England v Scotland stirs the memories as the oldest rivalry in football resumes

Graeme Souness and Jamie Redknapp recollect England v Scotland matches from their playing days as they prepare for Wednesday's friendly at Wembley

David Hytner

In the days when the Liverpool squad was studded with the finest talent from the England and Scotland teams, there would often be the temptation for an international five-a-side in training. Graeme Souness, whose time at Anfield as a player took in 1978‑84, rattles through the legends on each side of the divide.

From the Auld Enemy there was Emlyn Hughes, Phil Thompson and Terry McDermott; from Scotland, it was himself, Kenny Dalglish and Alan Hansen. But in the build-up to the traditional end-of-season fixture between the countries, Souness remembers an outbreak of common sense.

"Joe Fagan and Ronnie Moran ... they would say: 'Come on, let's have an England-Scotland five-a-side,' " Souness said. "But they would never do that because it would end up as a war. The build-up [to the international] was very exciting because Liverpool were a fair mix of Scottish and English players. Long before the game, there was mickey-taking and banter, as you can imagine. There was always a bit ... no, not a bit, there was a lot."

The very mention of England versus Scotland, the oldest international match on the calendar and one which is poised to make its return at Wembley on Wednesday night after a 14-year hiatus, is sufficient to stir the passions in Souness or, indeed, any player that experienced it.

Jamie Redknapp, a former England midfielder, says that the meeting between the nations at Euro 96, when he came on as a half-time substitute, represented the greatest adrenaline rush of his career. It was the game made famous by David Seaman's penalty save from Gary McAllister and Paul Gascoigne's run, dink and volleyed finish to secure a 2-0 England win.

"We'd all gone out to warm up and Terry Venables touched me on the shoulder and said: 'You're going on,' " Redknapp said. "I've never felt a buzz like it because it's England-Scotland, let's not forget it. What I'll always remember is the atmosphere. The fixture is like no other. It was the same when we played them in the two Euro 2000 qualifying games, which we won with Paul Scholes' goals. It's just the fierceness of the rivalry."

Souness played six times against England. "We won one," he said of the 1-0 victory at Hampden Park in 1985 but he, too, is almost misty-eyed at the occasion's capacity to overwhelm. Nearly three decades have passed since his last involvement in the fixture but the sights and sounds have retained a startling clarity.

"They were great games to play in," Souness said. "And at that time, wherever you played, the majority of the crowd were Scottish. I don't know why. Maybe it was because they just loved a night out in London. To play at Wembley ... you could never play at Wembley enough and Hampden was a special occasion as well because you had over 100,000 people who were going crazy for it.

"They were the games that I looked forward to playing more than any others in my international career. I'm not sure about the timing of this one but if you're a football fan, this game does excite you. Historically, we've not always been the best of friends."

The fixture was played every year from 1872 to 1989, wartime interruptions notwithstanding, and the legend has been gilded by Scotland's Wembley Wizards of 1928; England's 9-3 win in 1961, when the perception of dodgy Scottish goalkeepers took root; Jim Baxter playing keepy-uppy in 1967 and Scotland's fans tearing at the Wembley turf and goalposts in 1977.

"I can tell you exactly where I was watching that game when they tore the pitch up," Souness said. "People in Scotland thought it was very funny. The groundsman didn't think so. I don't know why they stopped the fixture [after 1989] ... maybe they felt it had lost some of its interest, but it hadn't. There were still full-houses when the game was played so I don't know how they came to that conclusion."

The game still means something and it is risky to suggest to Souness that it does so more to Scotland. "That would be insulting," he said. "I think as a smaller nation there was a bit of an inferiority complex but when I played we had some really good football players. If you were picking a team from both squads at that time, it would have been relatively even, which is not the case these days.

"Unfortunately for Scotland, we're in a period where we haven't thrown up players that can come to England and get in the very best teams. But I have to believe that it's cyclical. Look at Spain right now and it's their time; go back 15 years and it was France's time. I'm not saying we're going to win the Euros and the World Cup but you have to believe that in the very near future we'll be throwing up half a dozen players that can make their mark at the highest level."

Scotland will start as the underdogs in the friendly game, which forms part of the Football Association's 150th anniversary celebrations, and Redknapp said that the England manager, Roy Hodgson, is on a hiding to nothing.

"If he loses all it does is heap a load of pressure on you," Redknapp said. "And if you win, everyone says: 'Oh, you should beat Scotland.' It's a no-win for Roy Hodgson. It's not one he'll be saying: 'I can't wait to get stuck into this.' I don't see any upside to it for him."

Hostilities are primed to resume for the 111th time. All eyes have turned to Wembley.

Taken from the Guardian/Observer