150th Anniversary Match
Friendly
Hampden Park
Glasgow, Scotland
12 Sep 23
The Scottish FA produced an amazing bumper 148 page super programme to celebrate their 150th anniversary heritage match against the auld enemy. It all began on 30 Nov 1872 at the West of Scotland Cricket ground on Hamilton Crescent in Partick. The game ended 0:0 and so began one of the fiercest encounters in international football. The programme had great articles about the famous Scottish victories, like the 1:5 away win at Wembley in 1928 or the day they beat the World Champions 2:3 at Wembley on 15 Apr 1967 (England's first defeat since becoming the world champions). Although to be fair the programme did lament about the 9:3 loss to England on 15 April 1961 at Wembley. I particularly enjoyed reading about the history of the three versions of Hampden park and how you can still take a nostalgic tour to visit the locations of the grounds
Record (including tonight's game): P 116 W 49 L 41 D 26
The number of members who registered an interest in this iconic game was a huge 11,197 but the allocation was very low at a measly 2845. The ballet was conducted and 27 caps would guarantee you a ticket. I comfortably made the cut but Sue opted not to travel to this one. The cost was £30
Hampden Park is located in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow and has a capacity of 51,866. When it first opened in 1903 it had a capacity of over 100,000 and even was extended in 1927 and 1937 to a peak of 150,000. It holds the European record for an international attendance when Scotland played England in 1937 in front of 149,145
The North stand displaying a proud 150 years
Trent Alexander-Arnold is heavily expected to play a big role in England's Euro 24 campaign in Germany justifying his Free Lions' front cover debut
Attendance: 49,129
Arriving into Glasgow central at 2005 on the delayed 1830 from Edinburgh meaning I'd missed the early ticket collection
Merchant City is is a an area of commerce originally developed from 1750's onwards where the wealthy merchants were 'Tobacco Lords' who had their warehouses and residences in the area. Now it hosts festivals and designer shopping, a bit like Covent garden.
The Duke of Wellington sitting proudly on his horse Copenhagen outside the Gallery of Modern Arts, complete with the obligatory traffic cone
The Mecure Glasgow City Hotel - Digs for the night
After bumping into some of the usual suspects we grab a late beer at Max's Bar on Queen St
Even Steve Wright (QPR) turned up
A sobering walk back to the hotel and a reminder that Scotland is the drug capital of Europe
Day 2 and the Duke has still got a cone on his head
Knock, Knock !
Whose there?
Dr
Dr Who?
1 of 5 Police Box's on Wilson St that still frequent Glasgow. This one used to be a falafel shop
A bright and sunny morning in the Merchant City
Passing the Walter Scott Monument on George Square, the second tallest monument dedicated to a writer
Hope Street and the Fan's Embassy to pick up a Free Lions
First beer of the day will be in Denholms on Hope Street
A great line up for todays festivities: Craig Mac, Sir Tommy Truman, Freddie, Robbie, Lee T and yours truly
Next stop we venture south across the Clyde into a staunch loyalist area, Kinning Park. The Union Bar is a tenement corner bar on Paisley Road with some interesting locals
Soul is good for the soul
Taxi dropped us off by a licenced garage, after a short walk we arrive at the East stand of the stadium, opposite our end.
Time to walk the gauntlet
The smell of Buckie is unbearable
Jocks milling outside the North stand
Heading around the corner to the West Stand which is split between Jocks (B sector) and us in A.
We are in the West Stand, traditionally the 'Rangers end' of Hampden with the 'Celtic end' being in the East terrace
Atmosphere building before the game.
Banter exchange
View from the rear of the Lower West Stand
The Scottish faithful proudly display their '150' Tifo in the North Stand
View from my actual seat in the Lower West Stand
The yellow Hi-Viz vests mark the Sector A and B divide
Match build up
Hampden Park, Glasgow
"Scotland get battered everywhere they go"
Some of the Scottish idiots in the West Upper Stand managed to smuggle bottles of buckie and whisky into the stadium which proved devastating for one English fan who had to be taken to hospital after one crashed into his skull
England's Top Boy reporting from Hampden Park
On 35 mins Jude Bellingham makes it 2:0 to England following a mistake by Andy Robinson and that's how it stays at HT
Who put the ball in the Scottish net, half of feckin Europe
On 81 minutes, Captain Harry Kane kills the game off with a decisive strike from an incredible bit of genius from Jude Bellingham who provides the assist to make it 3:1
England fans at Hampden Park,
Good Night and God save the King!
Day 3 and its time to catch the train home but not without saying good bye to Queen Victoria on horseback with raised sceptre, watching over her people on George Square
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