Saudis with moustaches never broke kids’ bond
It’s the ice cream van chimes that are sometimes heard in the avenue that trigger Vietnam flashbacks of missing out on playing at a World Cup.
You could set your watch by Nardini’s mobile sweet shop turning up each night at Scotland’s Under-16 pre-tournament camp back in 1989. There’d be a group of teenagers jostling and jockeying for position like someone had just crossed a ball into the box.
In the end there was to be no cone for me.
In the weeks leading up to an event that captivated a nation, the squad was trimmed shorter than a Saudi Arabian moustache and I still have the tear stained SFA Dear John letter as a reminder of rejection and not making the cut.
To be fair to coaches Craig Brown and Ross Mathie, such was the talent at their disposal, old Nardini could have put together a pick-and-mix of players and it would still have had half a chance.
For weeks on the Ayrshire coast the group of boys formed a bond that exists to this day.
Schools turned a blind eye to what was akin to state-sponsored truancy with the likes of Neil Murray sitting exams on the hoof.
Sliding-door moments and sad stories are aplenty in every unfulfilled footballer’s career.
Gary Bollan, Andy McLaren, Paul Dickov, Brian O’Neil and Murray are just a few who enjoyed more than a few moments in the sun.
For others like Tom McMillan it would be injury that would deny them a career their ability merited.
Anyway, 33 years ago this summer, Scotland’s youth side blew a two-goal lead, before missing a penalty to win it then losing out to the Saudis giants in a shoot-out.
Cue the conspiracy theory and two priceless sentences from SFA president Ernie Walker.
He said: “We were cheated. I mean, it was so obvious – the Saudi keeper looked like Peter Shilton.
“I was told by a coach one player was married with three children and was a captain in the Royal Guard – yet he was playing in the Under-16 World Cup.”
The squad were given an engraved watch from Walker & Co for their efforts. Time doesn’t stand still and one of Scottish football’s greatest moments is now a memory.
Hampden was packed to the brim to watch young boys almost pull off a remarkable feat.
Instant recall of incidents that happened decades ago remains fresh for many players.
John McGovern may be 72 but he talked me though his decisive 1971-72 league title winning goal for Derby County as though he’d scored it last weekend.
The Nottingham Forest legend adds a touch of verbal drama to the strike that makes you feel you were there when it rustled into the back of the net.
But history is telling our game all is not well.
Back in 1989 there was no pro-youth system. You played for your school and boys club and the best got registered with a senior team. Nobody was being coached to death and our youth teams were going toe-to-toe with the best.
There’s a lesson in there somewhere.
For weeks the group of boys formed a bond that exists to this day