On this day in 1977: Crossbar broken and turf as souvenirs as Wembley belongs to the Tartan Army

14 at my first Wembley with my suld man and his mates.
In Esso Hotel after game.
Party Central in the corridors. All rooms open and bevvy flowing.
Guys walks down with penalty spot. No I don't know which one.
I ask for a bit and I'm told to fcuck off.
Try to explain to my auld man and one of his mates crazy one goes after the guy.
2 mins later I have a piece of turf.
It died a year later as I kept it in our verandah as we stayed in high flats.
Would never go to see Scotland now which is a shame as they were great days
 
Willie Johnston was still a flying machine, remember him flattening a photographer before the second goal?
 
Was a youngster watching on TV. In those days live football was very rare. Wembley was a magical theatre for a young football fan and i'd eventually get there around a decade later.
Coverage began around an hour before the game and the cameras kept going round the ground which seemed to be about 70% Scotland supporters.
I think it was a year earlier i was taken to my first Home International at Hampden and watching Scotland win at Wembley was something to behold.
Incredible to think Scotland beat England in 74, 76 and 77, three years out of four.
In those days the pubs closed at 2.30 and our house seemed to be host to uncles and various others who piled out, what an atmosphere it was.
Football in those days as a kid took its magical grip on me.
 
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dh1963 said:
Willie Johnston was still a flying machine, remember him flattening a photographer before the second goal?
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Just remembered that Asa Hartford took out three England players with a superb pass to Johnston, leading to the second goal. Brilliant.
 
Was there with my old man. Loved the old Wembley proper football stadium. Got the train home straight after the game and was home to see the highlights in my grandpa's house. Was a brilliant few days stayed in Blackpool on the Thursday then down to London Friday afternoon. Remember the punk scene was big in London then. Converted this young fellow till this day the clash and the pistols still frequent my Bluetooth.
 
I was there. Joined the Wembley Club at the local Rangers club 18 months
before. Paid in a few quid each week for the trip. Fantastic weekend.
Was shocked at paying 50p for a pint in London. :eek: It was the Queens
Silver Jubilee so Union Flags everywhere. Manage to acquire one from
outside a hotel.
 
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Was there hate the tranny army now but what an experience, I tell my kids about some of my journeys now and They think I’m making it up, from the journey to sneaking in to Wembley 2 hours before it and getting a pint that was far to dear, to going back out to get a bottle of wine at the nearest off sales and doubling up again, seeing that old bastard rod on the field getting his watch robbed, happy days and my ma saying what’s that when I slapped a bit of turf on the top of the fridge
 
Was there with ma old man on Rangers bus Fae Cumbernauld just turned 17 at the time what a weekend would never cross the road to see them now it's that Tartan Army that a hate
 
Was a bit young to go in 77,but made the trip in 81(I think) when John Robertson scored a penalty. Great times but Sadly, i wouldn't open my curtains to watch Scotland if they were playing out the back now
 
I was their and brought home some turf that ended up in a plantpot in my mothers kitchen. It was incredible and the Scotland support would have been easily 70% bears.
 
The famous photo of the lad sat on the crossbar turned out to be a friend of mine many years later, but never mentioned it despite him being full of great stories and great company. It was only when he passed away that I seen the photo and was told it was him. He was a right good bear as well.
 
I was only about 13 but remember it like it was yesterday.. Travelled down the night before with another 5 members of my family, without tickets, but somehow we all got in.
Plus remembering it looked like there was about 100k Scots in the stadium.
An amazing experience and a famous win.
 
TQ3 said:
The famous photo of the lad sat on the crossbar turned out to be a friend of mine many years later, but never mentioned it despite him being full of great stories and great company. It was only when he passed away that I seen the photo and was told it was him. He was a right good bear as well.
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There’s a mentally challenged who lives over here in Jersey that claims he’s the guy who’s sitting on the crossbar,probably one of many who claim it was them.
 
I can only imagine countless battleships would have been sunk with the amount of boozing involved...
 
I remember watching it in the house with my brother and old man and the delirium when Scotland scored and at the final whistle and going outside to the front garden and waving a lion rampant and seeing loads of other kids in the street coming out.their were two English brothers in our primary school and their poor lives were a misery on the Monday.
 
J Spaceman said:
I was, unfortunately, just too young at the time but watching the archives of this always makes me smile.

