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A look at Scotland's finest midfield talents throughout the years
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Over the course of its long and proud footballing history, Scotland has produced some standout midfielders. From tough-tackling terriers to metronomic tempo-setters, we’ve selected the pick of the bunch. Some have starred north of the border, others south of it, and some on both sides – and all of them have pulled on the famous blue and white of their nation. An uncompromising box-to-box midfielder, Celtic legend Scott Brown wore his heart on his sleeve – and the captain’s armband on his other sleeve. The two-time PFA Scotland Players’ Player of the Year captained the Old Firm giants to nine consecutive league titles between 2012 and 2020, and represented his country on 55 occasions. Skipper of both Rangers and the Scotland national team at one point, Barry Ferguson won the SFWA (Scottish Football Writers’ Association) Footballer of the Year award twice in four years at the start of the 21st century. His consistently strong showings for the Gers earned him a big move south of the border in 2003, when he joined Graeme Souness’ Blackburn Rovers for £7. 5m. The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week. Ferguson later lifted the League Cup with Birmingham City, helping them shock Arsenal in the 2011 final. Born in Yorkshire, the tireless Stuart Mc Call opted to play for Scotland, qualifying through his father, and earned 40 caps between 1990 and 1998. A Scottish champion five years running with Rangers, Mc Call had memorable spells in English football with Everton and Bradford City (twice), bagging a brace for the former in the 1989 FA Cup final against Liverpool and playing a prominent part in the latter’s promotion to the Premier League a decade later. A firm fan favourite at Celtic, Paul Mc Stay was a one-club man (hooray for nominative determinism) who featured the best part of 700 times for the Bhoys, winning three Scottish titles during the 80s. Capped 76 times in all, he played for Scotland at the 1986 and 1990 World Cups – having previously captained their U18 team to 1982 European Championship glory. Paul Lambert enjoyed success in Scotland and Germany, helping Celtic to four league titles and two doubles – after starring in Borussia Dortmund’s 1996/97 Champions League triumph. In a career-defining display, the 40-cap international impressively nullified the considerable threat of Zinedine Zidane as Dortmund saw off Juventus to be crowned champions of Europe for the first time. Playing professionally for almost 20 years, John Collins claimed silverware in three countries, most notably helping Monaco to the 1996/97 Ligue 1 title. The former Celtic and Hibernian man, who later turned out for Everton and Fulham, made his mark on French soil again in 1998, scoring from the penalty spot in the opening game of the World Cup against Brazil. Capped 80 times, Darren Fletcher became Scotland’s youngest skipper in over a century when he was first handed the armband at the age of 20 in 2004. A tenacious operator in the middle of the park who liked to get forward, Fletcher spent the vast majority of his career with Manchester United, coming through the club’s youth ranks to make 342 appearances and win eight major honours – including five Premier League titles and the Champions League. An integral member of Arsenal’s 1970/71 double-winning side, George Graham stood out for his versatility and was comfortable in the middle of the park or as part of the forward line. Either side of his successful stint at Highbury – where he went on to enjoy further success as manager ‘Stroller’ – who earned 12 Scotland caps – turned out for Chelsea, lifting the League Cup in his first season with the Blues, and Manchester United. Capped 80 times, Darren Fletcher became Scotland’s youngest skipper in over a century when he was first handed the armband at the age of 20 in 2004. A tenacious operator in the middle of the park who liked to get forward, Fletcher spent the vast majority of his career with Manchester United, coming through the club’s youth ranks to make 342 appearances and win eight major honours – including five Premier League titles and the Champions League. Archie Gemmill wasn’t necessarily renowned for sublime showings of individual skill, but his iconic winning goal for Scotland against the Netherlands at the 1974 World Cup proved what magic he had up his sleeve. The diminutive ex-St. Mirren midfielder found success south of the border with Derby and Nottingham Forest, winning the First Division title under Brian Clough at both clubs and the European Cup at Forest. Debuting for Leeds aged just 15, Peter Lorimer was clearly a very special talent – and he went on to become one of the finest attacking midfielders of his generation. Possessing a seriously powerful shot – he could strike the ball at over 100mph and loved having a pop from distance – he scored the best part of 300 goals for club and country. A two-time First Division champion and an FA Cup and League Cup winner with Leeds, Lorimer represented Scotland at the 1974 World Cup. Bringing aggression and great technical ability to the right-hand side of midfield, Gordon Strachan starred prominently for Aberdeen, Manchester United, Leeds and Scotland. Having picked up multiple major trophies with Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen – including the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1983 – Strachan helped United to FA Cup victory and was crucial to Leeds’ winning the Second and First Division titles in the space of three years at the start of the 90s. Voted FWA Footballer of the Year in 1991, he featured at the 1982 and 1986 World Cups. Revered by his contemporaries, Jim Baxter was a true superstar of the Scottish game, running the show in the middle of the park with immense style. A sublime passer who helped raise the game of all those around him, the 34-cap international won three league titles and three Scottish Cups with Rangers – who sold him to Sunderland for a Scottish-record £72, 500 in 1965. Alex Ferguson once described Baxter as “arguably the best player to play in Scottish football”. Pivotal to Liverpool’s glory days of the 70s and 80s, Graeme Souness was one of the game’s standout midfielders in his prime. Famously no-nonsense in his approach, he won, among other honours, five First Division titles and three European Cups with the Reds, spending his final three seasons at Anfield as skipper. Captain for half of his 54 Scotland caps, wearing the armband at the 1982 and 1986 World Cups, Souness also picked up silverware with Sampdoria and Rangers. Among the greatest-ever Hearts and Tottenham players, Dave Mackay was an exceptionally well-rounded midfielder who captained and played a starring role in multiple successes at both clubs. Crucial to Spurs’ 1960/61 double triumph – having won the 1957/58 Scottish First Division title with Hearts – Mackay was lauded by George Best as “the hardest man I have ever played against – and certainly the bravest”. He earned 22 caps for Scotland, helping them claim the 1962/63 British Home Championship. Famously tough in the tackle, Billy Bremner fired Leeds’ midfield with extraordinary energy during the 60s and 70s, establishing himself among the finest players of his era and, ultimately, of all time. Renowned for his pinpoint passing, Bremner – who represented Scotland 54 times and captained them at the 1974 World Cup – wore the armband throughout Leeds’ most successful period, leading them to two First Division titles, an FA Cup, a League Cup and the 1975 European Cup final. In 1970, he was bestowed with the prestigious accolade of FWA Footballer of the Year. Tom Hancock started freelancing for Four Four Two in April 2019 and has also written for the Premier League and Opta Analyst, among others. He supports Wycombe Wanderers and has a soft spot for Wealdstone. A self-confessed statto, he has been known to watch football with a spreadsheet (or several) open. .. 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