“I can't lie to you; the whole thing was an amazing experience. What a beautiful place that is, the Windsor Castle, we're going back one day to do the tour, it's absolutely stunning,” says McCoist, before tending to a cough that sounds like he’s just finished a shift in the nearest coal-mine.
In 1994, the Rangers legend was awarded an MBE, but now finds himself elevated to an Order of the British Empire, or an OBE for short. Not quite a “Sir” yet, but firmly aiming for the knighthood, or?
“No, no, no, I know my place in the in the pecking order. An OBE is good enough for me mate, I'm very proud of that. But it is also for the people around you. It's for your family and your friends more than anything, because they've been with you all the way through your particular journey and it fills you with immense pride that you know that they'll be extremely happy for you,” says McCoist in an exclusive conversation with Tribalfootball.
It was Prince William who handed McCoist the OBE and it wasn’t the first time they pair wre able to strike up a conversation.
“Believe it or not, I met him in a plane once going to Aberdeen. Of all the people you wouldn't expect to see on a flight to Aberdeen from London, Prince William would be pretty high on that list. But he was flying up to Balmoral, of course, and I had two minutes with him about five years ago. Then, when I met him at the castle, the first thing he said to me: 'I haven't seen you since that flight to Aberdeen'. So, he's got a great memory,” tells McCoist who soon found himself speaking to the prince on matters of utmost national importance.
“After the initial chat, he moved on to all things Aston Villa, of course. We had a good couple of minutes on the great job that Unai Emery's doing, on what a great signing John McGinn's been for the Villa and it was just brilliant. He's a genuine fan, you know, he genuinely loves the Villa which I think is just fantastic.”
With Sir Alex at the Spa
It was all in all a day to savour for the entire Clan McCoist, although he admits to being one of those people thinking all that “Royal-stuff” is a bit silly. Until it happens to yourself.
“That's me in a nutshell, mate, but we had a fantastic day. When you arrive, you go into a room mainly with people receiving the OBE and these rooms are massive with the most amazing paintings and tapestries. The history in these rooms is just absolutely amazing. You could spend hours in each room.”
While obviously bursting with pride, his OBE has been met with more or less indifference from his immediate football community.
“That’s a real man's world, I can tell you, no surprise there. It’s been 'congratulations, whatever',” says McCoist with a big laugh, but at least he’s had the recent pleasure of spending time with someone who knows what it’s like being awarded a knighthood. Sir Alex Ferguson is the first guest in “Ally’s Social Club” on TNT.
“The plan was to sit and have a blather for about half an hour about his career and about his life and we ended up sitting for nearly an hour. It was brilliant and it was just as great after that the cameras had been turned off. Him and me nipped around to the spa and sat for another 45 minutes together.
“I go a long way back with Sir Alex and he was in great form. He is still sharp as a tack, in fact he was on the phone to me last night going over the penalty decision against Man United at West Ham,” says McCoist who is looking forward to doing something similar with characters like Arsene Wenger and Carlo Ancelotti.
While imagining being a fly on the wall when McCoist and Ferguson were sitting in a spa in Manchester, you can watch the actual episode here.
- Ally McCoist was talking to Tribalfootball on behalf of talkSPORT BET