Different times of course, but there must be some great, mental stories of the Wembley weekend. Does anyone still have a slab of turf in the garden? :D

www.scotsman.com

Crossbar broken and turf as souvenirs: Wembley belongs to the Tartan Army on this day in 1977

Scotland beat England 2-1 to retain British Championship title
www.scotsman.com www.scotsman.com
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I remember that day well. In the years that followed the entire country claimed to have a piece of Wembley turf in their garden.

It’s strange how it’s celebrated now because that weekend was utter mayhem. Let’s just say our fellow countrymen didn’t cover themselves in glory that trip. That game was one of the incidents that marked hooligan culture starting to get out of hand IIRC

I much preferred the 67 win to be honest
 
I was in the Albion Motors social club in Scotstoun on the Sunday night when some of the supporters got back, they came in with big clods of turf which was dully bagged and kept for them out the way until the night finished. :))
 
Carsons36th said:
Was a bit young to go in 77,but made the trip in 81(I think) when John Robertson scored a penalty. Great times but Sadly, i wouldn't open my curtains to watch Scotland if they were playing out the back now
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My only Wembley, but it was magic stayed an extra day to go and see Status Quo. I'd never saw what others did in Stevie Archibald but he was fantastic that day
 
J Spaceman said:
I was, unfortunately, just too young at the time but watching the archives of this always makes me smile.

Different times of course, but there must be some great, mental stories of the Wembley weekend. Does anyone still have a slab of turf in the garden? :D

www.scotsman.com

Crossbar broken and turf as souvenirs: Wembley belongs to the Tartan Army on this day in 1977

Scotland beat England 2-1 to retain British Championship title
www.scotsman.com www.scotsman.com
Click to expand...
I was trying to get onto the pitch and a cop kept pushing me back, I asked him to look behind him as the park was full of our fans, he did, then he finally let me and a couple of mates on, I was just behind the goals when the crossbar broke, I ran down past the halfway line, I tried to get back up the park as the police were all linking arms, I got through them just as a police women linked arms,she was right in the middle of the link, the only female in the lne
I also had a bit of turf as our bus was full of it, Im sure a lot of guys who were on our bus may still have some, I planted it underneath our front window. One day I came home from work and my granny was weeding our garden and dug up the turf and threw it in the bin along with the other turf and weeds, I'm sure someone on the bus had a corner flag, It was our supporters club (Carson's) who ran the bus
The photos in the Sunday Mail was the police women linking arms and the crossbar breaking, I wasn't in any of them ,but one of my mates was behind the crossbar and was in the photo , What happened in our hotel was another story.
 
TQ3 said:
The famous photo of the lad sat on the crossbar turned out to be a friend of mine many years later, but never mentioned it despite him being full of great stories and great company. It was only when he passed away that I seen the photo and was told it was him. He was a right good bear as well.
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TQ3 said:
The famous photo of the lad sat on the crossbar turned out to be a friend of mine many years later, but never mentioned it despite him being full of great stories and great company. It was only when he passed away that I seen the photo and was told it was him. He was a right good bear as well.
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DB originally from Barmulloch?
Lets see if we are on the same page because your right so far.
 
Went into Glasgow for a Friday night at the dancing. After first couple of jars was walking to next watering hole near central station and saw the fans heading to central station for the specials. Madness followed and off we went for a fiver return if I recall with a cargo and good gear on as well. Arrived 6.30 am in London. Got a ticket at Wembley for £20 which was a lot in those days but worth it just to have been there. Scotland were a top team then. Sadly I really couldn’t care less now
 
I was there and on pitch managed to get to the centre spot and got 3 bits of turf, got home on the Sunday night first think my mum said, I hope you weren’t on that pitch lol. Can remember the headline in the paper next day. Jock the ripper ffs brilliant
 
I was there, can't remember much except that it was much better than the previous visit when Kennedy let in five, although there were a few screamers in there. Paid 50p a week for two years to afford it in those days.
 
Masterblue said:
DB originally from Barmulloch?
Lets see if we are on the same page because your right so far.
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The guy on the bar as it snapped was called Alec Torrance. As the poster said he was a massive Bear and went on to work for Rangers in hospitality. He was manager of the Argyle house restaurant at one point.

