Celticrollercoaster sent me this incredible story of how he added Kenny Dalglish and Roy Aitken’s signatures to the Celtic tops being auctioned for the Walk with Shay campaign. King Kenny, showing his legendary affinity with the fans…………..
This is part three of the story. You can find part one here, and part two here.
Club Captain No 8. Kenny Dalglish-September 2015
I had been chasing Kenny for a while with no success. I had tried to tweet him with no response and then tried his daughter, Kelly Cates who did respond but effectively palmed me off saying that I should contact the club. Which club I thought? Kenny even turned up at my kids’ school one day as part of the McDonalds football programme, but I found out afterwards, which was obviously too late.
So, I decided to speak with Tommy Boyd and asked for his help to try and get in touch with my first ever boyhood hero. I remember when he left Celtic in 1977, how heartbroken I was and how much I despised Liverpool for daring to buy my hero.
I said to Tommy, I would meet Kenny anywhere to make it easy, to which Tommy cheekily replied, “So you will go anywhere for Kenny, but I had to come to you?”. Tommy’s humour is always first class, just like his help. Tommy got hold of Kenny and explained the situation to him, and Kenny agreed to sign the tops on his next visit to Scotland. I thought excellent, that’s another Captain nearly sorted, not realising the hard work I was still to go through to obtain Kenny’s signature on both tops.
A couple of weeks passed and I received a text from Tommy on the Saturday, to say Kenny was playing in a celebrity golf tournament in Archerfield on the Sunday and would sign the tops. Tommy was just waiting for Kenny to confirm his tee off time. I looked up Archerfield and thought North Berwick, that’s a nice round trip of 180 miles! I then looked at the golf course website and thought “Wow”
Kenny never did phone to confirm his tee off time, and Tommy told me just to drive up as Kenny was expecting me. This worried me slightly that I was going to turn up unannounced. I was about to set off for Archerfield, when my lad Declan said “Do you think Kenny will sign my top?” I said “you never know, do you want to come and meet him?” Declan’s face lit up and off we set! I now had 3 tops to get signed. We were 30 minutes into the journey and I decide to stop my journey to phone Archerfield to explain my position. Turning up unannounced just didn’t sit right with me. The hotel could not be any more helpful and put me through to the clubhouse and I found out that Kenny’s tee off time was 3pm, so there was no way I was going to make it in time. The tournament organiser, then suggested that I come up around 7pm and then we could grab Kenny as he came off the course into the clubhouse. I thought perfect and thanked the organiser for her help.
We arrived at Archerfield on time and having driven through the illustrious grounds, we parked up and headed for the clubhouse, passing a fleet of black Maserati’s, which were to be used to ferry the guests from the clubhouse back to the hotel. I caught up with the organiser and she invited Declan and myself to sit in the club reception and wait for Kenny to come in. So, there we were, sitting in the reception, waiting to see my boyhood hero, the man that would light up the world with that smile, every time he scored a goal. What could go wrong?
Kenny eventually came into the clubhouse, and I approached him calling out his name to get his attention. He turned around briefly, but continued to walk away. It was on the third shout that he stopped and I told him that Tommy Boyd had spoken to him about signing a couple of tops. Kenny stunned me by his response when he said “I’m signing one top only”. So here I was on the back foot and racking my mind of how do I get the second top signed? In my mind, I had already parked my poor son’s top down as a “no hoper”. Strange thoughts go through your head at times like this. I was thinking perhaps I could copy the signature on the second top? Of course, you dismiss these thoughts in an instant, but it doesn’t stop you thinking them.
I went on to say to Kenny, “But, it is for a wee baby with cerebral palsy”. Kenny took the home top from me and said “You’re taking a liberty” and went onto say “Who shall I make it out to?” I said to him, that we were auctioning the home top with all club captains’ signatures, so just need him to sign it. He said “It’s worth more, if I dedicate it to someone”. I thought “Lying bassa”, but kept my counsel and said “Could you just sign it please with your name only?” Kenny eventually signed the home top, shook my hand and moved to walk away. At the same time, I am now thinking, right how do I get the second top signed? I need to find a common ground. I blurted out “I’m off to London on Monday, to see Big Roy Aitken!” This sparked an interest in Kenny, and he says “Big Roy, where’s he nowadays?” Not sure if this was a trick question, but I mucked up the answer by saying “Saudi”, to which Kenny answers, “Naw he isne, it’s Dubai!” I thought bollocks, in this split-second I have mucked it up. I quickly rescued the situation by showing Kenny, the text messages from Roy. He says “So you are going down to see Big Roy, give me the second top?” and duly signed it. I think magic, two down and look across to see Declan’s excited but anxious face.
