Big Yin and Sir Sean 'to purchase Scottish soccer side'

Published on Tuesday 18 April 2006 00:10

BILLY Connolly yesterday revealed that he and Sir Sean Connery want to buy a Scottish football team.

The multi-millionaires are said to be desperate to buy their own team and have already been looking around.

So far the Celtic-supporting stars have considered purchasing Partick Thistle or resurrecting Third Lanark.

The Big Yin said it was his "dream" to have a club of his own and he and Sir Sean have been discussing their plans.

The comedian revealed: "I have this dream of buying a Scottish football team."

Connolly, 63, joked that he always keeps an eye on Partick Thistle's results, although it is "with sadness".

The Jags have managed to brush aside a recent poor run as well as speculation surrounding the future of manager Dick Campbell, and the comic said he was still keen to be in charge.

Connolly quipped: "I said to Sean Connery, 'Why don't we buy the Jags?'. We will wait until they at least get into the 4th division.

"Sean said, 'I don't have enough change'.

"So then I said, 'Let's buy Third Lanark then, because apparently Cathkin Park is lying doing nothing'."

He added: "In later years, instead of going up to Celtic Park, I would go up and see the Jags. I don't think they will let me near the place since I made that joke about them.

"But I love Thistle and still look at the results - with great sadness."

The comic was speaking to BBC Radio Scotland after he handed over the SPL championship trophy to Celtic's captain Neil Lennon at Parkhead.

Connolly praised Celtic fans for their efforts to eliminate sectarianism, telling the 60,000-strong crowd: "I am immensely proud of you."