Ross Kilvington recalls the brilliance of the Netherlands in 1974, one of the greatest teams never to win the World Cup… Sometimes in sport, history tends to remind us that we think of the runners-up in a more vivid sense than the eventual winners. Think back to Greg Norman at the Masters in 1996 blowing a 6-shot advantage. Or Jimmy White finishing runner-up in six World Snooker Championship finals. And who can forget the Magical Magyars, one of the very best teams in the history of football, t

Yet in terms of the FIFA World Cup, the national football team did not truly become part of our identity until the 1970s. Scotland qualified for the 1954 and 1958 tournaments in Switzerland and Sweden respectively, but poor performances (one draw, four defeats), coupled with the fact that the competition was not as widely revered as it is now, limited the exposure for the team and thereby its popularity back in Scotland. In fact, in some newspapers such as the Dundee Courier and Aberdeen Evening

The qualification rounds of the champion’s league always tend to throw up one or two interesting ties every season. Whether it is two former heavyweights who are slugging it back up to the top, or two exciting teams who are on everyone’s lips. It was certainly no different in 1999, in which Rangers faced off against Parma in the 3rd qualifying stage for a place in the lucrative group stage. This was to be a tussle between two sides that had been well-known for their success throughout the decade

In 1992 football changed forever - for better or for worse is the question that seems to keep popping up every now and again. Regardless of people’s opinions on this, there is no doubting that the numerous changes in the professional game made a serious lasting impression that is still being felt today. The serious influx of money into both the English and European game significantly changed the status quo and effectively, over time, gave free reign to the elite teams in Europe. The English firs

This article first featured on The Nutmeg Assist @TheNutmegAssist - https://nutmegassist.com/brian-laudrup-the-forgotten-genius/ The 7th of May 1997 is a date that goes down as arguably the best night in the history of Rangers Football Club. A win against Dundee Utd at Tannadice would seal the most coveted of prizes and equal Celtic’s 9 in a row achievement from the 60s and 70s. The match is tense and with so many having waited so long to see this historic moment, it is unthinkable that Rangers

The Godfather Part 2. Lord of the Rings the Two Towers. The Empire Strikes Back. Even Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Pulling off a great sequel is difficult, but these films in many eyes, surpass the original. In sporting terms, rematches can be a thing of unparalleled joy. Seeing rivals face off against each other again after months, or even years, later can elicit feelings of nostalgia. Think of Ali vs Frazier, as two titans collide to see who would become heavyweight champion of the wo

Fiveaside is a new and unique football card game coming to the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter on Tues 27th October. We caught up with James, the game designer, to find out more about the game and the crowdfunding process.

Jim McLean was prised away from his coaching role at Dundee to manage Utd and take over from Jerry Kerr in 1971. The board were impressed at the fitness levels and tactical proficiency of the Dundee team, in which McLean had studied and utilised West German methods to great effect on the squad. Kerr had left a solid foundation for McLean when he took over. Crowds had been fewer than 10,000 at the start of his reign, with money being tight; McLean would need to turn to youth in order to build a s

When you think of the 2000/01 edition of the UEFA Champions League, you probably think of Bayern Munich’s triumph...

One factor of football that remains ever constant like it does when Autumn arrives, temperatures drop, leaves fall off...