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I came across this photo this morning and was intrigued by it. All four players involved are Motherwell players; Willie Hunter, Andy Weir, John Martis and Ian St. John. Each would be capped by Scotland but would not appear altogether for the Full team.
The photo is from an Under-23 game played at Ibrox against England on 3rd March, 1960. The game was played in front of a crowd of 25,000 and they were treated to eight goals as the teams fought out a 4-4 draw.
The Scotland team was as follows; Adam Blacklaw of Burnley, Duncan Mackay (Celtic), Ian Riddell (St. Mirren), Jimmy Gabriel (Everton), John Martis (Motherwell), Billy Higgins (Hearts), Willie Hunter (Motherwell), Alan Cousins (Dundee), Ian St. John (Motherwell), Denis Law (Huddersfield Town) and Andy Weir (Motherwell).
Of that side Higgins, Riddell and Cousin were never capped. Riddell would though be part of the Berwick Rangers that beat the Glasgow version in the Scottish Cup in 1967 and is also father to the actor Derek Riddell who appeared in the U.S. series ‘Ugly Betty’ a few years back. As to Cousin, he was perhaps unlucky not to be capped but with players like Law and St. John vying for the forward position it is perhaps understandable. Cousin played a big part in the Dundee side that won the 1st Division in 1962 and reached the European Cup Semi-Final the following year.
Quite a few of the line-up had already been capped at Full International level including Law, St. John and Weir.
As to the England line-up; in goals was Hearts player Gordon Marshall, (Gordon’s son Gordon would go on to earn one cap for Scotland and his other, Scott is still the last Scottish player to play for Arsenal way back in 1998. Scott would never earn a full cap), George Cohen, Tony Allen, Maurice Setters, Peter Swan, Tony Kay, Chris Crowe, George Eastham, Bobby Charlton, Jimmy Greaves and John Sydenham.
Goal scorers that night were Mackay with a penalty, Cousin and Ian St. John with two. For England, Jimmy Greaves would hit a hat-trick and Sydenham would score the other.
As to the Motherwell players, Martis would earn his only cap against Wales in 1960 which Scotland lost 2-0. This would also be Hunter’s final game but overall he gained 3 caps and scored in a friendly against Hungary earlier that year.
Weir gained six caps altogether and scored on his debut in 1959 in a friendly v West Germany at Hampden which Scotland won 3-2. Ian St. John also debuted in that match as did Motherwell teammate Bert McCann. McCann would earn 5 caps with the last coming at Wembley in 1961.
St. John played 21 times for Scotland scoring 9 times. His Scotland career came to a premature end after he had scored against England in a 2-2 draw; he found that he was left out of the squad for a couple of forthcoming World Cup matches. He reacted badly to this stating he didn’t care if ever played for Scotland again. Ian’s anger was targeted towards the SFA committee members who ran the show as far as squad selection went. Unfortunately for Ian it was seen as turning his back on Scotland and there would be reprieve for him.
Still 4-4, wish I’d been at that one.
David Stuart