Football legend Billy Abercromby has been to Hell and back. In his prime, he took on the cream of European football playing against the likes of Platini, Cruyff, Gullitt, Dalglish and Souness. But his professional career almost came to an end before it started when he was signed for St Mirren by Alex Ferguson in June, 1975. Immediately after, the 17-year-old Billy went on an ten-week, having-a-good-time holiday in Great Yarmouth and didn t turn up at Love Street for training until after the season had started. Billy was one of the first players to feel the full force of Fergie s famous hairdryer treatment. And with the St Mirren fans chant of Aber s Gonnae Get Ye ringing in his ears, the football hard man who was infamously sent off three times in one game - experienced the ultimate joy of leading his club to Scottish Cup glory. But within months, he found himself on a downward spiral into the dark, dark pit of alcoholism. He fell as far as you could go. Spending his days drinking bottles of sherry with his booze buddies by a canal, Billy was given one final stark message from doctors as he lay in a hospital bed you re one more bevvy session from the grave. From that moment, Billy made himself a promise he would beat the booze and with the same fighting spirit, courage and determination that made him the scourge of opponents on the football field, he is winning that fight. The wicked grin, the laugh-a-minute patter and the mischievous look in his eyes have returned. This is an amazing and heart-warming story that reveals the secrets of what goes on behind the door of a football dressing room, a brutally honest insight into one man s battle with the demon drink and an uplifting conclusion that tells us Billy Abercromby has made the biggest comeback of his life. Aber s Gonnae Get Ye? You better believe it!
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By Teddy Hopper
Abercromby's name may be unfamiliar to many but his post career nose dive into full blown alcoholism is an all to familiar tale. And whilst other more famous footballing alcoholics, Best, Gascoigne et al may have fallen from greater heights, (although captaining a provincial team to the Scottish Cup is pretty good) no -one and I mean no-one has ever fallen further and lived to tell the tale. It is a remarkable comeback from a man never known to shirk a challenge and his survival is a testament to his determination to regain his life from the ravages of sustained alcohol abuse.
An absolute must for any St Mirren fan or indeed any follower of Scottish football through the early eighties. This book takes us through the career of Billy Abercromby, a loyal and committed midfield powerhouse in the Roy Keane mould whose fearsome reputation on the pitch was matched by his extraordinary booze fuelled sessions off the pitch. Although the game was admittedly a bit slower in those days it is staggering that he could function at all considering he would routinely spend the night drinking the club bar dry only to be first in at training the next day. Apart from eye opening and often eye watering tales with more famous players of that era eg. Graeme Souness, Paul Sturrock, Danny McGrain etc. we also gain a fascinating insight into Alex Ferguson's early career as a manager (a 17 year old Abercromby was one of Fergie first signings) and the methods he employed to inspire, cajole and discipline players.
An absolute must for any St Mirren fan or indeed any follower of Scottish football through the early eighties. This book takes us through the career of Billy Abercromby, a loyal and committed midfield powerhouse in the Roy Keane mould whose fearsome reputation on the pitch was matched by his extraordinary booze fuelled sessions off the pitch. Although the game was admittedly a bit slower in those days it is staggering that he could function at all considering he would routinely spend the night drinking the club bar dry only to be first in at training the next day. Apart from eye opening and often eye watering tales with more famous players of that era eg. Graeme Souness, Paul Sturrock, Danny McGrain etc. we also gain a fascinating insight into Alex Ferguson's early career as a manager (a 17 year old Abercromby was one of Fergie first signings) and the methods he employed to inspire, cajole and discipline players.
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