Chapter 132: At Long Last
It was now 4th July, the final of Euro 2004 to take place between Scotland and Wales. Those on their way to the Estádio da Luz stadium in Lisbon would've noticed a BBC camera crew filming a scene for an upcoming sitcom special that was to be realised for Christmas later that year. For the Scots heading on their way, they would've instantly recognised the characters, a bunch of old age pensioners that were the characters from the Scottish sitcom 'Still Game', the show about a pair of Glaswegian pensioners, Jack and Victor, who get up to various misadventures that has become a household name across Scotland and this particular special would be the first for the show and would see Jack, Victor and all the gang head out to Portugal to follow Scotland throughout Euro 2004.
Though the crew and cast were keeping a tight lip of what would happen in the special to the interest of the nosy Tartan Army, it wouldn't be long until leaks would show what the plot would be about. Prior to the start of the tournament the barman, Boabby, has managed to acquire tickets along with a number of his friends to head out to Portugal much to the annoyance of the pensioners who now won't have anyone running 'The Clansman' while he is away, however he soon hears of shocking news that many of the guys he was originally suppose to be with have all been arrested as part of an embezzlement scam which leaves Boabby with many tickets that look set to go to waste. However after much persistent from the gang all wanting the chance to follow Scotland for what might be their last time due to their advance ages, Boabby reluctantly allows them to join him in Portugal.
Throughout the special, various mishaps happen such as Jack and Victor getting a sunburn while trying to get a tan, Winston getting food poisoning, Tam being arrested after trying to use forged Euro notes to get around and Isa trying to flirt with local Portuguese men which all end in failure due her annoying personality. It wasn't the first time the BBC had done something like this as during Italia '90, fellow Scottish sitcom 'Rab C. Nesbitt' had a similar concept in which the characters head off to Italy to support Scotland at the World Cup which also was a Christmas special and in some ways this special could be seen as some sort of sequel that that one. As the team progressed along in the tournament, many changes to the script have been done to accommodate this such the England semi final match which ends in a mass hangover the following day after Scotland's victory and the scene that was being filmed as such was one in which the gang find themselves on their way to the final but have to their horror lost the tickets...
Viewers would find out at Christmas later that year as to what happens next, but that was not the main focus of the moment, what was more important was the upcoming final with Scotland and Wales and one thing was for sure that at least someone's wait for silverware was about to come to an end, the question was for who though...?
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As McLeish and Hughes shook hands just after the teams walked out of the tunnel and prepared to stand for the anthems, it must've quite a funny situation knowing that the two would've came across each other during that match at the 1982 World Cup in which Wales prevented Scotland from reaching the Semis on that occasion, now the two were to meet again this time from the dugouts and the Scottish manager was hoping for revenge but only knew too well the pressure was clearly on the Scots. Despite suffering a humiliating 4-0 loss to Wales in Cardiff just a few months ago, Scotland were expected to beat the Welsh as history had shown the Scots often had a far better record over the Welsh from the Home Championship days, yet when it came to tournament football whenever the two locked horns, it was always quite an even affair with not much between the two so this match was anything but a foregone conclusion.
What made the game perhaps more eyebrow raising was that for fans of Celtic FC, the game in question could be thought of as the Celtic show due to the fact that of the 22 players on that field, 6 of them all played for Celtic with 4 being in the Scotland line up and the other two, Hartson and Bellamy, in the Welsh line-up. Club loyalties for these players would have to be put aside and a few scores from that last encounter in Cardiff would have to be settled now, it is a rivalry that had now become something different but nonetheless special when compared to either's rivalry with England.
From the get go, the game showed what it looked set to be a dirty game of football. From the early moments such as the 4th minute, Scottish captain Barry Ferguson would make a rough tackle that sent Bellamy to the ground and the captain was, much to the surprise of the Welsh, let off with a warning from Markus Merk, the German referee, who was trying his best to get the game flowing in these early moments. The Welsh would show that they weren't all angels as in the 8th minute, Carl Fletcher would while chasing Kenny Miller on the counter would send the Scottish player crashing the ground on the right flank and the Tartan Army roared for action, but like with before, the referee would let the Welsh player off with just a warning, at least the referee wasn't bias for one side.
