Thread About Ex Player

[TRVMP]

Scotland would later go on to win the august Kirin Cup in 2006, in large part thanks to a 5-1 thrashing of Bulgaria. We remain undefeated (having not been invited back) in this all-important competition.

[Hej]

Scotland would later go on to win the august Kirin Cup in 2006, in large part thanks to a 5-1 thrashing of Bulgaria. We remain undefeated (having not been invited back) in this all-important competition.

 

We took an absolute banter squad to that tournament as well. David McNamee, Graeme Murty, Graeme Smith, Gavin Rae, Scott Severin, Ian Murray, Iain Turner and Lee Miller among the squad. Halycon days.

[SpoonTon]

We took an absolute banter squad to that tournament as well. David McNamee, Graeme Murty, Graeme Smith, Gavin Rae, Scott Severin, Ian Murray, Iain Turner and Lee Miller among the squad. Halycon days.

Two better right backs than Stephen O'Donnell in that list. That's depressing.

[TRVMP]

We took an absolute banter squad to that tournament as well. David McNamee, Graeme Murty, Graeme Smith, Gavin Rae, Scott Severin, Ian Murray, Iain Turner and Lee Miller among the squad. Halycon days.

 

I'm far too lazy right now to check the Bulgaria squad, but it must have been an absolute hospice ward to concede 5 (five) to 'Scotland C'.

[TRVMP]

http://www.rsssf.com/tablesk/kirin06.html

 

Bulgaria lineup. RSSSF is text-only so I've googled the starting XI. Players with an * were in the Euro 2004 squad. The player with ** would have been there but for injury.

 

*Stoyan Kolev - Lokomotiv Plovdiv - 16 caps (2002-2012)

Stanislav Angelov - Levski Sofia - 39 caps (2006-2011)

Elin Topuzakov - Levski Sofia - 27 caps (2000-2008)

*Rosen Kirilov - Litex Lovech - 51 caps (1998-2006)

Asen Karaslavov - Slavia Sofia - 10 caps (2004-2008)

Lucio Wagner - Levski Sofia - 15 caps (2006-2008)

*Martin Petrov - Atletico Madrid - 90 caps (1999-2011)

Dimitar Telkiyski - Levski Sofia - 22 caps (2004-2009)

Yordan Todorov - CSKA Sofia - 9 caps (2006-2009)

**Svetslav Todorov - Portsmouth - 41 caps (1998-2007)

Valeri Domovchiyski - Levski Sofia - 13 caps (2006-2011)

 

So not exactly an all-star lineup, but far from weak or second-string either. I can't pretend to know much about the domestic-based players at the time, but Martin Petrov is of course very well-known and had a better career than the Scotland lineup, with the exception of Darren Fletcher. S. Todorov would probably rank similar to Boyd, but certainly above the likes of "Gary Teale".

 

Maybe just one of those games.

Edited October 1, 2019 by TRVMP

[edd]

 

http://www.rsssf.com/tablesk/kirin06.html

 

Bulgaria lineup. RSSSF is text-only so I've googled the starting XI. Players with an * were in the Euro 2004 squad. The player with ** would have been there but for injury.

 

*Stoyan Kolev - Lokomotiv Plovdiv - 16 caps (2002-2012)

Stanislav Angelov - Levski Sofia - 39 caps (2006-2011)

Elin Topuzakov - Levski Sofia - 27 caps (2000-2008)

*Rosen Kirilov - Litex Lovech - 51 caps (1998-2006)

Asen Karaslavov - Slavia Sofia - 10 caps (2004-2008)

Lucio Wagner - Levski Sofia - 15 caps (2006-2008)

*Martin Petrov - Atletico Madrid - 90 caps (1999-2011)

Dimitar Telkiyski - Levski Sofia - 22 caps (2004-2009)

Yordan Todorov - CSKA Sofia - 9 caps (2006-2009)

**Svetslav Todorov - Portsmouth - 41 caps (1998-2007)

Valeri Domovchiyski - Levski Sofia - 13 caps (2006-2011)

 

So not exactly an all-star lineup, but far from weak or second-string either. I can't pretend to know much about the domestic-based players at the time, but Martin Petrov is of course very well-known and had a better career than the Scotland lineup, with the exception of Darren Fletcher. S. Todorov would probably rank similar to Boyd, but certainly above the likes of "Gary Teale".

