Scottish Football League XI
The Scottish League XI was a representative side of the
History
Soon after the creation of the
In the early years of organised football, clubs in the Football League were almost exclusively from
The Scottish League team was always at a disadvantage compared to the
The Football League started to express concerns about the viability of the match, particularly because playing it on a Saturday meant that any cancelled league fixtures had to be played instead on midweek afternoons as
Just before the outbreak of the
Post-1945
Attendances for the inter-league matches greatly increased after the war.
The Scottish League XI played opposition from outside the British Isles for the first time in 1955, when a Danish Combination was beaten 4–0 in Copenhagen.[20] The South African player Johnny Hubbard scored one of the goals.[20][21] Perhaps the best result achieved by the Scottish League XI was in November 1961, when an Italian league team containing John Charles and Denis Law was held to a 1–1 draw at Hampden, watched by 67,000 fans.[20][22] A return match was played in Rome a year later.[23] The Scots lost 4–3, but forwards Willie Hamilton and Charlie Cooke made a significant impression.[23][24]
These kind of contests were needed to revive interest in the inter-league matches, but they had come too late.
Despite this new-found professionalism and notable wins against the Football League in 1962[28] and 1966,[29] the inter-league matches were declining in importance.[23] Players who had been selected were often withdrawn if their club team had other commitments.[23] Games against the Irish leagues sometimes resulted in embarrassing mismatches, such as an 11–0 win against a League of Ireland XI in 1962.[23] This affected the level of interest amongst fans, and only 5,000 attended a match against the Irish League XI at Ibrox in 1969.[23][30]
Any remaining credibility of the inter-league matches was finally destroyed by a 5–0 defeat against the Football League at Maine Road in 1974.[31] The Scottish League team only contained a few players who had any realistic hope of playing regularly for the Scotland national team, while the Football League had picked a strong side.[31] Two years later, less than 10,000 fans attended a low-key return match at Hampden and the fixture was put into abeyance.[31] The Scottish League XI played out a creditable 1–1 draw in 1978 against an Italian league team in Verona, as preparation for the 1978 FIFA World Cup.[23][32][33] Games were played against both Irish leagues in 1980,[34][35] but no inter-league matches have been played by the Scottish League since then.
A Scottish League team last played in 1990, to mark the league's centenary, in a match against the Scotland national team.[36][37] The manager of the Scottish League team was Dundee United manager Jim McLean.[36] The Scottish League select won 1–0, with the only goal scored from a penalty kick by Dutch player Hans Gillhaus.[38][37][39]
Players
Managers
- As of 00:25, 13 November 2023 (UTC)
Record by team manager
Against other league selects
Years | Manager | P | W | D | L | %W | %D | %L | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1965 | Jock Stein | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 | [42] |
1966 | Malky MacDonald | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 | [43] |
1966 | John Prentice | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 | [44] |
1967–71 | Bobby Brown | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 28.57 | 14.29 | 57.14 | |
1972 | Tommy Docherty | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | [45] |
1973–76 | Willie Ormond | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 25 | 25 | 50 | [46] |
1978–80 | Jock Stein | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 33.33 | 66.67 | [47] |
Against other opponents
Years | Manager | P | W | D | L | %W | %D | %L | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1978 | Ally McLeod | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | [48] |
1990 | Jim McLean | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 | [49] |
Stadium
Unlike the
Results
The largest margin of victory achieved by a Scottish League XI is 11–0, against the League of Ireland XI in 1962. The record defeat occurred in 1974, a 5–0 deficit against the Football League. Both matches helped to precipitate the end of inter-league matches.[23][31]
Results by opponent
Against other league selects
- As of 00:25, 13 November 2011 (UTC)[54]
Opponent | P | W | D | L | %W | %D | %L |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Denmark League XI | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
The Football League XI[note 2][18] | 75 | 19 | 14 | 42 | 25.33 | 18.67 | 56 |
Highland League XI[55] | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
Irish League XI | 62 | 56 | 1 | 5 | 90.32 | 1.61 | 8.06 |
Serie A XI[note 3] | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.67 | 33.33 |
League of Ireland XI | 22 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 77.27 | 13.64 | 9.09 |
Scottish Alliance XI[56][57] | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
Division Two XI[58]
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
Southern League XI[59]
|
5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 40 | 20 | 40 |
Welsh League XI
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
Totals | 172 | 98 | 21 | 53 | 56.98 | 12.21 | 30.81 |
Against other opponents
Opponent | P | W | D | L | %W | %D | %L |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Scotland (SFA)[60][25][27][37] | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 28.57 | 28.57 | 42.86 |
Celtic FC[11][12][13] | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 66.67 | 0 | 33.33 |
Military XI[61] | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
Sunderland AFC[62][63][64] | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
Leicester City FC[65] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
Cambuslang FC[66] | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
Falkirk FC[67][68] | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
Totals | 15 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 46.67 | 13.33 | 33.33 |
P - Played; W - Won; D - Drawn; L - Lost
Notes
- ^ Pike's Lane was the home ground of Bolton Wanderers until 1895, when the club moved to Burnden Park.
