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Edinburgh Reporter
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Reporter
Hibs player Cummings admits he spent a night in a skip after cup win
Former Hibs ace Jason Cummings has said he slept in a skip the night after the Easter Road club won the Scottish Cup for the first time in over a century. The player who is 29, was part of the Hibs team that made history by defeating Rangers 3-2 at Hampden Park on Saturday 21 May 2016. Victory ended a 114 year Scottish Cup hoodoo for the Hibees and sparked unprecedented celebrations among their fans. The following day the team took part in an open top bus victory parade through the capital to their home in Leith. Cummings told the Open Goal podcast: 'That group of boys was class. It was carnage. We were right on the bevvies and then we went out on a three or four day bender. 'That's the best, after it when you're celebrating in the changing room. The parade was unbelievable as well after that — just seeing the people, it was like 200-plus-thousand, it was unbelievable. 'The night before that parade I woke up in a skip. I was out all night and I swear, see one of those nights where you're out on it non-stop and I mind walking past this skip. 'And mate, I'm f****** shattered and I just jumped in there and fell asleep. 'The sun woke me up and 'you've got the parade today'. I had to jump out the skip like that and get the suit on, straight back out. I loved it. 'It (the parade day) was class. People greeting their eyes out, like 'never seen it in my life', 'you've made my life', 'you'll never need to buy a drink again'. 'We were just heroes. It was class. Really good.' Cummings, who grew up a Hearts fan, became a legend at Hibs. He left the club for Nottingham Forest the following year, but his career stalled and he later had spells with clubs in Scotland and England before resurrecting his career in Australia. He currently stars for Indian Super League champions Mohun Bagan, based in Kolkata. The striker, who also plays for the Australian national team despite representing Scotland in a friendly, said he was loving life in India. He said: 'I love it. It's a different world out there but football-wise it's a different class. 'We get 60,000 or 70,000 every game, and the fans just love football. 'When I first went I thought obviously cricket is massive there but we're in Kolkata and they just all love football… ('m the) main man, bigger than the Beatles over there. Can't move walking down the streets.' He added: 'It's chaos, with the fans. As soon as we leave (the hotel) — the stadium is right over the road — it should be a five minute drive but it takes us an hour to get there. 'There's flares – I saw a ten year old on a horse with a flare going to the game.' Despite a reputation for his exuberant behaviour, he said he enjoys quieter pursuits in India. He said: 'Lifestyle-wise there's not much to do. We'll go out for a wee game of golf with the boys but I play a bit of chess. I'm good at the chess, I love it. 'There's so much time over there. When we go back after training we're just in the hotel so it's the same food, everyone is in there, the manager is in there as well, and all the coaches. 'There's a tennis court there… a bit of poker. We go and and about but as soon as you go out and about you just get crowded, like proper. 'Because there's not many tourists you stick out like a sore thumb. They see me, blonde hair and all that, they're just on you for photos, photos, photos. 'When my mum came over, she was like Joanna Lumley over there. She was getting surrounded, non-stop, you can't go anywhere. 'It's a city of joy, Kolkata, but just so many people. 'The maddest thing I've seen, just everyday… cows just going up the street, goats, stray dogs running on the training pitch and that.' But he said India offered him something he wouldn't find anywhere else. He added: 'It just came about, they were interested and they were proper wanting me. I looked into it a wee bit and, I don't know, the fanbase and all that. I saw the games and 60,000 or 70,000 I thought that's a bit me that. 'I'll go over there and try it… Just the atmosphere at the games, that they all love it over there, I just thought where else can you get that? 'I wouldn't get that anywhere else.' Scottish Championship – Heart of Midlothian v Dundee. Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh, Midlothian, UK. 06/3/2021 Hearts play host to Dundee in the Scottish Championship at Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh. Pic shows: Dundee striker, Jason Cummings, fires home from the penalty spot to reduce the deficit to 2-1. Credit: Ian Jacobs Scottish Championship – Heart of Midlothian v Dundee. Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh, Midlothian, UK. 06/3/2021 Hearts play host to Dundee in the Scottish Championship at Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh. Pic shows: Unorthodox but effective as Hearts' goalkeeper, Craig Gordon, heads clear as Dundee striker, Jason Cummings, bears down. Credit: Ian Jacobs Like this: Like Related
