Ally McCoist has a brilliant excuse for missing Aston Villa's big Champions League night
Commentary king Ally McCoist will miss Aston Villa's big Champions League homecoming against Bayern Munich - because he'll be away at Palace instead.
McCoist was scheduled to be on the Villa Park TV gantry with TNT Sports colleague Darren Fletcher for Villa's second group game on Wednesday night. But the universally popular Scottish summariser has had to cancel his Champions League appointment at the Villa to attend a royal engagement.
McCoist was awarded the Order of the British Empire for his services to football and broadcasting in the King's Birthday Honours list in June. And the 62-year-old former Rangers striker will be making a special visit to Buckingham Palace to receive the prestigious OBE on Wednesday.
McCoist's absence was confirmed by Fletcher on our Aston Villa podcast, which is available to watch on YouTube. Fletcher is a special guest on our Claret & Blue show to preview the first home tie of Villa's Champions League adventure against the German giants.
Watch our podcast with TNT Sports commentator Darren Fletcher here:
"Ally's not with me and I'll tell you why," revealed Fletcher. "On Wednesday he's got a really special day. He's going to be at the Palace receiving his OBE. As excuses go, it's not bad is it?!"
Fletcher reckons McCoist might have to settle for getting his gong from a minor royal in the possible event that Prince William and Co will be at the match. The Duke of Cambridge, next in line for the throne, is a claret and blue fanatic and loves attending Villa matches when his hectic royal appointments diary allows. It's Villa's first home match at the elite level of European football since 1983.
"I don't know who'll be presenting Ally with his OBE," laughed Fletcher. "I think Prince William has probably said 'No chance, I've got something more important than giving Ally McCoist his medal!' "Ally will probably be there with the court jester pinning the medal on him as everyboy else will be at Villa v Bayern!"
McCoist has become broadcasting royalty with football fans thanks to his enthusiastic, fun-loving manner behind the mic. During their time together at TNT, the former Scotland striker and Fletcher have struck up an engaging chemistry on and off the air.
Fletcher admits it is a dream gig to work with McCoist and to be the envy of viewers by getting to go for a drink with him too. The reason McCoist comes across so naturally on the telly, he says, is because what you hear on TV is what you get in real life.
"That's the best way to think about people," he said. "Are they what you hope they'd be, what you think they're going to be? Ally's better, he's magnificent company. He's the nicest fella. He gets as big a kick out of these games as fans do when he sees the fixture list and that enthusiasm comes out in the match. He's like a big fan.
"So, yeah, he's exactly how he comes across, which is magnificent. He's got that permanent twinkle in his eye, you never quite know what's coming next. He likes a nice meal and a bottle of red and you could sit there for hours in his company."
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The duo commentated together on Newcastle United's 1-1 Premier League draw against Manchester City at St James' Park on Saturday. It followed their coverage of Villa's Champions League opener against Young Boys in Switzerland as Unai Emery's team kicked off with a 2-0 victory earlier this month.
During that tie they looked forward to this week's clash against Bayern Munich and gleefully reminisced about the 1982 European Cup final triumph between the clubs. Fletcher reckons he and McCoist complement each other's styles and says he will miss being alongside his popular partner at Villa Park on Wednesday.
"He's an absolute dream and when he joined the team it was like he'd been there for 20 years," he added. "I make no bones about the fact that he makes me a significantly better commentator. People's perception of me is different, and I thoroughly welcome that, but I love being alongside him. The good thing about it is he will never change, he'll never ever change. I'm a very lucky fella to work with him. I'll miss him on Wednesday, but we'll be back together on Villa's journey down the line."