Latest news with #FlowerofScotland
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
21 brilliant retro photos of Scotland fans at the famous 2-2 draw with England in 2017 at Hampden
Can you believe it has been eight years since Leigh Griffiths bagged those two unforgettable free-kicks for Scotland against England in the sun in front of a sold-out Hampden? 'I've not seen a football celebration in a ground like this for a long, long, long time,' remarked a crestfallen Gary Neville on co-commentary, as the then-Celtic forward fired two unstoppable free-kicks beyond the outstretched arm of Three Lions goalkeeper Joe Hart in the dying embers of the World Cup qualifier in Glasgow. The home crowd exploded into scenes of wild celebration that have struggled to be matched since. Griffiths sprinted around the Hampden track as if he was a 200 metres runner and, for a moment, the southside of Glasgow was the place to be! It is one of the most iconic games in the history of the stadium. Okay, so Harry Kane's even later leveller spoiled it a little, but let's not labour on that ... Were you there that day? If so, here are 21 of the best retro photos of Scotland fans during the famous 2-2 draw with England in 2017. Can you spot yourself in our gallery? 1 . Hampden history Two different generations of Scotland fan witnessed one of the greatest games in Hampden history. | SNS Group Photo Sales 2 . Let's go Scotland! A Scotland fan cheers on the team against England in 2017. | SNS Group Photo Sales 3 . The Rampant Lion Scotland fans wave their flags during the game against England. | SNS Group Photo Sales 4 . Flower of Scotland Fans sing the national anthem ahead of kick-off at Hampden. | SNS Group Photo Sales
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
21 brilliant retro photos of Scotland fans at the famous 2-2 draw with England in 2017 at Hampden
Can you believe it has been eight years since Leigh Griffiths bagged those two unforgettable free-kicks for Scotland against England in the sun in front of a sold-out Hampden? 'I've not seen a football celebration in a ground like this for a long, long, long time,' remarked a crestfallen Gary Neville on co-commentary, as the then-Celtic forward fired two unstoppable free-kicks beyond the outstretched arm of Three Lions goalkeeper Joe Hart in the dying embers of the World Cup qualifier in Glasgow. The home crowd exploded into scenes of wild celebration that have struggled to be matched since. Griffiths sprinted around the Hampden track as if he was a 200 metres runner and, for a moment, the southside of Glasgow was the place to be! It is one of the most iconic games in the history of the stadium. Okay, so Harry Kane's even later leveller spoiled it a little, but let's not labour on that ... Were you there that day? If so, here are 21 of the best retro photos of Scotland fans during the famous 2-2 draw with England in 2017. Can you spot yourself in our gallery? 1 . Hampden history Two different generations of Scotland fan witnessed one of the greatest games in Hampden history. | SNS Group Photo Sales 2 . Let's go Scotland! A Scotland fan cheers on the team against England in 2017. | SNS Group Photo Sales 3 . The Rampant Lion Scotland fans wave their flags during the game against England. | SNS Group Photo Sales 4 . Flower of Scotland Fans sing the national anthem ahead of kick-off at Hampden. | SNS Group Photo Sales
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Why Wales game is must-win for Scotland coach Townsend'
Guinness Men's Six Nations: Scotland v Wales Venue: Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh Date: Saturday, 8 March Kick-off: 16:45 GMT Coverage: Watch on BBC One, listen on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Sounds; text commentary and highlights on the BBC Sport website and app It will all change on Saturday when the pipes skirl and the passion rises and the Scotland team bus pulls into view, but this has been the lowest of low-key build-ups to a Six Nations game at Murrayfield for quite some time. There's a twisted logic around the visiting fans, their team bottom of the table and winless in 15, feeling better about themselves than the hosts, but there you have it - the Six Nations in all its complex glory. Wales, without a victory since Tom Jones was in short pants, are coming to Edinburgh with a pulse after a fine performance against Ireland. Matt Sherratt, the interim head coach, has applied the defibrillator and the patient is now showing signs of life. They're coming to a rugby country that has had the energy sucked out of it with that late loss in Twickenham, which followed on from the spirit-sapping defeat by Ireland at Murrayfield, which obliterated their Six Nations hopes. Hello darkness my old friend would be a more fitting preamble than Flower of Scotland. The sound of silence has been deafening in Scottish rugby circles for much of the past fortnight. 