Am I going to let my son, down? Think CRC! Think! Again, he shakes my hand and moves to walk away again. I say to him; “Does your Mum and Dad still drink in Stamperland Social Club?” Kenny looks surprised at my comment and says “Naw, that was Marina’s Mum and Dad! How did you know this?” I come out with the killer line. “They used to drink occasionally with my Mum and Dad…Would you mind signing my son’s top and dedicating it to Declan, please?” “Sure” says Kenny. He signs the third top, this time with his smile that I remember from his goal scoring days, and shakes my hand for the third and final time. Eventually I have to let him go! Where on earth, I pulled that rabbit from the hat, was beyond me, but job done. We got there in the end, once we got Kenny warned up, but it was a very hard shift indeed!
Club Captain no 9: Roy Aitken – September 2015
As I mentioned before, we would target a couple of Captains at the same time trying a number of different sources. Roy was always going to be a difficult one to find. I had googled and found out that he had gone across to Dubai to be David O’Leary’s assistant at Al-Ahli in September 2013 from an article in The Scotsman, but I had no idea if he was still there. I decided to email Paul67 and asked him if he had any leads for Roy Aitken or Paul Lambert, who we were also trying to track down. Paul can back with a phone number for Roy Aitken that he managed to acquire from a journalist that spoke previously with Roy (probably in relation to the article I had picked up on about Roy), but he had no idea if this was still a current number.
l decided to text Roy, with details of what I was doing and waited for a reply. A week went by and nothing. It was a Friday afternoon (This was always the day I seemed to gain inspiration) in July, and I thought right let’s take a chance and phone the number. It seemed to ring for an eternity and then a voice answered. It was Roy, I recognised his voice, I reckon I had a couple of minutes to grab his attention and explained that I needed his help. Roy said “No problem, drop me a text again, with your email address and I will respond with my address and we can courier the tops across to Dubai and then back to you!” I thought brilliant and was on cloud nine.
My memories of Roy as a player started to flood back. When I was a kid, my family would mostly go on holiday to Butlins in Ayr, and the football coaching sessions were taken by a lower league footballer ( I am sure it was an Arbroath player at the time, but his name escapes me) and on the final day, a Celtic footballer would also appear and both would take part in the exhibition match on the skating rink ( yes I kid you not, a skating rink!) with the two teams consisting of the “players of the week”. There would also be a photo opportunity with the players and family. Bobby Lennox used to take part and then passed the mantle onto Roy Aitken. In the last year my family had gone to Ayr, I had managed to be selected to play in goals for one of the teams (probably due to a complete lack of decent keepers), and we won 5-4 with me saving a free kick from Roy. Yes, my CQN 5s skills were developing early.
Two or three weeks passed since my last contact with Roy and there was still no further reply. It was a Friday night and I was in the kitchen with Mrs CRC and we got onto discussing the tops and she asked if there was any word from Roy, and I said no. I went on to talk about my disappointment with Roy probably harnessing my memories of Roy as a kid, being a friendly loving guy. You tend to forget at times, that people have other things to do in their busy lives and it is not always about you and your needs! As I continued to talk about this, my phone buzzed as I had received a text. Incredibly, it was from Roy, and it read, “Marc, I may be across in the UK in August, so it may be easier to get the tops to me then. Be in touch!” I thought incredible, Roy’s ears must have been burning but he restored my faith once again in people and again heroes!
August, came and was about to disappear over the horizon, and I had heard nothing from Roy, so I decided to send him a text asking him if he had managed to firm up his plans about coming to the UK. At the same time, Plan B was forming thanks to another CQNer Greenlion2, who was also now helping us with this quest. He had been in touch with Joe Miller who was potentially going out to Dubai soon, and there was a potential that he could meet up with Roy.
