It’s about 11.30 now and George the owner says ‘Steve, I’d like you to meet mysterious friends’. So I turned round and a guy who now years down the line looked very similar to the Pablo Escobar and his beautiful wife were holding out their hands. I obliged hand shake. And a warm hug from the wife… ‘Steve this is my good friend the Mayor of Seville and his wife’.. Wow! ‘Pleased to meet you Sir /Madam Mayor.’ I’m now in Celtic diplomacy mode.. Don’t want to make a fool of myself and embarrass the club and our new found reputation.
So best behaviour. Mind the language Stevie boy…
The Mayor. Well he was fuming, he started by having a right pop at Porto and Mourinho’s game plan.. He was callings him all sorts, as well as Deco.. His wife as stunning as she was had a potty mouth!
This was music to my ears. So I told them my story or one or two of them.. They came back with the Celtic fans are our fans, we will welcome them back any time. He was so in love with the whole Celtic experience..
So here’s the thing.. It’s my own best memory of everything Seville.. I was so much in awe of the Mayor’s chat to me.. I said this is so amazing for me to hear this. But it’s just me whose hearing it. I asked him if he or his office couldput the sentiments I’ve heard from you to the Scottish people, maybe in the papers..
The rest they say is History. Cause I believe he issued a statement that made the Daily Record later that week. So I’m having that one! I’ve also got the paper hanky he wrote.. ‘To my Friend Steve. Celtic. One friendship in Sport..’ That’s what he wrote..
I took a disposable camera with me, to record moments. These were special moments. They are all on film. All of us together group pictures but the downside is I left the camera at the bar. Headed out not realising what I’d left behind.
I was so chuffed about the people I’d shared my night with.
So I was heading back to the car park, I was going sleep in the car until the rest of the guys turned up.
Snaking through the wee alleys and unfamiliar streets. It must have been around 2.30 or 3.00 in the morning. When this young woman at the entrance to a block of flats. Stopped me, and in broken English said, ‘Men. Men in the bushes they have hurt themselves. Been crying for a time now..’ I thought she was at first asking for business? Although she seemed concerned about their health because these two guys we’re sobbing so much, it had woken her and her wee boy up..
I tried to explain that this kinda thing just sometimes happens. They’ll be gone in the morning. No harm done!
So we’re all back in full numbers, no lost sheep or casualties. Amazing. We all share tales of the evening. Still cursing the result.. I of course throw in my nights work.. Didn’t know if it impressed or not at that time of day…
I now realise I don’t have the camera.. I need it back. It’s got all the weeks memories on it. I need to find it.
I drove in to the old part of town, acting on limited memory and no knowledge of street names. I parked up.. Let the guys sleep, I went a looking for a bar I never been to before. In a city I don’t know.
I do believe I found the bar. But at 9.30 everything all locker up. No phone number… they all looked similar. I had to give it up. Back to the car. Not quite as noisy as the first journey. Which was a good thing really…
Once the car was given back. No surcharges and deposit given back to the lads.. They said Steve let go to the bar. You done us proud.. I said ‘let go of my arms. I was going there anyway!’
So in finishing my Seville Storyline. It turns out my crew were from Rutherglen.. And the Man in charge was Matt Murdoch (Bobby’s Brother) and his son and I think young nephews. They were a great bunch of lads. I was so happy to help them, as they helped me have so many memories of the whole occasion.
Thank you for the chance to share my story.. Sorry if it was a bit long. But it couldn’t be shortened. It wouldn’t have done the time justice..
In memory of my Great Pal Chas Paterson. He would have love me doing this.
Thanks to Steve for his Seville memories. Whilst the result is still a sickener, the sight of 80,000 Celtic supporters invading Spain for the final is one that will last a lifetime for supporters.
