Mrs Porteous is in for a treat next time Sir Elton John drops by Vicarage Road. And by the sound of it, the legendary singer and musician might be the one seeking out an autograph. Ryan Porteous is beginning to make a name for himself in the Scotland team.
But it’s the same at Watford, who can claim Elton as their most famous supporter. When Manchester United star Scott McTominay met him at a gig recently, the pop icon wasn’t interested in how he was getting on at Old Trafford. He just wanted to ask about Scottish pal Porteous, who has impressed for the Hornets since moving from Hibs.
Which for Ryan’s mum Jill – a big Elton fan – could lead to a memorable meet-and-greet some time soon. Although according to the big defender, coming face-to-face with the 76-year-old music legend might be too much for her. Porteous said: “I had a conversation with Scott last week and he said: ‘I was speaking to Elton John and he was asking for you.’ That’s a sentence I never thought I’d hear!
“I actually had a second look at Scott and said: ‘Are you winding me up?’ But he’d been to one of his concerts. Scott is a big Elton fan but I’ve not met him yet.
“He’s obviously so closely associated with Watford and owned the club for a few years. There are loads of pictures of him plastered over the walls of the stadium and training ground.
“He has done a lot for the club. And he comes to games quite regularly and watches them all. Well, he must if he knows who I am! I didn’t think he’d ever know me.
“I love Elton myself. And my mum and dad are big fans. He did a concert at Easter Road a while back and they were both there. Hopefully I can take my mum to see him. It would be great to introduce them to each other. Although I think my ma would probably pass out!”
If Jill might be fazed by meeting her idol – the same can’t be said about her son’s start to life in the English Championship. Porteous has played in every game for Watford since he moved there in January, scoring two goals from centre-back for good measure.
Managerial turmoil at the club – he’s already had Slaven Bilic and Chris Wilder as gaffers – curtailed their promotion bid. But Porteous feels he’s a different player – and person – to the one that left Easter Road.
He said: “I think I’ve had a decent second half of the season and I’ve settled at Watford. As soon as I arrived I played against Reading and scored. It was quite hard to drop me after that.
“So I think I’ve done alright. I would say I’ve turned up for Scotland a better player. I’m still a young boy, still improving.
“But I’m getting to the point where I have to kick on now and progress. I have to be a mainstay for Watford and Scotland.
“I think I’ve become a better player every year but especially in the last six months. My Scotland debut (against Ukraine away) probably took me to a place where I felt I could step up to this level.
“And it also showed everyone else I could step up too. That has progressed me quite fast. Also the experienced players at Watford have helped me.
“Craig Cathcart has played hundreds of games, been in the Premier League and plays for Northern Ireland. Christian Kabasele and Tom Cleverley have been good as well.
“At Hibs, I learned for five or six years but I had probably learned as much as I could there. It was important to go to a different environment with players who have seen a lot of different things.
“And going down to London, you can lose yourself a bit because nobody recognises you. I’ve been on my own at Watford for four months and that makes you more mature.
“You understand that you have to fend for yourself. You’ve got no pals or family to rely on. But it’s been good.
“I’ve lived by myself since I was 19 so I’ve always done my own cooking anyway. I quite like Mexican food like fajitas and quesadillas.”
Porteous hopes to wrap up three points for Scotland against Georgia at Hampden on Tuesday night and keep the nation on track for Euro 2024. He’s gradually becoming a
key player for Steve Clarke and is dreaming of playing at a major
tournament. But as a Hibs and Scotland fan, he’s learned to take nothing for granted.
Porteous said: “This team are only getting better. But there is a long way to go in the group. We need to take it one game at a time. Growing up as a Hibs fan taught me that!
“But when you’re kicking a ball around the garden, what you dream of is playing at a World Cup or a Euros. Tuesday night is a sell-out. Four or five years ago that might not have been the case for a game against a team like Georgia.
“But you saw when we played Cyprus that a packed Hampden can push you through. How do I deal with the pressure and expectation? This whole group is trying to change that mentality.
“If fans aren’t there in numbers, you can fall asleep on the pitch. When lots of people are relying on you to do well for the nation – that helps you.”
