Pat Nevin had an incredible career in English football before the Scotsman returned to Scottish football in 1997 to join Kilmarnock, but he actually had the chance to return to the Scottish Premiership way before, as Celtic, who he supported as a child, wanted him.
However, that never happened and Nevin still remembers how gutted he was when he found out that he actually rejected Celtic without knowing.
Despite being gutted at the time, Nevin revealed that he is now happy that he never joined Celtic, and he always has a laugh while telling the story.
Celtic wanted me three times
Three times. That’s how many times Celtic knocked at Pat Nevin’s door. The first two attempts Celtic made were blocked as the clubs he was with at the time wanted to keep him, which he respected.
“Celtic came in for me three times, when I was at Chelsea and Everton, but I was under a contract. I couldn’t leave unless the club sold me.”
“I didn’t really have an option. Back then the club had the control and I felt being on a contract was like a promise. Even if Barcelona wanted me, I would have said that I was under a contract.”
Tragicomedy as Nevin turned down Celtic again
Laugh with one eye and cry with the other. That was and is how Pat Nevin is feeling after he turned down Celtic for the third time, but this time he didn’t know what he was doing.
“The last time Celtic came for me, it was a bit sad. I played at Tranmere, and I was told by Bolton Wanderers, who were in the Premier League, that they wanted to buy me. I told them to go through the proper channels.”
“The manager told me a week later that a club wanted me. I knew it was Bolton, so I said no. I wanted to stay. He asked me later if I wanted to know who the club was, and I said “Oh yes who is it?”
“It was Celtic… And I had turned down the club that I loved without knowing. “
Today, Pat Nevin is more than happy with his choice as he is able to live a life in peace and quietness in Scotland. Something he probably wouldn’t have been able to do if he had played at Celtic, according to him.
“I don’t regret it today, I am very happy about it, because I still live in Scotland and if you played for Celtic or Rangers your life would never become normal again.”
“It will always be like half of the country doesn’t like you. Now, I can live a normal life, so in retrospect it was good for me and my family.”
