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First posted on Facebook, July 20th, 2016

My fellow administrator and chief anorak David Stuart is on holiday at the moment so I have been asked to ‘get the finger oot’ and get posting. Now I’m not as much as a stato expert as David, reading facts and figures just doesn’t get me excited (much like the current national team) but I do like wee quirks and quotes and today I thought I’d highlight big Nigel and wee Bertie.

Nigel Quashie was born on this day 20th July 1978 in Southwark, London, and after several impressive performances for Queens Park Rangers he was rewarded with a call up to the English under 21s, getting 4 caps, and one cap for England B team. However big Nige (I know I missed out the L, it was deliberate) had a Glaswegian granddad and Herr Vogts took full advantage, snapping him up just as the English were completely ignoring him. He made his debut in a 1-0 win against Estonia on 27th May 2004, winning 14 caps altogether and scoring his only goal in a 4-1 friendly win against Trinidad and Tobago (that’s how good we were under wee Bertie, we could beat two teams at once).

Here is a quote from Nigel before he made that debut, “I have been asked to prove my grandfather came from Scotland, but that is no problem. He was born in Glasgow and I’d be very interested in playing for Scotland. I’d never given up hope of forcing my way into the full England set-up but I would consider playing for Scotland.” Can’t you just feel the enthusiasm oozing out of him?

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Ever the PR man, here’s what Bertie had to say, “Nigel is a fantastic player and a real leader on the pitch. He feels so Scottish and that’s great.”
Now I thought Nigel (it just doesn’t seem right does it, calling a Scotland player Nigel) was a good player and put in some good performances for us, but ‘he feels so Scottish’? Come on noo Bertie – behave.

Alan Nelson