AND THEN A HERO COMES ALONG

McCowan desperate to honour legend McStay with the perfect start

- BY FRASER WILSON

FAN Bhoy Luke McCowan fears he will be struck dumb by the presence of The Maestro at Celtic Park this afternoon.

The midfielder just hopes the champions' football will do the talking as they look to get another season off on the right note in front of one of their greatest ever players.

Parkhead will rise to welcome Paul McStay as he makes a rare return to the east end of Glasgow to hoist the league flag after Brendan Rodgers' side clinched their 55th title back in May.

The man dubbed The Maestro for his mastery of the ball, won three of those championships among eight honours in 16 years at the club in which he played 683 times to sit third in the club's all time record appearances charts.

The one-club hero was voted into the midfield of the club’s greatest ever XI and, while fellow midfielder McCowan is too young to have seen McStay strut his stuff for his boyhood heroes in the flesh, he knows his history.

That's why he reckons Rodgers’ side will use the 60-year-old’s presence to inspire them to a flying start against St Mirren.

McCowan. “Paul retired shortly before I was born but, of course, I know all about him. He is a Celtic legend, a one-club man who made nearly 700 appearances over 16 years and won 76 caps for Scotland.

“When the fans voted for the Greatest Ever Celtic side, he was picked to play in centre midfield — that tells you everything you need to know about him.