Flawed Genius: Scottish Football's Self-Destructive Mavericks

by Stephen McGowan

As Rangers manager Walter Smith once put it, Scottish football supporters have always liked their footballing superstars to come complete with very human flaws. But what is it that makes the seriously flawed footballer so intriguing? From Hugh Gallacher, the Wembley Wizard who died of shame, to George Best, Hibernian's ageing lothario, to the Three Amigos - Celtic's trio of wayward overseas mercenaries - the great entertainers have always come with baggage. Never before have the individual stories of these mavericks of Scottish football's past been collated and told in one place. "Flawed Genius" does just that. Through the words of the men themselves - allied to testimonies from friends and close colleagues - McGowan recounts the in-depth stories of Gascoigne and Goram, Best and Baxter, Charnley and Cadette and the equally wayward figures of Paolo Di Canio, Andy Ritchie, Pierre van Hooijdonk, Willie Johnston and Willie Hamilton. Here, together for the first time, the colourful contributions of each and every player in the Scottish game's rich tapestry of flawed geniuses are brought vividly back to life.

256 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2009

Reviews

[Allan Heron · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable book of twelve essays on "self destructive mavericks" in Scottish football. Not purely Scottish born players so there is room for the likes of Best, Gascoigne and Celtic's Three Amigos.

I was particularly struck by the chapter on Andy Ritchie - I hadn't realised he turned down a four year contract at Parkhead to join Morton; I had always assumed that they'd lost patience with him.

Some desperately sad tales of what are ultimately human conditions but tinged with fond memories of the great football provided by our subjects.