Scot 100: James Hunter picks his top 10 Scottish footballers
The Away End are searching for Scottish football's greatest 100 - the men who have lit up our leagues since a heavy leather ball was first kicked in anger.
The hunt continues until the end of March when we'll then begin counting down to first place. You can vote for your choices here, and below James Hunter picks his top ten.
1. Jimmy ‘Jinky’ Johnstone – Part of the Lisbon Lions and quite possibly the most skilful player Scotland has ever produced. Remembered for his incredible skill he made over 500 appearances for Celtic in a time when they ruled Scotland and became the first British and only Scottish side to have ever won the European Cup.
2. Henrik Larsson – The King of Kings, Henrik Larsson’s Celtic career didn’t get off to the greatest of starts when, on his debut, he played a poor pass that was intercepted by Chic Charnley who smashed in the winner for Hibernian. He overcame this to become a Celtic legend by scoring 222 goals in 359 appearances, winning multiple league titles and cups with Scotland and playing a prolific role in Celtic’s ‘Road to Seville’ UEFA Cup campaign in 2002/2003. After Celtic he went on to Barcelona, Manchester United and returned to the club he started his career with; Helsingborg. He is currently manager at Swedish second division Landskrona BoIS.
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Scot 100: George Cran makes his picks for Scottish football's greatest 100
Before reading my selection you have to understand that the earliest memory of a Scotland match was in the 1994 World Cup Qualification campaign so I haven’t included any players I have never seen play live or on live TV. I have chosen a basic 4-4-2 line-up.
Goalkeeper: Andy Goram (43 Caps)
Despite walking out on the Scotland team ahead of the ’98 World Cup due to losing the No.1 jersey to Jim Leighton, Goram is my choice as the best Scotland ‘keeper. In my personal opinion Craig Gordon would have edged it as the best I’ve seen in a Scotland shirt if he was occasionally fit for selection.
Which one of these ex-Scotland defenders made it into George Cran's team?
Right-Back: Christian Dailly (67 Caps, 6 Goals)
Ever-dependable at full-back and centre-back Dailly captained Scotland 12 times and etched himself into Scottish folklore as he was caught live on TV calling the German team “Cheats! F***ing diving cheats!”.
Hearts v Celtic: The last five clashes
Celtic travel to Tynecastle this evening looking to maintain an impressive unbeaten run. However, a trip to Gorgie more often than not leads to a tough 90 minutes for the Hoops.
Robert Hynes takes a look at the last five Hearts-Celtic clashes.
Celtic 1-0 Hearts 10/12/2011
A stunning strike from Victor Wanyama and a late penalty save from Fraser Forster ensured Celtic escaped with all three points. This was the Kenya man’s first goal for Celtic and it couldn’t have been much better. He buried it in the top corner from outside the box and left keeper Marían Kello stunned in the Hearts goal. Celtic had the better of the chances particularly in the first half but almost dropped two points when Hearts were awarded a penalty for a Wanyama foul in the last minute. Eggert Jónsson took the spot kick but had it brilliantly saved by Forster.
Fraser Forster's penalty save was a pivotal moment in the title race
Scot 100: Shaughan McGuigan's Greatest Scottish Football XI
Throughout the month of February, The Away End are asking fans to pick their greatest Scottish football players, so that we can put together the definative list of the 100 greatest players to have graced our league.You can add you vote at: http://www.theawayend.net/our-content/top-100-players or e-mail us at
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with your very own article that we'll display on the site.
Today, Shaughan McGuigan is next up to pick his greatest XI.
Goalkeeper: Craig Gordon.
The only pick in my team who is still currently playing, it genuinely surprises me when teams are linked with goalkeepers and Gordon's name isn't mentioned. For me he edges out Andy Goram on the basis that I never felt the Rangers man played as well for Scotland as he did for his club side.
The only pick in my team who is still currently playing, it genuinely surprises me when teams are linked with goalkeepers and Gordon's name isn't mentioned. For me he edges out Andy Goram on the basis that I never felt the Rangers man played as well for Scotland as he did for his club side.
While Jim Leighton was another obvious candidate the former Aberdeen, Manchester United and Hibernian custodian suffered dips in form that Gordon hasn't experienced.
If he can stay clear of injuries that have hampered him over the last couple of years then he can become one of Scotland's greats, no mean feat in the modern era.
Podcast 85: Scott Brown, Joe Ledley and David Silva
The Away End Scottish Football Podcast - Episode 85: It's been an action packed week with the Scottish Communities League Cup semi-finals and the transfer window.
Alan Potts and Andrew Southwick were both at the Hampden showdowns at the weekend, and they spoke to Celtic pair Scott Brown and Joe Ledley, and Kilmarnock's David Silva.
Potts is joined in the studio this week by Andrew Devlin and Simon Reid, and they look back at who has done the best business in the transfer window, and look ahead to the weekend's Scottish Cup ties.
Scot 100: Andy Devlin picks his greatest XI
The Away End are putting together the greatest 100 players in Scottish football history. You can nominate your favourites at http://www.theawayend.net/our-content/top-100-players.
