Ally McCoist is one of Scottish soccer's best-loved characters. In a two-decade career, he won the hearts and minds of legions of fans as he established himself as one of the most popular sporting personalities in the UK. A school boy prodigy, it was always clear that McCoist was destined for top flight soccer. At just 16 he signed his first professional contract with St. Johnstone, shooting to prominence in the 1980-81 season, scoring 22 league goals and playing a starring role for the Scottish youth team.