These are a group of stories from Old Firm players from the past that were not funny or long enough to warrant their own anecdote. Hope you have enjoyed the series so far.

Bob Malcolm was dating a Miss Scotland when he came into the nightclub I worked. To be honest he was definitely punching above his weight with that lady on his arm. Anyway I didn’t really see them until the end of the night when I was sent up to tidy the VIP bar. so as I reach the curtain that enclosed all the celebs – Not a lot in Glasgow to be fair – Bob burst through almost toppling down the stairs and taking me with him. I was helped by his lovely lady to get him to his feet. He then announced ‘I am a football don’t you know’. I want to say ‘are you sure?’ but decided not to be plonker so I just nodded my head.

John Hartson is a Celtic hero but to me he will always remain a bit of a lazy so an so. Now I was working in the Glasgow Hilton bar, the Celtic team stayed there regularly. Well John was sitting outside the bar area known as the foyer having a coffee. As I went over to ask if he wanted another refreshment he said no but can you give this to the concierge handing me a envelop. Now no word of a lie the concierge was 20 steps away from big John… If that. I was honestly shocked, no please or thank you.

Neil Lennon on the other hand was a top bloke. He always had manners, always had time for the Celtic fans. Also his dad used to make the trip over from Ireland every other week and watch his son play. They would pick a table and chat about the game for a good hour, just the two of them.

The worst dressed Old Firm player I have so far seen was Soti Kyrgiakos. He was in the middle of Buchanan Street and the big Greek was wearing a bomber type body warmer which was white, with cut off jeans, no socks and red sandals. Oh and a trucker hat. Seriously I think he thought he was very cool but I would have to be paid a lot of money to wear that outfit.

Barry Ferguson I only seen in the club once. He was swarmed by….. Other players! Fans couldn’t even get to him as Gavin Rae, Nacho Novo, Mo Ross and the like were treating him like a king! The only one there that didn’t was Michael Ball who seem not to care about anything to be honest.

Want to know where Zurab Khizanishvili was the Night before the title clincher at Easter Road in 2005? Well he was pissed, dancing away in a nightclub in Bath Street. He didn’t play the next day and I am pretty sure he hadn’t sobered up from the night before.

Working in the bar one afternoon I looked up to see four young guys walking towards me. They all had identical haircuts, all wore leather jackets and all had Timberland boots on. I thought that they were some sort of wee Glasgow jakey boyband. Then I noticed one of them was in fact Aiden McGeady. Very very strange.

While Alan Hutton was at Rangers he unfortunately suffered from a broken leg. While out with said injury Hutton decided to have a night in the club. He decided to come out on a Tuesday night though and at ten o’clock. It was only him and his pal that were out that night they stayed for half an hour, I went over to take away their empties and Alan asks ‘When will it get busy?’. So I was honest and replied ‘Eh Friday night probably!’. They soon left.

Oh here is one for you, where did Argentine superstar Claudio Caniggia get his groceries? No not Marks & Spencer but Lidl! He shopped at the Lidl Springburn looking for bargains!

Posted on September 18th, 2011 by scott
Filed under: Football Anecdotes