Enjoying A Frank Discussion

Football icon Frank McAvennie has plenty of things to get off his chest...

- by BRYAN MCIVER

EVERYONE'S got a story about Frank McAvennie. The famed former Celtic, West Ham and Scotland 80s and 90s-winning trophies, breaking records and firing his country to the World Cup.

A born superstar, he was almost as well known for his glitzy social life as a regular at London hotspots like Stringfellows, and was famously portrayed as the ultimate 'Whar's the birds?' ladies man in TV comedy Only An Excuse. His life has become the stuff of legend - much of it apocryphal, such as reports of him being out all Friday night before turning up to star on the pitch the next day.

From rubbing shoulders with A-listers at prestigious parties to brushes with the law - including a life-changing spell on remand in Durham Prison - every story told about the man from Milton in Glasgow is a good one.

But now, Frank is the one telling his own tales. He has built a successful career as an after-dinner speaker, and has just launched his own podcast to share his own stories and interview a star-studded line up of friends, former team-mates and opponents.

His new show, Let Me Be Frank, which he hosts with journalist and celebrant Simon Houston, has welcomed actors Ray Winstone, Tony Curran and Martin Compston, former Old Firm players such as John Hartson, Scott Brown and Mark Hateley, as well as one-hit wonder pop star Chesney Hawkes.

Frank, 65, loves taking control of his own narrative but admits enjoying the exaggerated tales surrounding him.

"There's always a lot of stories going about that I used to go out on Fridays. 'He just staggered in and played, then staggered back with the taxi still waiting,' they usually say. But I never went out on a Thursday or a Friday before a game - never. I mean, there's no way I could have played the way I did if I had.