Glasgow Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Peter Lovenkrands on why he left Rangers for Schalke
The Danish footballer, who was a fan favourite at Ibrox, left for Schalke on a free transfer in 2006. He had just finished a successful season, scoring 18 goals, including four in the Champions League. Despite his impressive performance, Lovenkrands said he was given no indication that he was wanted at the club. He said on Open Goal: "When I was leaving, I got a phone call. "David Murray brings me up to the office and basically says, 'Le Guen is on the phone, wants to talk to you'. Read more: "And I went, 'right, okay'. "So I've got the phone, and he basically said to me, 'if you stay, great, if you don't, I'll just get someone else'. "And I'll never forget that sentence. "It was like, 'I've just scored four goals in the Champions League, 18 goals in the season, and you don't want me to stay? "There was no 'we want you to stay', or whatever, to try and convince you to stay. "It was literally like a hit in the stomach. "If you stay - great. If you don't - I'll just get someone else" @lovenkrands11 on the conversation with incoming @RangersFC Manager Paul Le Guen that decided his exit from Ibrox. Full Podcast 📺⚽️ #Rangers — Open Goal (@opengoalsport) June 25, 2025 "It was like 'okay, I don't like this. "It doesn't need to sound like he wants me to stay'." Lovenkrands revealed that even after agreeing a deal with Schalke, he gave ex-chief executive Martin Bain a chance to make him stay. However, he claimed he was stonewalled again. The Dane said: "I agreed the deal but I had to go and do my medical. "Went across to the hospital, done my medical. "On my way back from the medical to sign the deal, I phoned Martin Bain and said 'That's me just done my medical at Schalke, I'm away to sign the deal. "Is there anything you want to say to me? "He was like 'good luck'. "If he'd said 'we'll match it' or 'we'll offer you this', I would have went straight on the plane back. "But he just said 'good luck' and that was it." During his time at Rangers, the left-footed attacker, who could play wide or centrally, was a big favourite at the club and scored several important goals.
The National
4 days ago
- Sport
- The National
I wanted to stay at Rangers but Paul Le Guen sealed my exit
The Dane moved to Schalke on a free transfer after his Gers contract expired in 2006, after holding talks with other clubs like Osasuna, Roma and Newcastle. The left-footed attacker, who could play wide or centrally, was a big favourite during his time at Ibrox, was fairly prolific and came up with big goals too. He had just finished a campaign where he scored 18 goals, including four in the Champions League. But he has now revealed he gave Le Guen, manager at the time, and former CEO Martin Bain the chance to show how much he was wanted but they seemed happy to let him move on to pastures new. Read more: Speaking on Open Goal, Lovenkrands said: "When I was leaving, I got a phone call. David Murray brings me up to the office and basically says 'Le Guen is on the phone, wants to talk to you'. And I went 'right, okay'. "So I've got the phone, and he basically said to me 'if you stay, great, if you don't, I'll just get someone else.' "And I'll never forget that sentence. It was like, 'I've just scored four goals in the Champions League, 18 goals in the season and you don't want me to stay?' "There was no 'we want you to stay', or whatever, to try and convince you to stay. "It was literally like a hit in the stomach. It was like 'okay, I don't like this. It doesn't need to sound like he wants me to stay'. "I said (to Murray) 'he's basically told me this' and I said 'right I need to go and think about this.'" "If you stay - great. If you don't - I'll just get someone else" @lovenkrands11 on the conversation with incoming @RangersFC Manager Paul Le Guen that decided his exit from Ibrox. Full Podcast 📺⚽️ #Rangers — Open Goal (@opengoalsport) June 25, 2025 After then agreeing a deal with with the Germans, he flew over to undergo a medical. That was when he gave Bain one last chance, but was stonewalled again. "I agreed the deal but I had to go and do my medical," Lovenkrands added. "Went across to the hospital, done my medical. "On my way back from the medical to sign the deal, I phoned Martin Bain and said 'That's me just done my medical at Schalke, I'm away to sign the deal. Is there anything you want to say to me?' "He was like 'good luck'. "If he'd said 'we'll match it' or 'we'll offer you this' I would have went straight on the plane back. But he just said 'good luck' and that was it."
