MATT WAS A ROLLY LEADER
Club chair says he was like grandpa McNeill
East Kilbride Rolls Royce chairman Colin Thomson has described Matthew McCombe as a dressing room leader – just like his grandfather, Celtic icon Billy McNeill.
The amateur club paid an emotional tribute to the 21-yearold player after his tragic passing, with Thomson describing him as “a lovely person” who “goodness oozed out of.”
He had been playing for the South Lanarkshire side for two years, and Thomson says he was a key figure in pulling the side “out of the doldrums” as they came close to shutting in 2018. He said the club had been left “heartbroken”.
The chief felt he had learned a lot from Lisbon Lion McNeill and was a born winner.
Thomson said: “I knew his granddad was Billy McNeill, but I never even knew that up until a few months ago.
“It wasn’t something he spoke about much, but would take a bit of banter from the Rangers fans in the dressing room once they found out. He had a presence, and he has influence around the club, but he balanced that with being respectful.
“It was unusual to see a young man so respectful and confident, and be happy to have a conversation. If you get one or two leaders it really helps the club, and he bought into what we were trying to do.
“Matt was a bit of a leader from my perspective. He had a bit of presence about him. He could be hard and gentle, and was a winner, and maybe gets that from his grandfather.”
He continued: “Everyone at the club was very fond of him.
“He was a good football player, no doubt about it. He had a real talent and was a hard player, but he was a kind boy and so respectful of the people round about him.
“I never heard him saying a bad word about anyone. He was polite and great company.”
Matthew, from Hairmyres, disappeared from a hotel in Amsterdam on March 14 while on a trip celebrating his 21st birthday.
Parents Paula and Charlie broke the news to family and friends on social media.
Amsterdam Police last week launched an investigation after his body was pulled from a canal at the Molenkade in the city’s Duivendrecht 18 days later.
Thomson added: “He will be sorely missed; it’s absolutely tragic. It breaks my heart for the family and my thoughts are with his mum and dad.”