Do you give the Sweaty Socks any chance at Wembley tonight ? I have never seen so many Glaswegians in London today, and for once they are not approaching you and saying "can you spare 10p for ah cup o'tea" Have to say that personally I have little interest in Team England, the Golden Generation, Woys Boys or whatever. When millions of ordinary people are struggling, daily medical bulletins about Rooney's so called stress when he earns £200k a week are a little off putting.
Of course we've got a chance. Not because we're good (we ain't) but because England aren't any great shakes themselves. I used to love this fixture but really I've lost a lot of interest in the Scotland team. The debate in Scotland is whether the decline is cyclical or permanent. One statistic is pretty telling- Scotland are the 2nd fattest nation in the world after America. By the way ybabobmij is my fellow countryman and fellow Kilmarnock and Charlton fan for our sins.
I'm afraid I've lost a lot of interest in the national team too. That's not just because I've now lived in England for 27 years (will always regard myself a missionary) but more the result of a slow and inexorable decline into mediocrity. I'm now at the stage where there are players in the squad that I've genuinely never heard of! Ive done my fair share of standing on the ash Hampden terraces in the rain (at least I think it was rain that made the back of my legs wet although it was warmer than the usual stuff) watching glory stuff - Dalgleish v Spain in 82 - what a goal and charlie nicholas's debut goal v the toblerone munchers. When I was a kid the heroic failure stuff (Germany 74 and Argentina 78) was a source of some considerable pride and not a little respect from elsewhere. Now we are just **** and its really boring. I remember traumatising my father after the famous 5-1 trouncing in the mid 70s by asking for the admiral England kit cos it looked really cool! I'm also too old for the poncing around in kilts and ginger wigs to get pissed routine. I'm perfectly capable of getting pissed without all the cross-dressing! A shame in many ways but that's enough of the weekend recreational stuff. As for tonight, I'd honestly forgotten about it. I'm away from home at work in the midlands for a few days and hoping to play a twilight game of golf at the club next to my office in Solihull tonight. It looks like its going to rain though so the footy may yet beckon but I'm not bothered. PS. Not to labour a point, but scotch is a drink. Scottish is a nationality. PPS. Away an bile her heid and gerritrightfukinupye! FHP to translate but it is a gaelic term of endearment
Yep - awaiting to see if I have a ticket for the Scottish end Lots of Scots around Camden, well behaved and in good spirits.
Funny that. I'm English to the core (despite 20 years in Spain) but the standard has been so awfull lately, and the atitudes of some of the players who seem to regard their perpetual faliures in an England shirt as something praiseworthy, mean while I want to see us win, I can no longer push myself to the pub to watch it. I'd love to see us beat Scotland in the normal run of things, (well, I DO want us to beat Scotland) but it's a friendly and so fairly meaningless, so while I could probably persuade Mrs Shabby to let me out for a few hours, I'd rather sabe it for a game where I really care who wins. PS Killie fans, my Scottish team who's results I generally look out for are St.Mirren. Just liked the name when I was small, and it has stuck through the years.
We have some great club names, Ken. Not a great team, but great club names. In fact in my 50 years as a Scotland fan we've had 2 world class strikers, Denis Law and Kenny Dalglish. In fact I once had the honour of meeting Denis, my childhood hero. A very genuine, modest unassuming man he is too. Heard a good story on the radio from Ian St John Denis Law was in Australia last year where he met the legendary Frank Haffey, who emigrated there as a song-and -dance man after the 9-3 defeat Frank said "Is it safe to come back yet?" "Not yet" said Denis.
Yeah, they've got some great names up there apart from the various Saints, although Queens Park confused me as a lad (growing up with QPR in the old 1st división). Gala Fairydean springs cheerfully to mind, and not much springs to my mind at this time of night. I remember 5 live did a pone in about bizarre football clubs names in the UK and Flight Refuelling in Dorset seemed to be a favourite, but the Scots have a few beauties. 2-2 at the moment, and thanks to this thread I'm actually quite involved in this match now, but if England sneak a winner I don't see me celebrating as once I did (Charlton beating NTranmere away for example.
In my 45 years as an Englishman less three years as a Peruvian Lama farmer. I can honestly say this is the worst England team since the 1978-82 side that even our Board would not buy.
I for one cannot say that I have lost interest in the national team but that may be because I am relatively young and have never witnessed a successful English tournament, however, I can honestly say that this game drew me in and it was a very good game indeed. The fact that for a friendly game the players and ref both allowed a competitive and passionate element to the game built to the atmosphere and I too was delighted for Lambert to score, its about time the England team should feature players outside of the title winning clubs.
Well in TA. I can understand the negative attitudes. But my first England tournament was Euro 96, the magic of which will probably never be shaken off, no matter what disappointment.
Sorry, but last nights game was about as relevant to the next World Cup as Susan Boyle in a bikini is to the Miss World contest
I actually found it quite encouraging that Wee Gordon has got the team trying to play good passing football, better than I've seen for a while. I even think there's hope that Scotland could break into the top60 in the world rankings.
What a night it was!! Only thing that marred it was a bit of a punch up in covent garden after but for as pointless a game it was, it was good fun.