Anyway, a couple of days later Roy came back to say he was going to be across the next weekend and would be staying in the Jumerah Carlton Tower Hotel in Knightsbridge, London and I should send the tops down marked for this attention. Having discussed this with Andy F, we decided that it was too risky to send the tops with eight signatures (Kenny had not signed at this time!) on them through the post. So a decision was made that I would fly down to London with the tops. Brilliant, there I was ready to fly to London the following Monday to meet up with Roy. It was also this weekend, that Tommy Boyd had been in touch re Kenny, so had I posted the tops down to Roy as originally planned, I would have missed the opportunity to meet Kenny.
So, my diary was sorted Sunday, Archerfield and Kenny; Monday, Knightsbridge and Roy. Two days, two Club Captains! Assuming, everything went to plan, only Lambo and Jackie to get!
I was like a big kid all day Monday and flew into Gatwick from Glasgow with the tops secured in my hand luggage, and got the train into London, and hopped on the tube to get me close to Knightsbridge. I had arranged to meet Roy at 5pm in his hotel, so had some time to kill. Scotland were also playing Germany that night, but I was not going to be back in time to catch the game, but this was more important.
As I headed towards the hotel. I had to cut through Belgravia, which was Embassy land. I think I must have passed 10-12 different embassies. I arrived at the hotel reception, which welcomed you with a harp player playing her eloquent tunes, I thought, “Roy’s obviously doing okay for himself”. I phoned Roy and told him I was down in reception and he said he would be down in couple of minutes! Five minutes passed, and Roy appeared and welcomed me like a friend. My memories flooded back to the jungle chants of “Feed the Bear” and “Aitken’s going to get you”. Here was Big Roy, a little greyer and older, like us all, and here I was in the presence of another hero. Roy said “let’s get a snack” and we sat down in the restaurant. I had already eaten, so decided just to get some tea and looked at the menu. £12.50 for a pot of tea was the cheapest on the menu! Just as well Big Roy paid! . We talked for around 70 minutes covering Shay, the Club Captains tops, our love for all things Celtic, various games involving Big Roy and indeed what Roy was now up to.
It turned out that David O’Leary had been sacked after about 6 months in charge, but the Sheik who ran the club liked Roy and promoted him to Sporting Director, whilst continuing to annually sacking his coaches. This was still Roy’s current position and he told me how much he loved life out there. He also mentioned that Derek Whyte was also out in Dubai (no doubt topping up his tan! ), working in TV commentary. We talked a bit more about the other charity causes, I had been involved in, and also reminisced about Butlin’s in Ayr, my free kick save (I had to get that in!) and playing football on a skating rink. Roy asked if I had been to the night for Billy McNeill, which Celtic had arranged in his honour, to which I said no. Roy had found out about it afterwards, and expressed his disappointment that Celtic had not asked him or Derek Whyte to join, as they would have made the time and effort to come across. I made an excuse for Celtic saying perhaps they could not find you, to which Roy said “Well you, a fan found me!” I took that as a big compliment.
Time was passing so quickly and I was having an amazing time, but I knew I had a flight to catch back home, so after about 70 mins, I said to Roy, “I need to go soon so I suppose I better get you to sign the tops!” Roy took the tops with the signatures to date, and ran through each one, asking how we managed to achieve them, and enquired who we still had to get. After kindly signing both tops, Roy said “Do you want a picture as well?” What a difference to the previous day with Kenny. Roy was the perfect host and Club Captain in every way. I also had brought my son’s top with me and my “Feed the Bear” book with me and Roy kindly signed them both. I thanked Roy for his time, and headed on my way back to the airport and received a text message from Andy F, “Paul Lambert is in the studios at Hampden commentating on the Scotland game”. I replied jokingly, “Great, barricade him in and I will be there for 11pm”. Just two Club Captains remaining!
If you missed Part 1 or Part 2, you can catch them here
https://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/the-search-for-the-11-celtic-club-captains-part-1/
https://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/walk-with-shay-mcneill-mcgrain-boyd-brown-lennon/
Part 4, the final part to our story, will follow soon.
If you are interested in registering an interest for the forthcoming auction of the home top, which also contains the signatures of not only the last 11 Club Captains of Celtic but also our InVIncible Club Captain and all three Treble Winning Club Captains, then contact us now via:
email walkwithshay@yahoo.com
Twitter @walkwithshay
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HOT SMOKED on 19TH JULY 2017 6:58 AM
Good luck with that. Meanwhile, Der Hun is here in Scotland with their brethren baying for Catholic blood or anyone wearing Celtic colours.
http://celticbynumberscom.ipage.com/celtic-play-the-blues/
Morning and bump!
