Never meet your heroes?

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Stu

Stu

Maple Leaf Radge
Private Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2002
Meeting celebrities in general can be a mixed bag. I can't say I've had any bad experiences though I did tell Tory MP Jeffrey Archer to fcuk off one time.

This guy talks about some of the people he's met whilst working at his job in security at an airport. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the first utter knobhead he mentions was a footballer, Curtis Jones of Liverpool. Many experiences of the opposite kind though. The comments under the video are quite interesting.

Anybody well-known people you wish you'd never met - or on the other hand were a joy to meet?

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Stu said:
Meeting celebrities in general can be a mixed bag. I can't say I've had any bad experiences though I did tell Tory MP Jeffrey Archer to fcuk off one time.

This guy talks about some of the people he's met whilst working at his job in security at an airport. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the first utter knobhead he mentions was a footballer, Curtis Jones of Liverpool. Many experiences of the opposite kind though. The comments under the video are quite interesting.

Anybody well-known people you wish you'd never met - or on the other hand were a joy to meet?

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For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
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Not a hero of mine but I once called Joolz Holland a prick in the Queen's Hall in George Street, Can't remember why, I think he was being a smart arse to a female friend of mine. I also met that @Doc Shrink, a decent bloke. He bought me a pint once.
 
Most I've met were decent sorts, even one that was absolutely blootered.

I have a friend who works behind the scenes in a theatre. He's got a lot of good stories.

One of my favourites was when the show Singing in the Rain was playing. I'm not even going to give a clue as to which town or city. The lead, a well known pop star of yesteryear, was a right prick to everyone, nothing was done to his satisfaction, he was constantly moaning about everything.

Part of the props was a big water tank over the stage that rained the water out on que. It took ages to fill during the day. It's was a wee bit quicker when everyone behind the scenes took turns to piss in it 😆
 
Met Pat Stanton in Armadale once. I was on a walk up to the school with my colleague (back when the polis did actually get out the car) and he pulled up looking for directions to someone’s house. I think he was helping his pal deliver a fridge. Spent about 3/4 of an hour blethering about the Hibs.

Wonder if he found the house after that🤔
 
Telt this before but got telt tae fuck off fae Terry Butcher. Met Jack Palance and his missus, in the boozer behind Greyfriars Bobby statue, nice guy. Met Charlie and Craig a few times, 2 gentlemen.
Beagle said:
Wonder if he found the house after that🤔
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Met Pat in Brussels, everyone kens what a gentleman he is. He said he remembered you and found the hoose despite you giving him the wrong directions.:coffee1:





































































:grinning-smiley-045:
 
hibbybilly said:
Telt this before but got telt tae fuck off fae Terry Butcher. Met Jack Palance and his missus, in the boozer behind Greyfriars Bobby statue, nice guy. Met Charlie and Craig a few times, 2 gentlemen.

Met Pat in Brussels, everyone kens what a gentleman he is. He said he remembered you and found the hoose despite you giving him the wrong directions.:coffee1:





































































:grinning-smiley-045:
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Gets better. The guy I was working with was born in Easter Road and a lifelong Hibs fan. Says to me after Pat eventually drove off (in the right direction B) “Who was that guy then?”
I near bit his heid off.
 
Most of mine were F1 guys from a time when you could get near them.
Clark.JYS. Dan Gurney etc.
All really nice fellas.
Had the misfortune to encounter the Bay City Rollers and their total shitehoose manager. Tam Paton.
Our drummer saw him with a young guy in the toilets. Paton had the lad up against the wall.
Bill said 'leave him alone , or I'll knock yer fuckin teeth doon yer throat ye *&*^'.
Bill had a way with words.
When the TP antics became known ,Bill said he wished he had knocked his teeth doon his throat.
Complete arsehole.
Alan Price. Decent bloke.
Tom Mcguiness. Same.
 
Best

I mentioned on here before I had a good chat with the comedian Robin Ince once. Really nice guy, down to earth, no airs and graces at all.

I've met SJM twice, once in the pub and once in the airport, just a brief blether both times but he was as sound as you'd hope and happy to chat on each occasion.

Worst

I didn't meet her as such but Carol Smilie was in front of me on an Easy Jet flight from London once and was moaning at the staff about being asked to turn her iPad off for landing. "You don't have to do that on BA" apparently... I guess the Postcode Lottery ads don't pay as well as Changing Rooms did.