Just one such scene during the early moments of the game
After about 15 minutes of play, the game finally started showing a more flowing form of football as the ball was knocked about the pitch and with it being all end to end stuff, it made for what now looked set to be an entertaining game. Though that wouldn't last as in the 18th minute, Wales were awarded a free kick after Gary Holt made a tackle on Paul Parry in which the free kick would be some 50 yards away from the Scottish box and Hartson would step up to take it. He would bend the ball over the wall and what looked like it would be going in, but thankfully for the Scottish, the Scotland and Celtic keeper Robert Douglas would deny his Celtic teammate by getting a hand on the ball as he dived to the right and divert it away out for a corner kick. Hartson glared at his teammate at club level and knew that playing at international level was a challenge in more ways than one.
Attempts were made on both sides to try and find the opening goal but nether were having any success and with the lack of success at trying to find the back of the net would lead to frustrations among the players as demonstrated in the 29th minute in which Rob Edwards would foul his Wolverhampton teammate, Kenny Miller, as he neared the box and this would see the first yellow card of the day and for some one was bound to happen sooner or later. Nonetheless, Miller stepped up to take it and it would be in a quite a good position being on the edge of the box.
With a blast on the whistle, Miller curled it up and over the Welsh red wall and it went curling towards the left top corner of the Welsh corner post and Paul Jones dived in the correct position to try and stop the ball, but he ended up being just a little bit up short and he can only watch as the ball clunks on the corner post and eventually bounce into the direction of the net. The roar from the Tartan Army pretty said how things were going, Scotland were a goal up in the final and just what they all wanted. McLeish celebrated on the touchline and punched his fist into the air towards the Scottish supporters to show how much this meant to him.
Happy Scotland fans celebrate going in front during the final
Wales didn't give in so easily and from the bench, Hughes yelled out orders for the players to follow if they were to find something within the last 15 minutes of the first half and much to everyone's amazement, Jason Komus almost did in the 38th minute when he made a lovely little chip of the ball over hands of Robert Douglas and many Welsh fans in the stadium rose to their feet thinking that this would be the moment that they'd have a game. Instead, the ball hit the crossbar and would go out for a goal kick, such a wonderful chance for Wales to equalise but that all being said there would be hopefully more chances for Wales to get something in the game.
The first half would though come to an end with the Scots still in front by that single goal, granted there was still all to play for, but compared to what happened in Cardiff, they were doing better so far and the only hope that the supporters had was if they could this up then Scotland would be European Champions for the first time since 1968. The only thing that Mark Hughes could do was give his Wales side a strong team talk that this game was far from over and for their captain Ryan Giggs, he would bring a tacit called 'Fergie Time' from his own certain Scottish manager at Manchester United...
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A real determination could be seen from the Welsh players who started the second half off very strongly and the Scots looked slacked, almost if McLeish had told them that they were going to have their name on the trophy by the end of this game. Ryan Giggs shows his captain's skills as he kicks and screams Wales to find something in the game, so much that Hughes has very little to order to his player and becomes a spectator from the bench. Some keen eyes could see that Giggs might be a manager in the not too distant future...
Wales' pressing play comes into it's own in the 54th minute, when Bellamy is handed the ball inside the box but has many Scottish players blocking his way and knowing there's no way forward, he performs a cheeky back pass towards Komus and like before he tries to fire on target towards goal. Is this the moment? Sadly it's not, the ball cannons off the side off Gary Naysmith and finds it's way over to Malky Mackay who boots it far up the field to clear it from danger. While a disappointment, it does show that Wales are far from out in this match.