Nice wee guy sadly no longer with us.
 
tottie beck said:
I remember that day well. In the years that followed the entire country claimed to have a piece of Wembley turf in their garden.

It’s strange how it’s celebrated now because that weekend was utter mayhem. Let’s just say our fellow countrymen didn’t cover themselves in glory that trip. That game was one of the incidents that marked hooligan culture starting to get out of hand IIRC

I much preferred the 67 win to be honest
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Remember , 90% of the Scots fans back then were Rangers fans.
The hooligan culture got out of control long before that, in the early 70’s when the Man Utd fans almost dismantled a stand at Norwich.
And my uncle had a piece of Wembley turf from 1967, when the fans also ran onto the pitch, albeit in lesser numbers.
Every Wembley weekend was mayhem booze wise.
 
Hap Hapablap said:
The guy on the bar as it snapped was called Alec Torrance. As the poster said he was a massive Bear and went on to work for Rangers in hospitality. He was manager of the Argyle house restaurant at one point.

Nice wee guy sadly no longer with us.
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I remember the story in the papers about Alex at Wembley, he was in my class at Fairfield Primary.
 
We were in London a couple of year later and did the Wembley Tour. You got to go to the Royal Box and walk up the tunnel from the dressing rooms while loudspeakers played a crowd roaring. It was quite an experience.

They had the new goalposts fixed to the wall, and the guide told us all that they had to get metal ones since the Scots had wrecked the wooden ones.

My dad immediately piped up, "What was the score that day?"

That shut the guide up.
 
Hap Hapablap said:
The guy on the bar as it snapped was called Alec Torrance. As the poster said he was a massive Bear and went on to work for Rangers in hospitality. He was manager of the Argyle house restaurant at one point.

Nice wee guy sadly no longer with us.
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I worked with Nessie, (his wife.) and Alec would come in with Rangers chocolate mints for me every shift he knew I was on. You are absolutely correct, he was a waiter at Argyle House, iirc then got promoted. He was great company, God rest his soul.
 
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TQ3 said:
I worked with Nessie, (his wife.) and Alec would come in with Rangers chocolate mints for me every shift he knew I was on. You are absolutely correct, he was a waiter at Argyle House, iirc then got promoted. He was great company, God test his soul.
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Aye, cracking wee guy. Can still see him in his Rangers tartan waistcoat, took great pride in his job.
 
JerseyLoyalist said:
I remember the Queens horse Dunfermline won the Oaks on the same day,they flashed it up on the screens behind the goals.
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I lived in Corby at the time and we got a tip for Dunfermline in the Oaks. Piled on it at Welland Vale bookies and it won although had deductions because a horse was withdrawn just before the race. What a night I had in The Corinthian that night. That was when The Corinthian was a decent pub before certain individuals took over. Just to add I ended up at Shafts drinking Pernod and lemonade and ended up wi some slapper.
 
That was the real Scotland support and football team , today's so called 'Tartan Army' are nothing more than an embarrassment , as are the team they watch and the association they represent. Over run with republican , nationalist , racist bawbags !
Wee Nippy & that c*nt Blackford must be so proud.
:mad:
Rule Brittania !
 
I was there and was on the pitch which I put down to the fact I was 16 at the time. Got my piece of turf which was planted in the back garden but have long since moved. Four of us travelled down by car through the Friday night/Saturday morning after watching the Wales v Northern Ireland game. Parked not too far away from Wembley and drove home after the game. A few months later and it was off to Anfield for the World Cup play off game against Wales. Wouldn't go to watch them now if you paid me to.
 
BobbyRussellShimmy said:
I was there and was on the pitch which I put down to the fact I was 16 at the time. Got my piece of turf which was planted in the back garden but have long since moved. Four of us travelled down by car through the Friday night/Saturday morning after watching the Wales v Northern Ireland game. Parked not too far away from Wembley and drove home after the game. A few months later and it was off to Anfield for the World Cup play off game against Wales. Wouldn't go to watch them now if you paid me to.
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There’s a lot the same mate including me. Been to 2 world cups, should have been 3, travelled all over Europe for the qualifiers, but the political hijacking of the team, the flag, the anti Rangers hatred has turned me against it.
I used come on here and defend following Scotland with a no surrender attitude and advocate that we reclaim the national team, but I now believe things are too far gone. I would never slag any Rangers fan that followed Scotland. Each to their own. The bassas have just ground me down.
 