HH
So my Bhoy is in Ibiza and is looking to watch the game tonight. I know the huddle bar is now closed so is there anywhere else that might show it?
I think tonight we can afford to take wee risk starting Ntcham in place of Armstrong to get some more game time under his belt.
The Tribute Act’s tribute act offer absolutely nothing to be concerned about.
This child. What a Bhoy. What a man he’s becoming before our very eyes.
https://twitter.com/lilze7/status/887316065277095936
HH jamesgang
AULDHEID @ 11:51 AM,
That was interesting information on the views of the SPL Board members looking at the Commision Appeals process.
After reading JJ the other day regarding the e-mails he imprinted on his site, I intimated that maybe their “fine” Solicitor hadn’t advised the SPL Board of the Directions and Timescales involved with the appeals process.
Well obviously in light of the fact he’s added a few more e-mails it looks like he kinda did when the Decision Document was issued.
On that day there was an Interm Board Meeting… it’s not clear who dialled in and who did and didn’t attend.
Yet no Board Meeting was set up to discuss the LNS “Decision” before the time period (five working days) elapsed to launch an appeal.
The Chairman Ralph Topping stated… “Given this is as an important a subject as I think the SPL Board has discussed in my time as Chair…
It is incredulous that…
– The Board seemed unaware of the Appeals Procedure
– No one within the SPL Ltd had “ownership” of the process
– No Board meeting either face to face, which was wanted and you’d think necessary given the importance, or even through Conference Call was called.
This disarray meant that the Board members could not properly consider the verdict, though it’s obvious some were unhappy. (Could they not have asked the SFA for an extension)
When they asked what they could appeal their Solicitor advised basically NOTHING… Maybe the quantum of the Fine, that some thought was not proprtionate, but he basically says that’s – how long’s a piece of string and not worth appealing.
It becomes obvious at this point that the Board did NOT know the scope of the Inquiry – Isn’t that incredible? The SPL Board did not understand the Scope of of their own Commission.
Begs the questions…
Who actually set up this Commission
Who briefed the SPL’s Solicitor and
Who set the parameters and decided which evidence would be led?
Because it WASN’T the Board.
This MUST be Reviewed.
Of course this raises a myriad of questions regarding this Commission but here’s just an aside for the moment…
Rangers’ wrongdoing was spread across all the Competitions the first team entered during this extensive period, these were ran by The…
SPL, SFA and UEFA…
Now it was said at the time that the SFA should Commission the Inquiry into EBT’s and non disclosure. After all they oversee the SPL, run their own Competitions and Control the licencing process for UEFA Competitions.
Now we were told that as there would have to be an appeals process and the the SFA were the Appellate Body it would have to be a SPL Commission.
SFA sloping shoulders again..
What a load of Hogwash!!!
AULDHEID @ 12:55 PM,
“LNS was a mistake at the time of conception but supporters bought into it looking for the result they are still looking for.
I’m pretty sure myself and TBB pointed out the risk of such approach before the FTT decision had been reached.
Yes I remember that well, I looked through and found the relevant SFA Articles and posted on CQN that the non-disclosure meant that regardless of the outcome of the FTT that…
The non-disclosure made those payments illegal (from a Footballing perspective) and
The players were not properly registered and therefore ineligible to play.
Still believe I was correct but a bit nieve.
Didn’t for one moment think a Commission of Inquiry would look at the non-disclosure but say the illegal payments were outwith it’s remit.
That a “different construction” could be put on the incorrect Player Registrations, that as the infringements weren’t picked up at the time, the player were properly registered- What a load of nonsense.
You were right, the FTT gave these guys wiggle room and they drove a horse and cart through the rules.
A parcel o’rogues…
Hail Hail
CAS confirms disqualification and stripping of titles,with awards made instead to the runners-up.
No,don’t get excited,but the decisions go back as far as 2008.
http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/athletics/jessica-ennishill-to-get-belated-gold-after-tatyana-chernova-loses-appeal-a3590941.html
Celtic, Celtic thats the team for me,
Celtic, Celtic on to victory,
They’re the finest team in Scotland, I’m sure you will agree,
We’ll never give up till we’ve won the cup and the Scottish football league
They come from bonnie Scotland, they come from county Cork,
They come from dear old Donegal and even from New York,
From every street in Glasgow they proudly make their way,
To a place called dear old paradise and this is what they say.
