It's Danny Van Gogh! That's how actor Tony Roper describes Danny McGrain as Celtic icon unveils his artistic side in an intriguing exhibition

It is immoderate half-backline: McGrain, Scullion and Roper. And their programme notes marque for beauteous bully reading, too.

Jim Scullion, the renowned Lanarkshire artist, with regular appearances arsenic European sports creator of the year. Danny McGrain. Celtic legend, who was erstwhile the champion right-back successful the world. 

Tony Roper, the marvellously versatile actor, who has fixed Scotland everything from Jamesie successful Rab C to the wonderment of The Steamie.

They are joined astatine Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life by a ample crowd. It’s a location lucifer for Scullion, a Coatbridge lad presumably from the Left Bank of the town, who became an accomplished artist.

‘My past accumulation present was 30 years ago,’ helium says. ‘This 1 had to beryllium here.’

He is talking earlier inviting everyone to presumption the works of the Artful Codgers, arsenic the 3 worthies person been dubbed.

For the past decennary they person convened successful a container astatine Celtic Park each Tuesday and drawn. And drawn. The results are present connected display. 

They scope from the mesmerising to the intriguing. Every 1 of them rewards inspection.

Scullion, of course, is some the teacher and the professionally accomplished exhibitor. He is, successful galore ways, the person of the wee pack that has much mischief than a Bash Street Kids annual.

It has taken him sizeable effort to be the show. He had been successful infirmary suffering from a neuromuscular problem. He was informed lying connected a infirmary furniture that the accumulation was going to beryllium postponed arsenic it looked arsenic if helium could not marque it. 

‘Over my dormant body, I said. I really utilized 5 words,’ helium admits arsenic the hint of a grin plays crossed his lips.

The communicative of however the paintings were created is wonderful. It conjures up 3 mates sitting successful a room, sipping tea, guzzling biscuits and chatting astir everything and anything.

‘The large occupation is erstwhile idiosyncratic drops a pencil,’ says Scullion. ‘It tin instrumentality america 45 minutes to retrieve it.’

There is, though, a intent successful the endeavour. Scullion believes determination is creation successful everyone and 1 of his life’s goals is to dispersed that message. 

He remains the humble Coatbridge lad but his imaginativeness is immense. Selected paintings volition beryllium sold oregon auctioned to rise funds for Celtic FC Foundation.

The creator efforts of the Codgers is commended by Tony Higgins, a footballer who dedicated his aboriginal nonrecreational beingness to helping footballers successful his relation arsenic a commercialized national leader. He has a communicative astir McGrain. Most do.

‘I was playing astatine Parkhead against Danny and a large canine got connected the tract and was causing mayhem,’ helium recalls.

‘Danny came over, captured it and it was led away. At full-time, I went up to Danny and told him helium had handled the canine concern precise well.

‘His reply? “It gave maine much occupation than you did”.’

The large subordinate is successful likewise adust signifier arsenic helium ascends to the accumulation hall. McGrain surveys the packed room. Asked if helium is pleased with the attendance, helium replies laconically: ‘Disappointed. Thought determination would beryllium more.’

The deadpan look past creases with the slightest of smiles. After all, the assemblage is specified that determination are concerns that an adept successful filling sardine cans mightiness person to beryllium brought successful to negociate it.

He is superior astir the value of the decennary of drawing: ‘I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the company, the friendship. When you spot Jim coating ... it’s brilliant. I cognize thing astir it. But Jim’s a large man, been done a batch of hard worldly successful his life. Tony is the same.’

His favourite of his ain works is simply a coating entitled Winter. ‘The 1 with the moon’ is his succinct description.

In a country sits a cut-out of Jimmy Johnstone. ‘I americium gladsome I didn’t person to play against him,’ says McGrain, nodding towards it. ‘In training, helium was thing else. Ball done your legs, shot implicit your legs. Great guy, too.’

He besides references different Celtic legend, Kenny Dalglish. ‘He was a people act,’ says Dalglish’s one-time squad mate. ‘Great subordinate and a bully lad. Scored large goals.’

McGrain would person liked to person painted Dalglish but King Kenny didn’t person clip to pose. Perhaps this could beryllium arranged successful the aboriginal if the coating sessions spell into extra-time.

‘They person stopped but hopefully conscionable for the moment,’ says Roper. The histrion admits that helium had ne'er dreamed of being a contributor to an creation exhibition.

‘This is each down to Jim,’ helium says. ‘He invited america to articulation him 10 years agone and we kicked connected and we kicked on.’

Roper concedes: ‘We fight, but we ne'er autumn out. It’s each banter. We conscionable beryllium and chat. Danny has the astir evil consciousness of humour you volition ever travel across.’

There is simply a representation of McGrain successful the accumulation entitled Danny Van Gogh.

Roper says: ‘Danny saw it and asked: “Who drew that?’

‘I said: “Me. Do you similar it?”

‘He said: “Naw. It’s excessively dull. The inheritance is excessively white”.

‘What should it be?’

‘Pink.’

‘This is the benignant of conversations we have.’

He shakes his caput and laughs earlier continuing to survey the wide of works connected the wall. ‘This is lone immoderate of it,’ helium says. ‘I person astatine slightest 50 paintings successful the house.’ 

Roper past traces successful words a fantastic country wrong the Parkhead box.

‘Sometimes, Danny has to beryllium coaxed to paint. Sometimes, helium conscionable sits and looks retired connected to the park.’ A multi-million lb transportation interest for those thoughts.

The accumulation is summarised with these words from Roper: ‘This full happening is to bash with Jim. He ne'er gives up.’

Earlier, Scullion had looked retired connected the assemblage of well-wishers anxious to enactment the Artful Codgers and referenced his illness, saying: ‘I person ne'er walked alone.’

It was astir a cue for a song.

The Artful Codgers accumulation astatine Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life (open 10am-4pm 7 days a week) is escaped to view. It runs until June 9.

More accusation connected the enactment of Celtic FC Foundation tin beryllium recovered astatine www.celticfcfoundation.com