"Good morning miss" "Can I help you son?"

This Wednesday June 8th is Ben's Dad's Birthday and also my brother's grandson Jack's Birthday. Others celebrating birthdays on that day include Kanye West, Mick Hucknall and Kim Clijsters. They must feel honoured to be sharing their big day with such illustrious company as Sean and Jack.

My son Sean was born in 1982, five days before the start of the World Cup. When he was only 10 days old Scotland played Brazil. All was going well and he was resting peacefully in his cot until 18 minutes in David Narey scored one of the most famous goals in Scottish Football history. My dad and I leaped from our seats screaming like Banshees. This upset young Sean (and his mum) almost as much as the goal did Brazil. It was downhill all the way for the rest of the game for all concerned.

It seemed fitting then that 16 years later Sean and his brother Den travelled to Paris to see Scotland take on Brazil once again this time in the opening game of The 1998 World Cup. This one didn't go much better for Scotland, but at least he will still be able to tell Ben in years to come that he was there.

Since that time his brothers and I have been to the likes of Barcelona, Madrid, Amsterdam, Portugal and Sunderland to watch football and hold deep meaningful discussions over a beer or two

So, Sean was introduced to football at an early age. I also taught him how to play tennis, table tennis, badminton, pool and various other sports and by the time he was about 10 he could beat me at all of them. I think the only game I can still beat him at is 'Rock/Paper/Scissors' but even Ben beats him at that and he only knows how to do 'Rock'.

I have many happy memories of Sean from years gone by. I remember catching crabs in Rothesay and fish in Australia, playing shuffleboard in Tenerife and pool in Cyprus, sightseeing on barges in Amsterdam and enjoying 'Jaws', 'Back To The Future' and roller coasters in Florida.

I remember coming home from work on a summer evenings to find him playing 'kerby' in the street with his brother

I was there when we came back from 2-0 down at half-time to beat the 118th 3-2 and when he started playing for Newtown Boys Club, I saw parts of East Kilbride I never knew existed

I was there when he had to have stitches in his head after an altercation with a pavement and wished it was my head they were stitching and not his

I think it is fairly common for parents, as they get older, to live their lives vicariously through their children especially when they see their talent and potential is far greater than their own ever was

I remember some years ago talking about Sean to my mate from Dundee and saying that when I was at school I was just like Sean. I thought for a moment and then corrected myself. "That's a lie" I said "Sean is how I wish I had been like at school". My friend does remind me of this most times we meet. That's what friends are for.

Sean has an enviable talent,in that when you are with him he makes you feel that you are the most important person in the world, and all his attention is focused solely on you. He has always brought joy into my life and he has always been there for me,even when times were bad, when really it was my job to be there for him

But before his head swells too much, I must declare that his position has been usurped by the new kid on the block and if Young Ben turns out to be half the man his dad is he will be a world beater and hopefully I get to see him score the winning goal for Scotland against Brazil at the World Cup

So Happy Birthday Sean and Happy Birthday Jack.
I hope you both have a great day