Celtic, Celtic thats the team for me,
Celtic, Celtic on to victory,
They’re the finest team in Scotland, I’m sure you will agree,
We’ll never give up till we’ve won the cup and the Scottish football league.
There’s Fallon, Young and Gemmell who proudly wear the green,
There’s Clark, McNeill and Kennedy the best there;s ever been,
Jim Johnstone, Murdoch, Chalmers, John Divers and John Hughes,
And sixty thousand Celtic fans who proudly shout the news.
Celtic, Celtic thats the team for me,
Celtic, Celtic on to victory,
They’re the finest team in Scotland, I’m sure you will agree,
We’ll never give up till we’ve won the cup and the Scottish football league.
Repeat to Fade CSC
A much to do about nothing imo on the Griffiths incident, as I said the other day, UEFA just deflecting from the clown with the whistle’s performance ,UEFA are similar to the SFA and like most leaders who run national leagues in many countries.
They are so far apart from what the supporters want they run they’r game to suit them not the supporters, giving a yellow card to a player who someone has just thrown a glass bottle at is to be very honest very worrying, it basically means the referee and the association who are running the game, have not got a clue about what went on, the incident unfortunately in today’s environment is a security breach, and both sets of players should have been taken off the park.
UEFA and that referee have a few questions to answer here and it should not be taken to lightly,they may think that it’s all fine and dandy blaming LG and the people who threw the objects on the playing surface, I’m afraid they have to put they’r hands up to, but as I said at the start, like the SFA , UEFA make the rules up as they go along.
Hopefully we will speak volumes on the park tonight. No silly gimmicks, no taking it easy, just a professional job.
I would like to see this tie put to bed without any further controversy. We are playing a nothing team from another century.Remenber that.
I would urge our fans to give the team the upmost backing, but leave the politics at home.
In BR we trust. COYBIG.
CQN………………………………..Dembele starts
BMCUW
Like the phrase, “As well as appearing to beat Ennis Hill to Gold in 2011………” in the article.
Better belated than beguiled.
SFA Reforms
If a Sevc player commits a red card offence he gets asks politely to leave the field of
play.
#StripTheTitles
asks = asked
Good morning from a surprisingly dry North Staffs – what happened to the forecast downpours?
Jamesgang – thanks for posting the KT video – fair made my morning
#StripTheTitles
MULLET AND CO 2 @ 8:59 PM,
“…If they are, was Eric Reilly not in a position to say that he would allow an appeal rather than I’m on holiday?”
Of course Mr Really is conspicuous by his absence, we of course don’t have anything like the full picture of what went on in the post LNS Decision time but there is no visibility of Eric Rielly in the Interim Board meeting or dialling in or responding to e-mails.
A cynic may say, how convenient – good job there’s none of them on CQN [Cough! Cough!]
But as Mr Really was on another time zone and the Chairmen and Board Members in Scotland didn’t seem to know what’s going down. You’d have to say Eric Rielly by circumstance or design was out of the loop.
Interesting our Man in Italy seems well briefed.
I think Duncan Fraser’s e-mail response is very interesting. The Aberdeen man seems to be our “Everyman” in this scenario.
He seems out of the loop and in the nicest possible way “clueless”. Considering this guy is a Chief Executive and no Dunce it gives you an understanding of how well the SPL Board were Blindsided.
Hail Hail
Gene
;-)
Welcome Sir
HH jamesgang
Mr Rielly, Really are All Mr Reilly…
3rd day in girona today
Beautiful,ancient city.even older than the linfield ethos.
Can’t see any way of watching the game tonight,so hoping for
Cqn’s finest running comentries.
Hail hail y beunos dias
Jamie baby
Thanks mate that bar is pretty close to me so will call in and check it out
I miss El Diego Bhoy
:-(
HH jamesgang
Morning all.
Hoping for Celtic to hand out a right good thrashing tonight. Couldn’t happen to a more deserving buncha bigots.
Would be quite happy to see Kris Ajer partner Jozo in defence, but unlikely. Brendan may go with a back 3.
