If You Know The History - You Worry

MUCH as I hate to summon-up the ghost of Private Fraser, in looking ahead to this weekend's Hampden clash with England, it seems to me a clear case of: “An; furrit tho' Ah cannae see, Ah guess and fear”.

SCOTLAND v England, football's oldest international fixture, resumes on Sunday, with episode number 114, since the sporting rivalry began on St Andrew's Day, 30 November, 1872. If you accept the last meeting of the sides, in 2014 was only held at Celtic Park, because Hampden was out of use because of the Commonwealth Games, this weekend's match will be the 41st to be held at the National Stadium, since it opened early in the 20^th century.

Of the previous 40 Hampden games, Scotland has won 15 and lost 16, there have been 9 draws, while the English are ahead on goals, having scored 52 to our 48. So, the sides appear historically to be evenly-matched – except. When you break the figures down, it does not look good for Scotland.

Kenny's 1976 nutmeg of Ray Clemence

Of these 15 Scottish wins, 10 were achieved before World War II. We have won just one of the last five Hampden meetings – thanks to Richard Gough's iconic back-post header in 1985, while our only other win in the last ten meetings was courtesy of Kenny Dalglish's memorable “nutmeg” of Ray Clemence in 1976. We have not won two successive home clashes with the English since that 1976 win followed the 1974 redemption victory – when the team, castigated for bad behaviour when Jimmy Johnstone was set adrift off Largs beach three mornings previously, bounced back to beat the English 2-0.

Jinky torments Mike Pejic during the 1974 game

Our only other post-war wins were over 50-years ago, the 2-0 win in 1962, when goals from the Rangers' pair of Davie Wilson and skipper Eric Caldow gave us our first over the Auld Enemy for 25-years, and, two years later, when Alan Gilzean headed spectacularly home from a Wilson corner.

Gillie's Goal in 1964

George Young, Scotland's greatest captain has a far-better record at Wembley, two wins, two draws and only one defeat, than he has at Hampden, where he was on the losing side four times, and had to settle for a draw on his only other appearance. That 1974 win was Billy Bremner's only success against England in five Hampden appearances, while the 1962 and 1964 wins were Denis Law's only wins in five home appearances against the Auld Enemy and Kenny Dalglish also won just twice in six Hampden tilts against the men in white.

George Young leads Scotland out at Hampden in 1956 - the only year in which he wasn't on the losing side to the English at the ground

That 1985 win gave Scotland boss Gordon Strachan his solitary win in three Hampden outings against the Saxons, while Mark McGhee's career highlight in the fixture has to be his goal in the 1-1 draw in 1984, so, not much managerial experience of what it's like to win this game.

So, in terms of recent form – we've got no chance. When it comes to “course and distance” winners in our stable, again, there is not much to cheer us. But, hey, this is Scotland v England – hope springs eternal, to quote Jim Baxter's alleged contribution to the pre-match talk before that iconic Wembley game, 50-years ago: “See this England team, they can play nane, ken”. Baxter had already decided, Scotland would humiliate the World Champions 1-0.

Billy B and Baxter: "We'll humiliate them 1-0"

Could Scott Brown conjour-up the gallus spirit of Slim Jim and give us the win we crave this weekend? This is Scotland v England – why not?

 Donald Findlay QC

FOLLOWING his success in delivering a what seemed, during the early stages of his trial, highly-unlikely "Not Guilty" verdict to his client, Craig Whyte, maybe Rangers should make their peace with Donald Findlay and invite him back to Ibrox - to fill their number five shirt.

After all, during the season just past: "the cry was no defenders". Donald has just proven himself one of the best, and, Cowdenbeath could do with the transfer fee - always providing the GASL could afford to pay one.