When Rod Stewart invited FourFourTwo to watch his beloved Celtic with him, it was an invitation too good to turn down. What followed was a day drinking Irn-Bru from crystal glasses, sharing stories with the Lisbon Lions and a special gig at the Barrowlands
Words Richard Purden
Rod Stewart is in the East Lothian village of Ormiston, with his Young Hoops Under-12s team about to kick off against Hibernian’s boys at the club’s training ground. Maggie May blasts out of the dressing room on an autumnal Saturday morning. Rod is in his element, informing one parent, “This is the land of my father”. He shakes hands with another in a hand-knitted Rangers bobble hat.
It’s a plucky 1-1 draw but the contest is not without incident. An ambulance is called for Aidan Stewart, Rod’s 11-year-old son, who is wrapped in a large foil blanket. A second ambulance is sent for when it emerges another lad has concussion.
While the boys recover, our interview is understandably rescheduled for three weeks later at the more stately surroundings of Celtic Park, where the Hoops are about to face Dundee United on Guy Fawkes Day, in what will turn out to be a late 4-2 win for the home side. As we sit down in The Walfrid, Celtic’s five-star restaurant, Champagne is poured on arrival. It isn’t long before an abundance of excitable supporters quickly rush to approach the 77-year-old singer and knight of the realm for a photo or a signature.
This first happened over 50 years ago, while Stewart was watching Celtic’s newest sensation hit the back of the net in a 5-1 win against the Tangerines, at Tannadice Park in November 1971. “I first saw Kenny Dalglish playing for Celtic against Dundee United in ’71,” says Stewart. “I was with my girlfriend, Dee Harrington, and starting to get famous, so I kept covered up with a hat on. When the hat came off, that was it.”
Stewart’s “old mucker”, Al, politely explains to the gathering throng that Rod is doing an interview and we get down to business.
“We thought my boy had a heart attack,” he reveals of our previous encounter. “He was going blue and was unconscious until he calmed down. It was scary, but it turned out to be a panic attack. The lad wanted to do well, pulling on the Hoops in Scotland for his dad. Another boy fell backwards and banged his head – he’s still not back. In all of my days watching football, that’s the only time two ambulances have been called.”
The following day, Rod’s boys were invited to Lennoxtown, Celtic’s state-of-the-art training complex in East
