I have a confession to make to Aiden McGeady, and something of an apology. As a much younger man, when watching him play against my team, I admit to him that I may have dished out a bit of stick in his direction over his decision to play for the Republic of Ireland. “Oh, you were one of those guys, eh?” McGeady laughs, letting me off the hook.
For me then, booing his every touch was enough to express my thoughts on the matter, an action I can now admit was not only rather childish, but rooted in frustration that Scotland had missed out on such a talent. For many others, that day and on countless others, the abuse went far beyond the realms of the pantomime, and way beyond the bounds of acceptability. “I took it as a compliment, because if I wasn't any good, they wouldn't be bothered, would they?" he said.
"There were other players who made similar choices and didn’t get the stick.” McGeady called time on what was a hugely successful career a few weeks ago now, giving up his dual role as player and technical manager at Ayr United. It seems an opportune time then to take a walk down memory lane with him, navigating the many good and frequently tumultuous times he went through as a player.
He can look back on his trophy-laden days with his boyhood heroes Celtic, his big-money move to Russia, the odd fallout with certain managers along the way – more on that later - and his spell in England with pride. And certainly, few regrets. McGeady the player may have given full.
