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Your first Scotland match


mrniaboc

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What was your first experience of watching Scotland in the flesh? I imagine this has been done before, but I thought it would be fun to hear people's stories.

Mine was August 16th 1995 Scotland v Greece at Hampden. My first time at a football match, and as a kid walking up the stairs, seeing the floodlit stadium for the first time, full of tens of thousands of supporters making a huge noise, I was blown away. 0-0 after 70 mins, my boyhood hero Super Ally is subbed on and within a minute he's got the ball in the back of the net. We're on our way to Euro96 and I'm TA for life. Perfect start. I wonder if anyone had an absolutely terrible experience for their first match instead, and does that affect your likelihood to keep following the team?

 

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My first ever away game for Scotland was at Ninian Park, Cardiff September 1985. We had just secured a draw with Wales which meant we qualified for the 1986 World Cup. I was 18 years old. My memories were lots of trouble between supporters in the stadium, this was the era of the football casuals, leaving the stadium elated then arriving back at Glasgow Central with the news billboards announcing the death of Jock Stein. I had no idea what happened. So happiness with the result turned to shock at the death of Stein.

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11 minutes ago, Lairdyfaeinverclyde said:

My first ever away game for Scotland was at Ninian Park, Cardiff September 1985. We had just secured a draw with Wales which meant we qualified for the 1986 World Cup. I was 18 years old. My memories were lots of trouble between supporters in the stadium, this was the era of the football casuals, leaving the stadium elated then arriving back at Glasgow Central with the news billboards announcing the death of Jock Stein. I had no idea what happened. So happiness with the result turned to shock at the death of Stein.

That must have been such a blow, and a come down from the high of qualifying for the World Cup! So sad. Thanks for sharing. 

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The France friendly in March 2000. We lost 2-0. Was 14 so a fairly late starter compared to others. Bought the tickets from Celtic park ticket office, no idea why they were being sold there tbh.

France were world champions, and went on to win the Euros. Think the scorers were Henry and Wiltord but I could have just made that up tbh. 

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7 minutes ago, Scotland Ever More said:

The France friendly in March 2000. We lost 2-0. Was 14 so a fairly late starter compared to others. Bought the tickets from Celtic park ticket office, no idea why they were being sold there tbh.

France were world champions, and went on to win the Euros. Think the scorers were Henry and Wiltord but I could have just made that up tbh. 

That was the one where they paraded the world cup round the perimeter track before the game was it not?   I sent my wee lads down to the front to get a look.   I remember thinking it was as close as they were ever going to get to it 😪

I could have sworn it was more than 0-2, but you're right.   It felt like they had more to me.   Must have missed some chances.

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14 minutes ago, Scotland Ever More said:

The France friendly in March 2000. We lost 2-0. Was 14 so a fairly late starter compared to others. Bought the tickets from Celtic park ticket office, no idea why they were being sold there tbh.

France were world champions, and went on to win the Euros. Think the scorers were Henry and Wiltord but I could have just made that up tbh. 

Was this the game where that prick Trezeguet was giving it big licks to Caldwell at the end?

Caldwell got his revenge not long after. 

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1 minute ago, Burj_Alba said:

Showing my age here but as an 8 year old went Scotland 8 ( eight ) Cyprus 0 in 1969, thought this was going to be the case every time.Colin Stein got four  and I remember Billy McNeil opening the scoring with a header. eventually lost out to Germany in qualifying campaign.

That must have been amazing! 

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6 minutes ago, mrniaboc said:

That must have been amazing! 

Got me hooked for life. Was in the old "Celtic end"  as my father decided that the bus service was better at that end of the ground ( Aitkenhead Road ) but most of the goals at "Rangers end"( Mount Florida end ) . Next match 0-0 against England in 1970. Bit down to earth.

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Scotland 1-1 Norway, the night we qualified for Italia 90. Had been in the Victoria infirmary getting my tonsils out and my old man sneaked me to the game as soon as I got out without telling anyone. Picked up a throat infection which got me another two weeks off school as well!

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Scotland v Latvia at Celtic Park in 1997. Kevin Gallagher and Gordon Durie both scored in a 2-0 win that secured our place at France 98.

I’m sure we were waiting on a result involving the Faroese not to lose by x-number of goals to go through as best placed second team

Its all been doon hill ever since

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First home match. Northern Ireland in the home internationals 1-1. Just checked the stats and there was a crowd of 78, 444 and the goal scorers were John Wark and Billy Hamilton. Remember telling my dad i was going to my pals house and went to the game. Got captured when we ran out of money to get home and reversed a charge to call my pals mum to ask her to come and pick is up, she stuck me in to my old man.

 

1981 just noticed it was a world cup qualifier.

J

Edited by Lairdyfaeinverclyde
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3 minutes ago, Lairdyfaeinverclyde said:

First home match. Northern Ireland in the home internationals 1-1. Just checked the stats and there was a crowd of 78, 444 and the goal scorers were John Wark and Billy Hamilton. Remember telling my dad i was going to my pals house and went to the game. Got captured when we ran out of money to get home and reversed a charge to call my pals mum to ask her to come and pick is up, she stuck me in to my old man.

 

1981 just noticed it was a world cup qualifier.

J

Oh, for the younger readers a reverse the charges call is when you were able to call the phone operator and ask them to put you through to a number and that number would be liable for payment.

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