The Life Of Brian

- Mark Henderson

BRIAN McClair fell in love with football when he watched footage of the Lisbon Lions becoming Kings of Europe in primary school. So imagine his excitement when Billy McNeill, the man who lifted the glittering prize aloft on that glorious day in May, signed him for Celtic as a 19-year-old in July 1983.

However, before the new season got underway, Cesar had gone and in came Davie Hay, who had managed McClair as a youngster at Motherwell.

‘Choccy’ quickly proved that the Celtic icon had left a priceless parting gift. The goals arrived like an avalanche. He netted 32 times in his first season, a remarkable tally for someone who had only started operating as a forward the previous season.

Whether deployed as a striker or an attacking midfielder, McClair rattled in the goals with regularity, finishing as top scorer in all of his four seasons in Paradise, before his departure to Manchester United in the summer of 1987, just as, fate would have it, Billy McNeill was returning as manager.

On the 35th anniversary of his arrival in Paradise, the former Hoops hero sat down with the View to reflect on a stellar Celtic career. In part one of this exclusive interview, the 54-year-old, who is a Fanbet Ambassador, goes down memory lane on how he became a Bhoy and managed to hit the ground running in the Hoops.

It’s almost 35 years since you joined Celtic. Does it feel that long ago?

I was 19 and in the dressing room one day with Tommy Burns and I was in the corner near the door and Tommy used to get changed by the window. Tommy came in and said, ‘How old are you son?’ I said that I was 19 and Tommy said, ‘In two weeks time you’ll be 27’. He was talking about the relevance of time as it goes like that and it has. The memories live long and it still feel likes yesterday.