STAR TURNS THRILL FORMER SAINT

GAVIN BERRY

sport@dailyrecord.co.uk GARY TEALE admitted it was a surreal moment the first time he watched himself starring on Match of the Day.

And he will be bursting with pride when he sees John McGinn and Kenny McLean going head to head on the box on Saturday night.

Teale was one of the most experienced players in the St Mirren dressing room when McGinn and McLean were coming through.

The pair – named in Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad for the Euro double header against Russia and San Marino – have gone on to fulfil that potential and made it to the promised land of the Premier League after spells away from Paisley.

McLean moved to Aberdeen where he was a standout and earned him a move to Norwich and McGinn to Hibs before heading south to Aston Villa after a proposed switch to Celtic fell through.

The midfield pair’s clubs were in the English Championship but both won promotion to the top flight and haven’t looked out of place this season.

McLean was on target for Daniel Farke’s Canaries in a famous win over Manchester City and McGinn has rave reviews for his performances after becoming a cult hero at Villa. And the two pals are set to collide at Carrow Road with just a point separating the pair in the lower reaches of the league. The duo last lined up together for the Buddies in a 1-0 win over Partick Thistle at Firhill in January 2015. Teale also made it to England’s top flight when he helped Wigan to promotion after his move from Ayr. He said: “When I was growing up I used to watch Match of the Day and then ended up on it actually playing, so you can relate to how surreal that is. “To see Kenny and John on it now is brilliant, especially for two young boys coming from Scotland and making their way down south, and it will be fun seeing them going up against each other. “I keep in touch with both and I drop them a text now and again to say, ‘Well done’ and how delighted I am to see them doing well.

“It can only help the game up here as a whole that they are doing well.

“It will be interesting to see the two of them at Carrow Road.

“They both look as if they are playing open and expansive football despite playing for newly-promoted clubs and that probably suits them rather than sitting in.

“They both had ability to kick on but I’d be lying if I said back then I knew they would end up playing in the Premier League. But I’m delighted to see they’re both doing so well.”

Teale played down his own role in their development but hopes the fact he made it to the Premier League gave them some inspiration.

McGinn’s stock rose after he got the better of Celtic’s midfield in the 2013 League Cup semi-final win before the Buddies went on to lift the trophy by beating Hearts although McLean was an unused substitute.

But Teale, now a consultant in Hexagol who launched a football training aid, said: “I learned more about them in training rather than specific games.

“You could see their ability and determination in terms of how they went about their daily business and that’s what stood out.

“John really came of age in those League Cup games. Kenny was on the bench for that final but he was in and around the first team a lot sooner than John as he’s older.

“Kenny played a variety positions but John was more suited to that defensive midfield position and left narrow midfielder.

“They both had great ability, although different in terms of the type of players they are. Kenny is a bit more graceful than John but John has great grit and determination.

“John is just so strong when he shields the ball. He’s improved massively in terms of his vision with some of the passes you see him making these days and some of the goals he’s scoring as well.

“Kenny just shaded it in technical ability but John makes up for it with hard work and determination.

“I tried to pass on certain things but all the credit goes to the boys.

“Maybe it inspired them to do that wee bit more but you need to have it within you to want it.”