Latest news with #Drumchapel
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
‘I don't know why I can't get a job' – Rangers cult hero quizzed on whether Old Firm past is denying him opportunities
He reckons people still think he acts like he did on the pitch - and called one of his old Celtic enemies "one of the nicest people you can meet" OUT OF THE GAME OUT OF THE GAME 'I don't know why I can't get a job' – Rangers cult hero quizzed on whether Old Firm past is denying him opportunities Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FORMER Rangers star Nacho Novo is desperate for a job in football management. But he has been left scratching his head as to why he hasn't had more opportunities. Sign up for the Rangers newsletter Sign up 3 Nacho Novo was a cult hero during his time at Rangers Credit: Alamy 3 Novo during his time with Lexington SC in the USA 3 He's been talking about his hunt for a full-time managerial job Credit: LET ME BE FRANK The ex-Gers striker returned to Scottish football with Drumchapel United as part of the coaching staff last year. Drumchapel currently ply their trade in the West of Scotland Football League Premier Division - the sixth tier of the SPFL pyramid. While Novo admits he loves working with the part-timers but has found himself questioning why, after such a glittering playing career, that he's been passed over for other coaching jobs. It was reported last year that Novo applied for the Raith Rovers job when Ian Murray was bizarrely sacked just one game into the season. But the Kirkcaldy club appointed Neil Collins as his successor. Novo, 46, retired in 2017 after having played in the top flights of Spain, Scotland and Poland and winning seven trophies (six with Gers and one with Legia Warsaw). He went through his coaching badges before landing his first job as a coach at Lexington SC in USL League One (the third tier of football in the United States). He initially served as assistant manager and as the head coach of the Under-23s before being promoted to the interim role in September 2023. But he left and within a year had returned to Scotland. After a full season with Drumchapel, Novo has admitted he is still chasing a dream of opening a football academy if he doesn't get a full-time job in management. Rangers fans react as 49ers takeover completed Speaking on the Let Me Be Frank podcast, Novo said: "I've been at Drumchapel for a whole season now and I love it. "Especially because it's proper football, that's how I'd say it! Proper tackles! "We had a good group of boys, some have been pros. They did well this season." Drumchapel finished sixth in the Premier Division this season. And despite his reputation as a former Rangers fan favourite, Novo insists he never had any added grief on the sidelines over the past year. But he does wonder if his association to the Light Blues has held him back when it comes to applying for other jobs higher up the food chain. He said: "I don't know why I can't get a job in football as a coach or anything like that. "Is it because of Rangers? I don't know. "It's probably because of how I was on the park but how I was on the park is not how I am as a person outside." Expanding on that point, Novo talked about how former Celtic foes like John Hartson remain good family friends to this day. And how one-time arch rival Neil Lennon is one of the nicest people he's met in football. Novo said: "People think about Neil Lennon for example, they think he's terrible, that he acts like he did on the pitch. He's one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. "John Hartson, he's a good friend of my family. "We played on the same park and hated each other but we respected each other. "On the pitch we were enemies and that was my mentality but outside of that I'm very quiet and a family man." Novo has been approached for a scouting job that would see him scour Scotland and the north of England for talent. But his main ambition is to open a cross-border football academy that would link his homeland and his adopted home. He said: "I tried to open a football academy here and in Spain. "I wanted to bring clubs from Scotland over to Spain for a tournament and bring Spanish teams here for the same thing. "But that takes a lot of insurance to do it right, a lot of admin and red tape. "That's my idea at the moment." Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Daily Record
01-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Clydebank FC fan given year to live defies the odds to see team win league for first time in 20 years
Stephen Maxwell received the devastating news in 2023 just months after being diagnosed with the skin cancer melanoma. A cancer -stricken football fan told was he only had a year to live has defied the odds - and has now seen his team win the league for the first time in more than two decades. Stephen Maxwell received the devastating news in 2023 just months after being diagnosed with the skin cancer melanoma. Some 18 months later the 58-year-old was on cloud nine as he saw his beloved Clydebank FC lift the West of Scotland Premier Division cup at Holm Park on Saturday. Despite his diagnosis and undergoing treatment, he never missed a single Bankies game in the past year. He said: "It's the only thing I haven't missed out on. I've gone to every game because it's only down the road from me. "We won the league this year for the first time in 21 years. It was brilliant. That was my Saturday outing, down to watch the Bankies. "At the beginning of the season, we started off good, but I thought 'I'm not going to be here at the end'. "I made it and it was absolutely amazing. I got the match ball signed from the first game between Drumchapel and Clydebank in the league." The Duntocher resident discovered he had skin cancer in 2021 after his mum found a lump which looked a bit like a mole on his back. He was initially told by a doctor that it was