Anfield 1977

I suspect should we qualify it will be a similar scenario to 1978, at least as far as traveling is concerned. For all those saying already they can't wait it will likely end up a small percentage who make the journey once they research the costs involved and nothing like the numbers who would like to be there. Argentina was the most hyped World Cup ever for Scotland and following qualification everyone seemed to be going yet only around 6-700 made it to South America when it came to the crunch.

I am sure I can't be the only one who finds this feud rather amusing. Please continueNo need to delete anyone here.

You might be getting confused with the Bay Horse? Infact I think there are two of them!

Bobby Chartlon numerous times for club and country. Likewise George Best ....... too many games to mention including his tilme at Easter Road

Two of the three games played at `home.' Four of the six third places sides progress to the second phase - we couldn't even manage one of the worst third placed. One point, one goal and finished bottom of our section. Enough said.

I agree partly with this. Whenever I think of Hendry his actions in the San Marino game are one of the first things which come to mind. It was shocking behaviout but what I remember equally was his arrogance in the Sportscene post match interview with no hint of regret. Even worse followed when Craig Brown refused to condemn his captain and dismissed the vicious thuggery witnessed that evening. This was most unlike Brown as we all know which made it all the more bizarre as Hendry had shamed the Scotland shirt. However, that act aside, Hendry was a good reliable player for us who was never guilty of withdrawing from squads. And he did score twice in the San Marino game!

Agree mate and I have tickets for all three. I will be observing the times given, after all they've given two weeks notice. Anyone who doesn't get admitted due to late arrival has wasted a ticket someone else could have had.

When did we aver accumulate five points at a World Cup then? Here are the totals - 1954 0 points 1958 1 point 1974 4 points 1978 3 points 1982 3 points 1986 1 point 1990 2 points 1998 1 point

The fact is we finished fourth in our qualifying groups for the European Championships of 1980, '84 and 1988 when only the winners qualified. So even if second place allowed qualification our record would have been no better. We consistently disapointed with, for example, only one win in the group for France 84.

Well if I wasn't already I am starting to feel really old now as I attended our six previous games at the Euros - I willl ber happy if I get a ticket for just one of this summers matches. For me the biggest achievement was reaching Sweden by finishing top of a group with Romania, Bulgaria, a good Switzerland side under Roy Hodgson, ond - okay - San Marino. Only the group winners qualified for the finals with the eight competitors split into two groups. This was at a time when it looked as though Scotland would never qualilfy for the Championships and there was a theory that we only peaked every four years which was used to explain the then regular appearances on the World stage. Fot the opener I thought we got what we deserved. Roxburgh played negative football to try and stop the Dutch performing and we deservedly lost to a late goal. My view of this changed slightly when watching the BBC Scotland rerun last year as we were just a little more adventurous than I thought at the time. Frustration for the German match as, knowing we had to get a result, we tried to attack from the start. Why hadn't we done this in the first game was the view of msot fans. Yes the second goal was a freak but the Germans hit wood twice in the game so it would be wrong to say we had no luck. The CIS game was a contest to see who finished last of the eight competitors and this time luck saw McStays long range shot - worthy of a goal - come back from the post and enter the net from the goalkeepers back. There was a feeling ahead of the tournament that if Brian McLair failed to score in the block of four games (we played in Norway en route) then surely Roxburgh would finally drop who many percieved as his blue eyed boy but who had failed to score in any of his previous internationals. I can recall muted cheers when his first half effort took a German style deflection and sailed past the keeper. Pleased that we had establised a two goal lead but despair that we were likely to be stuck with him for the forseeable. Nice to go out with a victory and afte all unlilke the 1970s noone had been under any illusions Scotland had been anything other than there to make up the numbers. Like I said qualification from that group was a major achievement. We rode our luck against the Dutch at Villa Park four years later but as the game entered its latter stages I had a strange sense we were going to hold out as it seemed it was not the Dutches day. Whilst most people had been willing a Switzerland win in the tournaments opener at Wembley I thought the draw was the best result for our hops of progressing. I did however consider it hindered our chance of winning the next game. After all how likely was it England would fail to win their first two consecutive `home' games? All looking good at half time but England looked a better side after the restart. It is often said we would have gone on to win the game if the penatly had gone in but I can't help but think Brown may have tried to play for a 1-1 result with the Swiss game to come. We'll never know for sure. Of course many blamed Seaman for our exit for conceding as England led the Dutch 4-0 whilst McCosits strike defeated the Swiss. A draw would have safely seen both teams through at Wembley that night and one goal from three outings was never going to be enough for Scotland and yet again we fell at the first hurdle. I think history has been rewritten when we look back on those times as a goldne age. Going back to the 1950s we have taken part in ten tournaments and failed to get out of the first round each and every time. We used to speak of the second round as the promised land when realistically it is not a big achievment. Wales have taken part in three tournaments and reached ane semi and one quarter final whilst Northern Ireland and the Republic have sailed into the second phase without fuss whilst we used to talk about this time we CAN make the second round. Our last exit in St Ettiene was just as painful as the others (Don't Come Home Too Soon) and going home `early' was always devastating. I travelled to six tournaments from 1982-98 and never once returned feeling good about the team - always a feeling of `what if....?' Strange to think that Scotland took part in four major tournaments during the 1990s yet for me the best of times were the 1970s when there was genuine belief we could achieve something,

The celebrations will be in 2023, the 150th anniversary of the SFA. For the centenary we played three celebratory games througout 1973 failing to win any of them. England, Brazil and West Germany were the oppostion so you can be sure England will be invited again. Just hope we are not humiliated like the last time.

