On the Record
WITH ALAN McMILLAN
Q
I remember Owen Coyle scoring a barrowload of goals at the start of a season to help get Airdrie promoted. Can you say how many he scored and against which teams? Murray Watson.
A
At the start of the 1990-91 season, Coyle scored 17 goals in the first seven league games – against Morton (2), Kilmarnock (3), Forfar (3), Meadowbank (2), Ayr United (3) and Clyde (4). Coyle, who had cost the club £175,000 from Clydebank, then had a spell out injured but scored three more league goals to finish the season on 20. Airdrie were promoted to the top flight as runners-up to Falkirk.
Q
Apart from former Celtic captain Billy McNeill, who else has been presented with one of Athletic Bilbao’s prestigious One Club Man awards? Any other Scots?T Maxwell, Bathgate.
A
The award has gone to just four other men, none of them Scots – Matt Le Tissier (17 seasons at Southampton), Paolo Maldini (25 seasons at AC Milan), Sepp Maier (13 seasons at Bayern Munich) and Carles Puyol (15 seasons at Barcelona). McNeill was honoured for 17 seasons of service to the Hoops.
Q
Give details of the game in which Davie Cooper scored what was voted Rangers’ greatest ever goal. C Laird, Prestwick.
A
It came in the Drybrough Cup Final of August 4, 1979, and was Rangers’ third goal in a 3-1 win over Celtic at Hampden. John MacDonald and Sandy Jardine – with a superb solo effort – put
Rangers 2-0 up then Cooper took centre stage. His close control and a series of flicks left four defenders helpless before he slotted the ball into the net past Peter Latchford. Bobby Lennox scored Celtic’s consolation. Rangers – McCloy, Miller, Dawson, Jardine, Jackson, Watson, Cooper (Smith), Russell (Johnstone), Parlane, A MacDonald, J MacDonald. Celtic – Latchford, Sneddon, McGrain, Aitken, MacDonald, McAdam, Provan, MacLeod, McCluskey (Lennox), Burns, Doyle.
Q
Is it true that Motherwell’s Scottish Cup Final win in 1952 attracted the most fans for a Scottish game not involving Celtic or Rangers? Also, what did it cost to get in? DM.
A
Correct. This was the 1952 Scottish Cup Final when a Hampden crowd of 136,495 saw Motherwell beat Dundee 4-0 with goals from Jim Watson, Willie Redpath, Wilson Humphries and Archie Kelly. Two shillings (10p) got you a terracing slot. Motherwell – Johnston, Kilmarnock, Shaw, Cox, Paton, Redpath, Sloan, Humphries, Kelly, Watson, Aitkenhead. Dundee – Henderson, Follon, Cowan, Gallacher, Cowie, Boyd, Hill, Pattillo, Flavell, Steel, Christie.