benign. But the lump grew over the next two and a half years, eventually bursting and forcing Stephen to have it checked again. Shortly after arriving at his GP, he was rushed to West Glasgow Ambulatory Care Hospital at Yorkhill before undergoing immediate surgery to remove the tumour, which was said to be 'the size of his fist'. Stephen said: "I was sent to a specialist in Glasgow in 2021, and he took one look at it and said, 'it's benign, it'll fall off'. "I left it at that, but as time went on, it got bigger and bigger and burst a couple of times. The very last time it burst, I had to phone my brother to come down. "I was sent to the hospital at Yorkhill, and the doctor immediately phoned the surgeon. It took two and a half hours. "The tumour was the size of my hand and I thought 'my god this is worse than I thought'. "They only took the tumour out, the cancer was still there, and I needed more operations. "I underwent immunotherapy, and within three months, I was told it had not worked and it had spread to my bones. "I was basically put out to pasture. I was told I had six to twelve months to live, it was devastating. "It just knocked me off my feet." After this appointment, Stephen said he began to 'sort out his affairs'. But he would get a phone call in Spring 2024 from a doctor at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre that would change his life. Stephen added: "I came home and got my affairs in order. That was it, and I just lay in my bed. Then I got a call from Doctor Tan at the Beatson. "She said I'd been accepted for this new trial, would I like to come the next day and get the medication? "I thought, 'brilliant, of course I will'. I had been booked to go into a hospice just days later. "After getting the stuff, I went to my bed and I literally bounced out of bed in the morning. "I was put on a drug called Opdualag as well as steroids, and I just had the best six months of my life after that. "I did everything I wanted to do. I had a great summer, and in the winter I said cheerio to all my friends at the clubs I go to. "I thought that was me, this was it. That was when they'd said I was going to die, but then I didn't die. I'm still on steroids now, and I've started to go back to some of my wee clubs. "I was the first person in Scotland to be put on that trial, and the greatest thing about it was that most people were only getting three or four months before they had to come off it, whereas I got eight months. "I can't complain. The cancer is still in my bones but hasn't spread anywhere else." Melanoma Focus, a charity that funds research into treatments and causes of the illness, say that the rates of this form of skin cancer are climbing in the UK, with around 17,500 new cases every year. Melanoma is considered the most serious form of skin cancer as it reportedly has the highest mortality rate.
Glasgow Times
01-05-2025
- Health
- Glasgow Times
Clydebank man defies odds after being given a year to live
Stephen Maxwell received the devastating news in 2023, just months after being diagnosed with melanoma, a type of skin cancer. Now, 18 months on, the 58-year-old was on cloud nine as he saw his beloved Clydebank Football Club lift the West of Scotland Premier Division cup at Holm Park on Saturday. This was something Stephen said he wasn't sure he would see. (Image: Stephen Maxwell) Stephen also revealed that despite his diagnosis and undergoing treatment, he never missed a single Bankies game in the past year. He said: 'It's the only thing I haven't missed out on. I've gone to every game because it's only down the road from me. 'We won the league this year for the first time in 21 years. It was brilliant. That was my Saturday outing, down to watch the Bankies. 'At the beginning of the season, we started off good, but I thought 'I'm not going to be here at the end'. 'I made it and it was absolutely amazing. I got the match ball signed from the first game between Drumchapel and Clydebank in the league.' The Duntocher resident explained how he discovered that he had skin cancer. In 2021, Stephen went to the doctors after his mum found a lump which looked a bit like a mole on his back. The Bankies fan was told that it was benign however, the lump grew over the next two and a half years, eventually bursting and forcing Stephen to have it checked again. Shortly after arriving at his GP, he was rushed to West Glasgow Ambulatory Care Hospital at Yorkhill before undergoing immediate surgery to remove the tumour, which was said to be 'the size of his fist'. (Image: Stephen Maxwell) READ NEXT: Calls to stop 'death and suffering of birds' at Glasgow depot Stephen said: 'I was sent to a specialist in Glasgow in 2021, and he took one look at it and said, 'it's benign, it'll fall off'. 'I left it at that, but as time went on, it got bigger and bigger and burst a couple of times. The very last time it burst, I had to phone my brother to come down. 'I was sent to the hospital at Yorkhill, and the doctor immediately phoned the surgeon. It took two and a half hours. 'The tumour was the size of my hand and I thought 'my god this is worse than I thought'. "They only took the tumour out, the cancer was still there, and I needed more operations. 'I underwent immunotherapy, and within three months, I was told it had not worked and it had spread to my bones. 'I was basically put out to pasture. I was told I had six to twelve months to live, it was devastating. 'It just knocked me off my feet.' After this appointment, Stephen said he began to 'sort out his affairs'. However, he would get a phone call in Spring 2024 from a doctor at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre that would change his life. (Image: Stephen Maxwell) READ NEXT: Plans lodged to turn Glasgow offices into social rent home Stephen added: 'I came home and got my affairs in order. That was it, and I just lay in my bed. Then I got a call from Doctor Tan at the Beatson. 