FORMER Celtic kid gloves Vincent Angelini is determined to emulate a famous relative and play for Scotland at the highest level.
The 20-year-old Brentford keeper looks to his grandad, Celtic legend Davie Hay, as his inspiration as he continues to make progress in his fledgling career.
The Scotland Under-21 netminder has just returned to the English top-flight club after a trip that saw Scot Gemmill’s side take four points from difficult games in Belgium and Hungary.
Angelini’s father, Tommaso, was on Lazio’s books as a youngster before he settled in Scotland. However, the highly-rated shotstopper cites Hay, capped 27 times by his country, as his mentor.
HEADING FOR THE TOP…ex-Celtic youth keeper Vincent Angelini, now at Brentford.
The 6ft-plus last line of defence quit the Hoops two years ago for Watford after a decade in the club’s youth set-up.
Hay was known as The Quiet Assassin, the title of his autobiography co-authored by his friend and writer Alex Gordon, during his playing days when he was an uncompromising midfielder who also excelled at full-back.
The former Celtic player and manager, now 75, was a stand-out for Willie Ormond’s Scotland during the nation’s unbeaten sequence in the 1974 World Cup Finals in West Germany where they beat Zaire (2-0) and drew with Brazil (0-0) and Yugoslavia (1-1) before going out on goal difference.
Angelini said: “I definitely get my aggression from my grandad!
“I could tell he was a bit upset at the decision when I told him I was leaving Celtic. But he knew deep down it was an exciting move and the next big step for me.
“My grandad is the man who got me into football from day one.
“Obviously, with me being a keeper he doesn’t really see eye-to-eye with me on that one. But he phones me week in, week out and asks how I got on.
THE QUIET ASSASSIN…Davie Hay in action for Celtic.
“My grandpa knows the game inside out. If there’s anything he can do to give me advice or help me improve, he will do it.”
Angelini, speaking to the Scottish Sun, continued: “It was really hard to move from Celtic at the time and I had to have a long think about it, especially with my family history at the club.
“But the decision for me to leave there was for the benefit of my career and I felt English football would be good for me. It was a great opportunity.”
Angelini joined Brentford in January and added: “I work under Neil MacFarlane, the B team manager, who’s great, and I get to train with the first team quite a lot, too.
“I moved from Watford because I wanted a fresh challenge and the B-team set-up at Brentford just intrigued me.
“We go away abroad regularly to play other B teams and it’s an interesting set-up.”
