Soccer AM

McFadden: loves fans passion

We all love football. But why?

This week Birmingham City and Scotland midfielder James McFadden speaks about his love of the game and reveals his boyhood hero

THE GREATEST GAME YOU EVER WATCHED...
The greatest game I have watched I think was when Manchester United won the European cup [in 1999] because they were down and out and Bayern Munich thought they had won it and then there were two great goals in the last two minutes, great excitement.

MY FOOTBALLING HERO WAS...
Paul McStay. When I was growing up he was the best player that Celtic had, don't tell big Roy [Aitken]! But he was the best player in the Celtic team and that's who I liked when I was younger.

MY FAVOURITE GROUND WAS...
Park Head, for obvious reasons. I was a Celtic fan.

MY FAVOURITE PIECE OF MEMORABILIA IS...
I tend to try and collect shirts when I'm playing, but I think the one that I'll always keep and have good memories from will be my shirt from the France game. I've got it at home, I don't know exactly where it is, but I've got it at home somewhere!

YOU WOULDN'T KNOW BUT I USED TO...
Be a paper boy, I used to deliver papers, plain and simple.

IF I DIDN'T HAVE FOOTBALL I WOULD...
I'd have got stuck in at school a bit harder, I didn't try as hard as I could have. I maybe would have got an apprenticeship as mechanic or an electrician or something like that.

FOOTBALL FANS ARE GREAT BECAUSE...
Their sheer passion for the game. Sometimes they have a go at you, but for the most part they're great. Especially when you're not doing to well and they're still stood at the stadium every week it's fantastic. So I think their passion for the game is brilliant.

I LOVE FOOTBALL BECAUSE...
I really enjoy playing it and the chance to play in front of crowds and hopefully bring enjoyment for those who come to watch it.