Does England vs Scotland really matter any more? Too right, it does! Nov 11, 2016 10:00:31 The two Br...
Does England vs Scotland really matter any more? Too right, it does!
The two British nations go head to head for the 113th
time on Friday but rarely have they been so disunited as they are when
they meet in this World Cup qualifier
The history of international football began with a rather forgettable 0-0 draw between Scotland and England in Glasgow in November 1872 but that fixture soon began to set the standard for the game across the world. On Friday, they come together once more for their 113th meeting in a World Cup qualifier at Wembley.
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In the 144 years which have followed that first game, there have been some memorable matches which have been spoken about for generations, from Scotland's 5-1 Wembley Wizards triumph of 1928 to England's Jimmy Greaves-inspired 9-3 success in 1961. There was the 3-2 Scotland win in 1967 which gave them the title 'unofficial world champions' in the eyes of their fans and the Euro 96 win for England which will always be remembered for Gary McAllister's missed penalty and Paul Gascoigne's subsequent 'Dentist's Chair' wonder-goal.
Like many long-standing affairs, there have been twists and turns along the way but, since the cessation of the annual British Home Championship and the Rous Cup which followed, there have been only occasional meetings between world football's oldest international rivals.
To the wider world, the lack of regular England vs Scotland fixtures is no great loss and it is easy to see why. The Scots' failure to qualify for any major tournament since 1998, despite the recent expansion of the European Championship, has helped to undermine the relevance of the famous old rivalry. So too has been the diminishing force of Scotland's greatest clubs.
Gone are the days when Celtic and Rangers numbered among Europe's most competitive teams, or when Aberdeen could win a major continental trophy. Nowadays an appearance for any Scottish side in the group stage of either the Champions League or the Europa League is a real rarity. And the national side have fared worse rather than better.
Modern football has championed new rivalries as part of revised priorities. The Champions League is now seen as the pinnacle rather than the World Cup and it is Real Madrid vs Barcelona which grabs the current generation’s attention as opposed to England vs Scotland or Brazil vs Argentina. International breaks are nothing more than a nuisance and major tournaments seen as a filler between seasons in which runs of form are a 'flash in the pan' and not the ground-breaking, era-definining story of old.
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As such, nobody really cares about England vs Scotland outside of England and Scotland. But try telling anybody in the two countries involved that this match-up isn't worthy of the hype that it has received this week. Against an increasingly fraught political backdrop, both pre- and post-Brexit, there is more than bragging rights at stake when these two nations face up.
While they both remain part of the United Kingdom, the push for Scottish devolution has tested the relationship between the neighbours long and hard in recent years. There was the independence referendum of 2014 which saw Scotland ultimately remain a part of the UK, only for a huge Scottish nationalist uprising in the 2015 General Election to divide opinions once more on the country's position within Great Britain. Adding in the vote to leave the European Union in June this year despite Scots voting overwhelmingly in favour of the Remain campaign, England and Scotland have arguably never been more at odds since the Act of Union was passed in 1707.
Friday's fixture brings together the two nations in their shared national sport. They will unite in a minute's silence and the wearing of poppies to commemorate the 98th anniversary of Armistice Day. But in every other respect they will be divided; barracking for different teams, representing different countries, fighting for different causes. And for as long as hostilities remain fraught between the neighbours away from the football field, the collision of the two sides on it will remain of great importance to those looking to get one over on their nearest rivals.
These are two countries going in opposite directions but, in football terms, the ill-feeling and desire for qualified one-upmanship is as pertinent as ever. Not since 1954 have they competed in a World Cup fixture and, while England are huge favourites to qualify and should remain so regardless of the result, a defeat by Scotland would cause an inquest perhaps even greater than that which followed Euro elimination to Iceland five months ago, such is the weight that this meeting carries.
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Due to the home-and-away nature of qualifying contests, these two will face off again in Glasgow in June. But defeat by the arch-rivals at Wembley on Friday brings with it the promise of seven months of hell in the mind of the football fanatic who has to face up to the ridicule of their British brethren. Even rank-outsiders Scotland will go into the contest fearing the consequences of failure against the arrogant lot south of the border.
So while much of the globe will continue to go about its business oblivious to events in north-west London on Friday, the 58.3 million inhabitants of the two countries involved might understandably consider this World Cup qualifier to be as important a match as the sides have ever contested.
A kingdom divided, with only one possible winner. Don't believe for a second that this game no longer matters.