Date of birth: 25 Nov 1959
Birthplace: Lanark
Nickname: Macca

Striker Frank McAvennie was unquestionably one of the most popular characters to pull on the Hoops in the 80s.

With his blonde hair, designer clothes, page 3 model wife and seemingly unquenchable love of champagne and the highlife McAvennie was the epitome of the clichéd 80s playboy footballer, as renowned for his scoring off the field as on it. But for all his off-field antics the man known to Celtic fans as ‘Macca’ will always be fondly remembered by the Bhoys support as simply a wonderful footballer.

McAvennie possessed a great awareness of space and an exquisite touch. Despite his love of partying the Glasgow-born forward was always prepared to put in a shift on the football pitch.

A lifelong Celtic fan, McAvennie grew up in Milton and started his professional career at St.Mirren where his performances caught the eye of scouts from both north and south of the border. West Ham United won the race to take the striker away from Love Street and it soon became obvious that the Hammers had struck gold as McAvennie forged a forward partnership with Tony Cottee that terrorised defences in the English top flight.

The goalscoring exploits of the duo saw the Hammers make a serious challenge for the league title in 1986 but in the end the Londoners fell just short of the championship, finishing third behind Liverpool and Everton.

In truth the Upton Park side never came close to reaching those heights the following year but Cottee and McAvennie continued to have their admirers. Now a Scotland international McAvennie was a major star on and off the field, even making an appearance as a guest on Terry Wogan’s primetime BBC 1 chat show. The capture of McAvennie in October 1987 for £1.25 million was then quite a coup for Celtic manager Billy McNeil.

Although Macca had not quite maintained the sensational form of season 85/86 he remained a high profile and sought after asset. His debut season for the Bhoys was the stuff of dreams. Spearheading a revitalised Celtic team Macca formed a prolific partnership with Andy Walker. Frank’s touch and vision combined with Walkers clinical finishing provided the perfect foil for the midfield artistry of Paul McStay as Celtic won a wonderful and eternally memorable league and Scottish Cup in their Centenary season.

McAvennie’s contribution to that success was significant and stylish. On January 1 1988 he welcomed in the New Year with a delectable double against bitter rivals and reigning champions Rangers, his goals giving the Bhoys a well deserved 2-0 victory.

That game had been Frank’s second Old Firm clash as a player. The first – at Ibrox on October 17 - was also memorable for Macca, but for very different reasons. Just weeks after arriving back home in Scotland Frank found himself at the centre of one of the most controversial incidents in Scottish football history. During a typically frantic derby tussle McAvennie and Rangers keeper Chris Woods squared up to each other after a clash in the box. A melee ensued with players shoving each other and Frank was grabbed by the throat as Woods and Rangers skipper Butcher set about the Celtic man. All three were red-carded during the 2-2 game and the trio - along with Ibrox-based Englishman Graham Roberts – became embroiled in an unprecedented court case where they had to answer charges of "behaviour likely to cause a breach of the peace". This remarkable piece of legal action resulted in McAvennie and Roberts escaping without punishment but Woods and Butcher were fined for their aggressive actions.

Back on the pitch Celtic swept to the championship in style before McAvennie capped off the season with a typically show stealing performance in the Scottish Cup final against Dundee United. With Celtic trailing United 1-0 Macca pounced twice in the last 15 minutes – the winner coming just seconds from the end - to snatch a dramatic but just victory at a sunbathed Hampden Park.

The sunshine turned to rain the next season (88/89) though as Celtic’s form slumped. Macca was missing the bright lights of London but on the pitch he still showed his quality on a regular basis and had netted 17 times by March. However, the fallout of that incident at Ibrox and the intensity of attention that comes with being a high profile footballer in Glasgow meant that Frank was getting itchy feet. Add to that the fact that Celtic owed him money from when he first signed and a parting of the ways seemed inevitable. So just 17 months after becoming a Bhoy Frank McAvennie returned to West Ham in a reported £1.5m deal.

But that wasn’t the last the Hoops support were to see of Frankie Bhoy. By 1992 Frank was a free agent. His return to London had been a disaster. The Hammers were relegated and Frank suffered a broken leg. The glory days of the past were now distant memories and he was set to return to Glasgow to play for Partick Thistle when Celtic boss Liam Brady moved to secure his signature.

The returning Frank was a shadow of his former self but in fairness he was probably in better shape than the rudderless, virtually penniless and definitely hopeless Celtic he had rejoined. Their was to be no fairytale end to McAvennie’s Celtic career which ended without a lining of silverware.

Following his retirement from football McAvennie retained a high media profile in Scotland as he continued to live up to his reputation. But life turned sour for Frank as he became addicted to cocaine. He began to have regular brushes with the law. In 1996 he was found guilty of being in possession of cocaine. That same year he was also declared bankrupt. In 1999 he was found guilty of drink driving.
Frank’s playboy persona was memorably parodied in the TV football sketch show ‘Only An Excuse’ by Jonathan Watson who gave Macca the now famous ‘Where’s the burds’ catchphrase.

Whatever people think of McAvennie’s lifestyle he remains a well liked figure among many in the Celtic support. What cannot be disputed is the fact that on the football field he was a very genuine talent who in that glorious Centenary season made dreams come true.





Pictures

• Frank McAvennie Pics

Released his biography 2003, aptly titled "Scoring: An Expert's Guide" but he wasn't meaning goals (if you know what I mean)


Typical Macca Story
Interviewer: But surely you get "bother" in Glasgow from Rangers fans...
Macca: No, they're no problem at all. I'm always treated brilliantly in Glasgow. In fact I was out in a bar up there with a Page 3 girl this one time; short skirt and boobs, the usual. Anyway, this fight broke out and there was beer and glass going everywhere. Frankie Miller, the [Scottish R&B] singer, was with us, but instead of protecting the girl, he dived on top of me to make sure I didn't get hurt! She wasn't best-pleased [chuckles].