Frank McAvennie on Celtic, Graeme Souness & Stringfellows

Graeme Souness was interested in recruiting his fellow Scottish national team member, Frank McAvennie, to join Rangers, but due to his strong allegiance to Celtic, McAvennie couldn't even entertain the idea of transferring to Ibrox.

This is just one piece of information that was shared by the ex-forward in an honest and enjoyable installment of the Sacked In The Morning podcast.

McAvennie remembered that he stayed with Graeme in the same room during the 1986 World Cup since Kenny couldn't make it.

I had a great rapport with Graeme, really, and at one point he extended an invitation for me to attend a Rangers game - there was some buzz about it, which was flattering. However, I ultimately declined due to a personal conflict: I had shared that my father often attends games alongside members of the clergy.

"I expected him to arrive at Ibrox, presuming that he would be able to gain entry."

In this blog post, it is shared by McAvennie that during the 1987 Old Firm derby, there was a fight involving himself, Chris Woods, Terry Butcher, and Graham Roberts, which led to them being charged with breach of the peace. McAvennie also disclosed that Souness volunteered to pay for his legal representation following the incident.

McAvennie refused Souness' proposal, but informed Celtic that Rangers would arrange for his legal representation to be improved - thereby prompting the board at Celtic Park to upgrade the quality of his defence.

The ex-attacker also remembers that he wasn't signed by Arsenal under George Graham's management, as he brought in Ian Wright as a substitute. Additionally, Celtic showed interest in re-signing Charlie Nicholas instead of him, but Billy McNeill intervened.

Furthermore, although McAvennie achieved great success while playing for West Ham United, he would not have joined the Hammers if the chairman of Luton Town had not been as involved in the decision-making process.

McAvennie reminisces about his departure from St Mirren and remembers that David Pleat, who served as the manager, was impressive.

He called my parents to finalize the agreement.

St Mirren brought us all down to Luton and the directors and lawyers were present. Suddenly, a large man entered the room and playfully hit me on the back of my head.

"Upon arriving in Luton, a man greeted me by saying 'Macca, welcome' to which I responded with a question asking for his identity. The man then introduced himself as the chairman."

"I perceived that person as extremely conceited. Therefore, I refused to put my signature on any documents and secretly departed from the hotel room with my representative at 2:30 am. Later, we rendezvoused with John Lyall, the West Ham manager, at the Toddington service station along the M1 route. It was definitely a remarkable experience stepping into the major leagues, right?"

McAvennie initiates the extensive interview with Craig Levein and Amy Irons, the hosts, by talking about his quick ascendance from being a fan of Celtic to becoming a well-known figure in the team.

When I was younger, I didn't participate in playing soccer. It wasn't until I turned 19 that I began playing. Instead, I spent most of my time attending Celtic matches both at home and on the road.

When I was younger, I used to hang out with my friends on sports fields made of red ash. I was thin with red hair and resembled a small matchstick.

I had planned on going to watch a Celtic game, but it was called off. Instead, I decided to play a game with a few of my friends. Little did I know, there were five scouts observing the player I was competing against. And that's where my journey began.

During my time as a trialist for St Mirren, I was placed in the midfield position. However, I received a red card during one of the games. Despite this setback, the manager, Jim Clooney, still saw potential in me and decided to sign me on. Unfortunately, the next morning, Jim Clooney was terminated from his position as the manager.

Celtic being tardy When you are late for a meeting or an event, it can be quite inconvenient for those who have been waiting for you. This is why it is important to arrive on time and to be considerate of others. The same goes for Celtic, who must also make sure they arrive on time for their games and events. In the world of sports, time is of the essence. Being late can affect the schedule of the entire team, as well as the fans who have taken time out of their day to come and see the game. This is why it is crucial that Celtic arrive on time for their matches. It shows respect for the other team, the fans, and the sport itself. If Celtic were to be consistently late, it could have serious consequences. They could receive fines, penalties, or even lose games if they are unable to arrive on time. Not to mention, it could also damage their reputation and relationship with fans. In summary, being punctual is not only important in your personal life, but also in the world of sports. Whether it is Celtic or any other team, arriving on time shows respect for the game and the people involved.

When I was playing for Celtic, I had to visit London for some important tasks. Despite my busy schedule, I used to make it a point to travel every Monday. It was quite amusing to see how my Celtic teammates used to bet on the time when I would arrive. It was like how people pick horses for the Grand National. Most of the times, I used to arrive late, and one day, one of the players guessed that I wouldn't show up at all.

In 1989, Celtic was left behind.

When I left West Ham to join another team, I wasn't keen on the idea. However, when I signed the contract, I had to accept a reduction in my weekly salary of £1,000. The club promised to cover the tax on my sign-on bonus, but when I received my first payment, the tax had been deducted, which made me very angry. People speculated that my return to West Ham was due to my longing for Page Three girls and similar nonsense. However, my original plan was to stay at Celtic for the remainder of my career.

Macari's preparation at West Ham In the 1960s and 1970s, Lou Macari played as a midfielder for West Ham United, a famous English football team located in London. Macari worked diligently during his time with the club, focusing on improving his skills and fitness through rigorous training regimes. Macari was a vital part of West Ham's success during this time, helping the team win the FA Cup in 1975. His hard work and dedication on the pitch were evident, and he became a beloved figure among West Ham fans. Macari's experience and training at West Ham undoubtedly helped him become the successful football player and later coach that he is today. His commitment to improving his abilities through hard work and dedication served him well, and it is a lesson that current and future football players can take to heart.

All we did during training under Lou Macari's leadership was constantly run. Even now, when driving on the motorway and seeing the cones, I still break out in a sweat as it reminds me of those intense training sessions. One time, Lou took us to a health farm for training, and I recall hiring a hypnotist to put him to sleep so we could all attend a party.

I used to visit Stringfellows, but only for an hour before heading to another club. Peter, the owner, was very kind to me and I had a lot of admiration for him. He even had the wonderful gesture of introducing me to big celebrities like Jack Nicholson, who played Captain Jack in Pirates of the Caribbean, and Johnny Depp. It was truly amazing!

My life was transformed entirely. Despite being the leading scorer of that season, football matches were not being broadcasted on television. However, I received an invitation to speak on the Wogan show. At that time, I was about to appear for the first time on behalf of Scotland and had the opportunity to appear alongside Denis Law. I had not prepared adequately for the occasion and appeared quite foolish. Consequently, I went shopping and purchased a new suit, shoes, socks, and tie from Cartier to improve my appearance. However, the broadcast was viewed by approximately 23 million people.

The time when he had a conversation with Margaret Thatcher

After the 1988 cup final, we encountered her. I took hold of her hand to express my gratitude. She was puzzled and asked why I was thanking her. I replied, "you reduced my tax from 60% to 40% while I was in England." Consequently, I was immensely grateful and appreciated her, ma'am.