'She said I'd been accepted for this new trial, would I like to come the next day and get the medication? 'I thought, 'brilliant, of course I will'. I had been booked to go into a hospice just days later. "After getting the stuff, I went to my bed and I literally bounced out of bed in the morning. 'I was put on a drug called Opdualag as well as steroids, and I just had the best six months of my life after that. 'I did everything I wanted to do. I had a great summer, and in the winter I said cheerio to all my friends at the clubs I go to. 'I thought that was me, this was it. That was when they'd said I was going to die, but then I didn't die. I'm still on steroids now, and I've started to go back to some of my wee clubs. 'I was the first person in Scotland to be put on that trial, and the greatest thing about it was that most people were only getting three or four months before they had to come off it, whereas I got eight months. 'I can't complain. The cancer is still in my bones but hasn't spread anywhere else.' Melanoma Focus, a charity that funds research into treatments and causes of the illness, say that the rates of this form of skin cancer are climbing in the UK, with around 17,500 new cases every year. Melanoma is considered the most serious form of skin cancer as it reportedly has the highest mortality rate. For further information, visit the charity's website HERE.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
I only had a year to live but I defied the odds to see my team lift the trophy
A football fan who was told he only had a year to live has defied the odds, seeing his team win the league for the first time in more than two decades. Stephen Maxwell received the devastating news in 2023, just months after being diagnosed with melanoma, a type of skin cancer. Now, 18 months on, the 58-year-old was on cloud nine as he saw his beloved Clydebank Football Club lift the West of Scotland Premier Division cup at Holm Park on Saturday. This was something Stephen said he wasn't sure he would see. (Image: Stephen Maxwell) Stephen also revealed that despite his diagnosis and undergoing treatment, he never missed a single Bankies game in the past year. He said: 'It's the only thing I haven't missed out on. I've gone to every game because it's only down the road from me. 'We won the league this year for the first time in 21 years. It was brilliant. That was my Saturday outing, down to watch the Bankies. 'At the beginning of the season, we started off good, but I thought 'I'm not going to be here at the end'. 'I made it and it was absolutely amazing. I got the match ball signed from the first game between Drumchapel and Clydebank in the league.' The Duntocher resident explained how he discovered that he had skin cancer. In 2021, Stephen went to the doctors after his mum found a lump which looked a bit like a mole on his back. The Bankies fan was told that it was benign however, the lump grew over the next two and a half years, eventually bursting and forcing Stephen to have it checked again. Shortly after arriving at his GP, he was rushed to West Glasgow Ambulatory Care Hospital at Yorkhill before undergoing immediate surgery to remove the tumour, which was said to be 'the size of his fist'. (Image: Stephen Maxwell) READ NEXT: Stephen said: 'I was sent to a specialist in Glasgow in 2021, and he took one look at it and said, 'it's benign, it'll fall off'. 'I left it at that, but as time went on, it got bigger and bigger and burst a couple of times. The very last time it burst, I had to phone my brother to come down. 'I was sent to the hospital at Yorkhill, and the doctor immediately phoned the surgeon. It took two and a half hours. 'The tumour was the size of my hand and I thought 'my god this is worse than I thought'. "They only took the tumour out, the cancer was still there, and I needed more operations. 'I underwent immunotherapy, and within three months, I was told it had not worked and it had spread to my bones. 'I was basically put out to pasture. I was told I had six to twelve months to live, it was devastating. 'It just knocked me off my feet.' After this appointment, Stephen said he began to 'sort out his affairs'. However, he would get a phone call in Spring 2024 from a doctor at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre that would change his life. (Image: Stephen Maxwell) READ NEXT: Stephen added: 'I came home and got my affairs in order. That was it, and I just lay in my bed. Then I got a call from Doctor Tan at the Beatson. 'She said I'd been accepted for this new trial, would I like to come the next day and get the medication? 'I thought, 'brilliant, of course I will'. I had been booked to go into a hospice just days later. "After getting the stuff, I went to my bed and I literally bounced out of bed in the morning. 'I was put on a drug called Opdualag as well as steroids, and I just had the best six months of my life after that. 'I did everything I wanted to do. I had a great summer, and in the winter I said cheerio to all my friends at the clubs I go to. 'I thought that was me, this was it. That was when they'd said I was going to die, but then I didn't die. I'm still on steroids now, and I've started to go back to some of my wee clubs. 'I was the first person in Scotland to be put on that trial, and the greatest thing about it was that most people were only getting three or four months before they had to come off it, whereas I got eight months. 'I can't complain. The cancer is still in my bones but hasn't spread anywhere else.' Melanoma Focus, a charity that funds research into treatments and causes of the illness, say that the rates of this form of skin cancer are climbing in the UK, with around 17,500 new cases every year. Melanoma is considered the most serious form of skin cancer as it reportedly has the highest mortality rate. For further information, visit the charity's website HERE.
