Former Chelsea ace Pat Nevin has claimed he “could have killed” club owner Roman Abramovich in a near-miss car incident when the Russian billionaire was cycling on an island off the coast of Scotland.
Nevin, 56, says he was driving on the Isle of Arran off the west coast of the Scottish mainland several years ago when he almost collided with Abramovich, who was visiting the area after mooring his super yacht there.
"About three years ago I was on holiday in Arran and I was driving up the north side of Arran… Every time you go on holiday there you drive round the whole island," Nevin told BBC Radio Scotland.
"I came round a corner at the top just before Lochranza and I nearly hit a guy on a bike. I just got out the way at the last moment, I could have killed the guy. It was Roman Abramovich.
"What a story that would have been if I had killed Roman Abramovich. I just missed him.
“His yacht was off the coast and he was cycling round. He doesn't know to this day that it was me,” the former Scotland international added.
Abramovich did indeed spend part of the summer of 2015 sailing around the coast of Scotland with a group of friends in his super-yacht ‘Eclipse’.
Also on rt.com Chelsea post $130 million loss – but insist they WILL stay within Financial Fair Play limitsNevin now works as a TV pundit and DJ, but played for Chelsea between 1983 and 1988 as he established himself as a fan favorite at the club.
He says he has met Abramovich, who has owned Chelsea since 2003, several times.
"He is phenomenally shy, he is an incredibly shy person,” Nevin said.
"I was down DJing in London about two years ago. I was sitting in a sports place at the back of Stamford Bridge and he caught my eye. People come over to him, he never walks over to them, it's a bit like royalty.
"But I was sitting talking to this wee guy who is a DJ, a scruffy wee indie kid, and Roman starts walking right behind him towards me...
"I turned round and said 'hi' and shook his hand and the kid got the fright of his life. He nearly jumped out of his skin."
Also on rt.com Chelsea chairman on Roman Abramovich's stance on 'bargain' bids for the club: 'We really have nothing to say to these people'Abramovich, 53, has not visited a Chelsea home game since suffering visa woes in the wake of the Skripal spy poisoning row between the UK and Russia in 2018.
There has been speculation of bids to buy the club from numerous investors, including US baseball billionaire Todd Boehly.
However, figures at Chelsea have frequently stressed that Abramovich remains “committed” to the Stamford Bridge club as they undergo a focus towards youth under manager Frank Lampard.