The rugby hunk who wants to be Jerry Maguire

Maureen Ellis invites Gordon Hood of Glasgow Rugby to dine at Salty Dog

By rights Gordon Hood’s head should be as vast as his shoulders. Voted Britain’s Most Eligible Bachelor in 2004 by a leading women’s magazine, he cuts an incredibly handsome figure as he stands at ????? wrinkled endearingly at the sight of live lobsters.

This is the 26-year-old, blonde-haired, blue-eyed hunk whose unmarried status women all over the UK most wanted to change, and for whom one woman at a recent charity event in Edinburgh was reported to have parted with £450 just to go for dinner with.

But instead he is extremely down-to-earth and self-effacing. “It was a little bit more than that,” he corrects meekly as we settle into the red leather booth inside the restaurant, away from the bustle outside. “It was £1700.”

It transpires that Gordon resultantly auctions his eligible bachelor status for charity. “Of course it’s strange doing that sort of thing but it’s not much of an effort to go to in order to raise an awful lot of cash,” he says. “The compere talks you up and get redder and redder, and you have to look pleadingly at the audience, thinking, “please make it more than a tenner.2

Gordon, who lives in Shawlands, tucks into his soup and illustrates the personality that has helped him forge a highly successful career as sales and marketing manager at Glasgow rugby.

“I enjoy working for the SRU because obviously I’m a sports-mad, enthusiastic rugby fan, so in that sense it ticks that box.”

It’s his job to look after sponsorship, advertising, hospitality and press inquiries, and his law degree from Aberdeen University and post-grad in marketing form Strathclyde University come in very handy.

He talks passionately about the prospect of a new stadium at Scotstoun, of the exciting signings for the new season, and deftly intercepts the questions of whether his job is made more difficult in Glasgow.

“Because it’s dominated by football? That’s the biggest challenge – to try to convert people. ????? whole – Rangers or Celtic are never going to represent the whole city.”

Growing up in Pencaltland, 15 miles from Edinburgh, Gordon became immersed in rugby at school. Now, through arranging school visits and family days at Glasgow Rugby’s Hughenden stadium, he’s actively kicking against the sport’s east-coast, upper-class image. “We’re changing perceptions and out fans’ demographic profile isn’t like that. Our supporters come from all walks of life.”

After suffering prolonged ???? hung up his own rugby boots and taken up running.

He ran the Edinburgh marathon in June (8 hours, 49 minutes, no less), will run the New York marathon in November, and takes to his new roadbike for training when the impact pressure hurts his knees. He also lists golf and skiing as regular hobbies.

So does all that leave much time for a social life?

“You can’t train and go out all the time so I’ve had to curtail my social life – and my drinking. I tend to go out in the west end, Ashton Lane especially. I’m a big fan of the Waverley Tea Rooms in Shawlands, although they’re far too handy for me. I like to go to places where you can get a bit of space… and a seat. I can’t stand pubs that cram people in.”

When it comes to shopping Gordon visits a specialist tailor for his sharp, broad-shouldered work suits and browses Buchanan street – Urban Outfitters and Open mostly – for unusual garb.

He seems very taken with Salty Dog, too. It’s a challenge to eat the huge portion of linguine and talk at the same time – the waiting staff have kindly pointed out that the salmon was poached, not smoked, just in case we should notice – while the toffee pudding with caramel sauce to follow is a decadent treat.

Hopefully, the rich food and wine won’t interfere too much with his training for the New York marathon, which he’s running in aid of Breast Cancer Care.

It means he’s returning to the city he fell in love with in February during a week-long break at the Waldorf Astoria – his competition prize for being crowned Bachelor the year. Has Gordon happy memories of taking part in that?

“It’s a cheesy thing to do and I never took it too seriously. Most of it wasn’t intrusive, but one photographer took a shot up my kilt and Heat magazine printed it, which wasn’t my finest hour, put it that way.”

??? just his single status splashed in print, he’s surprisingly unreserved about matters of the heart, disclosing only that he’s in the initial stages of a relationship. Indeed, he’s much more effusive on the subject of his long-term career goal.

“To-be Jerry Maguire,” he says, leaning back in his seat and dabbing at his mouth with a napkin. “It’s very difficult to so that in Scotland at the moment, but I think that will change in the next few years. The market is in London, but who wants to be in that rat race? At the end of the day, you’re just a rat.”