Callum McGregor on Celtic Champions League wait as captain quips missing qualifiers gave him 'spare time' to write book

It’s been a different kind of start to the season for Callum McGregor. The Celtic captain is used to running around Europe at this time of year.

But this time the more relaxed schedule has allowed the Hoops playmaker to take a casual stroll down memory lane. McGregor has taken advantage of Celts bypassing the Champions League qualifiers for once – and the rare experience of playing just one match a week – by adding the final touches to his autobiography due to come out in October.

The book will chart his rise from chasing the dream as a kid in Glasgow’s East End to leading Celtic to the title as captain under Ange Postecoglou. There’s plenty to pack in between and while McGregor has enjoyed the chance to reminisce, he admits going over old glories has only inspired him to pen the next chapters in his Parkhead success story.

The 29-year-old Scotland schemer said: “This is what happens when I’ve got spare time – I write a book! I haven’t slaughtered anyone, it’s not really my style. I haven’t really had to because when you look back over my time at the club there’s been a lot of success.

“I’d be so focussed on moving forward I’d forgotten half the stuff. I don’t tend to look back but when you are doing these things it does force you to a bit and there are overwhelmingly more positive memories than negatives ones.

“That’s all you can hope to do in football. When you see those achievements you know you are on the right track and it just makes you work harder to make sure there are more to come. It just make you hungry for more stories to tell.”

McGregor admitted it’s been a strange sensation at the start of the season with only three – victorious – Premiership games under the belt at a stage when usually Celts have