'Not too stressed' - Russell ignores miss critics Podcast: Townsend - 'There's a lot to play for' All the Scottish rugby latest in one place Maybe that's why Finn Russell, as opposed to Scotland's other co-captain Rory Darge, did media on Friday. Maybe Scottish Rugby felt they needed some stardust, a galvanising presence to fire up the fans and convince them that, yes, the championship bid is over, but yes again, there is something big to play for here. The 'something big' is back-foot stuff, though. They're playing to avoid a nightmare rather than to keep a dream alive. Their motivation is to avert the horror show of one win from four with a trip to Paris to come and the grand inquisition of the coaches that would come with it. Scottish heads are done in. Scotland are ranked number one in the tournament for fewest tries conceded, fewest tackles missed and most ball carries, number two for metres gained, line breaks, breakdown steals and tries scored. And yet they sit fourth in the table and are already out of contention for the big prize. Still we hear the mumbo-jumbo from former players in other places about Scotland supposedly talking themselves up. During the week, the great Welsh and Lions scrum-half Mike Phillips joined the list of people who don't understand Scottish rugby and the fatalism that has run through it for close to a quarter of a century. Phillips said the Scots have been predicting Six Nations glory for 20 years, a comment so remarkable that people here will remember it in the way they remember where they were when they heard Elvis had died. (Younger readers: swap Taylor Swift for Elvis and replace 'died' with 'releasing a new album' or some such revelation). Predictions of greatness? Many Scottish rugby fans look 20 years older than they actually are because of all the angst they've gone through. Phillips has been living in an alternate reality this whole time. None of this phony war stuff in the media is going to permeate Scotland's bubble in any meaningful way. They know what's at stake here - not a championship tilt, but credibility and, possibly, the future of Gregor Townsend. Scottish Rugby is under relatively new management and there will be a deep reluctance to change the international coaching ticket even if the Wales game goes wrong, but defeat would bring howls of protest from fans. Scotland have won 18 out of 38 in the Six Nations on Townsend's watch. They've lost two games by a single point - one game by two points, one by three and two by four. Ten Six Nations matches have been lost by seven points or fewer - including two in 2020 and 2021 (they won the other three) and three in 2024 (they won the other two). What-might-have-beens are writ large over his regime. Refereeing decisions have been unkind at crucial moments, but in eight attempts Scotland have not gone into the final weekend with a realistic shot at the title. They have advanced under Townsend's coaching, though. Anybody saying otherwise is allowing their disappointment to overtake their perspective. Scotland in full flow are a thrillfest, just not a consistent one. There's a reason why Scotland have not contended. The talk of their golden generation is about as misplaced as the chat about them bigging themselves up. For sure, this is probably the most talented backline Scotland has ever produced, but in no way is it among the most talented pack of forwards. It's a good pack, but it's a way off championship-winning good and a world away from Grand Slam good. You hear talk of Townsend wasting the golden generation. That's one-eyed analysis. It focuses solely on the wonders of the backline without properly assessing the forwards and their superior counterparts in Ireland and France. But not in Wales. There is nothing superior about this Welsh team in the pack or behind the pack and that's why Townsend won't be cut any slack if Scotland don't win. No allowances will be made for the injured Sione Tuipulotu, no nuance will be applied because Scott Cummings, Max Williamson, Andy Onyeama-Christie and Josh Bayliss are unavailable. This is a should-win because Townsend's team look stronger in most positions, have won the past two against Wales and have home advantage, but it's also a must-win. Townsend can't hope to avoid heavy flak, or a serious examination of the way of things by his bosses, if his team goes from three wins in 2023 to two wins in 2024 to (possibly) one win in 2025. That would suddenly look like a dead end. By the skin of their teeth, and the width of a goalpost, the bookmakers were proven right when they made England favourites at Twickenham. They're now making Scotland overwhelming, almost unbackable, favourites on Saturday. According to the bookies, Wales don't have much of a prayer and that kind of status will suit them nicely. No-hopers? Diolch. They're not the only ones with points to prove, though. That wasteful loss to England has sickened Scotland to their core and you can imagine them nursing that frustration for a fortnight. They should be two from three. They're maybe not the roaring certainties the odds layers tell you they are, but they'll be fine up front, they could be wondrous out the back and they should have too much for Wales. Or else the night sky might fall.
