Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
When Rangers tried to sign Lionel Messi
WithBrown
GRAEME Strachan continues his look at audacious transfer bids by Scottish clubs.
He recalled: “In 2003, Rangers and Barcelona talked about the 16-year-old Lionel Messi (below) going to Ibrox on loan.
“Barca decided he was too young and too slight for Scottish football, so a massive coup for Alex McLeish never happened.
“Messi did eventually play at Ibrox – but for Barca on European business.
“Diego Maradona’s son, Diego Jr, was also offered to First Division Clyde on loan in 2003.
“He was later capped by Italy in Beach Soccer, suggesting he may have been well suited to Scotland’s heavilysanded pitches.”
WHETHER it is a short or long tale, there have been a number of different bizarre stories down the years.
Some football stories are legend. The following, I’m assured, is true . . .
In both the 1946 and 1947 finals at Wembley Stadium, the ball going flat interrupted games before packed crowds.
In 1946, Derby County player Jack Stamps might have won the game against London side Charlton Athletic, but for the ball bursting as he connected with it, enabling Charlton goalkeeper Sam Bartram to save it.
It meant the score remained at 1-1 and Derby had to go into extra time to secure a 4-1 win.
The following year, another burst ball was a luckier omen for Charlton as they scored with the new ball to beat Burnley 1-0.
SPENDING the weekend 60 years ago with older members of world snooker champion Ronnie O’Sullivan’s family gave Rob Boag the opportunity to see “The Ghost”.
But who was “The Ghost”?
Continuing his story from last week, Rob went on: “From the pub in London on Seven Sisters Road, six of us crammed into a Morris Minor and we were on our way to White Hart Lane to see Spurs entertain Burnley.
“Mickey O’Sullivan was obviously well known and, with 58,000 in the ground, and after a few nudges from ‘a man who knew a man who knew a man’ . . . we were in a decent viewing position under the only enclosure in the ground.”
On the pitch, a Scot