I remember trip was 17 and with me Dad.Overnight special down to London. Guys arriving with cases of beer and bottles of whisky. Toilets overflowing before train got to England. Stopping at Newcastle and a bampot lifting his kilt to woman copper and being lifted. Arriving in London knackered. We walked down Downing Street before we ended up in Piccadilly. Crowds on underground. Scots support full of bears, remember one guy topless with a King Billy on his horse tattoo. Atmosphere brilliant and celebrations when we won. Train back everyone knackered. One of my cousins had a bit of Wembley turf which he still claims is alive and well after he planted it on his return.
Scotland support was full of Bears, on whole poets in those days didn’t go to Scotland games. In those days it was our country!
 
bearspakora said:
A pitch invasion and smashed crossbars celebrated by the Scottish media. ? They were condemning a pitch invasion in Barcelona just 5 years earlier.
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I was at both matches and on the pitch at the end.The big difference was the attitude of the police,we all know what happened in Barcelona.At Wembley the police just let the fans get on with it,in fact a cop helped me off the terracing on to the pitch.
Pitch invasions were not uncommon back then and were tolerated within reason.Unfortunately the Spanish cops saw this as a challenge to their authority and reacted badly,that's what made the story.
 
Aspley1 Ger said:
I remember trip was 17 and with me Dad.Overnight special down to London. Guys arriving with cases of beer and bottles of whisky. Toilets overflowing before train got to England. Stopping at Newcastle and a bampot lifting his kilt to woman copper and being lifted. Arriving in London knackered. We walked down Downing Street before we ended up in Piccadilly. Crowds on underground. Scots support full of bears, remember one guy topless with a King Billy on his horse tattoo. Atmosphere brilliant and celebrations when we won. Train back everyone knackered. One of my cousins had a bit of Wembley turf which he still claims is alive and well after he planted it on his return.
Scotland support was full of Bears, on whole poets in those days didn’t go to Scotland games. In those days it was our country!
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Snap we went with the Toonheid and Springburn RSC, my first Wembley, to think then you could walk up Downing St!. The game we did take the mince out of the World Cup Champion's, and although the Support was in the minority, the noise was as of a Home Game, with Baxter and McCaliog taking the proverbial Urine out of Ball and Co.
 
TQ3 said:
I worked with Nessie, (his wife.) and Alec would come in with Rangers chocolate mints for me every shift he knew I was on. You are absolutely correct, he was a waiter at Argyle House, iirc then got promoted. He was great company, God rest his soul.
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he ended up working in the stadium bar.also remember Rod Stewart sent a wreath to his funeral
 
My cousin brought back a lump of turf from Wembley that was split up between the various cousins. My old man planted the lump in his back garden which is still there to this day. I was taken by my dad two years later to watch Scotland get pumped. The vast majority of the fans then were Rangers fans. Fast forward to now and I couldn’t care less for the Nat fest or that utter dog shite group of so called footballers that purport to be Scotland.
 
Hap Hapablap said:
The guy on the bar as it snapped was called Alec Torrance. As the poster said he was a massive Bear and went on to work for Rangers in hospitality. He was manager of the Argyle house restaurant at one point.

Nice wee guy sadly no longer with us.
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Well I can assure you there was a guy called Snod from Barmulloch who is no longer with us as well,again a massive bear.
He was on that bar when it gave way he was great mates with my brother they used to go on the supporters bus from the Broomfield Tavern in Barmulloch when I was a nipper.
So there we have it its all the stuff of legend and id dare say theres a few out there who have this claim too fame.
Magical times then but wtf happened to us and Scotland!
 
Masterblue said:
Well I can assure you there was a guy called Snod from Barmulloch who is no longer with us as well,again a massive bear.
He was on that bar when it gave way he was great mates with my brother they used to go on the supporters bus from the Broomfield Tavern in Barmulloch when I was a nipper.
So there we have it its all the stuff of legend and id dare say theres a few out there who have this claim too fame.
Magical times then but wtf happened to us and Scotland!
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Mate there was a few bodies on the bar when it snapped, but the guy I mentioned, Alec Torrance was the man in the middle arms aloft, basically the most prominent and noticeable on it.

Google is your friend, he has featured in newspaper articles regarding it.

I don't doubt you for a second the bold 'Snod' was up there too.
 
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