Dreamland: A Scottish World Cup Success Story by Graham Mccoll

We had a dream…
From Gretna Green to John O’Groats, wild celebrations ensue for the following week. Rubbish is not collected; post isn’t delivered; trains and buses don’t run; grass remains uncut at the height of summer; fish is not landed at the harbours. Nobody cares. It is as if everyone’s birthdays have all come at once; as if two-dozen new years had been rolled into one; as if Scotland had beaten England 6-2 in the final of the World Cup at Wembley Stadium…

The natural home for the World Cup trophy is in Scotland. Every Scotland supporter would agree that this is where, in a fair and equal world, the great prize truly belongs. International football was born in Glasgow and Scotland has produced more talented players per head of population than any other small country – think of Denis Law, Kenny Dalglish, Jim Baxter and Jimmy Johnstone – while Scottish supporters have shown in huge numbers how much they enjoy being at the World Cup finals.

The deserved rewards for such a blend of talent and devotion are to be found in this tale of Scotland achieving World-Cup success, putting them on the same level as the great footballing nations – Brazil, Italy and Germany.

This alternative version of Scotland’s World-Cup history is truly the stuff of which dreams are made.