Dark day in Toftir marked national side's nadir

IT was only four years ago but already it has become a classic 'where were you when?' moment. Just like this afternoon, Scotland kicked off their last European Championship campaign with a match against the Faroe Islands. Although the Berti Vogts era was well under way with friendly defeat after friendly defeat the competitive action had yet to begin.

After 13 minutes of their opening Euro 2004 qualifier it still hadn't. Scotland were swept aside by a team that included car salesmen and trawlermen. Two goals were conceded in a grisly opening spell, the memory of which still chills the bone. Scottish fans have grown resistant to calamity over the years but this was a fresh hell. Only two second half goals, the latter coming just seven minutes before the end, permitted Scotland to take a point from an otherwise abject afternoon on the North Atlantic island.

But Barry Ferguson's equaliser failed to spare the players or Vogts. The manager adopted a guise that would grow to be his natural demeanour. He appeared stalled in his skin by the crisis, capable only of impulsive and meaningless gestures. The German banned one journalist from a subsequent press conference because he'd asked in the immediate aftermath whether Vogts would have considered resigning if Scotland had lost. The manager turned his fire on the players as well. Centre-halves David Weir and Christian Dailly were singled out for criticism with the former stepping away from the Scotland scene entirely for the remainder of Vogts' reign. Weir returned when Walter Smith took over and remarkably is back to face down his demons this afternoon as skipper. Ironically, he and Dailly are the only survivors from a day that looked to have ended both their careers.

Surprisingly only one of the side did not feature again for Scotland. Allan Johnston's inclusion had been unexpected in the first place. Not only had he been absent from all of Middlesbrough's games so far that season, he had yet to make a squad. Yet not being considered for a mid-ranking Premiership team need not necessarily preclude one's involvement with Scotland. His first taste of competitive action of a season already more than a month old came in Torshavn, and though he'd scored on his last visit, in a slightly less hysterically received 1-1 draw in 1999, on this fateful day he managed only the impact expected of a rusty winger. "I actually didn't think I did too badly all things considered," says Johnston, now at Kilmarnock. "It was just one of those days. I had been asked to play, and you don't turn that opportunity down."

And what of the Faroes? In the rush to condemn Scotland, it perhaps went unnoticed how impressively they had played and how well they would compete throughout the campaign. A month later Germany only managed a 2-1 victory over the part-timers at home, while Iceland required a last minute winner to see the Faroese off, again at home. The Germans were seconds away from humiliation in Torshavn in the summer of 2003, requiring two goals in the final minute to source a 2-0 win. But these were the worries of other nations. Scotland had their own that September afternoon following what is still regarded as the worst performance by a Scottish international team since 1872. So what did become of the players selected by Vogts that dark afternoon in Toftir?

ROBERT DOUGLAS

Made his competitive debut for Scotland in the Faroes having featured in that summer's tour of the Far East. The then Celtic goalkeeper had little chance with the Faroes goals and actually managed to keep Scotland in the game in the second half, saving well from Johannesen.

Douglas later suffered dips in form and at the end of the 2004-05 season, after Celtic had lost the title after their last day collapse at Motherwell, he signed for Leicester City. Hasn't played for Scotland since being replaced at half-time by Craig Gordon in Walter Smith's opening match against Italy. Currently on the sidelines at Leicester.

MAURICE ROSS

Now at Millwall after being released by Wolves, Ross played more times - 13 - for Scotland than one might imagine. Started both Euro 2004 qualifiers against Germany, against whom he was sent off in Dortmund. Had been a surprising selection for the Faroes having played only seven minutes for Rangers that season. Kept his place for the next qualifier too, in Iceland. Has not featured since coming on at half-time in an effort to stem the flow in the 6-0 annihilation by Holland in 2003. Left Rangers for Sheffield Wednesday then Wolves but wasn't offered a new contract at the end of last season and moved to Millwall.

STEPHEN CRAINEY

Another who walked straight into the national team for the Faroes match having not featured that season for his club side, Celtic. His rustiness was exposed in ruthless fashion, with both Faroes' goals stemming from crosses from the right.

Crainey hasn't played for the Scotland team since a friendly against Denmark in 2004. Left Celtic in the hunt for a first-team place but didn't find it at Southampton, where he played only five times in six months. Now a regular at Leeds after leaving Southampton in 2004.

BARRY FERGUSON

Scored the equaliser that saw Scotland claim the draw. Ferguson spoke in forceful manner after the match about Vogts "running out of time".

Left Rangers the following season for an ill-starred period at Blackburn but rejoined the Ibrox club in January 2005. Was handed the skipper's armband for the first time in the return match with the Faroes, which Scotland won 3-1. Missing this afternoon through injury.

DAVID WEIR

Went into temporary retirement after Faroes debacle when he was the subject, along with Dailly, of withering criticism from Vogts. Enticed back by Walter Smith and today leads the team out. This present campaign is Weir's ninth season with Everton and, all being well, will win his 50th Scotland cap on Wednesday in Lithuania.

CHRISTIAN DAILLY

Still at West Ham, and still in the Scotland squad. Despite being implicated by Vogts for the loss of the two goals, Dailly was an admirably durable performer in the Vogts years, although is perhaps best remembered for the outburst after a loss in Dortmund to Germany. As Vogts was interviewed in the tunnel after the match a voice could he heard raging about "f***ing cheats". The Scotland manager gave the game away by calling out "Christian, Christian" in an effort to calm the player. Still, it buried him deeper in the Tartan Army's affections.

PAUL LAMBERT

Scored Scotland's first in suitably scuffled fashion. In contrast to Weir, Lambert had actually been enticed out of retirement by Vogts rather than forced into it. The midfielder had impressed Vogts during his sojourn with Borussia Dortmund, and the manager wished to build his team around his presence. But Lambert was missing through injury when the Euro campaign reached its denouement, in Amsterdam.

