Happy 150th International Football

I AM writing this post on St Andrew's Day, 2022, which just happens to be the 150^th anniversary of the birth of international football – the day Scotland met England, at Hamilton Crescent, Glasgow, in a game which ended 0-0 and which the players then didn't know it, was starting a billion dollar, world-wide industry.

 I just wonder that Charles Allcock and Robert Gardner, looking down from the great committee box in the sky, make of where their initiative has gone, from that goalless start on a dreich November day in Glasgow, to today's carry-on in the sands of Qatar.

St Andrew's Night is the traditional date for the Scottish Football Hall of Fame Inductees Dinner. However, Covid has meant it hasn't happened since 2019 and a search of the internet found no mention of any inductees or even a function this year.

To be fair, the SFA has in recent weeks, belatedly paid tribute to The Ravenscraig Pioneers, the ladies who played in Scotland's first Women's International, against England, naturally, at Ravenscraig Stadium, Greenock, back in 1972.

Stewarton's own Rose Reilly is, rightly, already in the Hall of Fame. If the high heid yins are not going to induct anyone in 22022 – I can give them three names they really cannot overlook when they do get back to inducting worthy football people to the Hall of Fame: Edna Nellis, Elsie Cook – who organised that first international, and way belatedly from 187s – the above-mentioned Bob Gardner.

The longer Gardner's name remains outside the Hall of Fame – the sillier the organisers and the induction committee look. Without him, they wouldn't have an organisation to establish a fucking Hall of Fame.

I DON'T know about the rest of the Scottish nation, but, I switched channels at 2-0 to England, on Tuesday night. I could hear the orchestra warming-up for a quick rendition of Jerusalem, and the BBC team was just starting to go alla “Football's coming home.”

I can actually now see The Common Enemy doing well in Qatar. Not that Gareth Southgate has a particularly-gifted squad on his hands, but, it's just, with so-many of the other favoured nations still to get fully into their stride, the England team is playing better than most.

Wales, sadly, channelled their inner Scotland – failing, when it mattered, to play as well as they had in the qualifying. Sadly too, Qatar was a tournament too far for their big players, Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey.

I switched to Iran v USA, which was much better, technically and entertainment-wise than the all-British affair I had left. Here at least, we had two teams having a go. This was a bit more cup-tie football.

IF THE desk jockeys in the mainstream media had even a quarter of a brain cell between them, they would be ignoring Qatar and trying to sell Scottish fitba, and in particular what already looks like the game of the weekend: The Clydebuilthomeimprovements Scottish Junior Cup last 16 clash between Cumnock and Auchinleck Talbot.

Not that this latest edition of football's equivalent of the Hatfield and McCoys feud needs additional hype. As ever, Townhead Park, come kick-off time, 1.30pm on Saturday, will be no place for the faint of heart or straight of lace.

Being Muirkirk-born, Lugar-raised and having lived more than half my life in New Cumnock, I am the epitome of neutrality where this particular game is concerned – I don't care who beats Scumnock!! However, the 2022-23 Talbot, does not appear to have the impregnable auro of past Tucker Sloan teams, so, there is a greater degree of hope among the home fans than in some recent encounters.

Perhaps, if they were to give up their obsession with the latest chancer to pick-up the poisoned chalice of being Breengers' boss, and take a look at this game – and the other seven ties to be played the same day, the Lap Top Loyal might learn a thing or ten.

AS MENTIONED above, Scottish Football turns 150 today. Over that century and a half, we've had many true greats, but, I thought I'd give myself Mission Impossible – and try to come up with the definitive Scottish Football First XI – the guys who've made the biggest impact over that time.

Now, like every other opinion in football, a game where coverage is nearly all about opinion, with actual factual match or news coverage coming a distant second, I don't expect everyone to agree with my team, which is:

Robert Gardner (The Queen's Park secretary and goalkeeper who organised the first international), Sir George Graham (long-serving Secretary of the SFA), Fergus Suter (the first professional footballer), Bill Struth (trainer/manager who introduced athletics training methods into the game), Sir Robert Kelly (Celtic Chairman and administrator), Andy Roxburgh (coach and coach educator), Alan Morton, George Young, Denis Law, Jim Baxter (players), Matt Busby (player and manager).

Yes, I've left-out two or three managers who you might expect to be in there, and at least a couple of players, but, that's my XI, feel free to argue with it.