Willie, or 'Bud' as he's known, constantly created headlines throughout a career which saw him play at the very highest levels for Rangers, West Bromwich Albion and Hearts.

The skilled winger, who now stays locally and whose son owns the Port Brae Bar, will always be a Glasgow Rangers legend after his two goals helped them win their only European trophy in 1972.

Throughout his sparkling career he won 22 international caps, played 393 times for Rangers - scoring 125 goals, was sent off 20 times, guzzled beer offered to him by a fan while on the pitch, sat on the ball during matches to annoy opponents and ran naked around West Brom's home ground for a bet.

But it's for being sent home in disgrace from the 1978 World Cup in Argentina that he will always be remembered in some quarters.

Now all these tales, and more, have been collated in a biography of Johnston's career written by Fife author Tom Bullimore and titled 'Sent off at Gunpoint' - a reference to the two occasions when he was sent off literally at the end of a gun.

"It was a drunken night at the bar somebody approached me and asked me if I would write a book," explained Willie.

"And then Tom says to me 'well why don't I write it' because I know him as he's a regular so we agreed to do it.

"I was told that it was going to be 30 years after I got sent home from Argentina so that was basically why we're doing it now."

It was a dream come true for football fan Bullimore who told the Press that Willie's tale is like no other he's ever come across.

And such is his continued standing in the game that footballing legends were tripping over themselves to contribute.

"I tried to get in touch with Alex Ferguson and as soon as he was made aware that it was about Willie Johnston he rang me straight back," said Tom.

"The two of them played together at Rangers and he said 'I will do anything for Bud, anything at all, but I will not speak about Argentina' - he was first class.

"In the foreword he talks about Willie as a person, as a player and the ability that he had.

"In essence just how good he was as a man and as a player and where he would stand if he was playing in the game today.

"There's several other former players who make comments about the transfer fees he would be commanding nowadays and there's one player who says he would rate him along with Ronaldo.

"In the week Willie left Rangers Manchester United were interested in signing him but Willie turned it down.

"In that same week they signed George Best so it could have been Best and Johnston on either wing."

"The more I got into the story I realised that Willie has a story like no other footballer in the world - it's a fantastic story.

"I've read a lot of football players' biographies and most are boring - this book is not boring.

"The true events of Argentina need to be told and that's what really intrigued me when Willie started telling me the real story."

Hearts fan Tom says that he had admired Willie "from afar" during his playing days and couldn't believe his skill when the then veteran winger joined his Tynecastle team near the end of his career.

He said: "When he came to Hearts I realised what a player he was and at that point he was 33 or 34.

"I just thought what on earth must he have been like 10 years ago."

Following the European win against Dynamo Moscow, Willie was offered a six year deal by the Ibrox club but instead chose to try his luck elsewhere in the UK.

Fearing that the referees were out to get him, and facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines should his disciplinary record get any worse, Willie opted to join West Bromwich Albion.

"It was great to get the offer from Rangers but I knew I could face weeks out if I was banned again so went to England.

"I also wanted to play against the best down there, against the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal.

"In Scotland you were playing teams like St Johnstone all the time and the occasional game against Celtic.

"As it happened I played some of my best football down there, I met some nice people - and some rascals - and I played for 'Big Ron'.

"He was different class and always wanted you to play football."

'Sent off at Shotgun' will be released on October 22 and both Willie and Tom hope to have a pre-launch signing in the Port Brae Bar where books will be on sale.

Further information about the signing will appear in the Press nearer to the time.