A notorious football hooligan who travelled to Ukraine to join its armed forces and fight against the Russian invasion has returned home.
Robert Grady spent more than a month in Ukraine after joining up in the days after the conflict broke out.
The 61-year-old even took part in a recruitment video wielding an assault rifle alongside his new comrades and urging other volunteers to enlist.
The reformed Hibs casual posted Facebook messages from the frontline telling pals: “I intend to kill as many as I can.”
Grady used social media to tell pals he’d arrived back in the UK last week.
He also told how he was recovering from a bout of Covid-19 and a viral infection.
The former thug offered support for fellow fighter Aiden Aslin, 28, from Nottinghamshire, who was taken prisoner by Russian troops in the besieged city of Mariupol.
He wrote: “Please can everyone pray for British volunteer captured by the Russians in Ukraine. God bless him.”
Grady built up a reputation as a hooligan linked to the Easter Road club from the early 1980s.
He was a member of the Capital City Service (CCS) and received a football banning order as recently as 2014 for taking part in a street brawl after a cup final.
Grady made his way to Ukraine after its president Volodoymr Zelensky appealed to foreigners to join an “international legion” to defend his country.
Regarding his military experience, he told how he did “some time in the TA paras in the 70s and 80s”.
In a 30-second video which appeared online last month, Grady was shown dressed in camouflage body armour and holding the assault weapon following his arrival in Ukraine.
Standing behind him were two other armed men believed to be Ukrainian fighters.
He told the camera: “My name is Rob. I’m a 61-year-old grandfather from Scotland.
“I’ve travelled to Ukraine to help Ukraine fight the Russians.
“I’ll do anything I can in my power to save Ukraine from Putin.
“Everybody in the world please help Ukraine. They need everybody to help, Volunteers, please.”.
Grady posted that he was in Kiev and told how Russian forces were a mere 30km away from him at one point.
After arriving back in the UK, he said he’d heard rumours of $10,000 bounties being offered to Russian soldiers for the capture of non-Ukrainian fighters “dead or alive”.
His pals were overjoyed to hear of his return and posted messages on his Facebook page.
One wrote: “So glad you’re home now. I can stop worrying everyday that you are alive.”
Another said: “Good to hear you’re back safe and sound.”
A third posted: “You’re looking great. So glad your back. We can sleep better.”
In 2014, Grady was one of six men who were banned from football matches for a total of eight-and-a-half years following a brawl before a Ramsdens Cup final match.
Nineteen men were charged over the football-related disorder that erupted in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket area.
The game between Rangers and Raith Rovers took place at Easter Road, with the Fife club winning 1-0.
He was hit with a one-year football banning order at Edinburgh Sheriff Court over the incident.
