A man who has a lifetime of public service to Queens Cross, Maryhill and the adjoining areas has been recognised as a Community Champion by Partick Thistle Football Club.

John Gray made an outstanding contribution to the formation and development of Queen’s Cross Housing Association since its establishment in 1976.

A statement from Partick Thistle described John as “a lifelong Thistle supporter who worked with the housing association until well after his 80th birthday with a record as a community activist working to improve housing goes back to 1949”.

It added: “He was first elected to Glasgow Corporation in 1965. In 1974 John successfully moved, in one of the last decisions made by Glasgow Corporation, that the planned motorway through Maryhill should not be built. The implications of that decision cannot be under-estimated; it ended the planning blight which affected the north west of the city and allowed housing associations to be established and saved many of the remaining tenement properties.

“John Gray was supportive of Queens Cross Housing Association from its inception. From 1974 he served on Strathclyde Regional Council as the local elected member and in that capacity interceded regularly on behalf of Queens Cross Housing Association.

“John Gray has supported many voluntary organisations linked to housing such as the Talbot Association on which John continues to serve as an Executive Committee member. John has always led the way in community empowerment and has inspired local people to become involved in four Community Involvement Groups established by Queens Cross Housing Association.

“John’s greatest achievement to date is arguably the role he played in preventing the motorway being built through Maryhill and Queens Cross. Without him speaking out at a critical point as redevelopment plans gathered pace and tenements were being knocked down across the city, the heritage and communities of Queens Cross and Maryhill simply would not exist today. After he secured this victory, a house building programme was agreed for the area which eventually led to the birth of the housing association movement including Queens Cross.

“John Gray is well known and respected within the community served by Queens Cross Housing Association and has been willing to work tirelessly to ensure local people have a voice on the issues which affect them.”

John was recognised as a Community Champion at Partick Thistle’s first home game of the season.

This article was originally published by Partick Thistle Football Club at ptfc.co.uk.