Inside Sean Connery's football career – as old club Bonnyrigg Rose carves its own Hollywood story
Sir Sean Connery was on a mission in a small former mining town in Midlothian long before he was cast for the role of James Bond.
The late, great Scottish actor shot to prominence as the first 007 in Dr No back in 1962 and never looked back as he went on to play the lead role in the iconic film series seven times - but it could have been a very different story.
Connery, one of Scotland’s greatest exports who died at the age of 90 in 2020, played for Bonnyrigg Rose, the League Two part-timers who face Neil Warnock’s Aberdeen in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup on Saturday afternoon, prior to setting out on his path to becoming a Hollywood superstar.
He was given a licence to thrill on the right wing early in the 1950s, donning the No 7 shirt in front of crowds of around 2,000 a decade prior to making his name as Bond.
“I was quite lucky that my father was on the committee when the club started up again just after the Second World War,” Bonnyrigg club historian Nat Fisher told Telegraph Sport.
“We played at Rosewell while our pitch was being fixed up and Sean Connery was there around at that time.
“He did very well for the club, he was well thought of in this area and most other clubs were very jealous that we had him. He was a good player, he played on the right wing and could operate in other positions.
“He was speedy, strong and could really look after himself. He would take some heavy knocks but get up and be ready to go again. Despite the fact he was from Edinburgh, he was very well liked. He would look after the younger players and could really handle himself.
“He was apparently offered a trial for East Fife and I guess he could have played at a higher standard, but then I think he probably got as far as he could.”
Connery was at least able to concentrate on his football rather than any distractions from admiring touchline glances while fulfilling a role very different to his one as a secret agent.
Fisher, who turns 90 in October, recalled: “I wasn’t able to tell if he was popular with the ladies as we didn’t really get any coming to watch us at that point!”
Connery was untouchable when he unleashed a bullet of a long-range consolation in a 3-1 Scottish Junior Cup defeat by Broxburn Athletic in 1951.
When asked about his football career, the legendary star of the big screen denied he had been offered a chance to have a trial with Celtic.
Sir Matt Busby reportedly offered Connery £25 a week to join Manchester United but it appears unlikely he would have found fame and fortune at Old Trafford.
He is quoted as saying: “I really wanted to accept because I loved football. But I realised that a top-class footballer could be over the hill by the age of 30, and I was already 23. I decided to become an actor and it turned out to be one of my more intelligent moves.”
Bonnyrigg, nicknamed the Rosey Posey, will attempt to rip up the script when they travel to Pittodrie for Warnock’s first home game at the helm.
The club will be playing in the last-16 of the prestigious Scottish Cup for the first time on Saturday after upsetting League One leaders Falkirk.
While the club may be best known for Connery’s early years, they have not been afraid to embrace their history. Seven years ago the squad were photographed in tuxedos and the Bond theme played over the tannoy before they were thrashed 8-1 by Hibernian, in the fourth round Cup tie moved to Tynecastle seven years ago.
Current manager Robbie Horn is plotting to dash Warnock’s aspirations of winning the Cup after the Dons were beaten by Rangers in the Premiership on Tuesday night – a day after he was lured out of possible retirement and appointed until the end of the season.
Horn said: “We had a very important 2-0 league win over Elgin on Tuesday and obviously Aberdeen played on the same night, but our players have to get up for their full-time jobs the next morning.
“We have joiners, plasterers and teachers etc and it’s difficult for them, as it is for me, to switch off and sleep after a night match.
“But we’ve got nothing to lose, we have zero pressure and we’ll look forward to going tup there and given it our best. You never know, football can be funny but it’s a massive ask.
“I’m looking forward to meeting Neil Warnock, I’ve got huge respect for him. He’s had an amazing career and it’s great to see him in Scotland. “
Warnock has revelled in playing the role of Bond villain over the years and Bonnyrigg will need a few heroes to help pull off an almighty shock.
But when it comes to ruling out cup upsets, you should Never Say Never Again.
