Paul McStay will forever be known as a Celtic legend amongst the Parkhead support.
The former Celtic captain stayed at the club for his entire career with McStay winning three league titles, four Scottish Cups and a League Cup.
McStay was part of the famous Celtic side that broke Hearts in 1985/86 season and the 1988 Centenary Double-winning squad.
As a captain, McStay was well respected within the Celtic dressing room and that was compounded as Andy Walker tells a story he has never divulged about his time at the club coming to an end.
1995: PORTRAIT OF ANDY WALKER TAKEN AT THE 1995 – 1996 CELTIC PHOTOCALL. Mandatory Credit: Allsport UK/ALLSPORTWhen former Celtic striker Andy Walker ‘lost respect’ for Liam Brady
Walker left Celtic for Bolton Wanderers in 1991 and here, the former Hoops striker shares how he was treated by ex-Hoops Liam Brady just before his Parkhead exit.
Walker told the Let Me Be Frank podcast, “The reason I lost respect for Liam was the way he was treating me as a footballer.
“I just felt as though I didn’t deserve it. He was making me train with the 18s. He was making me go along to their games. He was putting me on the bench for every game and he was telling the coach that I had to come on with one minute to go.
“So I had about three or four of those games like that and for a manager to treat any player like that, I just thought it was pathetic and I lost all respect for Liam after that.”
Walker recalls Paul McStay’s ‘wonderful’ Celtic intervention with Brady
Walker then goes on to explain how the legendary McStay then went on to dress down Brady in front of the Celtic dressing room calling the former boss a ‘disgrace’ for how he treated his teammate.
Walker continued, “I don’t know if I’ve even mentioned it to Frank. It’s just come into my mind. I remember feeling as though I’m getting treated really badly here.
“And I remember Paul standing up in the dressing room, Paul McStay, and he stood up and addressed Liam Brady and it’s a disgrace the way you’re treating Andy.
“He doesn’t deserve that. He wants to go but you want to stop his wages. And I thought, ‘Paul this is my fight. I’ll handle it’.
“But I was so thankful that someone like that had just stood up and spoke well.
“That was him just trying to look after a former teammate. I mean I was happy to go, and Celtic were moving in a different direction. Absolutely fine.
“I was so grateful to have played for my team and for Paul to give me that level of support, it was just wonderful.”
What a superb touch of class from McStay as he showed the character of what makes a true Celtic captain.