Socrates MacSporran

Socrates MacSporran
No I am not Chick Young, but I can remember when Scottish football was good

Tuesday, 20 October 2015

New Hall Of Fame Inductees - Overlooked Again

OUR national team is out of Europe, Celtic are back at the top of the SPFL Premier Division, they've got an away Europa League match on Thursday night, but, before then, the Rangers Tribute Act has a What the fuck is that competition called again Cup-tie, against Livingston.
 
Aah! the thrill-a-minute entertainment medium that is Scottish football.
At times like this, what does your everyday Scottish Football Philosopher do to pass his time? How does he philosophise in the face of such tedious fare?
 
Well, he rails against something peripheral and insignificant.
 
For instance - the 2015 Inductees were admitted to the Scottish Football Hall of Fame (SFHOF) on Sunday night. I have absolutely nothing against the new boys - Bobby Brown, George Graham, Professor Stewart Hillis, Ally MacLeod and Maurice Malpas.
 
All are worthy of their place, but, I question the credentials of the anonymous panel of the "Great and the Good" who decide who gets in, and when.
 
I understand, the panel includes some of our "most-distinguished sports journalists" - if, by that, they mean some long-standing members of the Scottish Football Writers Association, all I can say is: "Jings, crivvens, help ma Boab". Leaving selection to the Lap Top Loyal and the Celtic Apologists - no thanks.
 
For instance - and I have said this before: Scotland's greatest international victories are widely held to be: the Wembley Wizards' thrashing of England in 1928 and the 1967 win over reigning World Champions England. When it comes to club successes -  we have: The Lisbon Lions, The Barcelona Bears and The Gothenburg Greats.
 
Hughie Gallacher, Jim Baxter, Denis Law, John Greig, Willie Miller and so on are already (rightly) members of the SFHOF - but, not every member of these five iconic Scottish sides is in there.
 
Football is a team game - 11 v 11. Those members of these great teams would not have won the matches concerned without the help of the perceived lesser lights around them.
 
I have long argued, EVERY member of the 1928, 1967x2, 1972 and 1983 teams should be inducted, as soon as possible.
 
For instance, Jimmy McMullan, skipper of the Wizards, remains to this day, one of the greatest captains Scotland has had - yet he is not a member. Bob Gardner, the very first Scottish internationalist, as goalkeeper in our first international team, also, as Queen's Park secretary at the time, the man who organised that first international from the Scottish end, he has not yet been recognised.
 
Rose Reilly's induction I welcomed at the time. I realise she is still playing, but, surely Julie Fleeting has as great a case for admission. Junior football plays such an important part in the overall picture of the Beautiful Game in this country - so where in the list of inductees is Willie Knox of Auchinleck Talbot, the most-successful manager in the history of the junior game?
 
The selection committee, to me, seems to have little or no regard for Scottish Football History lang syne. This is wrong. If they want the names of one or two experts on Scottish Football History, who could put forward a case for players from the real Golden Age of Scottish Football - well, I could give them a few names - of both potential selectors and potential inductees.
 
 
 
IF YOU want fitba in the raw, passion aplenty and appreciate playing for the jersey - then you could well get what you crave this weekend. Because Saturday sees the second-round ties in the Scottish Junior Cup being played.
 
I hope to properly preview this great event closer to the weekend.
 
 

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