THE INTERVIEW – CRAIG HINCHCLIFFE

Name   Craig Hinchliffe

Nickname  Hinchy

 Age/Date of Birth  5.5.72   (36)

 Clubs Airdrie, Elgin City, Arbroath, St Mirren, Queen of the South (loan) and Partick Thistle

 Are you still involved in football? Yes, getting a sore bum on the bench at Firhill.  I also have a coaching role there.

 Team supported as a boy Celtic

 Best game watched Man Utd v Bayern Munich Cup Final in 1999 (I was in Corfu with a Fresh orange!!!!)

 Best game played in All of them!  I love the Buzz before any game; I’m still the same even in the reserves!! The young guys think I’m aff ma heid!

 Arbroath Debut? Arbroath 36-0 Bon Accord

 Most memorable game for Arbroath The day we won promotion to the 1^st division will always be in my head.  For many reasons! I had only just met a girlfriend and had invited her to her first ever football match, she thought capacity crowds and pitch invasions were a weekly occurrence!  I still have to leave a complimentary ticket every week for her under the name of Mrs Hinchliffe!!!!

 Favourite ground played at Celtic Park

 Least favourite ground Cappielow (a great ground but never do well there)

 Biggest influence on your career My Wife

 Favourite sportsperson Jocky Wilson

Favourite meal Chinese

 Favourite TV Programme Deal or No Deal

 Other hobbies Golf & housework in that order

 Job outside football Director for a Pipework Company

 Any football superstitions The fewer goals you let in, the better your chances of winning!

 First record/CD you bought Our House by Madness

 Who was your childhood hero? Action man

 What three items, other than food and clothing, couldn’t you live without? Heart, Lungs & Brain

 If you could choose to share a pint with any three people, who would they be and why?

Pele- To soak up some of his knowledge on the game. Jim Mercer – He’s off the drink, so that’s more of the pints for me and Pele. Sye Webster-To ensure I called a cab home after 10 minutes.

 If you won the lottery what would be the first thing you would buy? A villa in the South of France

 Ever been the victim, or perpetrator of a dressing room practical joke?  If not what’s the best one you've ever seen? A couple of years ago we sent Charlie Adam (who was on loan from Rangers), a letter saying he had been nominated for SPFA player of the year for the 1^st division.  We had one girl in the office pretending various things to Charlie, like he had to pick his favourite music, to be played while he collected the award. It went on for about 2 weeks but we had to draw a line when he booked 6 tickets for his family and a hotel in Glasgow.

Karen Fleming