Stars of the ’70s: No 9, Hugh Sproat

Published on 16/10/2012 00:00

AS ONE of the sport’s eccentric characters, Hugh Sproat put fun back into football.

A milkman before joining Ayr United from Auchinleck Talbot in 1974, the goalkeeper often dribbled well out of his penalty area, and was known for heading the ball clear when he could easily have caught it.

He usually wore a red jersey, but changed to blue when facing Celtic and green against Rangers, a trend he continued after joining Motherwell in 1979. Legend has it that, just before a match at Parkhead, Celtic manager Jock Stein told him: “Take that jersey off, son – there’s enough loonies out there without you winding them up.”

He once took the field wearing a razor blade as an earring and, despite protesting: “But I’m a punk rocker,” was forced to remove it.

Sproat returned to Somerset Park in 1984. In 22 years, he made 189 appearances for Ayr and 145 for Motherwell. In 2005, Ayr fans voted him the club’s all-time cult hero.