Line of Duty star Martin Compston scored the first-ever goal for Scotland at the new Wembley and wanted to take the crossbar home.
Compston, who plays DS Steve Arnott in the BBC hit drama about police corruption, represented his country in a celebrity clash against the Auld Enemy on April 26 2008.
Compston, who began his football career with Aberdeen, scored the first goal in a 2-0 win for the Scotland team which was captained by TV chef Gordon Ramsay.
Line of Duty star thought he would be sick
He sheepishly admitted that the build-up to it – and events afterwards – owed more to the traditions of the Tartan Army rather than those of a professional athlete.
“We’d been out the night before and I wasn’t feeling that great,” he said at the time.
“I was playing midfield and I kept hanging over to the right side of the pitch as that was in shade and I thought I was going to be sick.
“Our move broke down and I couldn’t make it back but we kicked it clear and it came to me in acres of space. I cut inside one, cut inside another and then just hit it.
“People might think it’s daft but it’s one of the proudest moments of my life.
“I was sent a photograph of the day with me celebrating and Angus Deayton (captain of the England team) standing behind me looking very sullen.
“It was weird flying home because we felt like the all-conquering heroes and were half expecting cheering crowds at the airport to greet us!
“We even tried to bring the crossbar home with us but the groundsman caught us and went off his nut!”
Scotland fans broke the Wembley crossbar in 1977
Scotland fans famously spilled on to the Wembley turf on June 4 1977 after Gordon McQueen and Kenny Dalglish struck to secure a famous 2-1 win.
An over-exuberant few even scaled a set of goalposts, famously causing the crossbar to buckle under their weight.
Wembley Stadium reopened its doors in 2007 at a cost of £798 million after the original ground was demolished between 2002 and 2003.
Compston pulled on his Aberdeen shirt in the Roy Aitken era of the 90s and trained alongside the likes of Michael Hart, Darren Young and Derek Young.
After the Dons, he signed for Morton.
He played a total of 30 minutes of football for Morton over two substitute appearances.
Unfortunately both times The Ton lost 4-0.
Compston was persuaded to go to auditions for Sweet Sixteen by a teacher who was worried nobody would turn up.
The Ken Loach film was set in Greenock.
Offered £30 to come back for a second audition, he went along for the money but had no expectations of a part in the movie.
A crazy two days for the boy from Greenock
A few days after leaving school he was facing a choice other youngsters could only dream about.
“On the Tuesday I got my exam results I also got my football contract and, on Wednesday morning, I was offered the part,” he recalled.
“It was a crazy two days.”
At first he chose football but, after Morton went into administration and his job went part-time, he decided to take the film role.
Compston’s performance as Liam, a streetwise Greenock lad who turns to crime to help his mother escape his abusive stepfather, generated huge interest and high acclaim.
He bought a car with the cheque for his first starring role.
“I bought a Vauxhall Corsa,” he said.
“I also went on holiday and bought myself two puppies – German shepherds.”
Compston has never looked back and he is now one of the most popular actors in the UK following the huge and continuing success of Line of Duty.
Other celebrity footballers
Sir Ian Botham
Sir Ian Botham was known as an all-rounder on the cricket pitch — but was so versatile he was good enough to play football professionally. He started seven matches for his beloved Scunthorpe before also signing for Yeovil Town.
Gordon Ramsay
The chef claimed to be on Rangers’ books as a youngster, but he may have overcooked his involvement with the Ibrox side.
Daley Thomson
Gold-winning decathlete Daley Thomson could turn his hand to any sport on the athletics field — and elsewhere. In the mid-1990s after retiring from the track and field, Daley played professional football for Mansfield Town and Stevenage Borough.
Rod Stewart
Rod the Mod was a skilled player in his younger days and, although he never got to play with his beloved Celtic, did go on trial at Brentford. The former Faces singer later admitted in his autobiography that being a musician is much easier than being a footballer — as you can drink if you’re a musician.
Matt Smith
Future Doctor Who star Matt Smith was a promising 16-year-old who played for Leicester City, Northampton Town and Nottingham Forest’s youth teams. Unfortunately a back injury put paid to his career. Not even a doctor could save his career!
Louis Tomlinson
He’s used to setting pulses racing in the crowd — but it’s usually teenage girls. One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson decided he wanted to try to do the same with Doncaster Rovers’ fans when he signed for them in 2013. He later tried to buy the club.
