Johnston would eventually head back home, returning first to Rangers, then moving to Hearts. But the final years of his career were dogged by controversy. His most shameful act came during his stint at Ibrox, when he stamped on John McMaster's head; the Aberdeen player needed the kiss of life as a result. "I'm not proud of that," he says today. "It's no excuse but I thought he was Willie Miller. Miller was a great player but he was a hard man and deserved some of his own treatment back. Unfortunately I got the wrong player."

 

 

What a fucking cunt of a human being.

He should have got life in jail. There's no place for druggies in football.

Speaking yesterday at the Port Brae pub in Kirkcaldy, Fife, which he runs, he said: "I'd no idea the substance was banned - if I had known, then obviously I wouldn't have taken it.

 

"When it happened, it was the worst day of my life. It was terrible for me, my family and everyone I knew."

 

So the worst day of his life was taking some drugs - not the day he almost killed someone.

 

I regard this man lower than runny dog shit.