BBC News
07-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Why Wales game is must-win for Scotland coach Townsend'
Guinness Men's Six Nations: Scotland v WalesVenue: Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh Date: Saturday, 8 March Kick-off: 16:45 GMTCoverage: Watch on BBC One, listen on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Sounds; text commentary and highlights on the BBC Sport website and app It will all change on Saturday when the pipes skirl and the passion rises and the Scotland team bus pulls into view, but this has been the lowest of low-key build-ups to a Six Nations game at Murrayfield for quite some a twisted logic around the visiting fans, their team bottom of the table and winless in 15, feeling better about themselves than the hosts, but there you have it - the Six Nations in all its complex without a victory since Tom Jones was in short pants, are coming to Edinburgh with a pulse after a fine performance against Ireland. Matt Sherratt, the interim head coach, has applied the defibrillator and the patient is now showing signs of coming to a rugby country that has had the energy sucked out of it with that late loss in Twickenham, which followed on from the spirit-sapping defeat by Ireland at Murrayfield, which obliterated their Six Nations darkness my old friend would be a more fitting preamble than Flower of Scotland. The sound of silence has been deafening in Scottish rugby circles for much of the past fortnight. Maybe that's why Finn Russell, as opposed to Scotland's other co-captain Rory Darge, did media on Friday. Maybe Scottish Rugby felt they needed some stardust, a galvanising presence to fire up the fans and convince them that, yes, the championship bid is over, but yes again, there is something big to play for 'something big' is back-foot stuff, though. They're playing to avoid a nightmare rather than to keep a dream alive. Their motivation is to avert the horror show of one win from four with a trip to Paris to come and the grand inquisition of the coaches that would come with heads are done in. Scotland are ranked number one in the tournament for fewest tries conceded, fewest tackles missed and most ball carries, number two for metres gained, line breaks, breakdown steals and tries yet they sit fourth in the table and are already out of contention for the big we hear the mumbo-jumbo from former players in other places about Scotland supposedly talking themselves up. During the week, the great Welsh and Lions scrum-half Mike Phillips joined the list of people who don't understand Scottish rugby and the fatalism that has run through it for close to a quarter of a said the Scots have been predicting Six Nations glory for 20 years, a comment so remarkable that people here will remember it in the way they remember where they were when they heard Elvis had died.(Younger readers: swap Taylor Swift for Elvis and replace 'died' with 'releasing a new album' or some such revelation).Predictions of greatness? Many Scottish rugby fans look 20 years older than they actually are because of all the angst they've gone through. Phillips has been living in an alternate reality this whole time. None of this phony war stuff in the media is going to permeate Scotland's bubble in any meaningful way. They know what's at stake here - not a championship tilt, but credibility and, possibly, the future of Gregor Rugby is under relatively new management and there will be a deep reluctance to change the international coaching ticket even if the Wales game goes wrong, but defeat would bring howls of protest from have won 18 out of 38 in the Six Nations on Townsend's watch. They've lost two games by a single point - one game by two points, one by three and two by Six Nations matches have been lost by seven points or fewer - including two in 2020 and 2021 (they won the other three) and three in 2024 (they won the other two). What-might-have-beens are writ large over his decisions have been unkind at crucial moments, but in eight attempts Scotland have not gone into the final weekend with a realistic shot at the have advanced under Townsend's coaching, though. Anybody saying otherwise is allowing their disappointment to overtake their perspective. Scotland in full flow are a