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Humza Yousaf relives his telling Regi Blinker moment

It was the buzz I think of walking to Celtic Park with all these other fans, scarves and strips on. Just being part of that community left me absolutely buzzing.

Joe McHugh May 31, 2023

Celtic's Surinam defender Regi Blinker (L) watches Paul Gascoigne (R) playing for Newcastle United in the Peter Beardsley testimonial match at St James Park January 27. Former players returned to the club to play in the match and show their support for Beardsley. JJM/CLH/

Humza Yousaf has been discussing how he became a Celtic supporter- claiming that football provides a relief from the stresses of politics.

Earlier this year the MSP for Pollok succeeded Nicola Sturgeon as First Minister putting every aspect of his life in the spotlight.

In previous generations politicians and celebrities would go to great lengths to declare their allegiance to Partick Thistle, St Mirren or Motherwell but in the social media age it isn’t difficult to build the jigsaw pieces about anyone in the public eye.

Yousaf has to play the big issues with a straight bat but wasn’t afraid to reveal the timeline on his support for Celtic- starting at one of the most emotional and stressful points in history.

Listening in to Super Scoreboard tonight, Football Scotland reports the First Minister saying:

I was taken to my first game by my late uncle who was a Celtic fan, my first game was Regi Blinker’s debut and I was hooked. It was the buzz I think of walking to Celtic Park with all these other fans, scarves and strips on. Just being part of that community left me absolutely buzzing.

I was totally hooked from then. Football has given me a lot in life. Even before I was First Minister, when I was Health Secretary and other jobs, I’ve had quite a bit of stress, and football is a great outlet when you’re playing or watching.

If you’re anything like me when you watch the football, get animated, so that’s a good stress reliever. It’s a great outlet for me when it comes to all the other stresses in life

Blinker made his home debut on 16 August 1997 in a 2-1 defeat from Dunfermline as Wim Jansen kicked off his spell in charge of Celtic with successive defeats in the Premier Division. Fortunately there was a happy ending to the season for young Humza.

Asked about declaring his support for Celtic he added:

It does come with its challenges because I think people assume that everything you do is through the lens of being a Celtic fan. I’m not going to pretend I’m anything other than that, because what’s the point?

I remember when I first got into politics people said ‘Why don’t you just pretend you’re a Partick Thistle fan?’ I thought ‘there’s plenty of pictures of me in a Celtic top, folk know me, what is the point of pretending?’

Plus there is nothing wrong with supporting Rangers, Celtic or any other club in the country.