The singer from Del Amitri. I was in the Griffin in Glasgow for a few drinks with my pals before going to see Frankie Boyle at the Kings Theatre. One of our pals Joanne had her dad with her who knew said singer and waved him over when he saw him come in. Well... I'm guessing he'd had more than lager (👃) as he was insufferable. Talking over everyone, prattling on about himself constantly etc... I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and suggest he wouldn't be like that sober, but fuck me, the boy was a pain in the arse that day.
 
hibbybilly said:
Telt this before but got telt tae fuck off fae Terry Butcher. Met Jack Palance and his missus, in the boozer behind Greyfriars Bobby statue, nice guy. Met Charlie and Craig a few times, 2 gentlemen.

Met Pat in Brussels, everyone kens what a gentleman he is. He said he remembered you and found the hoose despite you giving him the wrong directions.:coffee1:





































































:grinning-smiley-045:
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Me too in Schipol airport , he was with Mark Hateley he didn't say anything though
 
Met a few and no bad experiences.
I worked with Billy Lyall, ex Rollers and Pilot. A nicer guy you couldn't hope to meet.
Kiki Dee let me kiss her on the cheek in the Radio Forth reception.
Simon Cowell was having a big family dinner in one of Harrods restaurants. The ex missus and I were at the next table as I'd arranged with Muhammed El Fayed (more of him later) to get a nice table for her 40th. The staff presented her with a cake and sang happy birthday to her which caught the attention of Simon Cowell.
I waved him over and to my surprise he did, sat for a few minutes chatting, had a glass of wine with us, gave her a kiss on the cheek then went back to his table. Lovely guy.
My in-laws worked for him in Balnagown castle which was his retreat in Ross-shire. Nobody who knew him had a bad word to say about him.

Jocky Wilson was a bit of a tosser.
Bristow a wee bit arrogant.
Cliff Thorburn lovely guy.

Edit: just read the thread title again. None of the above are heroes 😀
 
Forzahibs said:
Me too in Schipol airport , he was with Mark Hateley he didn't say anything though
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Hampden, he was heading for a pish and I telt him tae use the door handle this time, he laughed and telt me tae fuck off. Long before he fucked it at ER.
 
Met Charlie and Craig.
Story behind it we had just emigrated out here in the May and they had already announced a Canadian tour ,then added dates, the place we moved too was one of the dates, tickets were hastily bought..
As time was getring on i started volunteer work with the local tv station, interviewing local people and filming interesting stories around the area.
The Proclaimers coming to town was huge news, and the head producer was pushing for an interview with them!!!!
Turns out they were very agreeable to it, so on the day of the concert after the soundcheck i had the privilege of watching and filming a Proclaimers interview. The two of them were superb, signed a hell of a lot of stuff for me.
The concert of course was excellent.
At the end of the gig,the manager came on stage and informed everyone that if they gave them 20mins they would sign things out in the foyer..the two of them spent another hour signing bits and pieces for people. Top guys and chatted with everyone ..
 
Met a few celebs over the years, most were ok. But if we're talking about a bona fide hero, it would have to be SDG.

Used to see him in Tesco in Bathgate from time to time and I would just give him the man-nod, you know tightening of the mouth and the nod just as you pass them.

Then once, I was having lunch with the missus in 1912 bistro in Bathgate and in he walks with his wife and bairn. Genuinely got all nervous. Didn't know what to do then I got up to pay my bill and asked if I could have his bill as well. Waitress looked a bit perplexed but I said "That's David Gray. He scored the winner for Hibs.....etc etc"

I paid, she gave me the receipt and said when people do this, you normally write a message on this. So I wrote "thank you for the Scottish cup. You changed our world that day. GGTTH"

Went back to my table and got ready to leave when he comes over and says "you didn't have to do that". I shook his hand and said it was the least I could do. We chatted for about 10 minutes about Hibs and then I left.

Loved it
 
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Another nice wee story, this time about a Hibee Hero Alan Rough!

I was at the Open Golf Championship at Troon in 1982 and there's a bit of a crowd round one of the holes. Me and my Hibby pal are at the back and we spotted Alan Rough, not long back from the World Cup. He was near the front watching proceedings through a periscope.

Once the players putted out one of us shouted "ROUGHY! [he turns round] Pity you didn't have that to see over the wall when you played Brazil!" or something like that.

He gave us a dirty amused look and as he was about to walk past us we asked when he was signing for Hibs. We had a decent wee chat but he wouldn't say ... although as we parted he did say something like 'I'll see you at Easter Road'. My mate and I sorta cheered YASS! He walked off grinning and shaking his head.
 
