Four years ago, Andy Irving wasn’t even a regular at Hearts. Before that he was on loan at Berwick Rangers and Falkirk.
Now, the ‘Portobello Pirlo’ is strutting his stuff in the Premier League for West Ham.
Irving left Hearts in 2021 on a free transfer to sign for Türkgücü München in 3.Bundesliga. His ability, with a wand of a left foot, was never in question but he was in and out of the Jambos side amid questions over physicality and the out-of-possession side of his game.
The move to Germany turned sour though, his side going bust after just one season of his involvement.
That proved to be a blessing in disguise with Austrian Bundesliga side Klagenfurt snapping him up and the talented midfielder really kicked on – scoring six and assisting nine in his first season and following that up with 10 and five in his second.
The curious tale of the Scot continued when Premier League giants West Ham struck up a strategic partnership with Klagenfurt. The first official piece of business between the clubs? The transfer of one Andy Irving.
He remained in Austria on loan before pitching up last summer under the radar, expected to go out on loan again. But the 24-year-old impressed Julen Lopetegui in pre-season and stayed put, despite reported interest from the likes of Espanyol before the summer deadline (Edinburgh Evening News).
After one EFL Cup appearance, it took him until late September to be seen in the Premier League with a late cameo against Chelsea.
He has now made nine top flight appearances, been in the Scotland squad and established a but of a cult hero status among the Irons support.
Irving is being tipped to grow in prominence at West Ham and Scotland.
West Ham fans’ chant involving Rice and Andy Irving
So much so that the support have taken to singing his name even when he is not playing.
Irving remained on the bench throughout yesterday’s win over Arsenal. He was joined on the sidelines after 56 minutes by Declan Rice who was hooked as he endured a nightmare match-up against his former side.
The response of the travelling support was to rub their former favourite’s face in it with a chance of “You’re just a s—- Andy Irving’, according to The Athletic’s Roshane Thomas.
They also belted out “You should have signed for a big club” as they reveled in Rice’s misery.
The Hammers held on to their lead to take three points and make sure those chants didn’t come back to bite them.
Not the first West Ham Andy Irving chant
As aforementioned, Irving has become a cult hero at West Ham so this isn’t the first time they’ve been heard chanting about him.
In February, he came on as a late sub during a defeat to Chelsea but the support remained upbeat and chanted things like ‘Andy Irving, he’s coming for you’, and ‘Oh Andy Irving, you are the love of my life’.
We’re sure the man himself would like to have played a bit more, but he’s still a Premier League player and will be overjoyed that the fans have taken to him.