Latest news with #JohnMcTier
Daily Record
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Record
Former Scottish football starlet blinded in bottle attack lands prestigious car dealer prize
John McTier was the victim of an unprovoked attack in Govan when he was just 16 A talented footballer blinded in a bottle attack has become an award-winning car dealer - and said the traumatic incident drove him to success. John McTier was just 16 when he was jumped by a gang of six as he walked his girlfriend home in Govan. Now, 21 years on, he is celebrating success. John had just signed for Ayr United and experts predicted a big future ahead of him when his career was left in ruins by the unprovoked attack in December 2004. He was jumped by a gang of teen thugs - three boys and three girls - aged 14-17 as he walked near his home in Govan, Glasgow. As he lay in hospital blinded in one eye and thinking about the wreckage of his life he told his mum Patricia: "I wish they had finished me off. If I can't play football I can't do anything else." John, a promising left-winger, tried to make a comeback but losing the sight in his left eye proved too much to overcome and he was forced to give up the game. He was initially offered just £32,000 in compensation for the assault, including just £5,000 for loss of earnings. But lawyer Liam O'Donnell, ex-Scottish PFA chief Fraser Wishart, then Ayr coach Robert Connor and former Dundee United winger and team-mate Craig Conway told the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority he could have signed for an Old Firm club and earned £500,000 a year. He was eventually awarded more than £260,000 in 2010 and used the cash to set himself up in business. And the pain of the attack fuelled him and he has just been crowned Best Independent Motor Dealer at the 2025 Scottish Business Awards for his Cardonald-based firm Woodville Cars. John told the Scottish Sun: 'It was a job to start with and then when I started doing something right, I got a buzz out of that. 'I was always wanting to be a football player, I tried my best, I wouldn't do the teenager thing and get drunk or whatever, I trained and I worked my best. 'I gave it 110 per cent. I didn't know any other thing. As stupid as it sounds, if a wee granny comes in and books you, you've got to get that right, I'm not taking that car out unless it's checked and double checked. 'It comes back to treating other people like you'd like to be treated yourself. I don't even know who nominated me for this award but it means a lot.'
Scottish Sun
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Former football starlet who lost eye in horror bottle attack crowned Scotland's top independent car dealer
The sports prodigy, then 16, had just signed for Ayr United when the assault stole his left eye and robbed him of his future dreams Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A FORMER football starlet blinded by a bottle thug says the trauma drove him to success - after becoming an award-winning car dealer. John McTier, 37, was a promising winger tipped for the top when six neds launched an unprovoked attack as he walked his girlfriend home in Govan, Glasgow, in December 2004. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 John McTier has been named Scotland's best independent car dealer Credit: Supplied 2 The ex-Ayr United starlet was blinded in one eye in a sickening bottle attack in 2004 Credit: Les Gallagher - The Sun Glasgow The sports prodigy, then 16, had just signed for Ayr United when the assault stole his left eye and robbed him of his future dreams. But he channeled hurt into hope and was just crowned Best Independent Motor Dealer at the 2025 Scottish Business Awards for his Cardonald-based firm Woodville Cars. John, who recently welcomed daughter McKinley with wife Nikki, 38, said: 'It was a job to start with and then when I started doing something right, I got a buzz out of that. 'I was always wanting to be a football player, I tried my best, I wouldn't do the teenager thing and get drunk or whatever, I trained and I worked my best. 'I gave it 110 per cent. I didn't know any other thing. 'As stupid as it sounds, if a wee granny comes in and books you, you've got to get that right, I'm not taking that car out unless it's checked and double checked. 'It comes back to treating other people like you'd like to be treated yourself. I don't even know who nominated me for this award but it means a lot.' John was initially offered just £32,000 in compensation for the assault, including just £5,000 for loss of earnings. But lawyer Liam O'Donnell, ex-Scottish PFA chief Fraser Wishart, then Ayr coach Robert Connor and former Dundee United winger and team-mate Craig Conway told the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority he could have signed for an Old Firm club and earned £500,000 a year. He was jumped by a gang of teen thugs - three boys and three girls - with then 14-year-old ned Andrew Hulley referred to the Children's Panel instead of being locked up I saved retired fire engine from scrap in just 10 weeks – now it has completely different life John - who also suffered a broken nose and cuts to his head and body was eventually awarded more than £260,000 in 2010 and used the cash to set himself up in business. But it didn't all go to plan - as he first qualified as a college lecturer before the recession hit and public sector cuts interfered with the job he was promised. Now he reckons his success comes down to the fact he never rips off customers. He said: 'I guess it's a nice feeling to know when you're recognised. 'I have friends who say I'm doing everything right and I thought they were just being nice, but then loads of people have said the same. 'If I do an MOT, I don't just do the bare minimum, I do everything. If it's advisories or anything, I do all that before I put the car out the door, so then it's 100 per cent right. 'That way, they're not going to phone me back up in a month's time. I'll just eradicate that by doing it all, it costs more money, I don't make as much money, but if it helps me build my brand and helps my customers get a better deal, then it's worth it. 'What's for you won't go by you - and I'm very happy with my life now."