Then in the 62nd minute, Giggs chips the ball far up the field deep inside the Scottish half and Robert Earnshaw get's his foot on the ball and begins to make his way what is now starting to look like a very ropey Scottish back four and with a clever little roll with the ball, he sends the ball into back of the net and to the dismay of the Scottish players, Wales are back in this game and they have no one to blame but themselves over what has been an awful second half for them. For Wales, not only have they deserved it but now the chance to win silverware is starting to feel like a very possible dream.
The moment Wales get back into the game
The frustration is clearly seen from the Scottish players and no more so than for poor Darren Fletcher who struggles to keep his emotions in check and shows this when in the 68th minute, he makes a bad tackle on Craig Bellamy which sends the poor Welsh player tumbling through the air frankly and sends him landing awkwardly on the ground. The Scottish player looks over at the referee running towards him and with the roar of the Welsh spectators and Bellamy's teammates motioning for action, Fletcher fears the worse. The referee goes into his pocket and pulls a card out...to everyone's amazement, it's yellow. Cue Fletcher falling to his knees in relief, his heart now going like the clappers.
The Welsh players aren't happy by this and hobble around the referee trying to complain that Fletcher should've been sent off for such a bad challenge. To make things even more worrying, Bellamy looks not as strong as he was earlier and despite trying to keep going in the game, he doesn't look that all fit and it becomes clear for Mark Hughes that he'll need to make a swap to bring off a now injured Bellamy. Gareth Taylor would be the one to take over from Bellamy, in which he got a standing ovation from the grateful Welsh fans as he hobbled off the field.
At the same time in the Scottish dug out, McLeish would also make a change when he brought on James McFadden for Steven Thompson to come on. For the Scottish supporters, it would seem strange why McFadden wasn't included in the team given how much of a rising star he had been during his time in the national side and how he could've played a big part in the game had he been starting the game. Nonetheless with him coming on, the Tartan Army hoped that some magic might be possible as time slowly ticked by. Who was going to get the winning goal?
McFadden just after he comes onto the pitch
The game is a fairly even affair with nail biting action as it turns into a classic example where one side can't afford to slip in case it might change the game. With the game now entering it's 76th minute, the game is still deadlocked at 1-1 and thoughts of extra time or penalties start to creep in. Then in that minute, it all happens at once when McFadden makes a daring counter attack run and breathes are held as he rushes forward towards the Welsh box and just as he makes his way in and looks set to score, Robbie Savage makes perhaps the most reckless tackle you'd ever see in a penalty box in which only leads to one thing to follow afterwards. A penalty to Scotland.
Savage is shown yellow but he doesn't try to protest it as he knows what he did was an utterly boneheaded thing to do and now faces the prospect of Scotland having a chance to score what could be the winning goal. McFadden walks up to the spot to take it and faces down Paul Jones in which the Welsh keeper now has to try and keep this shot out. The referee blows and McFadden strikes to the top left hand corner, however it is the Welsh fans who cheer and roar with delight as Jones punches the ball away from the goal and the contrast of emotions from the players is there to be seen. McFadden places his hands on his head in despair while Savage falls to his knees and punches in delight the air that Wales are still in the game and that he has now not become the villain, a reaction that likely would've been replicated across Wales.
As the game enters the last 10 minutes, both sides start throwing everything forward to try and get the winning goal and neither want this game to go further than 90 minutes. In the 82nd minute, Garry Speed attempts to try and thread the ball towards one of his teammates but a barrage of Scottish players stop him from going further and before long, the ball is with the Scots who go flying down towards the Welsh half in which McFadden attempts to try and put amends his penalty miss as he attempts a long footed volley towards goal, but it instead ends up with the Scottish supporters. Surely there has to be a winner from somewhere?
Gary Speed attempts to go forward but is caught out
Then in the 86th minute and with time running out, Scotland are awarded a free kick near the left corner flag and Gavin Rae stands by the ball and awaits for his teammates to get into decent positions for him to try and land the ball in the box. He curls the ball into the box and there is a mass scramble with either side trying to get to the ball, however the ball is kicked away by James Collins out of the box, but not before a cry of handball from the Scots follow as the ball briefly ended up on his arm at one point in what was a 'blink you'll miss it' moment, but the referee failed to spot it and the Tartan Army groan agonisingly that luck doesn't look to be going their way.
