Pease, Let's Not Have Another Wembley Nightmare

Wembley Week – 4

I SUPPOSE there are two attitudes to choose from when contemplating a visit to Wembley by a Scotland team. The “glass half-full” approach is that we travel hopefully, looking to arrive at a win; while the “glass half-empty” approach is to quote The Bard: “An' furrit tho' Ah canna see – Ah guess and fear”.

All too-often – 16 times in 30 visits - our guesses have been wrong, and our fears have been all too vividly realised, with defeat. WE have been sent homeward to think again, and, on several occasions, Wembley has been for an international career, the iceberg which did for the Titanic.

Earlier this week, I suggested a Scottish Wembley Dream Team. So, obviously, there has to be a Wembley nightmare XI, the guys who had to carry the can for a defeat there. With apologies to those players still alive, and the long-suffering families of those who have gone, here is my Scottish Wembley Nightmare XI:

Goalkeeper – Frank Haffey (Celtic), (1961)

The cry was no defenders as Jimmy Greaves scores past Frank Haffey in 1961 - Scotland's ultimate Wembley nightmare

This selection is a no-brainer, no Scottish goalkeeper has ever had to endure the flak big Frank took after conceding nine goals in the 1961 game. Actually, it wasn't all Frank's fault. He can hold his hand up for three of the goals, but, so can the Scottish defender who was considere our best player on the day!! But, in truth, he got no cover from the players in front of him, while, we must not forget the English cheated – they used an orange ball, which neither big Frank nor big Billy McNeill would go near, and Bobby Shearer and Eric Caldow refused to kick!!! 

Full-backs – Willie Cunningham (Preston North End), (1955) – Jim Brogan (Celtic), (1971)

In truth, there are no instances of a Scottish full-back getting all the blame for a Wembley defeat, but, given some of the hammerings we've taken there, some blame must accrue. We shipped seven goals in 1955, and that defeat ended the international career of Cunningham, the Scottish captain in the game, so, that's enough reason to pick him.

Jim Brogan was arguably never international-class, but, he played in a good Celtic team, which perhaps helped him win his four Scotland caps – a run which ended with our comprehensive defeat in 1971.

Central defenders – Jimmy Davidson (Partick Thistle), (1955) – Frank Munro (Wolves), (1975)

Another two guys who suffered in big defeats. Davidson wore the number five shirt in two of Scotland's worst losses, the 7-2 reverse at Wembley in 1955 and the 7-0 hammering from Uruguay at the 1954 World Cup Finals. A solid, reliable player and great servant over many years to Thistle, but, perhaps not good enough for the international team. Nat Lofthouse and Dennis Wilshaw, the English twin strikers scored six of their seven goals that day – in Davidson's zone.

Big Frank Munro was yet another player who was probably not quite international class. He certainly looked out of his depth as we shipped five goals in 1975.

Wingers – Billy Cook (Bolton Wanderers), (1934) – Jimmy Connor (Sunderland), (1934)

From the day the SFA decided to “cap” Anglo-Scots in the 1890s, through to the demise of the selection committee in 1967, the butchers, bakers and candle-stick makers, proudly wearing their SFA blazers, made a habit of springing unheralded Scots, plying their trade in England, on the national side. Cook, who had an unexpected debut in 1934, and Connor, who won a total of four caps between 1931 and 1934, were just two who sank without trace on the big stage.

Central midfield – Dave Mackay (Tottenham Hotspur) and Bert McCann (Motherwell) (1961

I know, it grates somewhat to see Mackay, one of Scotland's greatest-ever players, listed in a “Nighmare XI”, but, he had a shocker in the 9-3 loss in 1961. Right up until his death, Dave was always willing to hold his hand up as to how badly he played that day. “I was on the park, but, I didn't play” he would say. Still he got his chance of redemption,and took it, two years later.

Bert McCann, however, was discarded after he too failed to make an impression during the 1961 calamity. A Scottish Amateur and Full cap, a teacher and a very erudite and educated player, Bert had a shocker that day.

Strikers – Neil Harris (Newcastle United), (1924) – John Dick (West Ham United), (1959)

Both Harris and Dick were regular goal-scorers at club level; both got their single Scotland caps in the Wembley fixture, but, neither made any impact.

They were, probably, other examples of the SFA selectors trying to justify their trips to watch Anglo-Scots play in the English League, but, in the final analysis, were never quite Scotland-class.

Harris lost his first-team place at Newcastle to Hughie Gallacher, while Dick was West Ham's record goal-scorer until overtaken by the man who displaced him at the club – Geoff Hurst.

So in 4-4-2 formation, our Scotland Nightmare XI at Wembley reads:

Frank Haffey (Celtic); Willie Cunningham [Capt] (Preston North End), Jimmy Davidson (Partick Thistle, Frank Munro (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Jim Brogan (Celtic); Billy Cook (Bolton Wanderers), Dave Mackay (Tottenham Hotspur), Bert McCann (Motherwell), Jimmy Connor (Sunderland); Neil Harris (Newcastle United), John Dick (West Ham United).