Sporting highlights from Scotland’s golden generation
European trophies, athletic golds and a world champion on the oche – David Mclean looks back on a successful decade
From major European football trophies to Olympic golds, the 1980s were a tremendously successful decade for Scotland’s top sporting heroes.
Scottish football was very different to what it is today. The decade brought the last non-old Firm winners of the the Premier League, as Aberdeen and Dundee United tasted success after success.
Managed by Alex Ferguson, Aberdeen in particular were considered one of the best sides on the continent and proved it in 1983 when they lifted both the European Cup Winners’ Cup and European Super Cup.
Dundee United weren’t too shabby either, defeating Barcelona home and away en route to the Uefa Cup Final in 1987 under Jim Mclean. A narrow 2-1 loss in the two-legged final versus Gothenburg meant they arrived back in Tayside without silverware.
In terms of qualifying for World Cups, the Scottish national football team was in its golden age, making both tournaments in the decade.
At Spain ‘82, Scotland started formidably, defeating New Zealand 5-2, before wilting versus a Brazil team containing Socrates, Zico and Falcao. A David Narey goal gave the Tartan Army something to cheer about as the Brazilians won 4-1. A 2-2 draw in the final game against the Soviet Union was sadly not enough.
Four years on and reeling from the recent death of legendary manager Jock Stein, who tragically died during Scotland’s last qualification match against Wales, the national side made it to their fifth consecutive World Cup but finished with just one point from three games – still, we qualified.
Away from football, Fife’s Jocky Wilson was taking the darts world by storm, twice lifting the World Professional Darts Championship.in rugby, Scotland won the Grand Slam, Triple Crown and Calcutta Cup at the 1984 Five Nations.
Scottish athletics was in good shape in the ‘80s. Sprinter Allan Wells edged out Silvio Leonard of Cuba to take the 100m gold at the 1980 Olympics, while in 1986 at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Liz Mccolgan won the 10,000 metres.
Other memorable ‘80s sporting moments, include Scot Sandy Lyle becoming the first British player to win the Augusta Masters in 1988 and jockey Willie Carson notching up numerous horse racing victories, including four Epsom Derbys.