Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
ROD ROCKS UP FOR ROVERS
Star is guest at the Excelsior
The eyes of the world were on Monklands on Sunday afternoon as Albion Rovers Scottish Cup exploits against Celtic were beamed across the globe.
Thousands of fans squeezed into a sold-out Excelsior Stadium as the part-time side came up against the Glasgow giants, in a game which was shown live on Sky Sports.
The stars were out in Airdrie for the tie as Celtic fan Sir Rod Stewart and comic book writer Mark Millar were amongst the crowd who watched Celtic secure a comfortable 3-0 win.
Sir Rod, who was welcomed as a special guest of Rovers, certainly seemed to enjoy the hospitality as he prepared to make the Scottish Cup draw live on TV.
The rocker gave a memorable performance when he made the draw for the next round of the competition from inside the Excelsior.
Lucky fans also had the chance to grab a selfie with the singer as he left the ground - with Airdrie fundraiser Rhona Lawrie amongst the crowd.
Kind- hearted Rhona was sailing on cloud nine as she got up close and personal with the legendary rocker.
Starstruck Rhona described meeting the iconic singer as a “dream come true” - but it was Rod who had all the luck as he chatted with Rhona in a welldeserved treat for the mum-ofthree.
To round-off the day, Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers took time in the tunnel to grab pictures with all of the ball boys, who were eagerly waiting to meet the former Liverpool gaffer.
Rovers chairman Ronnie Boyd was delighted with how the day went with the help of player/ manager Darren Young and coach Billly Stark.
“It’s really a credit to Darren, Billy and the players about how well the day went.
“They were very well-drilled, and didn’t make it easy for a Celtic side who are at a completely different level.”
He also managed to speak with Rod Stewart, and was full of praise for the die-hard Celt: “I had a chat with Sir Rod in the boardroom and he was very knowledgeable, and very down to earth.
“He knew all about the Jock Stein connection to Albion Rovers, and seemed to know a lot about the club in general.
“Everyone was very respectful, and hopefully the club left a good impression on those watching the game.”
The Rovers supremo Boyd added that it is a day he will always remember, and was full of praise for the performance of the fans.
“I want to give a special thanks to the fans, and everyone who helped us out on the day.
“Everyone from ticket sellers to the ball-boy’s played their part.
“Some of the Celtic fans were filtering out of the stadium, but our fans stayed to applaud the players for their efforts.
“That is a memorable image that will stick with me forever.”