The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Goram: The goalie who loved cricket
He was the man who became known as The Goalie and was one of the finest custodians ever to pull on a Scotland jersey.
Andy Goram, who has died of cancer at the age of 58, excelled in football wherever he travelled, whether in his early days with Oldham, or in Scotland during 138 appearances for Hibs and 184 for Rangers where he was voted their greatest ever goalkeeper in a fans’ poll.
A larger-than-life character with a wholehearted approach to sport, he represented Scotland 43 times and was selected for their squads at the 1986 and 1990 World Cups and the European Championships in 1992 and 1996.
Yet, while football brought him fame and fortune and cemented his reputation during Walter Smith’s managerial career at Ibrox, Goram was passionate about another pursuit, which also brought him international recognition.
And, whether he was wielding a bat against a women’s side at Freuchie, bowling at Uddingston or finding himself in the line of fire against the touring Australians at Hamilton Crescent in 1989, cricket was one of his lifelong loves.
He once said: “Sure, I have been in the Champions League, turned out for Scotland with 50,000 or 60,000 spectators in stadiums across the world, and been in the goalmouth at Old Trafford (he was signed on loan by Manchester United in 2001) with a crescendo of noise echoing all around me.
“But these were no more enjoyable than locking horns with Allan Border, Merv Hughes and the other Aussies in that packed ground in Glasgow.
“The strange thing is that, prior to coming to Scotland, I had no idea that cricket was such a big deal, but there again, why shouldn’t it be?
“I will never forget the buzz around the crowd when the Australians came to Scotland.”
Goram relished these contests and turned up at Freuchie for a match to celebrate the club’s centenary in 2008 where, despite being in his mid40s, he took to the field – and returned soon enough with plenty of new friends.
He also won four caps for Scotland.
He said at the time: “I began playing when I was 10 or 11 and I have never lost a fraction of the excitement and anticipation which cricket generates.
“There is no fighting, no bad blood or anything like that. Just a bunch of folk who are nuts about the game on the pitch, enjoy a few beers in the clubhouse and offer it 100%.”
Whatever demons Goram might have had, he was able to exorcise them once he had walked to the crease or into the pavilion.
Scottish cricket – and the wider world – mourns his passing.