007 helps Rangers get their man

Actor Sean Connery attends the American-Italian Cancer Foundation Annual Benefit Gala at The Pierre Hotel on November 15, 2004 in New York City, USA. Connery, the actor most closely identified with the role of James Bond, turned football agent for a day to help Rangers win the race to sign former Marseille captain Brahim Hemdani.

Secret agent 007 turned football agent for a day to help Rangers win the race to sign former Marseille captain Brahim Hemdani.

Sean Connery, the actor most closely identified with the role of James Bond, stepped in when Hemdani was having difficult making up his mind between a move to Scotland or to Germany with Bayer Leverkusen.

Rangers chairman David Murray organised a meeting between Connery and the 27-year-old and the world's most famous Scotsman obviously did a good job of selling his native country to the Algerian-born defender, who signed for the Scottish champions on Tuesday.

"It's true I enlisted Sean's help to sell Scotland to Brahim," Murray told the Daily Record. "Bayer Leverkusen were chasing him as well and I arranged for Sean to meet the player at Cannes Airport to help sell Scotland to him.

"Brahim then flew over and had a good look around. I am delighted to say, that after returning home to France, he then agreed to sign for the club."

Hemdani was available on a free transfer after the expiry of his contract at Marseille. He will earn a reported four million pounds if he sees out the four-year contract he has signed with Rangers.