article_snippet.sent: As one reflected upon one career yesterday, Glasgow Warriors captain Al Kellock admitted that the odds were stacked against one even being a rugby player as one grew up in football-mad Bishopbriggs.
article_snippet.sent: ‘If you had told me when I was at school I would go on to achieve some of the things I have achieved, and have a chance to round things off by winning the league, I wouldn’t have believed you.
article_snippet.sent: When I was starting out, I was one of very few people at school who dreamed of playing at Murrayfield.
article_snippet.sent: All my school friends wanted to play at Hampden and, don’t get me wrong, as a west of Scotland guy I played an awful lot of football, too.
article_snippet.sent: during one of rugby, my teachers said I had potential and took me to Allan Glen’s.
article_snippet.sent: I was picked to go on a tour for state school pupils to Ireland, organised by Sean Lineen, and two years later I played for the Scottish Schools Under-18 side alongside the likes of Mike Blair and Rory Lawson.
article_snippet.sent: We didn’t have a school team at Bishopbriggs but the selectors must have seen something in me to give me the chance.
article_snippet.sent: I have had four knee operations and knew I needed to make one big, last push to try to help Glasgow to win the league this season and then call four knee operations quits.
article_snippet.sent: I know how well the young lads are playing but training will still have an edge to it, probably more of an edge, as I want to get a starting place and retire after lifting some silverware with Glasgow.
article_snippet.sent: When I first joined Glasgow, we were bringing in 1,500 people at Hughenden, but now we’re regularly exceeding 6,000 at Scotstoun, which makes me incredibly proud and happy to be part of the journey.
article_snippet.sent: To have captained the side for nine years is such an honour and I have so many fantastic memories, such as beating Toulouse away from home in Europe and winning against Munster in the Pro12 semi-final last season when my daughter was mascot.