Any sign of Hunfield fans polluting the streets of Glesga yet? Probably having a guided tour of the Victorian lavvy. Roll up, roll up! Only a tenner! Cash only!
HH!!
Interesting, and CQN gets a menshy.
https://johnjamessite.com/author/sitonfence/
TONYDONNELLY67 on 19TH JULY 2017 9:04 AM
I am fed up posting that UEFA are a crowd of numpties.
Part of the Griffiths appeal (and I don’t condone his scarf and goalpost antics) should be the UEFA discipline committee be forced, with translations where necessary to the full soundtrack of last week’s game.
They should also have it spelled out to them ins spades, all the reasons why the game could not be played on the original date.
JAMESGANG
Nothing better than starting your day wi’ a well up of emotion about Celtic:)
I miss Tom McLaughlin
Tony D – spot on with the EUFA squirrel nonsense.
I loved it yesterday when our own SMSM were starting to give it big nudges about Celtic’s indiscipline coming back to haunt them in the future, then the SFA (yup, THAT SFA) announced that last season’s award for Fair Play was going to Celtic as they had the best disciplinary record over the whole season.
Cracker.
EMERALDBEE
You couldent make it up honestly :))
Celtic Passion – One love Celtic fc…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nXHx9KnzgSY
FORAPEOPLEANDACAUSE
ELDIEGOBHOY was an absolute gentleman,held in high regard by all who met him.
I was a bit apprehensive on our first meeting,as we had many differing opinions.
Two minutes or so later,we were chatting like long-lost friends. I met him a number of times thereafter-not enough due to my location-and,well,the first meeting wasn’t a fluke!
My sisters and my Dad got to know him too,and were of the same opinion.
Aye,he’s a sad miss. But not forgotten.
R I P and HH
Re Tom McLaughlin,he still posts occasionally as AULDTAM. I hope he is enjoying life to the full in Auld Reekie. I’m hoping to arrange a dayooooot/hootenanny on 11/11 and as long as he still has the same addy,he will be invited along.
Not met him yet. Hope to rectify that then.
Thoughts and prayers offered for Michael Conroy Snr, his family and friends at this time.
CRC – Great story of your pursuit of Captains Kenny and Roy, indefatigable so you are.
HH
ONEMALLOY on 19TH JULY 2017 10:41 AM
Thoughts and prayers offered for Michael Conroy Snr, his family and friends at this time.
==========================================================================
As a wee Timmy lad , Michael was one of the Co`s .
Mike Conroy
Jim Conway.
John Colrain
Bobby Collins
I`m sure there`s a reason to mention that ……………….
Don’t have a strong opinion either way on LG tying the scarf in the Linfield game but there is someone who does and Leigh should take heed for his own good IMO
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/celtic/15419793.Celtic_boss_Brendan_Rodgers_irked_at_looming_Leigh_Griffiths_loss/
LINFIELD OFFICIAL WEBSITE
Enjoy the occasion and support the club in the traditional Linfield manner.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Oh dear – prepare to hear filth being sung all night
Celticrollercoaster…………….
Well done matey…you’ve played a blinder, great effort.
They say you should never meet your heroes. Perhaps now you are in two minds on that one…
…mibbes aye, mibbes naw? :)
Our CSC went on a trip to see Henke at Helsingborg ( supposedly his last game before retiring) turns out it wasn’t but we had typically Celtic experience cheering him on and and mixing with the Helsingborg maddies before during and after the match.
Post game, we got to spend time with Henke in the players lounge where he sat quietly, posed for photies, thanked us all and signed every blessed bit of merch we had on us, and we had loads.He was quite reserved but A total gent.
Again, well done for a great effort and a great story.
HH.
CRC and Andy F.
Excellent work on getting all those signatures. You missed a trick though, you could have had another shirt and got that signed also, then continuing for the next 50 years before auctioning off in 2067.
Anyway. Brilliant work.
On another point I noted your assertion that Paul Lambert didn’t like signing because fans would make money off his name. The same guy who has made money off the back of all the fans he’s played in front of for his entire career. Some players are just egotistical dicks! I know he was happy to sign shirt for charitable cause and that’s great but he’s made millions of the back of fans paying to watch the teams he’s played for. Even if someone was going to sell a shirt to make themselves a few quid (unlikely as most fans treasure these items) then so wucking fhat!
MWD