Bitterly Disappointed - Moi? You Better Believe I Am

YESTERDAY, I blogged about my first Scotland v Englan game, back in 1958 – a 4-0 loss to England. You know, this morning, I feel worse about that 2-2 draw, less than 24-hours ago, than I do about that scutching more than 50-years back.

But, hey, that's Tartan Army membership for you. If you cannot look the “twin imposters”, triumph and disaster, in the eye and treat them both the same – why did you sign on?

Let's have a look over my 59-years as a TA foot soldier:

1958 – out-played, lost 0-4 : 1959 – a dull game, enlivened by a Bobby Charlton header – lost 0-1.

1960 – Ian St John does everything but score, a Charlton penalty rescues an out-played England – draw 1-1 : 1961 – 9-3 to England, 'nuff said : 1962 – our first Hampden win in 25-years, 2-0 – ecstacy, but, England go off to the World Cup, we stay at home : 1963 – ten-men win at Wembley, Baxter imperious – 2-1 : 1964 – Gilzean's header, three straight wins – 1-0, amazing : 1965 - Baxter's out with a broken leg, we only draw 2-2, against nine fit Englishmen – Disaster for Scotland : 1966 – we lose a seven-goal thriller, 3-4, to a team which will, some weeks later, be crowned World Champions.

The abiding image of Wembley 1967 - Baxter plays keepy-uppy

1967 – Baxter's second Wembley triumph, we declare ourselves unofficial “World Champions” as we absolutely destroy the real champions 3-2 : 1968 – needing to win to qualify for the quarter-finals of the European Championships, the Scots show a lack of ambition and nous, to only draw 1-1 with an England team which does not play well, but, never looked like being beaten : 1969 – hammered 4-1 at Wembley, and, in spite of a terrific debut from Eddie Gray, we were lucky to get one.

1970 – a young and alrgely exprimental Scottish team fails to score in the first 0-0 draw since 1872 : 1971 – out-classed again at Wembley, 3-1 to England : 1972 – an Allan Ball goal wins a real kicking match 1-0 for England, a poor game     :     1973 - the Centenary Game, 5-0 to England in "the St Valentine's Day Massacre     :     three months and four days later we go to Wembley, out-play them; Shilton makes two unbelievable saves; England are up the park once and Martin Peters makes it 1-0 to them     : 1974 – a Scotland squad, on their way to the World Cup finals, outplay and beat 2-0 a poor England squad who are staying at home : 1975 – Stewart Kennedy, 5-1 to England, we avert our gaze and pass quickly on

Tam Forsyth's fantastic tackle on Mick Channon in 1976

1976 – Kenny's nutmeg, Tam Forsyth's tackle, 2-1 to Scotland Yee Haw!! : 1977 – Ally's Army lay waste to Wembley in celebration, 2-1 to Scotland; Yippee Kai Hay Mudderfuckers : 1978 – Steve Coppell scores to dampen the pre-Argentina euphoria, a taste of the hubris to come : 1979 – Another painful Wembley walloping, 3-1 to England, as we fail to defend or build on an early lead.

1980 – 2-0 to England and “an angry silence” descends over Hampden as a poor Scottish team , “makes an ordinary England side look good”, as one Scottish commentator wrote : 1981 – a Wembley win as John Robertson's penalty settles a rather dull game : 1982 With both sides having one and a half eyes on the upcoming World Cup in Spain, an early Paul Mariner goal wins: “an unreal anti-climax” of a game 1-0 for England. Jock Stein is criticised for playing a five-man defence at home : 1983 – a warm Wembley Wednesday night, and, according to the late Jim Reynolds of the Herald: “Scotland froze”, failing to trouble an average England team in going down 2-0 : 1984 – the final Home International finished as a 1-1 draw. It was an error-strewn game,best forgotten.

Gough's goal beats Peter Shilton in the 1985 game

1985 – Richard Gough's back-post header wins the first Rous Cup for Scotland, our first Hampden win for 11 years : 1986 – England win 2-1 at Wembley, Alex Ferguson's first defeat since taking over as team manager following Jock Stein's tragic death. It was Scotland's first defeat in nine games and a foretaste of the disappointment to come in the Mexico World Cup : 1987 – a “draw nae fitba”, 0-0 at Hampden, the fixture was starting to seem past its sell-by date : 1988 – Jim Leighton's heroics save a disappointing Scotland team from losing more than a sublime Peter Beardsley goal as they go down 1-0 at Wembley, but, there are empty seats, this fixture truly has lost its lustre : 1989 – England win 2-0 at Hampden, and reality dawns, regular games between these countries have had their day. Henceforth, they will only meet if drawn together in the European Championships or the World Cup.

1996 – football “comes home” to England for the European Championship finals, and England and Scotland are drawn in the same group, meeting at Wembley on 15 June. Alan Shearer puts England in front, against the run of play; Gary McAllister's penalty is saved by David Seaman, then Paul Gascoigne scores one of the great Wembley goals. Scotland loses, but, the Tartan Army gives England's barmy Army a lesson in how to support your team : 1999 – the luck of the European Championships play-off draw pits Scotland against England in a two-legged game. Paul Scholes scores twice in England's firt leg win at Hampden. Four days later, Don Hutchison scores a Wembley winner; 1-0, but, Scotland fail to level the aggregate and England advance.

Don's delight - Mr Hutchison shares his joy with Barry Ferguson and Neil McCann

2013 – the 150^th anniversary of the Football Association provided the chance to reprise the oldest international fixture; James Morrison shot Scotland ahead, Theo Walcott levelled, before Kenny Miller restored Scotland's lead early in the second half; however, two late goals gave England a 3-2 win : 2014 – in a return fixture, at Celtic Park, Wayne Rooney scores twice as England stroll to victory : 2016 – England stroll to victory against a poor Scotland in a World Cup qualifier, before : Last Saturday, we suffer the cruellest of late blows as Harry Kane steals a draw, following those two sublime Leigh Griffiths' free-kcks.

Leigh Griffiths celebrates that second sublime free-kick

That's the story of my 59-years of Tartan Army service. The high spots – Scotland wins, are in red. So, you can see, I haven't had many "red-letter days" to celebrate in this fixture over just short of 60-years. You'd think we'd be used to disappointment and let downs, but, yesterday's draw still hurts more than any of the losses.