Met Mo Johnson over in Toronto when he was manager of Toronto FC in 2007.
He was sound to be honest, and we had a chat about the best places to go in the city etc.

One of my favourite Hibs players from the late 70's Ally McLeod I met a few years ago at a fans event in the Famous Five stand. He was genuinely flattered when I told him he was one of my favourite Hibs players of all time. We then had a chat about various matches from that time, and he told me that the story about him saying he was better than George Best was a load of shite. He still is a Hibs fan. He also rated Jason Cummings who was our main striker at that time, and said to me and a couple of other fans to bear in mind that even the best strikers have runs of matches when they can't get a goal. He said fans should have bit more patience and understanding.

Music; Met two of the E Street Band (great lads as you would expect). Met Paul Jones the singer from Manfred Mann who was a great lad. Also met the late Jon Lord from Deep Purple in the early 80's, who didn't say very much.
 
Hibees-Mad said:
Met a few celebs over the years, most were ok. But if we're talking about a bona fide hero, it would have to be SDG.

Used to see him in Tesco in Bathgate from time to time and I would just give him the man-nod, you know tightening of the mouth and the nod just as you pass them.

Then once, I was having lunch with the missus in 1912 bistro in Bathgate and in he walks with his wife and bairn. Genuinely got all nervous. Didn't know what to do then I got up to pay my bill and asked if I could have his bill as well. Waitress looked a bit perplexed but I said "That's David Gray. He scored the winner for Hibs.....etc etc"

I paid, she gave me the receipt and said when people do this, you normally write a message on this. So I wrote "thank you for the Scottish cup. You changed our world that day. GGTTH"

Went back to my table and got ready to leave when he comes over and says "you didn't have to do that". I shook his hand and said it was the least I could do. We chatted for about 10 minutes about Hibs and then I left.

Loved it
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There’s class . . . and there’s Hibs class! Nice one.
 
1969, me and a mate asked Joe McBride and Pat Stanton for their autographs whilst completely ignoring the young guy with them as we didn't know who he was.
It wasn't long after that when we realised who it was.
If anyone knows our greatest ever right back maybe you could apologise for me 🥴
Even now all these years later I still cringe a bit.
 
Also meant to say when I was a young laddie in the 70's, me and my mate used to go up to Easter Road during the school holidays sometimes and meet the players coming off the bus after they had been training, so I got to meet loads of players from that era and they were all great with us. Got all their autographs. Even the notoriously dour Eddie Turnbull used to make time and have a have chat with us.
 
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I've met Arthur Scargill,Ron Brown,Mick Macgahey,Alistair Darling,Tony Benn,Mark Steel,thingmy Kent the CND leader,Generation X,Siouxsie Sioux ,Pete Shelley,Rat Scabies,Mercer Ellington,and a host of Hibbies including Tommy Younger,Lawrie Reilly,Pat Stanton,and Des Bremner.The only person I thought was unpleasant was Craig Charles whom I met in the Assembley Rooms.He thought he was the big 'I am'.I told him he was being a prat.
 
Greenmachine said:
Also meant to say when I was a young laddie in the 70's, me and my mate used to go up to Easter Road during the school holidays sometimes and meet the players coming off the bus after hey had been training, so I got to meet loads of players from that era and they were all great with us. Got all their autographs. Even the notoriously dour Eddie Turnbull used to make time and have a have chat with us.
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My dad and his pal used to meet up with ET and Jimmy Bonthrone occasionally on the golf course when they were in charge at Aberdeen. Dad said ET hardly had a good word for many of his players “f@)&” lazy c@&@£”, “could nae even write his f£&”( name when we signed him” etc etc. But when the conversation got round to their goalie, Bobby Clark, ET always referred to him as “Robert”.
 
Going back to before my time - to the days of the Famous Five when my parents were “courting’” - they loved the dancing but my dad’s brother, who also loved the dancing, was a bachelor. So my mum would partner him occasionally. One evening my mum and my uncle landed up in the company of Willie Ormond and his partner/wife and my mum danced with him a few times. My uncle had told my dad about it and my dad asked her “Well what did you think of Willie Ormond then?”. My mum replied “He’s a smashing dancer but he’s awfy wee.”
 
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Greenmachine said:
Met Mo Johnson over in Toronto when he was manager of Toronto FC in 2007.
He was sound to be honest, and we had a chat about the best places to go in the city etc.

