Celtic misfit Jack Hendry finds creative solution to avoid fines at KV Oostende

By Euan Davidson

April 7, 2021

Sometimes, you’ve just got to say “fair play”, and this is one of those times: Jack Hendry is a master at avoiding fines.

Hendry, who recently starred for Steve Clarke’s Scotland, is loving life in Belgium. Surely though, like everyone else, he hates paying for daft mistakes. In a clip shared by KV Oostende, bizarrely but fantastically soundtracked by seminal indie band Electrelane, Hendry showed his trick for avoiding fines.

Oostende’s training facilities are ample, but it’s a particular annoyance to lose footballs. Given their proximity to what looks like forest, it’s a five Euro fine for every lost ball.

So Jack Hendry, the innovator that he is, just steals footballs from the other teams training at the facility.

Well, you can take the boy out of Glasgow.

Hendry explained:

“I stole [the ball] from the other team. And then I handed it in, because it’s getting late and I wanted to get back to the house. Five euros for every one, so the boys thanked me, I think.

“Sometimes you’ve just got to be clever.”

Jack Hendry: hates paying fines / (Photo by Manuel Velasquez/Getty Images)

Celtic loanee Jack Hendry starring in documentary about Oostende’s remarkable season

The clip, shared by KV Oostende’s social media team, is from a documentary called ‘Kustboys’. It follows Oostende’s unlikely top-5 charge, with the more understated Belgian side just a win from the top 4 [Jupiler Pro League].

Hendry epitomises the rise of Oostende. Un-fancied to achieve much this season, Hendry has shone, winning caps for Scotland and the attention of clubs across Europe. It’s been a storybook turnaround for the former Wigan Athletic and Dundee centre-back. The Hoops seemed to weigh heavy on the 25-year-old.

Now we know he’s got tricks up his sleeve, too. Under a new manager, Hendry may have to keep his fine-avoiding antics more guarded, however.

Mind you, we’re sure he can afford a fiver for a lost football, these days.

READ MORE: Celtic need to stem the youth exodus, and make a meaningful statement of intent.