I COULD be wrong, but, as far as I know, the first player to leave Rangers uncapped, then win a full Scotland cap with another club was Archie McAulay, capped as a Brentford player just after WWII. The second was George “Dandy” McLean, who won one cap as a Dundee player in 1968. Received wisdom has it that, after Rangers, every other club is a step down.
Very few young players who fail to make it with Rangers – or Celtic – go on to become big stars elsewhere, it's almost as if, not making it with the club they supported as youngsters, knocks genuine ambition out of many players.
Might we be able to extrapolate this belief into management? Could it be, the only place where Barry Ferguson gets the inspiration and belief it takes to be a top manager is with Rangers?
Given his less than stellar record elsewhere, might his current gig at Ibrox be the only job to which Barry is able to fully-commit? He may well have technical shortcomings as a coach, but, the passion for his club which he brings to the job may well prove to be the sort of man management which the squad has appeared to lack, prior to his arrival.
Watching through the lenses of the television cameras, I have gained the impression that one or two of the imports, under Philippe Clement, were not that bothered about the bread and butter domestic games, only prepared to put in near-maximum effort in the European games. They are now learning, under Ferguson and the rest of “Hun Direction” that every game matters when you pull on that shirt.
Now, if Barry would only insist on a return to the old Rangerrs' standards of dress – stockings pulled up to just below the knee, club suits worn on Match Days,etc, we may see them getting closer to Celtic and even further in Europe. Standards are Iimportant.
Speaking of which, Vaclav Cerny needs a serious talking-to, for his stupidity in goading those very-easily-offended Celtic fans on Sunday. Not a good look.
Another poor look was the “kettling” and non-admittance of sections of the Green Brigade and the Union Bears on Sunday. Both clubs have, for generations now, been happy to take the money but wash their hands of the excesses of a proportion of both supports. I have long argued, better to have them in the stadium pishing oot, than oot o' the stadium pishing in.
There is I feel, even more money to be made out of making them a real part of both clubs, while that would give a degree of control over their excesses. Even when their club has been the Big Dog in Scotland, there has been a toxic element within the Rangers' following. It is now 49 years since the great Ian Archer penned his legendary: “permanent embarrassment and an occasional disgrace” opinion on the club. Sunday showed, there hasn't been a lot of improvement in that time.
The Celtic Family may view themselves as better than the other lot, but, they too have septs who are not that welcome on big family occasions – while the High Heid Yins along the sixth floor corridor at Hampden, well, they're not going to give themselves bother by tackling the twa cheeks o' the same erse.
I fear, unless there is a major change of mind in high places, Old Firm Embarrassment, like the Poor, will be always with us.
THANKS TO a very-stupid self-inflicted accident – I slipped, fell in the shower and cracked my head – I missed the first half of the Old Firm game and was still a bit woozy in the second. However, I did enjoy it and that Igamande winner was fit to settle any game.
I was a bit more alert when watching Newcastle United v Liverpool. Another very-good game, rightfully won by a Newcastle team who finally got those 70 years of domestic failure off their backs.
In what I now regard as a previous life, back last century, I spent a number of years tramping up and down the UK's motorway network, driving a variety of trucks, vans and cars, even the occasional bus or coach. Often on a Saturday, I would encounter convoys of coaches from Tyneside, transporting the Toon Army to English clubs with nothing like their team's history or trophy haul.
These were the wilderness years for United, before Keegan, Ginola, Shearer and Robson. The sons and grandsons of those fans were the bulk of the Toon Army at Wembley on Sunday and I am delighted for them. They may ONLY have won the League Cup, England's third trophy, but, after all those barren years, a win is a win is a win.
For me, the Toon Army remains the best bunch of fans in this country. Enjoy the party lads and lasses. The Newky Broon and the Fed Ale will be flowing this week.
THE DUNDEE DERBY was somewhat overlooked on Sunday, which was a pity. Congratulations to the Dee, on a much-needed victory. I was pleased for my several Dee fans among my friends.
However, with my big Kilmarnock Bunnet on, I am getting a wee bit worried, since their three points from Sunday hauled Dundee to a mere one point behind us in the race to avoid having to play for our Premier League survival in the end-of-season relegation play-offs.
I am having the horrible thought of a two-legged Ayrshire Derby, at the Theatre of Pies and the remodelled Piggery, with Premier League status as the prize for the winners.
We may have to resurrect the likes of Burns, Hughie Taylor and the McIlvanney Brothers to do justice to that match. But, fear not, if it happens – I will give it my best shot.
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