One of my favourite Hibs players from the late 70's Ally McLeod I met a few years ago at a fans event in the Famous Five stand. He was genuinely flattered when I told him he was one of my favourite Hibs players of all time. We then had a chat about various matches from that time, and he told me that the story about him saying he was better than George Best was a load of shite. He still is a Hibs fan. He also rated Jason Cummings who was our main striker at that time, and said to me and a couple of other fans to bear in mind that even the best strikers have runs of matches when they can't get a goal. He said fans should have bit more patience and understanding.

Music; Met two of the E Street Band (great lads as you would expect). Met Paul Jones the singer from Manfred Mann who was a great lad. Also met the late Jon Lord from Deep Purple in the early 80's, who didn't say very much.
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E street band, jealous.
 
Hibees-Mad said:
Met a few celebs over the years, most were ok. But if we're talking about a bona fide hero, it would have to be SDG.

Used to see him in Tesco in Bathgate from time to time and I would just give him the man-nod, you know tightening of the mouth and the nod just as you pass them.

Then once, I was having lunch with the missus in 1912 bistro in Bathgate and in he walks with his wife and bairn. Genuinely got all nervous. Didn't know what to do then I got up to pay my bill and asked if I could have his bill as well. Waitress looked a bit perplexed but I said "That's David Gray. He scored the winner for Hibs.....etc etc"

I paid, she gave me the receipt and said when people do this, you normally write a message on this. So I wrote "thank you for the Scottish cup. You changed our world that day. GGTTH"

Went back to my table and got ready to leave when he comes over and says "you didn't have to do that". I shook his hand and said it was the least I could do. We chatted for about 10 minutes about Hibs and then I left.

Loved it
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Brilliant!
 
Those of us of a certain age and went to Leith Academy will have spent first and second year at Norton Park annex, right next to Easter Rd stadium. (The techie block is the Hibs ticket office) it was always a thrill to see the players come and go and I still have some of my school books with autographs from some of the players. I can’t think of any player blanking us or ignoring us if we said hiya.

I live in the land of celebrities and I have run into loads but generally I don’t engage with them. But those that I have spoken with have been fine. I ran across Kevin Costner years ago outside a restaurant, he might have been a partner in it. He came out and came over to us and asked someone in the group for the time. He then stood chatting for about five minutes or so and left. Pleasant guy.
My favorite guy I used to run into regularly was an actor called Roscoe Lee Browne. He used to come into the local bar and it was always a pleasure to be in his company. Everyone knew him but I didn’t know he was a well known actor until later. He oozed charm and charisma and was a great storyteller. Gary Marshal used to come in too but I never really spoke him other than a hello, he had his own thing going on. Seemed nice enough and got on well with the staff. He used to play softball in the same parks and rec league as me. He played pitcher, well into his later years.
 
BurbankHibee said:
Those of us of a certain age and went to Leith Academy will have spent first and second year at Norton Park annex, right next to Easter Rd stadium. (The techie block is the Hibs ticket office) it was always a thrill to see the players come and go and I still have some of my school books with autographs from some of the players. I can’t think of any player blanking us or ignoring us if we said hiya.

I live in the land of celebrities and I have run into loads but generally I don’t engage with them. But those that I have spoken with have been fine. I ran across Kevin Costner years ago outside a restaurant, he might have been a partner in it. He came out and came over to us and asked someone in the group for the time. He then stood chatting for about five minutes or so and left. Pleasant guy.
My favorite guy I used to run into regularly was an actor called Roscoe Lee Browne. He used to come into the local bar and it was always a pleasure to be in his company. Everyone knew him but I didn’t know he was a well known actor until later. He oozed charm and charisma and was a great storyteller. Gary Marshal used to come in too but I never really spoke him other than a hello, he had his own thing going on. Seemed nice enough and got on well with the staff. He used to play softball in the same parks and rec league as me. He played pitcher, well into his later years.
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I was at Leithy,when Norton Park was the annexe.That's how I got Des Bremner's autograph.
 
Regularly bumped into Craig and Charlie walking their dogs. Always smiled and said hi. Met geldof and the rats a couple of times. Garry roberts was a hoot and geldof fine.
 
