What’s in a song?

 An abiding memory of Scotland games in the 60s and 70s were the songs ‘We’ll support you evermore, we’ll support you evermore’ always to be sung after an England goal followed by ‘All we are saying is give us a goal’ a desperate plea indeed.

Flower of Scotland for me personally does not carry a resonance and is for many best sung at Murrayfield. Many find this comical as the Edinburgh stadium is a hotbed of Unionism, nothing wrong with that however Princess Anne joining in with great gusto is perhaps signifying its sporting importance out with and separate to politics. Many years ago at a Northern Ireland friendly the friendly banter with their followers was interrupted with their disparaging comments on our ‘national anthem’.

Step forward a new hero, in the footsteps of Denis Law and Robert the Bruce in reclaiming our independent place in World fitba. 

We’ve got McGinn, super John Mcginn, I just don’t think you’ll understand, he’s Stevie Nicol’s  man, he’s better than Zidane, we’ve got super John Mcginn. My first hearing was an extremely drunk Hibs fan falling over outside Hampden in 2016, the song is now a favourite in the marvellous Holt End.

Hampden last Saturday saw the Hampden Roar return, the song echoed around the stadium and we indeed did understand. We may Yes sir I can boogie however this requires background music. Super John Mcginn  just is super indeed and is indeed a wonderful wonderful football song. 

Prague, we made the Czechs great

 Johnny Madden ( 1865- 1948 ) a former shipyard riveter, a Scot, a Celtic player dressed as a Rangers player who played and managed Slavia Prague. A career with Dumbarton Albion, Dumbarton Hibs, Dumbarton, Gainsborough Trinity, Grimsby Town, and Celtic.

He toured Hungary with Celtic perhaps getting a taste of life in Eastern Europe. He took over the manager’s post in Prague 15 February 1905. The Rangers link, his best friend was a Rangers player who helped him get the job. He  took the passing game of Scotland to Czechoslovakia,  winning the league title in 1925, 1929 and 1930.

The main stand of Slavia Prague’s Sinobo Stadium is named in his honour.

Scotland played in Prague 1999. The Czechs contacted West of Scotland Tartan Army’s 

( world famous Chairman , the wonderful  ) Tommy Madden. He was, he thought no relation to Johnny Madden, they however invited him and the Scots fans to a graveside memorial in Johnny’s honour. Tommy immediately spotted the slight flaw in the idea. A ceremony match day timing of 9.00 am would perhaps limit attendance. Perhaps some of our members would attend heading home from a night of cultural imbibing to their respective hotels. 

The Czechs had the full works, a ceremony plus speeches plus a full spread. The board of Slavia Prague, city representatives. 

Tommy represented his nation wearing a kilt, provided a speech and perhaps Tales of The Tartan Army. Later he recounted how he was the only Scot in attendance. 

Later that evening leading 2-0 against the European Champions with a scratch side the Czechs brought on 6’6 Jan Koller. Need I continue? We lost 3-2, perhaps a wheel-chaired Johnny Madden would have instructed us to boot the ball out of the park, 3 times. Stuart Armstrong please note.

Fast forward 10 years and in Slavia Prague’s stadium Levein played his infamous 4-6-0.

It may be that Craig should have chosen a career in riveting rather than fitba management.