Celtic's last-day hero shakes hands on 2023 'not good for heart' match and turns to golf for respite

Back in 2023, McCowan was part of the Dundee team that defeated Queen’s Park 5-3 at Ochilview to clinch the Championship crown and promotion to the top flight on the last day of the season.

A Spiders victory would have sent them up instead and while they briefly led in the match, McCowan was on the scoresheet as Dundee - then under Gary Bowyer - returned to the Premiership.

McCowan, who last month penned a new contract with Celtic, admitted that Friday evening in Stenhousemuir was not good for the nerves. However, he would gladly take a similar scenario when the Premiership champions welcome Hearts on the final day of this season on May 16.

Celtic go into Sunday’s game at Hibs three points behind leaders Hearts and are desperate to heap pressure on the Tynecastle outfit, who face third-placed Rangers on Monday. A title shoot-out at Celtic Park could be on the cards if both teams maintain their form.

“My time at Dundee feels like a different life now, to be fair,” said McCowan as he recalled previous battles for silverware. “It is something I look back on as fond memories. I had a great time.

“That was a season that was tight as well. It went down to the final day. We won 5-3 (against Queen’s Park) and I got the fifth. It was a crazy first half, as I remember.

“I don’t think I can go through another game like that. It was not good for my heart! But it was a title and if you offered me that now I would take that.

“It is a different league, to go from winning the Championship to winning the top flight requires a mentality shift. I just have to make sure I can pass on any experience I have from that previous success to the other boys because that is what they do for me.”

Amid the tension of a title race, it would be easy to get embroiled in all the tension and nerves that go with it. McCowan is fortunate to have a couple of distractions away from Celtic’s Lennoxtown training base.

“I have a four year old cocker spaniel Coby, who is electric,” said McCowan. “He has a bit of separation anxiety and needs attention every single minute of every day and a fiance, Erin, who is the same! Those two give me enough and then when the weather is nice I try to go play a bit of golf. Try and switch off that way.

“Getting a dog was probably the best thing I have ever done as he takes my mind right off the football. He takes a bit of walking but I stay next to a golf course so when that closes I can take him up and let him run wild. I sometimes even take a club with me to practice a bit.

“I play off 10, I only started during covid and have taken it seriously probably for the last two years. But I have a couple of friends who are serious so I have to do so too. They are slightly better than me, single figure handicappers.

“It is a very different sport but I enjoy it, the way I play it is a walk in the trees a lot of the time. I do try and stay clear of the days close to a game.”