The Neds Come North

Scotland 1 v England 3

Tuesday 18 November 2014

Twitter @ball_sup

The History

If I'd kept my promises, I wouldn't have been at Celtic Park today. Blowing my own trumpet, I'm a veteran of England games in Glasgow. That's my sixth.

26 May 1984 Scotland 1 v England 1
25 May 1985 Scotland 1 v England 0
23 May 1987 Scotland 0 v England 0
27 May 1989 Scotland 0 v England 2
13 November 1999 Scotland 0 v England 2

For those first games, we felt like pioneers. There were always more England fans in Glasgow than it appeared. But we were naturally heavily outnumbered. I remember saying...

"Once England have got their own section & we're not scattered around Hampden, my job is done. I won't come again"

Liar. Here I am. Can't leave it alone. I'm essentially going to sound all "the old days were better". What I'm really trying to get over is the old days were DIFFERENT.

In some senses, we were so few we weren't a threat. The Unionist side of Glasgow in particular were intrigued by us. I remember an absolutely mental night after the 1987 game in a nightclub with the RSL (Rangers Soccer Ladies).

And. You could never quite be sure what was going to happen next. I left the ground a little early in 1985. I got back to Mt Florida station on my Jacks. There was a horrendous group of football nasties on the platform. How's this going to play out I thought. Quite well. They were Pompey 6:57.

To my warped mind, 1987 was a bit of a turning point. Forgive me. But it just seemed like a football culture clash. Being told how violent Glasgow was. How much the Scots hated us. What they'd done at Wembley, with impunity, for years. It just felt to us. .... right I'm sticking my head in that particular Lion's mouth & giving his balls one hell of a squeeze.

I was never into the violence side of it all. But I was squarely into the drinking & terrace culture side.  The Neds Come North was a Scottish newspaper headline the day after one of the battles. Essentially unease both sides of the imaginary Border meant that the fixture was suspended at the end of the 1980s.

Times have changed now. Although not completely. Scottish TV news still full of "English hooligans thought to be travelling to Glasgow ...." stories. And the not so veiled threat about how hostile Celtic Park can be. Luckily one of the beautiful things about the fixture is that I can hurl dog's abuse at my Scottish cousins. They can do likewise. But neither side can actually understand what the other is saying.

And Glasgow is a great place. Both a Real Ale & Craft Beer scene.

The Politics

I don't mind shouting my mouth off about politics. So let's have a go at the Scottish Independence issue. Not up to me. Determination by the people etc. But. All the chatter about currency, EU Membership, corporations pulling out. Up to you. But, I'd have said go into the polling booth & think of nothing but Nationhood Yes or No.

Glasgow standout bar

Blackfriars on Bell St. Although I had to lie to the Bouncers to let me in before the game. 5 casks. All Scottish breweries. Lots of throughput. Lots of rotation. Great place.

But a well deserved shout to the Clockwork Beer Co. down South Glasgow near Hampden Park. Lovely people. Declan The Brewer gave as good as he got under cross examination. 7 of their own micro-brews & a few guests.

Glasgow standout Beer

Fallen Brewing Platform C on cask at Blackfriars at 6.3%.