Back in 2005, I was 29 and on a cold, dark night in Scotland, I just couldn’t get out of my car to go and sell insurance. This was my livelihood and I just couldn’t do it. I never knew it back then but I later realised and now understand that I was completely consumed by depression.

Why? I had an amazing family, great pay and a nice home but I strangely felt, at that moment in time, that I was loneliest guy on earth. Nobody knew. No one.

I lost my father in an accident when I was 21 and became a father for the 1^st time the day after his funeral. I retired from being a pro hockey player when I was only 23. It was time to get a “real job” to support my family. I played a bit of beer league to stay involved but I REALLY missed playing full time.

I sat for hours that night in my car and cried, then gave myself a shake, and decided that doing something to do with ice-hockey would make me happy. But what? I always loved a good scrap on the ice but I also knew that I had a different kind of fight on my hands to get me out of the position I was in.

That night in my car, GLOVES OFF® was born, on paper anyways. For weeks upon weeks I would sit in my car instead of working and do sketches and slogans and ideas for a clothing brand. I wanted to build a brand that was connected to ice-hockey but also had another meaning and it had to be a positive one too! A brand that people would grow to understand its meaning.

Since that night I have had to go through many ups and downs. I even become an adult apprentice joiner as I simply didn’t have the courage to start GLOVES OFF® back then but still wanted to do something I enjoyed and get me out of the pressurised world of sales.

After the loss of my father-in-law, marriage struggles, a 2^nd bout of diagnosed serious depression, alcohol and pain killer addiction and 3 separate major spine operations due to my dodgy hockey career (where the pain killers came from) I had to seek professional help. I did and I'm not ashamed to admit it, and never will be. It saved my life and my family.

I found out my struggles were no different to anyone else’s, no more severe or any less either, they were just mine. Also that I would never be completely rid of these thoughts and demons but learn to understand them, live with them and it was up to me to fight them every day. It was GLOVES OFF®️ time! 

All this made me say, “screw this I’m going to make GLOVES OFF® a reality!”  So with the help and support from my family and wife Shirley I set up GLOVES OFF LTD in February 2014. I have been constantly striving and fighting to make this exact website you are on, work. It's seriously hard but it's not that hard work when you enjoy it and the reason behind it is so close to my heart!

I wear GLOVES OFF® with huge pride...... and so should you! 

Every adversity carries with it, the seed of a greater or equivalent benefit!
Scott Plews  #24