 

Maybe just one of those games.

I remember watching the Scotland v Bulgaria game live. The tournament was set up to favour Japan as the first game was Japan v Bulgaria, then Scotland played Bulgaria 2 days later, then Japan played Scotland 2 days after that. Japan had 4 days rest between their fixtures while Scotland and Bulgaria had 2 days rest between each of their fixtures. Bulgaria had beaten Japan with an injury time winner 2 days before they played Scotland and they were clearly still knackered when they had to play Scotland. Scotland ran rings around them all over the park. It was nice to see Scotland totally outclass another national team but the fairly obvious reason for it was Bulgaria's tiredness rather than Scotland's superior quality of player from what I remember. Scotland's game against Japan 2 days later was a backs-to-the-wall defensive performance to grind out a 0-0 draw and win the cup. Scotland's lack of energy compared to Japan was also obvious but they did what was required, if I remember correctly.

 

A quick check on Wikipedia and the links to the match reports from each game confirms Bulgaria only made 3 changes to their starting line up for the game against Scotland. Scotland then only made 1 change before facing Japan, curiously, but maybe the 5-1 cakewalk took less out of them than Bulgaria's hard fought injury time victory over Japan took out of their players.

[DreamOakTree]

Another pub quiz question about ex players:

 

3 players who started at Morton as wingers - 2 wore No. 7 and 1 wore No. 11, all went on to play and score as No. 9's for Scotland, who were they?

[TRVMP]

Joe Jordan?

[axeman]

Joe Harper and Mark McGhee

[Toby]

John Spencer.

[TRVMP]

John Spencer.

 

He didn't start at Morton, though.

[Toby]

He didn't start at Morton, though.

The wording’s not terribly clear on that one, though. He didn’t start his career at Morton, but started his time at Morton as a number 7.

[TRVMP]

The wording’s not terribly clear on that one, though. He didn’t start his career at Morton, but started his time at Morton as a number 7.

 

Ah yeah, fair enough, I was reading it as starting their entire careers.

[Jamie_M]

Shankland in the Scotland squad and DreamOakTree contributing meaningfully to the forum.

 

What fresh hell is this?

[Ray Von]

Scotland would later go on to win the august Kirin Cup in 2006, in large part thanks to a 5-1 thrashing of Bulgaria. We remain undefeated (having not been invited back) in this all-important competition.

Don’t think it was in August, I’m sure the final was the same day as the Scottish cup final.

[Toby]

Don’t think it was in August, I’m sure the final was the same day as the Scottish cup final.

11th and 13th May 2006, which would’ve been the Hearts v Gretna final. I’ve not checked that date matches, but it does ring a bell.

[TRVMP]

Don’t think it was in August, I’m sure the final was the same day as the Scottish cup final.

 

August the adjective, not the noun.

[Alibi]

That goal was against Raith Rovers not Third Lanark, but your description of it is spot on. He was a great player for us and a really nice man.

 

Really?  For the last 50+ years I've remembered that goal as having been against Third Lanark, in what must have been about their last ever game at Cappielow.  Was an unbelievable piece of skill anyway.

[Alibi]

My condolences to Joe's family.

 

He is one of my all-time favourite players. He wasn't a big guy, but a great footballer. He had great  vision and control of a ball.

IIRC he played in the transition era, when formation switched from 2-3-5 ( believe it you youngsters), to 4-2-4. He was an incredible midfielder, one of the best around.

 

Again, iirc, he came to Morton from Kilmarnock, where Willie Waddell was the manager, at the time. Waddell later became manager of Glasgow Rangers and at the end of Joe's playing career, he took him to Ibrox as a youth coach.

 

RIP Joe. Thanks for the memories.

 

Never heard Joe described as a midfielder before.  He was always a striker, or to be more accurate in those days, a centre forward.  Every bit as good as McGraw in his day.

[Mr Toon]

As I remember it, Bolton was centre half for Raith and the Mason back heel took the ball over Bolton's head before Joe volleyed it in. However whether Raith or Third Lanark a wonderful piece of skill and great to watch.