It is some half-backline: McGrain, Scullion and Roper. And their programme notes make for pretty good reading, too.
Jim Scullion, the renowned Lanarkshire artist, with regular appearances as European sports artist of the year. Danny McGrain. Celtic legend, who was once the best right-back in the world.
Tony Roper, the marvellously versatile actor, who has given Scotland everything from Jamesie in Rab C to the wonder of The Steamie.
They are joined at Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life by a large crowd. It’s a home match for Scullion, a Coatbridge boy presumably from the Left Bank of the town, who became an accomplished artist.
‘My last exhibition here was 30 years ago,’ he says. ‘This one had to be here.’
He is talking before inviting everyone to view the works of the Artful Codgers, as the three worthies have been dubbed.
For the past decade they have convened in a box at Celtic Park every Tuesday and drawn. And drawn. The results are now on display.
They range from the mesmerising to the intriguing. Every one of them rewards inspection.
Scullion, of course, is both the instructor and the professionally accomplished exhibitor. He is, in many ways, the leader of the wee gang that has more mischief than a Bash Street Kids annual.
It has taken him considerable effort to attend the show. He had been in hospital suffering from a neuromuscular problem. He was informed lying on a hospital bed that the exhibition was going to be postponed as it looked as if he could not make it.
‘Over my dead body, I said. I actually used five words,’ he admits as the hint of a smile plays across his lips.
The story of how the paintings were created is wonderful. It conjures up three mates sitting in a room, sipping tea, guzzling biscuits and chatting about everything and anything.
‘The big problem is when someone drops a pencil,’ says Scullion. ‘It can take us 45 minutes to retrieve it.’
There is, though, a purpose in the endeavour. Scullion believes there is art in everyone and one of his life’s goals is to spread that message.
He remains the humble Coatbridge boy but his vision is immense. Selected paintings will be sold or auctioned to raise funds for Celtic FC Foundation.
The artistic efforts of the Codgers is commended by Tony Higgins, a footballer who dedicated his later professional life to helping footballers in his role as a trade union leader. He has a story about McGrain. Most do.
‘I was playing at Parkhead against Danny and a big dog got on the field and was causing mayhem,’ he recalls.
‘Danny came over, captured it and it was led away. At full-time, I went up to Danny and told him he had handled the dog situation very well.
‘His reply? “It gave me more trouble than you did”.’
The great player is in similarly dry form as he ascends to the exhibition hall. McGrain surveys the packed room. Asked if he is pleased with the attendance, he replies laconically: ‘Disappointed. Thought there would be more.’
The deadpan face then creases with the slightest of smiles. After all, the crowd is such that there are concerns that an expert in filling sardine cans might have to be brought in to manage it.
He is serious about the significance of the decade of drawing: ‘I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the company, the friendship. When you see Jim painting ... it’s brilliant. I know nothing about it. But Jim’s a great man, been through a lot of hard stuff in his life. Tony is the same.’
His favourite of his own works is a painting entitled Winter. ‘The one with the moon’ is his succinct description.
In a corner sits a cut-out of Jimmy Johnstone. ‘I am glad I didn’t have to play against him,’ says McGrain, nodding towards it. ‘In training, he was something else. Ball through your legs, ball over your legs. Great guy, too.’
He also references another Celtic legend, Kenny Dalglish. ‘He was a class act,’ says Dalglish’s one-time team mate. ‘Great player and a nice lad. Scored great goals.’
McGrain would have liked to have painted Dalglish but King Kenny didn’t have time to pose. Perhaps this could be arranged in the future if the painting sessions go into extra-time.
‘They have stopped but hopefully just for the moment,’ says Roper. The actor admits that he had never dreamed of being a contributor to an art exhibition.
‘This is all down to Jim,’ he says. ‘He invited us to join him 10 years ago and we kicked on and we kicked on.’
Roper concedes: ‘We fight, but we never fall out. It’s all banter. We just sit and chat. Danny has the most evil sense of humour you will ever come across.’
There is a portrait of McGrain in the exhibition entitled Danny Van Gogh.
Roper says: ‘Danny saw it and asked: “Who drew that?’
‘I said: “Me. Do you like it?”
‘He said: “Naw. It’s too dull. The background is too white”.
‘What should it be?’
‘Pink.’
‘This is the type of conversations we have.’
He shakes his head and laughs before continuing to survey the mass of works on the wall. ‘This is only some of it,’ he says. ‘I have at least 50 paintings in the house.’
Roper then traces in words a wonderful scene inside the Parkhead box.
‘Sometimes, Danny has to be coaxed to paint. Sometimes, he just sits and looks out on to the park.’ A multi-million pound transfer fee for those thoughts.
The exhibition is summarised with these words from Roper: ‘This whole thing is to do with Jim. He never gives up.’
Earlier, Scullion had looked out on the crowd of well-wishers eager to support the Artful Codgers and referenced his illness, saying: ‘I have never walked alone.’
It was almost a cue for a song.
The Artful Dodgers exhibition at Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life (open 10am-4pm seven days a week) is free to view. It runs until June 9.
More information on the work of Celtic FC Foundation can be found at www.celticfcfoundation.com