FOR eager sports desks across Scotland, yesterday's launch at Hampden Park of the DVD charting Marvin Andrews' remarkable career appeared too good to be true. It was.
Among those on a stellar cast list trailed to be at the National Stadium to give their support to football's most famous preacher were his former managers Leo Beenhakker, Alex McLeish, David Hay and Jim Leishman, his celebrated compatriots Dwight Yorke and Russell Latapy, and Rangers captain Barry Ferguson, who remains a close friend of the big defender.
Unfortunately, only Latapy and Ferguson made it, with the latter declining to share his views with the media as he is scheduled to take the hot-seat at his club's weekly pre-match conference at Murray Park today.
Beenhakker, latterly in charge of Andrews with Trinidad and Tobago, sent his apologies after guiding his current charges Poland to a European Championship qualifying win in Belgium on Wednesday night. So too did Leishman, but there was no word and no show from McLeish, Hay or Yorke.
Dr Joe Nwokoye, at whose Zion Praise Centre church Andrews is now a pastor when he is not playing for Raith Rovers, did his best to keep the occasion upbeat and even dished out flyers inviting the gathered journalists to his 'Healing and Miracle Services' this weekend.
It was left to Andrews himself, however, to try and provide us with the kind of appropriate football angle which are customary in attempting to promote a player's book or DVD.
Naturally enough, he was quizzed on the current problems being experienced by Rangers, particularly their difficulties in central defence where some supporters have observed that Andrews could still be doing an effective job for the club had manager Paul Le Guen not deemed him surplus to requirements.
"I have no regrets whatsoever," said Andrews. "I am the happiest man in the world. Everything that has happened to Marvin Andrews is the will of God and I thank God for everything I have been through, to where I am at this particular time.
"I don't even have regrets about leaving Rangers, because my life is not my own. It is directed by God and if it was the will of God that my time was up at Rangers, so be it. I had a fantastic two years at Rangers and achieved great things there. God blessed me and used me to do great things at Rangers.
"They have loads of good players there. I might be there and still not make a difference. Whatever is happening at Rangers, that is their situation and there is nothing I can do or say about it. The manager has a different plan, I wasn't in his plan. I don't worry about that, it was the will of God that I moved on.
"The manager brought in the players he thinks can do a job for Rangers. I wish him all the best. I'm very good friends with Barry and it's up to them all to pull together and do it for Rangers."
Andrews appeared increasingly irritated with the line of questioning and when it was put to him that it is difficult for new players to settle in at Rangers because of the demands placed upon them, he chose to blame the very people he had invited to Hampden to try and sell his DVD. "You are like the vipers who are just waiting for anything that happens, to write something in the press," he told us. "So the pressure is on you 24-7 at Rangers."
Presumably, Andrews had in mind the evil snake who tempted Adam and Eve with the forbidden fruit. Perhaps, though, he has forgotten that Jesus once instructed his disciples to be as shrewd as snakes.
• With God, Nothing Is Impossible - The Marvin Andrews Story (Issachar Media, £14.99).
Roll call
A STAR-STUDDED cast was promised for the launch of Marvin Andrews' DVD at Hampden, but it didn't quite live up to its billing.
MARVIN ANDREWS Present and correct
LEO BEENHAKKER Sent his apologies
BARRY FERGUSON Present but gagged
DWIGHT YORKE No show
ALEX McLEISH No show
DAVIE HAY No show
RUSSELL LATAPY Present and correct
JIM LEISHMAN Sent apologies
DR JOE NWOKOYE Life and soul of the party