TWO dozen pairs of eyes bored into my back: the Scripture Union wasn’t happy. They had invited a devout Christian to the school to speak about his faith. He also happened to be a professional footballer, and a fatuous query about his day job had, embarrassingly, shifted attention away from an earnest bible discussion.

I had never been to church in my life, but the Scripture Union knew I was a Pittodrie regular. They invited me along, perhaps hoping to secure another member by dangling in front of me the prospect of an audience with Brian Irvine.

This was a lunchtime at Oldmachar Academy, Bridge of Don, circa 1988. Irvine had been speaking for a few minutes in the drama studio when questions were invited from the floor. Cue a couple of measured questions about the New Testament.

Then Irvine nodded to me, and I asked my question. I drew inspiration not from the scriptures, but from the wonderfully inane footballers’ Q&A that was trotted out in Shoot! each week

“What would you do if you found a million pounds?” I quizzed.

Irvine looked back, a little perplexed by my trifling fanboy query in the midst of a rather more weighty debate. To his credit, he made a polite attempt to form an answer about some act of charity or other. Meanwhile, I sank in my seat as tuts and glares tumbled in my direction from everyone else in the room.

Brian Irvine’s decency that day sums up the man. He has always been upfront about his religion, but with the modesty, integrity and quiet commitment - compare the crazed warblings of Glenn Hoddle - that also summed him up as a player.


(see rest of article at www.fitbahell.blog.co.uk)