Next up to give his thoughts on who should make the list is Andrew Devlin, who makes a case for the lisbon Lions.
As with many of the contributors on this extremley interesting topic, I have opted to select an SPL XI consisting of the players I have have had the pleasure of watching during my time as a football fan.
Firstly, let me begin by stating that the greatest ever Scottish XI is obvious and unarguable. Simpson, Craig, Gemmell, Murdoch, McNeill, Clark, Johnstone, Wallace, Auld, Chalmers, Lennox. Yes, there have been better individuals to have played in the Scottish game than some of the famous Lisbon Lions. No doubt many Celtic fans would argue Kenny Dalglish and Danny McGrain were far better players than their counterparts in their respective positions. Of course, every Rangers fan would debate their own heroes claim to a place in the greatest collection of Scottish players of all time.
We are, afterall, discussing the best team ever to play in these shores, and thus, one need look no further than Jock Stein's immortals. A team is much more than a collection of individuals. One where the overall good is greater than the sum of it's parts, and for all the achivements of the players excluded from my XI, none can be greater than conquering Europe with a Glasgow distirict select.
Alas, at 25 years of age, I was unlucky enough to be born 21 years too late to witness that historic afternoon in the Estadio Nacional in Lisbon, and therefore, I have compiled a team I would consider to be the greatest to have played in the Scottish Premier League since it's inception in 1998.
Of course, there will be some who agree, and countless who don't; that is the overall beauty of a debate such as this. Having had the pleasure of playing soccer in the United States for many years, I came to the conclusion that one could assemble 100 basketball fans into a room and the unanimous decison would be taken that Michael Jordan is the greatest hoops (no, not those ones) player of all time. For baseball, read Babe Ruth. Yet, conduct the same experiement with followers of the beautiful game, and it is entirley conceivable 100 different names could be presented. So, without further ado, here is my selection.
Scot 100: David Coates picks his Scottish football XI
The Away End are putting together the 100 greatest players in Scottish football history. You can vote for your team here :- http://www.theawayend.net/our-content/top-100-players
Today David Coates picks his greatest XI with a strong Celtic link.
Jim Leighton (Aberdeen, Hibernian) - Leighton made just under 400 appearances for the Dons during his two spells with the club during Aberdeen’s most successful period in their history in the1980s and early 90s. He won 3 Scottish league titles, 4 Scottish Cups, 2 League Cups and the Cup Winners Cup during his time with Aberdeen and is regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers Scotland have ever produced. He played over 90 times for Scotland which is still a Scottish International record for a keeper.
Tommy Gemmell (Celtic) - The Motherwell born left back will be forever remembered for scoring a thunderbolt of an equaliser in the 1967 European Cup Final for the Hoops. However he also scored in the 1970 European Cup Final against Feyenoord becoming the first British player to score in two different European Cup Finals.
Tommy Gemmell
Scot 100: Cheryl Smith picks who she considers Scottish football's elite
The Away End are putting together the greatest 100 players to have played in Scottish football, and we need your votes.
Cheryl Smith attempted to pick her top ten, but explains why she has to add an extra player.
BRIAN LAUDRUP (RANGERS)
The former Rangers striker is regarded by many as one of the greatest Danish players in history. In 1994 Laudrup was signed for Rangers by then manager Walter Smith for 2.3 million pounds from Italian side Fiorentina. In his four years with the Glasgow Club Brian Laudrup was instrumental in helping Rangers to complete nine league titles in a row by picking up three winners medals as well as a Scottish Cup and a League Cup, playing 151 games and scoring 45 goals. The 1996 Scottish Cup Final between Rangers and Hearts was dubbed the Laudrup final after the Dane scored two goals and set up three in a 5-1 victory for the Ibrox side. During his time with the Scottish Club Laudrup was twice named as Danish player of the year.
The former Rangers striker is regarded by many as one of the greatest Danish players in history. In 1994 Laudrup was signed for Rangers by then manager Walter Smith for 2.3 million pounds from Italian side Fiorentina. In his four years with the Glasgow Club Brian Laudrup was instrumental in helping Rangers to complete nine league titles in a row by picking up three winners medals as well as a Scottish Cup and a League Cup, playing 151 games and scoring 45 goals. The 1996 Scottish Cup Final between Rangers and Hearts was dubbed the Laudrup final after the Dane scored two goals and set up three in a 5-1 victory for the Ibrox side. During his time with the Scottish Club Laudrup was twice named as Danish player of the year.
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Won't retweet everything but urge everyone to read the @Scottish_FA timeline #councildebate
NEW ARTICLE: STV presenter @RealMackaySTV picks his greatest Scottish football XI for #Scot100... http://t.co/PwsEdFUq
@CameronHobbs Of course, everyone is welcome to submit an article. Just anytime before the end of March, preferably mid-March actually.
And sticking with the BBC (see how we've linked them?) @richardgordon48 also put forward his greatest XI #scot100 http://t.co/b4Ge2YfS
From one commentator to another, the BBC's @liammcleod79 picked a cracking XI #scot100 http://t.co/STSCHWSV