The Fat Lad on the left

marmaladebear said:
Never understood why his Forest captain John McGovern never got picked for Scotland. Highly rated by Clough who took him to various clubs he managed.
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McGovern was a Rangers fan albeit without deep roots:
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John Robertson, Davy Cooper, Peter Weir all vying for the left wing position, frightening to look at the lack of talent in Scotland these days.
 
Iron_Curtain said:
I'd never seen wee Bud playing for Rangers and he'd re-established himself as the Scotland No.11 from '77 onward. I went to the first Home International in '78 against NI to finally see him and he was left out for John Robertson that day. Bud came back in after that match and was first choice again up till that Peru game.
Hated the fat lad ever since lol.
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Yeah, I was at the NI game, thought Robertson couldn’t possibly be a player, as he was fat, slow, and couldn’t beat a man. How wrong I was, and my respect for Clough rocketed, seeing a star languishing in the reserves in the 2nd division when no one else could.
 
All the top teams in a England, thereby Europe in those days, had a group of Scots. They were usually the clubs best players too.

Very different days. English people would ask you how Scotland had managed to NOT win the world cup, and I'm not BS'ing. Sadly they never seemed to gel as a team. Dalglish was typical of this despite his cap haul.
 
JamesMcNaught said:
Yeah, I was at the NI game, thought Robertson couldn’t possibly be a player, as he was fat, slow, and couldn’t beat a man. How wrong I was, and my respect for Clough rocketed, seeing a star languishing in the reserves in the 2nd division when no one else could.
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Taylor was the talent spotter apparently (Coughs assistant). Clough was the best there's ever been at getting a performance from a player.

Edit: You could name the national team then. So many great players struggled to get into the squad. Hansen and our own Cooper spring to mind. Should have many more caps.
 
Orange Peel said:
I was there as a young lad. 2 stunning headers by big DJ.
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It all started to go wrong that week, Donnachie, McQueen, don’t remember his goal v NI even though I was at that and the Wales games, but the bullet header into the top corner v Wales was one of the best headed goals I ever saw,
 
JamesMcNaught said:
It all started to go wrong that week, Donnachie, McQueen, don’t remember his goal v NI even though I was at that and the Wales games, but the bullet header into the top corner v Wales was one of the best headed goals I ever saw,
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I remember one as the same as that mate, not sure what one. A rocket header from some distance.
 
HandsomeHead said:
A very good player, but another who never really translated his undoubted ability onto the international stage.

Think of the players we had around then - Robertson, Dalglish, Archibald, Strachan, Wark, Brazil, Hansen, and dare I say TMB himself - guys who were spearheading their clubs to European trophies, but who all too often failed to do it for Scotland.
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TMB?
 
TommyMcLean7 said:
Brilliant player. We produced so many world class players in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. Regularly playing in European finals and stars in the English top flight. WTF has happened to Scottish football.
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The cabal filled there pockets with all the money and let everything go to shit
 
marmaladebear said:
Never understood why his Forest captain John McGovern never got picked for Scotland. Highly rated by Clough who took him to various clubs he managed. One of my mates tells a story about being at the Forest ground and bumping into Kenny Burns. Whilst speaking a young Roy Keane walked by and Burns said, "Don't speak to him he's a ***". Priceless.
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Im sure there was a story about Ally MacLeod not actually knowing the McGovern was Scottish.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.da...gham-forest-legend-john-mcgovern-11378775.amp
 
To put it in perspective, I had one eye on the Scotland game last night and Crocker said that only 5 Scots' have won the EPL: Robertson, McClair, Fletcher, Hendry and Darren Ferguson.

Title winning sides from Forest, Liverpool, Leeds and Villa all had about 4 Scots' each.
 
JamesMcNaught said:
You’re right. Shit. First half and Donachie knocked it in at that end in the second half
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My brain is fried mate. I didn't even remember it was the same game. The Donachie one was evening I'm sure but the game I had it in my mind he headed the rocket from distance was a Saturday afternoon I thought.
I was at both games he scored, i know that.
Too long ago mate.
 
I believe in miracles, book and documentary are both well worth some of your time. Also ‘provided you don’t kiss me’
 
Singapore Sling said:
From the era when football ability counted way more than fitness.
And if he played for 4 years without missing a game, he must have actually been quite fit.
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His main weapon was he was two footed which meant could go past a man either side. Think he was a natural right but he never checked back. He crosses with his left were belter.
 
georgeclooney said:
I asked DJ about this and he said that Joe Jordan was McLeods number 1 striker and was picked when he was fit.
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It's understandable that Jordan would be first choice, he had a great record for Scotland and was very dependable but Johnstone was in great form but got zero minutes either against England or in Argentina.
 