However just a minute later as the ball is about to end up with Simon Davis near at the other end in the hope of getting the ball and going on for a quick counter, Barry Ferguson runs out of his position to leap in the air and beat Davis at a header in which the ball ends up in the direction of Paul Gallagher who makes a run with the ball and nearly everyone of his countrymen either in the stadium or watching on TV are screaming at him to go forward. He then threads it up to McFadden who at first attempts to try and slam it in, but when he see's Fletcher right behind him, he makes a side footed back pass and ends the ball up with his teammate.
Fletcher see's a gap in the defence and knowing this is quite literally his only shot at a chance at goal, he hammers home the shot towards the right side of the goal and Jones goes the right way to stop it, but it graces the fingertips of his gloves and the sight of a ball getting lost in the nylon netting is the last thing many jubilant Scots see as wild celebrations follow. Scotland are in dreamland!
Fletcher's reaction says it all
The Welsh players are left crestfallen as any hope they had now seems to have been stamped out by the Scots and now McLeish, after a wild celebration on the bench, now orders his team to shut up shop and go all out defend and drag the game out until it's dying moments. That all being said, Ryan Giggs starts to play 'Fergie Time' and keeps pressing his side forward and Scotland's newly planned ultra defence plan seems to be attracting the Welsh players to go for one last effort to score a dramatic equaliser. Then right in the first minute of four added minutes, Wales' sudden pressing leads them to win a corner kick.
It is very likely than many Scots and Welshmen start praying though for very different reasons. Paul Perry swings the ball in and a mad scramble follows with Ferguson looking to try and knock the ball away but finds himself pulled down by Savage from a shirt tug, in which then Gary Speed finds the space to get his head on the ball and hammer it home into the bottom right. GOAL!!! Hearts go at once as the Welsh players chase a celebrating Speed who looks as though he has pulled the Scots back to extra time, but not before the referee blows his whistle to bring them all back.
Ferguson furiously protests to the referee about the shirt pull and to the relief of the Scots, the referee noticed it and blows his whistle again and points not at the centre circle, but for a goal kick. No Scot needs reminding where they were in that moment after the referee then blew for full time, either they were in the stadium as the Tartan Army frankly shook the stadium to it's foundations with cheers, tears and strangers hugging each other following, or anywhere in the world as it quickly sunk in for at long last...Scotland had won silverware for the first time since 1968.
The Welsh players are furious at how the game ended but reluctantly calm down to get their runner up medals with Giggs showing tears in his eyes as he and his teammates watch their rivals being led by Barry Ferguson to collect the trophy, but sadly for him, many Scots won't care for that. As Ferguson lifts the trophy, the first Scottish captain to do so since John Greig, it sparks wild celebrations across Scotland as the nation's first triumph in 36 years is one that feels long overdue. Each of those players now become heroes and the welcome they all get at Glasgow international airport is something that can't be described in words.
Who knows where the team will go as the 2006 World Cup in Germany looms, plus the Scots now have the chance to even defence their honour as they will be hosting the European championship in 2008. Whatever will happen next...?
Final results of the Knockout stage at Euro 2004
Scotland's badge after their Euro 2004 victory with the stars representing their victories in 1968 and 2004 being displayed in the badge
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At long last...Scotland are champions once again (and Still Game makes a cameo)! So yeah, I had planned for Scotland to win Euro 2004 in this TL and giving how many shocks happened in that tournament *cough*Greece*cough* it seems fair that one of the Home Nations would've done something if they perform then. Sorry for our Welsh readers, your time will come...
For the usual 'In character' reactions from our readers, where were you when Scotland became European champions in 2004, or if you remember that Still Game special? That and the next update will see a quick look at how British clubs are getting on just before we move onto the next World Cup so until then, catch you guys later.