LEE: MY GUN RAP SHAME

HEARTS kid Lee Wallace has revealed he feared he'd lose everything when cops arrested him on gun charges last year.

Speaking for the first time since his conviction for possessing a loaded air gun, relieved Wallace thanked the club for standing by him.

And he told how senior players in the dressing room helped him through the shame by taking the mickey and giving him a nickname.

He said: "I thought of everything I could lose - family, friends and my football career - because of one stupid incident.

"It was a big worry the club would get rid of me but they were excellent to me and my family.

"In the dressing room the support was obvious too but most of the time it was laughing and joking.

"Neil McCann started calling me Shooter McGavin from the film Happy Gilmore and that kind of ribbing helped at the time.

"Coming into the dressing room to find them laughing and joking with me got me through it.

"The biggest thing I've learned is the value of your family - it wasn't good for them. It also made me realise when you are a professional you have to buck up your ideas off the park as well as on it.

"I'm just glad it's all over and I can focus on playing football again."

Wallace pled guilty in court and was fined £1500 for possession of the pistol but six months on from that night of shame the only target Wallace is aiming at is a regular first-team place.

The full-back came off the bench in yesterday's 0-0 draw at Ibrox and wants to start in next week's cup clash at Dunfermline.

Wallace missed out on last year's final victory over Gretna and jobsworth stewards also shut him out of the team's victory parade.

So he'd love to get back to Hampden this year.

Lee said: "I was left out of the squad for the final so I had to sit in the stand. Then after the final whistle security guards wouldn't let me on to the pitch.

"I had nothing to prove I was a Hearts player and I didn't argue. I just went outside the stadium and spoke to another security guard.

"But while I was asking him to let me through, a policeman thought I was at it and told me to go away.

"It wasn't until I saw the kitman Norrie Gray that they let me in - 45 minutes later.

"When I finally got to the pitch the boys were just ready to come off.

"I also missed the parade through Edinburgh the next day because myself and Calum Elliot had to fly out to Poland to join the Scotland Under-19s.

Taken from the Sunday Mail