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Ex-Celtic star makes surprise career change as he launches his own YouTube golf channel
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HE swapped the training ground for the dugout at the start of this year when he landed his first management gig in Scottish football. But now this Celtic hero has switched sports altogether after admitting that being a football gaffer just wasn't for him. Sign up for the Celtic newsletter Sign up 2 He uploaded his first video this week 2 He's aiming to become a scratch golfer Former Celtic, Aberdeen and Dundee United star Charlie Mulgrew has had a rollercoaster year to date so far. From taking over as manager of Kelty Hearts back in January to leaving the club in April - Mulgrew is now beginning yet another chapter of his sporting career. But he's no longer trying to make it in the whirlwind business of football management. Instead, the 39-year-old has followed in the footsteps of his Open Goal pals by entering the digital world in an exciting new career. He hasn't launched his own podcast, though, as he's deviated away from the sport he played professionally for over 20 years. Mulgrew is now a YouTuber after launching his own golf channel Mulgrew Pitch To Par. The 44-cap Scotland international has been teasing the channel for a number of weeks on his new Instagram page with the same name. But last night he made it official by posting his first video with his old Blackburn team-mate Bradley Dack. Mulgrew and Dack took on a nine-hole scramble at Lenzie golf club and shared stories from their careers in football while they walked around the course. The Scot revealed at the start of the video that he plays off a handicap of 14.8 and he revealed last month he's hoping to become a scratch golfer while conducting his various interviews. Celtic legend came out of retirement to play in England's 11th tier - but left the stadium without boxers or socks In his first Instagram post for the page, he wrote: "Attempting to get my handicap from 15 to scratch while having a laugh and chatting to ex team mates and managers plus people within the sports industry. "Need some serious help with my golf game so if there advice out there I'm all ears." He's already teased another former Scotland star as one of his next guests. Ex-Hamilton Accies, Wigan Athletic and Crystal Palace midfielder James McArthur is going to appear in the channel too as Mulgrew posted a short clip of them both during a round. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Ex-Rangers chief Murray ordered my agent to leave then asked me what it would take to sign – here's what I told him
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SIR DAVID Murray was known for splashing the cash when he was the main man at Rangers. And one former Ibrox star has opened up on the moment he ordered his agent and his dad OUT of the room when he was in talks to sign for the club - before he made a demand of his own. 5 Sir David Murray at his desk during his time at Rangers Credit: PA:Press Association 5 Peter Lovenkrands has opened up on the negotiations he had with Murray 5 He made a huge demand of Murray to seal his deal to Ibrox Credit: Alan MacGregor Ewing - The Sun Glasgow When Murray bought Gers for £6million in 1988, he set about ensuring the Glasgow giants became the dominant force in Scottish football. The Light Blues won nine league titles in a row in the nineties but Murray wanted to make an impact in Europe too and by the turn of the decade the spending was out of control. In their heyday Rangers attracted the likes of Paul Gascoigne, Mark Hateley and Brian Laudrup to Govan. And it was the latter's star turns at Ibrox that played a huge part in compatriot Peter Lovenkrands coming to Gers. Murray famously vowed "For every five pounds Celtic spend, we will spend ten," and when he was trying to convince Lovenkrands to choose Rangers over Newcastle of the Premier League, he showed he was prepared to open his wallet. Lovenkrands - who actually supported Rangers growing up because of the Laudrup link - sat down for talks with Murray, his agent and his dad as they prepared to thrash out a deal. But Murray shook things up when he demanded to speak to the player alone to talk finances. And the young striker decided to test the water by asking for a whopping £100,000 signing on fee. Murray relented - but still offered him a HUGE five-figure sum. Lovenkrands recalled the incident on the Open Goal podcast, saying: "I went to meet David Murray the day after I toured Ibrox and he immediately asked what was happening. New Rangers chiefs Andrew Cavenagh and Paraag Marathe's first interview "'Are you signing?' he asked. "I hummed, and then this is the funny story. "He said to my agent and my dad 'I need you two to walk out, I need to talk to Peter.' "So they walked out. And this is where the ruthlessness in my head comes from. "He looked at me and asked me what it would take to sign. "In my head, the deal was already great and I had no idea what to do here. "I said 'Give me a hundred grand signing on fee, I'll sign'. "His face dropped. "As soon as I said it I wanted to catch the words and put them back. "He looked at me and said 'I don't have to give you anything, but I'll give you 50 (grand). "So I shook his hand and said 'Deal!'. "That was the deal done and I then went off to do the medical." When Lovenkrands told his counsel what he said, they were shocked. He said: "I told them what I did and they said 'Are you serious? Did you say that?!' 5 "Looking back I think what was I doing, but it worked. "That was my thought process back then, I was just different." Of course, little did Murray know just how much Rangers meant to Lovenkrands and his dad. Indeed, his parents used to fly from Denmark to Scotland to watch Laudrup in action for Gers and would regularly holiday in the Scottish Highlands. After seeing his son sign on the dotted line, Lovenkrands Snr became emotional. "My dad was crying in the tunnel when I had the scarf above my head," he revealed. "It just meant so much to us." 5 Lovenkrands and fellow 2000 signings Kenny Miller, Fernando Ricksen, Allan Johnston and Paul Ritchie Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
