The Scotland Epistles Football Magazine

The other day on Denis Law’s birthday I wrote about his thirty goals for Scotland so with today being Kenny Dalglish’s birthday I thought I would do the same for him.

Goal #1. Unlike Denis it took Kenny a few games to get off the mark having made his debut under Tommy Docherty on 10th November, 1971, coming on just after half time against Belgium in a Euro Qualifier at Pittodrie; it wasn’t until his fourth game against Denmark a year later in a World Cup Qualifier he netted. Two minutes into the game at Hampden Kenny scored and Peter Lorimer added a second just after half time to seal a vital World Cup win.

Goal #2. With a minute of the game remaining Kenny scored against Northern Ireland but it was only a consolation as the Scots were two down at this point. Once more this goal was at Hampden in May 1973.

Goal#3. Came in a friendly in Frankfurt against the World Cup hosts West Germany. Kenny took a great through ball from Dundee’s Bobby Robinson and despatched the ball past Sepp Maier and into the net. Although Scotland had played well that night, again this was only a consolation goal as they lost 2-1.

Goal#4 was against Wales at Hampden on 14th May, 1974 as Scotland won 2-0 with Sandy Jardine scoring from the penalty spot also.

Goal#5 was in the last four minutes of a friendly against Norway as part of Scotland’s World Cup warm up plans. Joe Jordan had scored the other as Scotland won 2-1 in their last game before World Cup ’74.

Goal#6 Kenny failed to score at the World Cup in 1974 but scored Scotland’s third as they beat East Germany in a 3-0 friendly win at Hampden in October ’74 with Tommy Hutchison and Kenny Burns netting the others.

Goal#7 came in a 3-0 defeat of Northern Ireland at Hampden in May ’75 with Ted MacDougall and Derek Parlane grabbing the other two.

Goal#8 was in a 3-1 defeat of Denmark on Euro Qualifier business but the damage had already been done as the Scots had lost at home to Spain the year before in the group. This was in October 1975 and Bruce Rioch and Ted MacDougall scored the others.

Goal#9 was the final goal against the Irish in Home International with Archie Gemmill and Don Masson scoring as the Scots began a couple of years of great football in a 3-0 win.

Goal#10 is among our favourite of Kenny’s goals as Joe Jordan raced down the wings and passed inside to Kenny who evades the defender and then doesn’t hit the ball that well but this year the English had Ray Clemence in goal and not Peter Shilton and so the ball squirms between his legs and into the back of the net. Kenny races away with his arms aloft and with a big grin on his face and it’s 2-1 to Scotland and the British Championship was ours once more.

Goal#11 comes in a friendly rout of Finland as Scotland win 6-0. This is the type of game Law would have scored a bundle but Kenny only netted the once with Ricoh, Masson, Eddie Gray and Andy Gray hitting a double.

Goal#12 was in Willie Ormond’s last game in charge as Scotland beat Sweden 3-1 at Hampden in April 1977. An own goal from Hellstrom and Joe Craig’s famous Scotland cameo appearance where he scored a goal, before he had even kicked the ball were the other two scorers for Scotland.

Goal#13&14 were his first double as Dalglish netted twice against Northern Ireland in the Home Internationals with Gordon McQueen scoring in between them in June 1977 at Hampden as Scotland won 3-0.

Goal#15 Wembley 1977. McQueen and Dalglish score again to do the damage as the Scots win 2-1 under Ally MacLeod. The Tartan Army then did their own wee bit of ‘damage’ afterwards.

Goal#16 came a far cry from Wembley in the Estadio Nacional, Santiago, Chile; a game which many see as Scotland’s game of shame. The stadium had been used as a prison camp following a coup d’état by the military in Chile in 1973 under Maggie Thatcher’s friend General Pinochet.
Scotland won 4-2 in this friendly as part of their World Cup acclimatisation tour of South America. Kenny opened the scoring and a Lou Macari double and an Asa Hartford goal completed the scoring.

Goal#17 was the icing on the cake as Scotland powered to a 3-1 win over Czechoslovakia in a World Cup Qualifier at Hampden with Joe Jordan and Asa Hartford bagging the others. This was Kenny’s first as a Liverpool player.

Goal#18 is another favourite as Kenny scored that wonderful header against Wales at Anfield in that unforgettable night in Liverpool in October, 1977. Argentina here we come.

Goal#19 is one that there are many images of as he managed to strike the ball beautifully from Joe Jordan’s knock down to equalise for Scotland against Netherlands in Mendoza, Argentina. The Archie Gemmill show was to follow in the second half as Scotland won 3-2 but alas . . .

Goal#20 & 21 gave Jock Stein a winning start to his second term as Scotland manager as the Scots toiled to beat Norway with an Archie Gemmill penalty in 87th minute giving them a 3-2 victory.

Goal#22 was once more against Norway in a Euro Qualifier in Oslo with Scotland winning 4-0 with gaols from Jordan, Dalglish, John Robertson and Gordon McQueen.

Goal#23 was in a drubbing of Portugal 4-1 at Hampden in the final match of the 1980 Euro Qualifiers in March, 1980. Goals from Andy Gray, Steve Archibald and Archie Gemmill completed the scoring. Scotland had of course failed to qualify but then again we did have Belgium in our group!

Goal#24 was a vital one as Scotland defeated Israel in February 1981, on their way to qualifying for Spain ’82. This match took place in Tel Aviv and would be the only home defeat for Israel in the group and went a long way in helping Scotland qualify. Footage and an article on this game was posted on the page on 26th February.

Goal#25 came in a World Cup warm-up friendly at Hampden in March 1982 as the Scots beat Netherlands 2-1 with Frank Gray providing the other.

Goal#26 and Kenny opened up our scoring in Spain ’82 in the 18th minute which was quickly followed by a double from John Wark against New Zealand in Malaga in June. Defensive frailties were apparent as Scotland lost two goals, shortly after the restart. However, late goals from John Robertson and Steve Archibald restored the three goal cushion but it wasn’t enough as Scotland would slip out of the World Cup on goal difference, once more.

Goals#27 & 28 were against Belgium in the Heysel Stadium, Brussels in a Euro Qualifier. Both goals are exquisite; the first a wonderful one two with Steve Archibald that finishes with a deft flick past the Belgian goalkeeper. The second sees Kenny weave his way through the Belgian defence before he unleashes a wonderful finish once more but this is the Scotland National team and of course it is Belgium and the Scots lost 3-2 in the end.

Goal#29 was one of six as Scotland routed Yugoslavia in a friendly at Hampden in September, 1984 winning 6-1. The other goals were scored by Davie Cooper, Graeme Souness, Paul Sturrock, Mo Johnston and Charlie Nicholas.

Goal#30 came on his 96th appearance. Scotland had been put 2-0 up against Spain at Hampden in a vital World Cup Qualifier with goals from Mo Johnston, however the Spanish had gotten one back in the 68th minute and some nervy moments followed. However, another magical moment as Kenny cuts inside from the right and seems almost to be moving away from the goals but turns and screws one into the net to give Scotland a memorable win.

Thanks Kenny for some wonderful moments. Will we ever see your likes again? Happy Birthday.

David Stuart