THE Stars and Stripes have been flying over Murray Park this week, as the U-Boat Kommandant and his squad from the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave have prepared themselves for Friday night's joust with The Bravehearts. (Sorry, I've gone all trans-Atlantic here).
This game is a real test for WGS and his management team. It's is one thing restoring credibility and confidence in competitive games, quite another rising to the challenge of an "International Challenge Match" against a higher-ranked power.
Scotland has, traditionally, not done such matches well. It matters not whether you call them "Friendlies" or "Challenge Matches"; if they are not in a recognised FIFA or UEFA competition, we tend to flick-off the "this matters" switch and pay the price. Aggression is, after all, what the Jocks are all about.
Our record in non-competitive internationals has long been poorer than our admittedly patchy competitive record, so, I would like to see WGS getting a real up and at them display from the troops tomorrow night.
IT SAYS much about how football has changed in the 61 years since Scotland first crossed swords with Uncle Sam's finest. Back then, we were the Big team, they were the learners. However, the USA team which arrived at Hampden in May, 1952, did contain some survivors from the team which pulled-off the shock of the 1950, or indeed any, World Cup - USA 1 England 0, so George Young and his men back then were duty-bound to do what England had failed to, and put the Yanks to the sword - which, on the back of a Lawrie Reilly hat-trick, a brace from Ian McMillan and an own goal, they duly did. We will not get a similar result tomorrow.
Looking back at the details of that Hampden win, I noted that the match marked the 24th and final appearance in Scotland's colours of the incomparable Willie Woodburn, Scotland's finest centre-half, ever. Injuries and his disgraceful sine die suspension denied 'Big Ben' further appearances, so, the now-dead Woodburn never did get the silver medal for 25-caps which would have been his, far-less the gold medal and painting in the SFA's own Roll of Honour which has gone to one or two number fives not fit to lace his boots - but, that's progress.
I SAW one of the successors to Woodburn this week, when big Ian Ure was, like myself, in the audience for a football-themed event in East Ayrshire Council's 'Imprint' books festival in Kilmarnock's magnificent Burns Monument Centre.
Big Ure, a full-house, including Graham Spiers and I, were there to enjoy "An Evening With Craig Brown", at which wee 'Bleeper', Kenny Shiels and the Herald's Michael Grant provided great entertainment and some riveting chat.
Kenny Shiels, in particular, came across well. I appreciate part of his problems with his rogue Chairman at Kilmarnock came down to the way Kenny stumbled into the carefully laid verbal traps of the red top rottweillers, but, it is to the shame of Scottish football that such an erudite and experienced manager is currently out of the game.
To give you an idea of how good a night it was; "Management", who knows nothing about football and cares even less, accompanied me to the gig and thoroughly enjoyed herself.
AND speaking of getting enjoyment from football, can I commend to you a new book, written by a friend of mine. Ian McMurdo, who is a retired former teacher and Director of Education has just put out: 'The Juniors - The History Of Cumnock Juniors Football Club'. This 300-pages-plus tome, published by well-known historical author Dane Love's Carn Publishing, does what is says on the tin, telling the story of the first century of the Juniors.
Now, my disdain for "Scumnock" should come as no surprise to regular readers, however, the book, maybe because the author is a Glenafton Athletic fan, is an honest reflection of the first 100-years, with some rollicking good tales in it.
I particularly liked the story of one "tousy" encounter with Darvel Juniors in the mid-1970s, in which four players were red-carded. The miscreants included Darvel's Willie Frew, who is a definite finalist in any football hard man contest; big Willie never took a backward step in his life and after the four were sent off, they continued to discuss on-field events inside the club-house, to the extent the crowd wasn't bothering about the game, but everyone was trying to get inside the club-house, where the sort of fist fight which wouldn't have been out of place in a John Wayne movie, was taking place.
I also liked the story of another Cumnock player, a school-boy contemporary and team mate of mine, Jim Forbes. "FourBees", who was/is the definite crabbit, torn-faced ginger-minger, left school at 16 to start work at Barony Power Station. Forty years later he was James Forbes CBE, Chairman and Chief Executive of SSE (Scottish and Southern Energy). He then retired, but, months later, he was back in harness as Chairman of Thames Water. Now finally retired, he lives in some style in a minor castle in Ayr.
However, for all his success in business - his career highlight is - that he was never on the losing side to Auchinleck Talbot during his playing career with home-town club Cumnock. That says much about what playing for the toon means in the Ayrshire juniors.
Even if you don't particularly care for Scumnock, read this book. It is more social than football history and a belter of a good read.
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