thrillfest, just not a consistent a reason why Scotland have not contended. The talk of their golden generation is about as misplaced as the chat about them bigging themselves sure, this is probably the most talented backline Scotland has ever produced, but in no way is it among the most talented pack of a good pack, but it's a way off championship-winning good and a world away from Grand Slam good. You hear talk of Townsend wasting the golden generation. That's one-eyed analysis. It focuses solely on the wonders of the backline without properly assessing the forwards and their superior counterparts in Ireland and France. But not in Wales. There is nothing superior about this Welsh team in the pack or behind the pack and that's why Townsend won't be cut any slack if Scotland don't allowances will be made for the injured Sione Tuipulotu, no nuance will be applied because Scott Cummings, Max Williamson, Andy Onyeama-Christie and Josh Bayliss are is a should-win because Townsend's team look stronger in most positions, have won the past two against Wales and have home advantage, but it's also a can't hope to avoid heavy flak, or a serious examination of the way of things by his bosses, if his team goes from three wins in 2023 to two wins in 2024 to (possibly) one win in 2025. That would suddenly look like a dead the skin of their teeth, and the width of a goalpost, the bookmakers were proven right when they made England favourites at Twickenham. They're now making Scotland overwhelming, almost unbackable, favourites on to the bookies, Wales don't have much of a prayer and that kind of status will suit them nicely. No-hopers? not the only ones with points to prove, though. That wasteful loss to England has sickened Scotland to their core and you can imagine them nursing that frustration for a fortnight. They should be two from maybe not the roaring certainties the odds layers tell you they are, but they'll be fine up front, they could be wondrous out the back and they should have too much for Wales. Or else the night sky might fall.
Telegraph
11-02-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Sir Alex Ferguson pays emotional tribute to Denis Law at United legend's funeral
Sir Alex Ferguson gave an emotional tribute Ferguson was among the attendees from Manchester United present at the service, which also included current manager Ruben Amorim and captain Bruno Fernandes. Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family were not scheduled to be present. Law died last month aged 84. The funeral procession started at Old Trafford, home to Law between 1962 and 1973. Academy players and staff formed a guard of honour and laid a wreath when the procession passed the Trinity Statue, depicting Law with George Best and Sir Bobby Charlton. 'I normally read off the top of my head but I can't today,' a visibly emotional Ferguson said as he stood to give tribute. Flower of Scotland , Scotland's national anthem, was played by a lone piper as Law's coffin was carried into the cathedral, where former players Bryan Robson, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Peter Schmeichel and Gary Neville, and Liverpool and Scotland great Sir Kenny Dalglish, were among those invited. United executives who attended included Omar Berrada, the CEO, and technical director Jason Wilcox. Harry Maguire was also among the current squad who attended the service led by the Revd Canon Dr Ian Jorysz. Black and white images of Law stretched down the front of the East Stand of Old Trafford, where a book of condolence was open and flags flew at half mast Co-owner Ratcliffe and the Glazer family, however, were not represented at the service to honour one of the club greats, who still holds the record for the most goals, 46, in a single season by a United player. Law was one of He began at Huddersfield Town and was twice the most expensive player in Britain during a glittering career in which he also played for Manchester City and Torino in Italy. He joined United in 1962 and scored 237 goals in 404 appearances, earning the moniker 'Lawman'. 'He was a great player and a real gentleman; a real nice man,' said former United forward Brian McClair. Other former players who attended included Mike Summerbee and Alex Stepney.