He left Celtic in 2005 and moved straight into management with Livingston, but failed to replicate his success as a player. Now in charge of Wycombe Wanderers, in League Two.

SCOTT DOBIE

Now with Nottingham Forest. Played six times for Scotland in 2002, and scored once, v South Korea. The Carlisle-born striker came to prominence when scoring regularly for West Brom.

Hasn't played since the 2-0 friendly defeat by Portugal in 2002. Persistent hip problem has restricted him to just 17 starts and three goals for Forest since joining in 2005. Still only 27.

PAUL DICKOV

Back with Manchester City after stints with Blackburn and Leicester. Hasn't played since home defeat by Norway in 2004 and has slipped out of contention under Smith. Replaced at half-time against the Faroes but scored when they came to Hampden in 2003.

KEVIN KYLE

Dismissed the Faroes as "fishermen" before the match. Signed this week by Coventry from Sunderland for £600,000. His progress was disrupted by a serious hip injury. Perhaps best known for his off-field dramas. Missed a match for Sunderland last season after scalding his testicles with boiling water while feeding his son. The previous year he was fined £500 after a brawl outside a kebab shop in his hometown of Stranraer.

ALLAN JOHNSTON

Was in the Premiership with Middlesbrough in 2002. Now at Kilmarnock where he has been successfully reinvented as a central midfielder. Had made his Scotland debut four years earlier against Estonia, and played a further 17 times. One of the few players with not completely wretched memories of the Faroes having scored there in Scotland's 1-1 draw in June 1999.

Subtitutes

GRAHAM ALEXANDER

Still at Preston North End, where he is skipper. A mainstay under Vogts and to his credit is still in contention under Smith and in today's squad. Replaced Ross with 15 minutes to go in 2002.

STEVIE CRAWFORD

Now back at Dunfermline following moves to Plymouth, Dundee United and Aberdeen. Made his competitive debut in the Faroes, seven years after his first cap. Played 25 times in total for Scotland, but never scored a competitive goal. Came on for Dickov at half-time in Faroes.

STEVE THOMPSON

Left Rangers in search of first team football and found it with Cardiff. Last cap came with a face-saving equaliser against Moldova in Vogts' last game. Replaced Dobie on that fateful day with just seven minutes to go.
Teacher Petersen still dreams about his two-goal lesson

JOHN Petersen was yesterday allowed to ramble around Glasgow without any hassle, just as he'd been permitted to do by the Scotland defence four years ago. In his tracksuit he was recognisable as a member of the Faroe Islands' party, but too many Scottish natives had their fingers over their eyes when he scored that infamous double four years ago to be absolutely sure of his identity now.

Only a divot prevented the geography teacher scoring a hat-trick in Bert Vogts' first competitive match as Scotland manager.

Peterson wreaked his havoc on the back of a week's work in a school. He was in class on the Monday morning, denied the opportunity to bask in whatever glory could be gleaned from two strikes against such an undistinguished version of Scotland. "The pupils saw me as a teacher first, not a footballer," Petersen says in his present guise as assistant manager.

He prompted a mini earthquake as jaws dropped to bar room floors across Scotland, but the goals caused ripples elsewhere. A direct consequence of his brace were contract offers from clubs in Switzerland and Norway. "My name was suddenly known," he says. "But I had a good job and family, and did not want to move abroad. I wish I had scored the goals earlier in my career."

Mirth across Europe was the result of his two goal burst as Scotland re-acquainted themselves with Petersen. He had already scored against Scotland, converting a penalty in a 2-1 defeat at Pittodrie in 1999. But the extent to which Scotland had fallen in just three years was plain for all to see as the teacher scored twice in the opening 13 minutes. "I do still dream about it, but mostly I regret the missed chance when I should have made it 3-0," he says. "I blame the pitch, the ball just popped up."

Back in Scotland a mass splutter of indignation foamed like the North Atlantic breakers below the cliffs of Torshavn. It's difficult to face Petersen now and make it not sound deeply patronising, but there is no escaping what lent further ferocity to the ferment. This was all embarrassing enough without the blows having been administered by a fellow who spends his working hours chalking up how an ox-bow lake is formed.

"I also teach the Faroese language," he points out. This talent is a redundant one at present as he resides in Denmark, where his girlfriend studies. Although having retired from international football two years ago, he continues to play in the Danish second division with Skive. A contemplative soul he understood the reaction in Scotland. "It wasn't so strange," he says. "Full-time professional footballers don't do anything else but play football, and here I was scoring twice against them."

Helping scale-down the perhaps misplaced sense of Scottish outrage - Germany were lucky not to draw with the Faroese in Hanover a month later - is Petersen's own sober assessment of his feat. "I had never scored two goals in a match before, but I played 57 times. I can't say whether this was my favourite memory. After all, I played against Holland, Germany and France."

Still, he cannot deny the contribution Scotland have made to his playing statistics. His strikes against the Scots amount for half his six-goal tally in eight years as an internationalist, with Petersen retiring in 2004 after a World Cup qualifier in Ireland. Fortunately for Scotland Petersen is confined to the dug-out in his role as assistant to Jogvan Martin Olsen, but at 34 could easily have been seeking to wound once more a land he visited as a schoolboy. That was when he made his last visit to Celtic Park. "It was back in 1991, on a school trip," he recalls. "We stayed in Stirling, and visited all the tourist sights. But we also saw Rangers one week and Celtic the next."

Little did he know he effect on the nation's psyche he was destined to have as he wandered around castle turrets and explored Scotland's past.

Taken from the Scotsman