Here are some midweek additions for 1975-76 season - STV 03 March 1976 STV & Grampian `The Wednesday Special’ 22.40-23.35 Celtic 1 Sachsenring Zwickau 1 (ECWC) 17 March 1976 Scotsport European Special 13.35-15.55 Sachsenring Zwickau 1 Celtic 0 live ECWC BBC SCOTLAND 08 October Sportscene 21.25-22.50 League Cup semi final Rangers 5 Montrose 1 (played at Hampden Park) 22 October BBC1 Sportsnight 21.25-22.45 St Etienne 2 Rangers 0 (European Cup second round, first leg) 5 November 1975 BBC1 `Sportscene’ 21.55-23.00 Rangers 1 St Etienne 2 European Cup second 12 November BBC1 Sportsnight 22.05-23.00 Ayr Utd 2 Celtic 7 (Premier League) 18 February Sportscene 21.25-22.45 Holland 2 Scotland 0 (European Under 23 Championship quarter final, first leg played in Breda) 17 March Sportscene 22.10-23.15 Sachsenring Zwickau 1 Celtic 0 (ECWC Quarter final, second leg 14 April BBC1 Sportsnight 22.10-23.00 includes Hearts 3 Dumbarton 0 (Scottish Cup Semi-Final replay) 26 April Sportscene Extra 23.00-23.45 Celtic 0 Rangers 0 (Monday evening - Premier League)

A famous example from 18th October 1975 in the first Premier League season. Hibs were leading by two goals to nil at Celtic Park when thick fog resulted in the referee abandoning the game with a mere five minutes to play. The replayed match in December finished level at 1-1.

Perhaps most famously Alfie Conn won it with Rangers V Celtic in 1973 and with Celtic V Rangers in '77. Craig Gordon got a winners medal with Hearts in 2006 and Celtic in 2018. Dave MacPherson with Rangers in 1993 against the Dons and as a Jambo five years later against Rangers. Anthoiny Stokes with Celtic V Hibs 2013 and again with Hibs V Rangers 2016. Mark McGhee has five winners medals - three with the Dons in '82, '83 and '84 then in '88 and '89 as a Celtic player but yes there are many others

Most interesting reading and thanks for posting. But don't assume all 14,000 would go to SSC members. This is the entire allocation for the SFA and players and staff entitlement would have to be deducted along with anyone else the SFA feel obliged to supply. However if we were to apply that figure to the possible scenario that every second seat would be occupied then a member would still be fine for a Wembley ticket on seven points.

I would still be a bit concerned. I can't see any way Hampden will have a 52,000 capacity in June. Half - 26K - is more realistic or possibly they may only allow every third seat to be occupied which would be around 17,000. This would either require reallocation of already purchased seats or cancelation of some or all tickets. It would be fair I suppose to give previous purchasers priority in a second sale. There was a woman on Radio Scotland this morning who was delighted she had four seats for the Czech game but she may find two cancelled although its possible if they are from the same household they might still be allowed to sit together. I also hear that down south they are seriously considering allowing entry for league matches this season only to those who can prove they have had the vaccine. I would suspect UEFA would follow a similar line and of course if you are a healthy twenty year old you will be well down the list and the chance of you getting it before June must be low,

Under 21s started in 1976-77 season with two overage players allowed as had been the case in the latter years of the U23s. First competitive game at that level was 0-0 V Czechoslovakia in Pilsen, October '76.

It doesn't really matter as they all count ....... That's Just the Way It Is

Yes there was trouble on a cross channel ferry between West Hamd and - I think - Man U. The ferry ban was still in place for the Belgium match in '87 and I remember travelling as a tourist days in advance of the game to avoid detection.

You're thinking of the game in Brussels on April 1st (no joke) the following year at a time when all overseas fans were refused tickets for games in Belgium as a consequence of Heysel. We received an allocation of stand tickets for the Dublin match, The ban put most off travelling but they did relent and sold tickets to the few hundred who turned up on the night.

In '77 there were literally thousands hunting for tickets all day in the centre of Liverpool let alone near the ground. I bribed my way in hours before the kick off so missed all the trouble outside but even before I went in there were some Scots pinching tickets form fellow fans and the like so wouldn't have liked to have been Welsh trying to get in near the start of the game. '85 was completely different in that regard as there was nothing like the same demand and I even saw some tickets held up for sale outside Ninian Park. Such a gesture would have been suicide eight years earlier.

Glasgow City `played' in Spain last Friday.

Looks like the Trainspotter enjoyed himself -

Agree. Football resumed in Hungary at the weekend with every second row closed and only every fourth seat of the others available. Lots of refunds for Hampden will be forthcoming unless the game is delayed until the New Year. Should they be allowed to admit a certain figure it would still require seats to be reallocated which would be a nightmare for the SFA.

Eh... we drew with Luxembourg in our very next match just a few weeks later. Three points lost to Ireland in the group were costly although we did defeat Belgium at home when - like the Bulgaria game (who we drew at home with) - it was too late.