Scottish football's greatest 100: Ross Dunbar makes his picks
The Away End are choosing the top 100 players to have ever played in Scotland. Ross Dunbar puts forward his votes, and says who he feels should be in the top ten.
Billy McNeil (Celtic) – Players who play for just one club are rare nowadays. McNeil spent his entire career with Celtic, making over 700 appearances in the league. He won nine league championships, seven Scottish Cups and lifted the European Cup in 1967. He made 29 appearances for Scotland as a centre-half and was voted Celtic’s greatest ever captain.
Jim Baxter (Rangers & Raith Rovers) – “Slim Jim” Baxter was undoubtedly one of the most talented players in Scottish football history. His famous ‘keepie-uppie’ at Wembley will remain in the memory of every member of the Tartan Army. He played over 50 times for Raith in the 1950s before making his name with Rangers where he spent the bulk of his career. He won ten trophies with the Light Blues in the space of five years and has received plaudits from the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson, Ferenc Puskas and Pele.
Willie Woodburn (Rangers) – Woodburn was a fantastic centre-half in his time with Rangers during the hugely successful Bill Struth era. He made over 200 appearances for the Gers is part of both the Scottish and Rangers Hall of Fame. He was popular for his tough-tackling and his ability to play out from the back. Woodburn had his career ruined when the SFA banned him from playing football in 1953.
Alex Jackson (Dumbarton & Aberdeen) – The Renton-born winger had his finest moment at Wembley in 1928 as Scotland devastated their rivals 5-1. Jackson scored a hat-trick at Wembley and was famed for his excellent dribbling ability and set-pieces. He spent his early days at Dumbarton before spending a season with Aberdeen where he played 34 matches. In the years later, he would star with Huddersfield Town and Chelsea but tragically died in a car accident whilst serving with the Armed Forces.
Alan Morton (Rangers) – Widely regarded as one of the best wingers in world football during the 1920s and 30s, Morton played an influential part in a hugely successful side under Bill Struth. At just 5ft 4, Morton was part of the “Wembley Wizards” side and was famous for his excellent control, quick feet and dazzling skills. He earned the nickname “the wee blue devil” and has a famous portrait inside the Ibrox main stand.
Willie Thornton (Rangers) – Due to the impact of the second world war, Thornton only made 250 or so recognised appearances for Rangers but featured at times during the war period. The striker scored 138 times in 219 league matches and was awared a military medal for his service during world war two.
Jimmy Johnstone (Celtic) – Voted the greatest ever Celtic player, “Jinky” Johnstone will be fondly remembered by those lucky enough to see him play. He was part of the famous 1967 European Cup winning side which Johnstone was too good for the Italian opponents. He played over 300 times for Celtic and won nine Scottish league championships.
Alex James (Raith Rovers) – The eight-time capped Scotland winger was another one of the famous “Wembley Wizards” and he was remembered for his time, mainly at Arsenal. He scored four goals for the national team in his short career. He played over 100 times for Raith Rovers and possessed terrific technical ability and great intelligence as an inside-forward.
Davie Cooper (Clydebank, Motherwell & Rangers) – One of the greatest players of his generation, Cooper became an instant hit when he joined Rangers in 1977 after spending the early part of his career with Clydebank. He won three league titles at Ibrox and his famous goal in the Drybrough Cup Final against Celtic still remains one of the best goals in the history of Rangers. After 377 games at Ibrox, he moved to Motherwell where he won the 1991 Scottish Cup. He was a fans favourite with all clubs due to his sensational ability and stunning left-foot.
Jorg Albertz (Rangers) – The German was brought to Glasgow from Hamburg in 1996 by Walter Smith and is still well remembered by the Light Blues faithful. Known as “Der Hammer” for his immensely powerful left-foot, he played over 150 times for Rangers, winning three league titles. The midfielder scored against the likes of PSV and Bayern Munich in the Champions League for Rangers.
Who would you pick? You can either submit your vote here http://kwiksurveys.com?u=top100 ,or send in a similar article to the above to
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Comments
It's all about personal preference. I only had 10 to pick.
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