Steve Snedden said:
To put it in perspective, I had one eye on the Scotland game last night and Crocker said that only 5 Scots' have won the EPL: Robertson, McClair, Fletcher, Hendry and Darren Ferguson.

Title winning sides from Forest, Liverpool, Leeds and Villa all had about 4 Scots' each.
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Leeds had Bremner, Lorimer, Jordan, McQueen, E. Gray, F. Gray and goalkeepers Harvey and Stewart although not sure if they all played in the league winning side in the league winning side.
 
Steve Snedden said:
To put it in perspective, I had one eye on the Scotland game last night and Crocker said that only 5 Scots' have won the EPL: Robertson, McClair, Fletcher, Hendry and Darren Ferguson.

Title winning sides from Forest, Liverpool, Leeds and Villa all had about 4 Scots' each.
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No doubt we had better players then but you can’t really compare, the English league back then was almost exclusively players from the British isles so naturally it would be full of Scots. With the money now they can afford the best players globally so it’s natural that we have declined
 
marmaladebear said:
Never understood why his Forest captain John McGovern never got picked for Scotland. Highly rated by Clough who took him to various clubs he managed. One of my mates tells a story about being at the Forest ground and bumping into Kenny Burns. Whilst speaking a young Roy Keane walked by and Burns said, "Don't speak to him he's a ***". Priceless.
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You sure about Keane as Burns was well away from Forest before Keane was near the place
 
Cooperfan said:
All the top teams in a England, thereby Europe in those days, had a group of Scots. They were usually the clubs best players too.

Very different days. English people would ask you how Scotland had managed to NOT win the world cup, and I'm not BS'ing. Sadly they never seemed to gel as a team. Dalglish was typical of this despite his cap haul.
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You're quite right. I have been asked by a couple of English guys down here why, given the players available, the national team didn't do better (remember they never even qualified for the Euros until 1992). I couldn't really explain why all these really good players couldn't gel as a team. So, I just said,"we are better at individual sports like snooker, bowls, darts, golf etc" not really an answer but it was the best I could come up with :confused:
 
Johansen said:
You sure about Keane as Burns was well away from Forest before Keane was near the place
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I'm sure the story was that Burns and Lloyd and some others were back at Forest for some corporate do / gathering after they had left the club. There were some "current" players of the time in and around also. As said in another reply, I wasn't there.
 
When I was younger I just had Robertson down as some sort of Jobber. Mainly because I was watching the likes of McCoist and Hateley. But I genuinely think Robertson would make it into any side in Scotland (ours included) these days. One of many players you don't fully appreciate at the time.
 
Looked up to see if Robert Prytz played in the 79 ECF. He did. On the other side our old keeper Chris Woods was a sub, playing was Trevor Francis who scored the winner. Three players who went on to play for us.
 
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Amadaeus said:
Looked up to see if Robert Prytz played in the 79 ECF. He did. On the other side our old keeper Chris Woods was a sub, playing was Trevor Francis who scored the winner. Three players who went on to play for us.
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Prytz who went from ECF's, Serie A, Internationals, Rangers, to turning out at Newlandsfield for Pollok. That's what you call a love of the game. :)
 
JW1988 said:
When I was younger I just had Robertson down as some sort of Jobber. Mainly because I was watching the likes of McCoist and Hateley. But I genuinely think Robertson would make it into any side in Scotland (ours included) these days. One of many players you don't fully appreciate at the time.
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Robertson had long retired when Hateley and McCoist were doing the business together for Rangers.
 
Steve Snedden said:
To put it in perspective, I had one eye on the Scotland game last night and Crocker said that only 5 Scots' have won the EPL: Robertson, McClair, Fletcher, Hendry and Darren Ferguson.

Title winning sides from Forest, Liverpool, Leeds and Villa all had about 4 Scots' each.
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No Kevin Gallagher?
 
Noddy said:
Robertson had long retired when Hateley and McCoist were doing the business together for Rangers.
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Wrong John Robertson, my bad ...
I’m meaning Hearts legend Robertson

will teach me to read articles first
 
Noddy said:
230 league goals in some awful Hearts teams wasn't bad for a jobber. :))
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Exactly my point! Back then as an ill informed pre-teen he was some shite jobber. Now as some ill informed 30 something I appreciate he was actually damn good!
 
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