Hello, he's Graham. Welcome to a classic big interview. This time we go back to

season 16. This is what I had to say about it back then.

While talking to Stan Petrov, I learned he's worried about his kids.

He's worried that while they grew up, they'll find about their dad's life and career, that he was the guy who survived leukemia.

So if any of us who are football fans have forgotten about Stilian's playing career because

of the nature of his incredible successful fight against illness.

Let's use this two-part interview to remember it.

He was a midfielder who was a box-to-box machine at Celtic

and a brilliant holding organizing footballer at

Villa.

Let's go back also to where it all began.

Probably not all of you know that Stilian took an enforced break in the early years of his professional career

to serve the Bulgarian army for 18 months. He tells it here, but also connects the lessons he learned in the army with the footballer and the man that he'd go on to become.

At Celtic, he had to adapt to a new country and a completely new language.

How he improved his English is a cracking story matched by very few of the exceptional

guests we've had on the big interview podcast.

We're going to start with golf, nervousness, still Ian's grandfather, but first improve your English,

get yourself to a burger van, get a burger, sit down and enjoy the first part of a fascinating

interview with a genuinely remarkable man. It's a proper honour and privilege to be with Stilian Petrov in his golf house as we call it,

the Belfry. Good morning? Good morning. Thank you. You're welcome. The coffee is very good morning. Thank you.

The coffee is very good here, isn't it?

It's beautiful.

...