Britt Ekland claims Rod Stewart put a love letter in a song to her – You’re In My Heart.
But the hotel was the only place she wanted to be when the Bond girl and Celtic-daft Rod rocked up to Dundee in 1977.
He was in town to perform back-to-back nights at the Caird Hall.
And when he discovered that, sandwiched in between those dates, his beloved Celtic were taking on United at Tannadice Park on January 8, where else would he go?
The Celtic fans loved him too, having adopted his 1975 song Sailing, which temporarily replaced You’ll Never Walk Alone as their anthem.
It is said that Rod the Mod’s best moment in football was when he visited Parkhead and heard the Celtic fans sing it.
And not bad were they at it, too.
Yet the prospect of watching Paul Hegarty and David Narey go up against the likes of Tommy Burns and Tom McAdam at Tannadice was not Britt’s idea of 00-heaven.
Rod Stewart and Britt Ekland got together in 1975
At the time, her and Rod were one of the most photographed and talked-about celebrity couples on the planet.
On screen, the Swedish-born actress starred opposite Michael Caine in Get Carter, Edward Woodward in The Wicker Man and Roger Moore in James Bond film The Man With The Golden Gun.
Rod was lead singer of the hard-rocking Faces alongside his blossoming solo career, which started in 1971 with the barnstorming No.1 smash, Maggie May.
Four years later he relocated to the US, and left band life behind for good.
The hits never stopped from there on and Rocking Rod turned balladeer extraordinaire on such classics as Tonight’s The Night and I Don’t Want To Talk About It.
They were introduced by Joan Collins in 1975 and lived together for two years, only to break up just months after their visit to the City of Discovery.
Was Dundee the venue where the full-time whistle sounded on their romance?
Rod and Britt were staying at the Angus Hotel and arrived on January 7 1977, following a frantic dash through Fife from Edinburgh after his plane was delayed in London.
Rod got to the Caird Hall after 9pm and showed off that almost-hoarse yell by singing over the guitar-driven cheer blasting through the giant stacks of speakers.
The 16-song set kicked off before a sea of tartan hats and scarves with Three Time Loser and included You Wear It Well, This Old Heart Of Mine, Maggie May and Sailing.
During the concert Rod told the crowd he hoped Dundee United would do well against Celtic before he kicked and threw footballs into the crowd during Stay With Me.
Rod arrived at Tannadice Park on Saturday January 8 in his statement fur coat and flat cap and took his seat in the directors’ box to watch the Premier Division match.
It was a fine day for the time of year, and the ground was reasonably full with 15,847 in attendance.
Kenny Dalglish was both hero and villain.
He scored in the first half but then missed a penalty. After Tom McAdam had scored for United, it was Johnny Doyle who notched a late winner for Celtic.
So Rod saw his team win but where was Britt?
The Sporting Post said Rod arrived shortly after the start of the game but Britt had to cancel her trip to Tannadice at the last minute because of a heavy cold.
It’s a very confused song, in a way. It’s about a lot more than just women, it’s also about my love of soccer.”
Rod Stewart on You’re In My Heart
A spokesman at the Angus Hotel said Britt was sleeping in her room and had left orders not to be disturbed.
Was she well enough to watch the highlights on BBC Sportscene that evening?
Celtic historian and author David Potter said: “Bad weather had been frustrating at the New Year, postponing many games, but the conditions were just a shade milder to allow this game to go ahead.
“Indeed, heavy rain overnight in Dundee had rendered the pitch not only playable but actually in good condition.
“The league table was interesting but a bit skewed because of postponements, but it was a very open race with Dundee United, Celtic, Aberdeen and Rangers all in there with a shout. No team had as yet taken a grip of the table.
“United were on a high under Jim McLean with arguably their best-ever team in place.
“It was a tight game, and no-one could really have complained if United had earned a draw.
“So Rod saw his team win. Britt, who did not share his passion for the green and whites, did not join him. She stayed in the hotel.
“So what happened when Rod went back?
“Was there a ‘You think more of Celtic than you do of me!’ sort of moment?
“Or did she get the boot for not wanting to see the hoops? Or did she really, as was alleged, have a cold? Or did they both decide that enough was enough?
“For whatever reason, they parted soon after.
“Not that it really ruined the careers of either of them, with Rod frequently seen at big games involving Celtic, and singing the beautiful ballad Grace, much loved by Celtic fans, about the execution of Grace’s husband in Dublin in 1916.”
Was the song really about Britt?
Rod left Tannadice to perform his second night at the Caird Hall, which concluded the UK dates of the World Tour that was his first since leaving the Faces in 1975.
Rod’s relationship with Britt had ended by the time You’re In My Heart was released in October 1977 as the first single from his album Foot Loose & Fancy Free.
Rod began writing this with Britt in mind.
He hadn’t been scribbling for long before the names Celtic and Manchester United appeared — well, they do say you tend to write about the things closest to your heart!
The lyrics of the song include:
“You’re an essay in glamour,
“Please pardon the grammar,
“But you’re every schoolboy’s dream,
“You’re Celtic, United, but baby I’ve decided,
“You’re the best team I’ve ever seen.”
The former Bond girl parted with Rod on bad terms and she threatened to sue Rod, saying that she was the inspiration behind some of his biggest hits in 1977.
Rod spoke in 2012 about the song and insisted it wasn’t totally about Britt!
He said: “The first verse could have been about Liz Treadwell. It could have been about anybody I met in that period–and there were a lot of them.
“It’s a very confused song, in a way. It’s about a lot more than just women, it’s also about my love of soccer. That’s why my two favourite teams are mentioned at the end.
“The chorus is about Scotland. So it ends up being about three women, two football teams, and a country.
“And the line ‘You’ll be my breath should I grow old’ –I think that must have been about my mum and dad.”
Rod has been a regular visitor to Tannadice to watch Celtic over the decades and fell in love with stovies after enjoying them as a half-time snack back in 2008.
Further proof that London-born Rod is as Scottish as they come.
