F E AT U R E
Fantasy
Football
From Middlesbrough to Miami via Madrid, Kay Murray recounts the story
of a fairytale rise that’s the match of any Hollywood-style football fantasy
WOR D S: DAV E A L L A N
PI C T U R E S: C HR I S B OOT H
A
she played in our garden nearly every day.” Later, the pair
s life-changing moments go, it was an
caught the bus to Macmillan College together each day and
inauspicious start. Back in 2003, Kay Murray
remain good friends.
was an out-of-work 21-year-old when she was
Kay caught the football bug from her grandfather. “My
one of several young Teessiders selected for a
Granpop used to look after us a lot,” she says. “He loved
voluntary assignment to model Middlesbrough Football
football and we loved him. I realised if you sat and watched
Club’s new-look away kit.
the football with him he’d talk to you. That was when I
Fifteen years later, Kay lives in Miami where she is a
started to get into football.”
football presenter for an international sports broadcaster,
Her Boro break came soon after
having previously rubbed shoulders
she’d been made redundant from
with football glitterati during a six-
her job as a property secretary in
year spell with Real Madrid TV.
Mayfair.
And none of it would have
She recalls: “Dad had seen in
happened, she insists, had she not sent
the paper that Boro were looking
in her photograph to the MFC Media
for people to model the kit. He
Department for the chance to be a
knew I fancied the world of sports
‘Boro Babe’ alongside other young
entertainment so he said ‘Why not
hopefuls keen to enjoy a touch of
give it a shot and see where it takes
limelight at their local football club.
- KAY MURRAY
you?’ I sent a few pictures in and
“It was the biggest break of all,” she
it went from there. It was perfect
reflects with an infectious smile as we
timing.”
chat in an executive box overlooking the Riverside Stadium’s
She was asked to take part in a photo shoot at the studios
hallowed turf. “It was a complete turning point. It sent me on
of Boro TV, home of football’s first-ever club channel.
the path to the career I’ve got now.”
Fate again played a hand as the station’s executive
There’s no doubting that Kay’s story has a touch of the
producer was another former Acklam neighbour, Adam
fairytale to it. Having applied for the Boro role only because
Nolan, who invited her for a stint of works experience.
she had time on her hands after being made redundant from
Kay landed her first football role presenting Boro TV’s
her London property job, within weeks she was presenting
Soccer Surgery show, broadcast live each Friday night from
for the club’s in-house television station, Boro TV. And so
the salubrious surroundings of Dr Brown’s pub in central
began an incredible journey from Middlesbrough to Miami
Middlesbrough.
via Madrid.
“It was like Soccer am meets TFI Friday,” she smiles,
“Getting that role as a Boro Babe really did change my
recalling her raw but enthusiastic TV breakthrough. “I
life,” reflects the lifelong Boro fan. “I do have to pinch myself
cringe when I look back at myself on some of my early shows
sometimes.”
on Boro TV. I can’t bear to watch it.”
Brought up in Acklam, she was a childhood friend and
She stayed with the station for only a season before
neighbour of BBC business presenter Steph McGovern.
handing in her notice to return to London to study
“We lived on Wheatley Close, near the Avenue of Trees,
journalism – funding her studies by presenting on live
while Steph was a two-minute walk around the corner on
shopping channel, Bid-Up TV.
Malvern Drive,” says Kay. “She is a year younger than me but
“This town supported
me and gave me my
break so I’ll always
give back to it.”
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