Adam was ‘blown away’ by call from King Kenny

Dundee star Charlie Adam has praised Sir Kenny Dalglish for his support in the wake of his mother’s death.

The Dark Blues hero’s mum Ellie passed away in December after battling bowel and liver cancer.

And he was blown away by a phone call two weeks ago from his former Liverpool manager to check on how the Adam family were doing.

Charlie – speaking on TALKSPORT a day after the Reds, Celtic and Scotland legend turned 70 – said: “It’s not just his ability as a player or his man management as a coach, I think it’s away from the game you realise how special he is.

“I hadn’t heard from Kenny in eight or nine years. I’d seen him around on golf days and things like that, but I never spoke to him for any length of time.

“I had a few troubles off the pitch with my mum passing away recently, and two weeks ago I had a missed call from somebody, there was no number, I didn’t have a clue who it was.

“So I got a voicemail, ‘Hi Charlie, Kenny here’, and I was like, ‘Wow’.

“So I got his number and spoke to him on the phone for 20 minutes, just asking about life and asking how everybody was, my family.

“Just to take that time out just shows the person he is.

“When he actually phones you up himself, when one day he’s thinking about what you’re going through in life, he’s just a special man. He’s just incredible.

“To do what he did after the Hillsborough disaster, even now he’s an iconic figure at the football club, not just for supporters but also for the players, both now and in past generations.

“He still looks after them and finds time to speak to them.

“He’s probably going through his own issues and health problems himself, but he was in great fettle on the phone.

“I asked him how he was and he said, ‘Well the doctor’s not phoned me so I’ve nothing to worry about!’ That’s just how he is.

“I was looking back, seeing every picture I had with him, he was always smiling, laughing, joking and that’s his character.

“He had a wicked sense of humour, he could shoot you down with just one line, but he always seems to be in a good mood and they are the kind of people you want to be around.”

King Kenny signed the former Scotland midfielder from Blackpool in 2011.

Charlie recalled: “That was the biggest thing for me.

“He invited me round to his house to speak to him about signing for Liverpool, and it was an incredible occasion because he was so relaxed.

“For what he had achieved as a manager but also as a player, he is the king, he is the cream on the top of the cake in Scotland.

“He’s probably the greatest player we’ve ever had and to be in his company, I was in awe of him.

“I had great times at the club and it was great for me to sign for him.”

Kenny Dalglish.