Scottish Rugby Union

Anderton is currently the Chief Executive Offiver of Al Jazira Club in Abu Dhabi. He was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of the Scottish Rugby Union

Scottish Rugby Union

The Scottish Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Scotland. It is the second oldest Rugby Union, having been founded in 1873, as the Scottish Football Union.-History:...

 in February 2004, after several years of successful marketing within the SRU.

His nickname is "Firework Phil", because he provided lavish firework displays and entertainment before rugby games at Murrayfield

Murrayfield Stadium

Murrayfield Stadium is a sports stadium located in the west end of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Its all-seater capacity was recently reduced from 67,800 to 67,130 to incorporate the largest permanent "big screen" in the country though it still remains the largest stadium in Scotland and one...

, the home of the Scottish Rugby Union

Scottish Rugby Union

The Scottish Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Scotland. It is the second oldest Rugby Union, having been founded in 1873, as the Scottish Football Union.-History:...

. These were criticised by Sir Clive Woodward

Clive Woodward

Sir Clive Ronald Woodward OBE is an English former rugby union player and coach. He was coach of the team from 1997 to 2004, managing them to victory in the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He is currently the British Olympic Association's Director of Elite Performance.-Early life:Woodward was born in Ely...

 as a distraction, and by Matt Dawson

Matt Dawson

Matthew James Sutherland "Daws" Dawson, MBE is a retired English rugby union player who played scrum half for Wasps and Northampton Saints. During his international career he toured with the British and Irish Lions three times and was part of England's 2003 Rugby World Cup winning side...

 as a waste of the SRU's money, after the Calcutta Cup

Calcutta Cup

The Calcutta Cup is a rugby union trophy awarded to the winner of the annual Six Nations Championship match between England and Scotland. It is currently England's since the 2009 Six Nations Championship....

 game in Edinburgh in 2004, but Anderton was unrepentant on both counts.

Anderton resigned as CEO in January 2005 after David Mackay (Chairman of the SRU) was forced to resign by the SRU General Committee.

Heart of Midlothian

From March 2005 to October 2005, he served as the Chief Executive of the SPL

Scottish Premier League

The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...

 football club Hearts

Heart of Midlothian F.C.

Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...

, based at Tynecastle in Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...

. Anderton's dismissal as chief executive by majority owner Vladimir Romanov

Vladimir Romanov

Vladimir Nikolayevich Romanov ; born 1947 in Tver Oblast, Russian SFSR, USSR) is an ethnic Russian businessman who also holds Lithuanian citizenship following that country's independence from the Soviet Union. He is chairman of UBIG Investments which is the majority shareholder in Scottish Premier...

 prompted Hearts chairman, George Foulkes

George Foulkes, Baron Foulkes of Cumnock

George Foulkes, Baron Foulkes of Cumnock, PC is a British Labour Party life peer. He has been a member of the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the Scottish Parliament...

, to resign in protest.

ATP

Since leaving Hearts, Anderton has taken up a position with the Men's professional tennis tour, the ATP.

External links

• Anderton demands change - The Scotsman newspaper, February 24, 2004
• Scottish Rugby Union - official website