Ex-Scotland boss once attended an exorcism to try and sign a player

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FT Desk

Former Scotland boss Craig Levein has recalled how he once attended an exorcism to try and conclude a transfer for Raith Rovers.

In 2006, Levein was convinced by Gordon Brown, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, to take over at Raith Rovers after leaving Leicester. As a boyhood fan of the club, Levein jumped at the chance and the pair soon worked together to try and bring new players in.

One target they had in mind was Marvin Andrews, a free agent after being released by Rangers.

A meeting was set up with Andrews and his spiritual mentor, Pastor Joe Nwokoye, at the Zion Praise Centre in Kirkcaldy.

Levein and Brown turned up expecting a business meeting - and ended up seeing a live exorcism.

“Gordon Brown phoned me to go and meet him in Kirkcaldy and when I got there three Range Rovers came tearing into the car park," the former Hearts and Dundee United manager said on the Under the Cosh podcast.

“The window came down in one of them and it’s Gordon. He says, ‘Jump in my car, we are going down to see Marvin’. He was working that evening in the church.

“We went inside and we had chosen an evening to go along when they were casting out demons.

“The guys are going up on the stage and Pastor Joe is putting his hand on their heads and there is a whole lot of wailing noises going on and he shoves them and they fall backwards.

“I am sitting there going, ‘What the f*** is going on?’ I’m there to meet Marvin and there are people falling about and there is about six people lying on the ground.

“It was the most bizarre evening I have ever had.”

After retiring from professional football in 2016, Andrews devoted himself to becoming a full-time Christian preacher and minister in Scotland. His faith had played a major role throughout his playing career, and he continued to share his beliefs through religious work and community outreach.

He made headlines in 2017 when he offered to help the occupants of a reportedly haunted house in Jedburgh, Scotland, drawing on his religious beliefs.

“There are different types of spirits, but in my experience anything problematic is usually linked to Satan," he said at the time.

“It’s the Devil you are dealing with. In this case the spirit is obstructive so it is a problem.”