Gordon Strachan has always had a way with words.
All through his managerial career, the diminutive Scotsman took no nonsense from anyone in the media and was famous for his curt replies to questions that he felt were wasting his time.
And he has not changed one iota.
Strachan was at his brilliant best when appearing on a BBC show and was speaking about the World Cup in 1986 and that famous ‘celebration’ when he scored against West Germany.
Recalling the hilarious tale in the Sacked in The Morning podcast Strachan said, “I’d been speaking to Charlie Nicholas a couple of days before, probably the last time I spoke to him really.
“And we were talking a bit because all the boys and Maradonna, they were jumping all over these hoardings.
“I said, ‘I’ll tell you was gonna happen. It would have been typical of Scotland where someone will score somebody will do it and it will have one of those moat things in the back there and you’ll disappear and break your leg.
“So I thought ‘I’ve scored! Yes!’ let’s go for the jump, and I thought no, there might be a moat there. And that’s why I put my leg up over it like that.
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“To be honest with you I was in shock as well because Roy Aitken found me with a pass!
And at this point, Strachan revealed a brilliant story about that game that involved Celtic legend Roy Aitken.
“And see that through COVID July of that year and all these old games were being shown because of COVID.
“I’m watching all these and I’ve never seen that game before. Never seen it.
“So I watched it. And I looked and thought Roy was absolutely magnificent.
“Seriously, his energy, his drive, his passion. It was fantastic.
“So I found his number and I phoned him. And I said, ‘Roy it’s Gordon Strachan’. He said, ‘What, what ye wanting?’
“And I said ‘I’ve just been watching the game from ’86 and I thought you were absolutely terrific.’
“And he says, ‘Are you serious?’
“I said,‘I’m serious. I thought you were magnificent. I never appreciated it the time, but well done. See you later.’
“Then I put the phone down.”
You could just imagine Aitken being totally confused on the other end of the phone.
A game that took place over 30 years ago and to receive a phone call from a known joker in the pack in Strachan about it, you would think it was a wind-up.
But that was the mark of not only Strachan as a team mate, but also how brilliant Aitken was in his day.
The big defender was a tower of strength in his hey-day. Iconically referred to by the catchphrase ‘Feed the Bear’ Roy is remembered affectionately by Celtic fans of my vintage.
One of my boyhood heroes when I used to frequent The Jungle, Aitken will always be a legend in my eyes.
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