“YOU see glimpses of his father in him,” says Danny Lennon.
“And what a player his father was.”
Though it was in the white shirt of Clyde rather than the green and white of Celtic, you could indeed see glimpses of Paul in his 21-year-old son Chris McStay.
The composed manner in which he received the ball from team-mates, the little shimmy and ball down the line at the start of the second half, or the ball through for David Goodwillie that led to the penalty for the second.
“He’s a quality player,” continued McStay’s manager Lennon.
“To be fair to him to him he’s not played a lot of football for a few months, so it’s important we get him up to speed. He’s a cultured player. He’s very pleasing on the eye and there’s a lot to come from him.”
It would of course be remiss to compare father and son to any great degree. At 21, McStay senior was playing in the 1985 Scottish Cup final for Celtic against Dundee United in front of 60,346 at Hampden rather than the 613 that saw Clyde beat Cowdenbeath 2-0 at Broadwood on Saturday to win their fifth Ladbrokes League 2 match on the trot.
Nobody more aware of that than the Clyde home-debutant himself, who played 74 minutes of the win achieved through Goodwillie’s second-half double.
“I’ve never felt the pressure to be honest, no,” says McStay of inevitable comparisons between himself and his dad, officially voted one of the 11 greatest Celts ever and capped 76 times for Scotland.
“He was a one in a million. For me to tie one of his boots, I’d be very happy. He was some player.”
Nearly eight years ago, the midfielder emigrated to Australia with dad and the rest of the family, and has most recently been playing for National Premier League NSW team Sutherland Sharks.
Dad may still be Down Under but the McStay clan were out in force to support Chris at Broadwood, with uncles Willie and Raymond, both formerly at Celtic, and various other family members all in attendance.
“Family’s everything to me,” said Chris. “Sydney’s now home but Glasgow’s home away from home. We’ve got family here so I’m very comfortable and the support is great.”
He added: “My dad is constantly in contact. I’m always on FaceTime to my family and my dad.”
McStay has signed at Clyde until the end of the season, but those of a green and white persuasion who dream of the incredible McStay dynasty at Celtic continuing – Paul, Willie and Raymond’s great uncles Jimmy and Willie McStay were Parkhead greats – may yet see their wishes come true.
“Celtic have been great and I’ve been in training with them for the development squad and I’ve really enjoyed it there,” said McStay, who readily admitted another perk of being back is being able to watch the family club. “I’m a big Celtic fan, so it’s been great being back and seeing all the games. Unfortunately, I’ve missed a couple due to training, but you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.”
Ironically, Clyde also include Raymond Grant in their ranks, the son of Paul McStay’s former Celtic midfield colleague Peter Grant.
Despite their dads’ combined 31-year Celtic playing service, McStay junior revealed Clyde was the first time he and Raymond, 21, had met.
“I didn’t know Ray,” he said. “I just met him the first day I was in here. He came in (to the club) at the same time. He’s a great guy and a great player.”
McStay is enjoying being part of a winning team at seventh-placed Clyde, but just as importantly, he stressed, a team that plays football.
“It’s been brilliant. When you’re out on the park you want to enjoy playing as much as getting a result,” he said. “I do like to play football.”
Much like his dad. But Lennon, the manager who encourages the younger McStay to play, also cautions:
“You do see glimpses of his father but he has to make his own career.
“After all,” he laughingly adds, “his dad only planted a seed.”
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