- ^ This total includes two 'Victory Inter-league matches' in early 1919, and one match during World War II in 1941 in which Scotland was officially playing as the Southern Football League (Scotland). Regular league football was suspended in England from 1915 to 1919 and from 1939 to 1946 (Division One in Scotland continued during WWI, but shut down in WWII).
- ^ This total includes a match against Italy B in 1978.
References
- ^ a b c d (Bob Crampsey 1990, p. 245)
- ^ The Football League vs The Scottish League - 1890s, Before The 'D'...Association Football around the world, 1863-1937, 5 April 2014
- ^ a b c d e f (Bob Crampsey 1990, p. 246)
- ^ "Sat 08 Apr 1893 SFL 3 English Football League 4". Londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
- ^ "Sat 29 Apr 1893 Irish League 3 SFL 2". Londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
- ^ a b c d e (Bob Crampsey 1990, p. 247)
- ^ "Mon 24 Oct 1910 Southern League 1 SFL 0". Londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
- ^ Football. Southern League, 1; Scottish League, 0, The Glasgow Herald, 25 October 1910;
Football. Scottish League, 3; Southern League, 2, The Glasgow Herald, 3 October 1911;
Football. Southern League, 1; Scottish League, 0, The Glasgow Herald, 15 October 1912;
Football. Scottish League, 5; Southern League, 0, The Glasgow Herald, 14 October 1913;
Football. Southern League, 1; Scottish League, 1, The Glasgow Herald, 13 October 1914 - ^ a b (Bob Crampsey 1990, p. 55)
- ^ a b c d (Bob Crampsey 1990, p. 249)
- ^ a b Association Football: Belgian Refugees' Fund, The Glasgow Herald, 17 May 1915
- ^ a b 1916-05-20: Scottish League XI 1-0 Celtic XI, Friendly, The Celtic Wiki / Rest of the League, 1; Celtic, 0 Glasgow Herald, 22 May 1916 (via Partick Thistle History Archive)
- ^ a b Football's Exit, The Glasgow Herald, 28 May 1917 / 1917-05-26: Rest of the League 2-1 Celtic, Friendly, The Celtic Wiki
- ^ "Scottish League player Patsy Gallacher". London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
- ^ a b c (Bob Crampsey 1990, p. 250)
- ^ "Sat 17 Feb 1900 SFL 6 Irish League 0". Londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 26 November 2011.
- ^ a b c d (Bob Crampsey 1990, p. 251)
- ^ a b Wins for England and Belgium, The Glasgow Herald, 12 October 1941
- ^ a b c d e (Bob Crampsey 1990, p. 252)
- ^ a b c d e (Bob Crampsey 1990, p. 253)
- ^ Danish Combination v Scottish League, 11 October 1955, 11v11.com
- ^ Scottish And Italian Leagues Draw, The Glasgow Herald, 2 November 1961
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n (Bob Crampsey 1990, p. 254)
- ^ Scottish League Lose Narrowly, The Glasgow Herald, 15 November 1962
- ^ a b The selectors still have problems, The Bulletin, 17 March 1959
- ^ Scottish League v Scottish XI, 1959, David Stuart, The Scotland Epistles Football Magazine, 11 November 2016
- ^ ISBN 9781785312458.
