Kilmarnock, before becoming a central part of both clubs at senior level with 200 appearances and nearly 60 goals.
He went on to play around 150 matches, scoring 24 times, in the English Premier League for Everton and Norwich, before returning to Scotland with Hearts. He scored 10 goals for Scotland.
“I’ve had a good relationship with Jonny for a long time, working with him right through youth and senior levels with the Scotland team and then into management and coaching,” said Naismith.
“The demand on players has never been greater and the margins of winning are finer than they have ever been, which only makes products like ScribePro more important.
“Technology like this can make things better for everyone involved in sport. From my experience as a player – when I had some injury problems myself – I know the process of sharing or even accessing fitness and injury data could be clunky, to say the least.
“And I’m looking forward to helping develop the platform further, supporting the decisions managers make with players and working with clinicians on recovery programmes and availability.
“More players are beginning to understand they have a short career and, while they might make good money, they retire and still have half their lives ahead of them. In the age of social media there are so many opportunities for players to get involved with, but it’s important they get involved with something they believe in.
“The more former players who can give something back to improve football, the better the sport will be. Working with ScribePro is one of the ways I want to do that.”