The day we lifted the championship under Lennon I ended up in the Hibs Club where I bumped into Callum Milne
I mentioned my cousin who Callum was friendly with he pulled up a chair and we spent a good hr talking about Hibs and winning the Junior Cup with Whitburn a really nice guy he didn't have anything complimentary to say about Alex Millar though

I go to see a lot off punk bands and there always happy to chat before and after gigs
My big musical hero is Paul Weller I've never met him and I think I would be like a wee starstruck lassie if I did
 
Working in hotels I've met a few over the years. Worst experience was Westlife who my boss called me down to meet since I love the Irish accent for one of the cheeky pr1cks to ask where they could get hearts tickets as one wanted to see real football. Told them to sod off. Used to have the full hibs team in for pre match meals on a Saturday but since I worked in finance wasn't really any need for me to be in the restaurant lol
 
I met and spent an hour in the company of Alex Higgins who was my hero growing up. By chance I was having a pish and so was he at the next urinal. He then spewed his load. I got him a pint of milk. After finishing playing he sat with me chatting away. Before he was playing he was sat doing the Daily Telegraph crossword. He was very nice, very friendly and chatty. He obviously hated any form of authority.

I've met Pet Shop Boys three times over the last 35 years. Very friendly and down to earth. Always quite brief encounters. My musical idols so always quite exciting. The last time I met them Neil Tennant wanted to know details of my journey to London as there was a rail strike at the time and his sister couldn't get down from Newcastle.

That's three of my heroes I've met. And I only wish they'd been photographed.
 
At the risk of being a bit po faced I have never understood, even from a young age, why anyone would expect a musician or sportsperson any more likely to be worthy of wider admiration than the next person. They are good at something the way an accountant or Baker or electrician is good at something. That's it really. In fact given the latter aren't pampered in the same way I'd expect the ratio of stars as whoppers to be higher.

Paul Heaton is a good example. One or two tracks aside I don't care for his work but he seems a better bloke than any number of musicians whose work I prefer. The two things aren't connected at all.
 
Met big Fish playing 5 aside at meadowbank on a Thursday night. He came along and joined in like everyone else. Turned out to be a good down to earth bloke and someone I now call a pal.
Met SJM and Dylan McG at a player of the year do at the Hibs club. sat with them for a couple of hours. good lads.
Reached out to the Proclaimers in 2011 when they were coming to ATL for a show and they were coming to my house to watch Hibs v AEK. As it turned out, game was cancelled but they invited me down to meet them at pre gig soundcheck...good lads also.

most folks are just normal if u treat them normally I found.





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I have come across a few sports people/celebrities particularly when I used to work in Hotels, policy was to mostly ignore them and treat them as normal. I would only really chat to them if I was genuinely interested/a fan of their work.

Good ones:

Freddie Flintoff - very polite and down to earth

Lewis Capaldi - really nice guy, always want to see him do well now.

Denis Law - really nice

Chris Kamara - very polite and smiley persona

Alan Curbishley - really nice

Brian Hamilton - good to chat about football with

Jimmy Case

Lewis Stevenson - very polite

Bad ones:

Darren Clarke - all look at me with his highlights and parking his Ferrari in the disabled parking space by the front doors of the hotel. Different to the ‘family man’ persona the media put about.

Savile - well creepy - told the head of housekeeper (large old Glaswegian ‘lady’) that he had a dream about her. Grim

Roy Keane - just a bit pointlessly intense, Archie Knox was similar

Man Utd players - Kieran Richardson and Alan Smith both full of it. After playing the hard man in Glasgow city centre Alan Smith fled from some of my mates in a taxi, on a night out.

Andy Cole can be very grumpy.

Former Sevco player (since passed away) - nasty piece of work, dragging his girlfriend down the street by her neck. had to intervene with friends to stop it.

Wilder ones:

Pete Doherty - but fine otherwise

Heather Mills - just a bit mad
 
Barry McGuigan once hailed a taxi for me outside a Dublin hotel when I was young and clueless and didn't know what I was doing. Instead of old and clueless...

Really nice guy.

Was once sat next to Hugh Grant and his mate on a flight. Hugh just kept his head down but his mate was a really obnoxious aristocratic sort. I mean nothing outrageous but not even looking at the hostesses as he grunted his demands. A man obviously used to being served was my conclusion.
 
I used to drink in Alex Cropley's pub on Easter Road, called Cropley's oddly enough. Alex was behind the bar pretty regularly and he seemed alright. I thought I heard he had a reputation for being quite surly(?) which I can see because sometimes he was mein host and cheery and other times he'd serve the drinks and get back to reading his paper and not engage as much. Which is pretty normal. Had the pleasure of playing against him in a five a side game back in the 80s. What a joy that was. He seemed to enjoy it, he was laughing a lot! I hear he's not doing very well health wise which is sad to hear.
 
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