- ^ Football League v Scottish League, 21 March 1962, 11v11.com
- ^ Football League v Scottish League, 16 March 1966, 11v11.com
- ^ "Fri 05 Sep 1969 SFL 5 Irish League 2". Londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
- ^ a b c d (Bob Crampsey 1990, p. 256)
- ^ Italy B 1, Scottish League 1 Glasgow Herald, 27 April 1978 (via Partick Thistle History Archive)
- ^ Italy v Scottish League, 26 April 1978, 11v11.com
- ^ (Bob Crampsey 1990, p. 287)
- ^ Match Report Evening Times, 19 March 1980 (via Partick Thistle History Archive)
- ^ a b Traynor, Jim (18 August 1990). "The Aberdeen connection". The Herald. Herald & Times Group. Retrieved 26 November 2011.
- ^ a b c "From the archives: Centenary match". Scottish Professional Football League. 18 August 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
- ^ "Weekend results". The Herald. Herald & Times Group. 20 August 1990. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
- ^ On this day, back in 1990, a Scottish League XI beat Scotland 1-0 at Hampden Park in the SFL Centenary match with the goal coming from then Aberdeen Football Club star Hans Gillhaus, Scottish Professional Football League via Facebook, 18 August 2016
- ^ a b c "Scotland FL Players by Appearances". Londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
- ^ a b c d "Scotland FL Players by Goals Scored". Londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
- ^ "Big Chance for Wallace". The Scotsman. 8 September 1865. Retrieved 18 May 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- Press and Journal. 14 March 1966. Retrieved 18 May 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "League team more than competent". The Scotsman. 8 September 1966. Retrieved 18 May 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- Birmingham Daily Post. 16 March 1972. Retrieved 18 May 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- Evening Express. 19 March 1974. Retrieved 18 May 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.. The Scotsman. 17 March 1976. Retrieved 18 May 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
"Ormond calls in striker Dickson" - ^ "LEAGUE POOL". Evening Express. 24 October 1978. Retrieved 18 May 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
"TOP TWO IN LEAGUE LINK". Belfast Telegraph. 13 March 1980. Retrieved 30 May 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
"IRISH LEAGUE TO TRIUMPH". Belfast Telegraph. 18 March 1980. Retrieved 30 May 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive. - ^ "BOSS ON". Evening Express. 26 April 1978. Retrieved 2 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- SPFL. 18 August 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
- ^ a b "English Football League". Londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
- ^ "Italian League". Londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
- ^ a b c "Irish League". Londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
- ^ "League of Ireland". Londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
- ^ "Scotland Scores by Team". Londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 26 November 2011.
- Press and Journal. 20 April 1976. Retrieved 20 May 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Re: Matchfacts 1891/92". Scottish Referee. SFQAs. 11 November 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
- ^ "Football. | Scottish League V. Scottish Alliance". The Glasgow Herald. 31 May 1892. Retrieved 2 July 2021 – via London Hearts Supporters Club.
- ^ "FIRST LEAGUE v. SECOND LEAGUE". The Scottish Referee. 14 May 1906. Retrieved 21 May 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ISBN 1-871872-08-1.
- ^ Scottish trial match at Easter Road, Glasgow Herald, 4 February 1958
- ^ Association Football. War Funds Match | The Army XI, 4; Scottish League, 3., The Glasgow Herald, 21 May 1917
- ISBN 1-874427-30-5.
- ^ Football., The Glasgow Herald, 27 April 1894
- ^ 1893-94: Testimonial Match | Scottish League 3 Sunderland 0, The StatCat
- ^ Matches between English and Scottish Clubs, Javier García, RSSSF, 8 July 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2021
- ^ League Lights, The Scottish Referee, 18 May 1891, scan via London Hearts Supporters Club
- ^ Redding Pit Disaster Fund Tournament 1923/24, Falkirk Football Historian, 21 May 2015
- ^ Throwback Thursday: Fundraising - 1923 Style, Falkirk FC, 18 June 2020
- Sources
- ISBN 0-9516433-0-4.