I lived in South Africa for a few years in the early '80s' and though I stayed in Pretoria I often went to Jo'burg for a day as it's only 20 miles away.
One of the friends I made then still keeps in touch and last Thursday he contacted me to say Dave King was in the Johannesburger Hotel in Pretoria on Van Der Walt street dining in the restaurant with some 'business types' looking very much out of his comfort zone.
Doug.....my friend, sat at the table in front of him and recognised him because of the plethora of sites and litany of info I've directed him to over the last year or so.
Doug said he spoke very clearly and as there were only a handful of tables occupied ...the suite was quiet and not very busy, he was easily overheard.
I still remember the place very well and can imagine the setting as Doug told it, and when I talk about King to him, I often refer to him as the "glibmeister" a word I hope will take on and into the "Afrikaans" lexicon, in the near future!
But,......during our repartee Doug said to me "when did Celtic buy Rangers football club"?
I stopped for a second ....thinking it's a beautiful hot country in the middle of its summer, but has the sun finally got to him ....despite him being a born and bred 'boerkie', I suspected what he had just said was due to sunstroke or an hallucination, or.....he was just being a typically "slow" on the uptake 'Dutchman' (a term commonly used there by the British when describing a thick white South African).
Struggling ..to take this in, I said no chance Doug, never.....it's NEVER going to happen this side of Alpha Centauri.
He butted in to my reply, and said "ok then, so how did the glibberman clearly say to his companions....and I heard him, so don't interrupt me, that If Celtic win the treble again..... they will own Rangers"
I won't go into my reply to him, but it took several attempts to explain what King likely meant, and what we mean when we say "we own someone" but he is adamant the glibmeister sounded concerned and sincere while holding court with his entourage.
I don't doubt Doug for a moment, but because he is more a Kaiser Chiefs fan (a South African football team and not Ricky Wilson's Sheffield band) than a Celtic or Sevco fan, he had no reason to lie to me.
Or did he mix up the words to the old Proclaimers song 'Letter From America' from the 'tape' I once gave him, substituting the original lyrics 'Lochaber no more' or 'linwood no more' with 'Ibrox no more' !!
If the glibberati from the crumbledome are as worried as their meister is, then I honestly can't wait for May and the triple treble stored in our ever burgeoning trophy room.