Scotland 1996 Euro Championship Retro Shirt

Scotland 1996 Euro Championship Retro Shirt

On the way to qualification for EURO '96 Scotland scored their second 0-2 victory in San Marino, and whoever the opposition, Scotland's opening goal in Stadio Olimpico Serravelle was an individual work of art. On 20 minutes John Collins collected the ball just outside the Scotland penalty area and carried it, a shimmy here, a nutmeg there, the length of the pitch before rounding the goalkeeper to slide the ball home for 0-1 Scotland. With Scotland Manager Craig Brown deploying three at the back with Tom Boyd and Pat Nevin operating on the flanks it wasn’t until the introduction of Billy McKinlay and John Spencer that Scotland were able to seal the win when, on 85 minutes Gary McAllister auto clutched a pearl of a cross for Colin Calderwood, and the Tottenham Hotspur centre half dived headlong for the pearl to bullet McAllister's gem into the back of the net for 0-2 Scotland. Scotland qualified for EURO '96 by finishing second in UEFA European Championship Qualifying Group 8 behind Russia and ahead of Greece, Finland, Faroe Islands and San Marino. Of Scotland's 18 goals in qualification, AS Monaco maestro John Collins and Aberdeen's Scott Booth both scored four. Ally McCoist of Rangers, John McGinley of Bolton Wanderers, and Billy McKinlay of Blackburn Rovers each scored two, and Eoin Jess of Coventry City, Pat Nevin of Tranmere Rovers, Duncan Shearer of Aberdeen and Spurs' Colin Calderwood contributed one apiece.

EURO '96. Scotland were drawn in Group A alongside the Netherlands, the hosts England, and Switzerland. Scotland began at Villa Park with a goalless draw against the Netherlands. Five days later, whatever the imagined influence of Uri Geller, David Seaman’s saving of a Gary McAllister penalty was astonishing, and the game, at Wembley Stadium, turned on that moment. Meaning: In the final Group A fixtures, Scotland knew that victory against Switzerland and a win for England against the Netherlands would see Scotland progress providing Scotland could overturn a goal difference deficit of four goals with the Dutch. At Villa Park Scotland attacked Switzerland from the off. Ally McCoist swept an instinctive shot against the Swiss crossbar, then saw Marco Pascolo in the Swiss goal thwart a chance the Rangers striker would normally put away. Not to be denied, McCoist powered onto a bouncing ball to nod it to Gary McAllister who calmly rolled it back into Super Ally's continuing run, and without breaking stride Coisty hammered a Govan shipyard rivet, unerring and true, in at The Holte End. Pick that out. Qualification? Patrick Kluivert's late goal for the Netherlands at Wembley meant that Holland's 1-4 defeat saw them qualify for the quarter finals ahead of Scotland. Goal difference. Again.

Score Draw Official Retro Shirt Match:

Scotland 1 v 0 Switzerland.

Tuesday 18 June 1996.

1996 UEFA European Championship Finals Group A.

Villa Park.

Attendance 34,926.

Scotland: Andy Goram. Colin Calderwood. Colin Hendry. Tom Boyd. Craig Burley. Stuart McCall. Gary McAllister. John Collins. Tosh McKinlay (Scott Booth). Ally McCoist (John Spencer). Gordon Durie.

Scotland 1996 UEFA European Championship Finals Squad: 

1.Jim Leighton (Hibernian). 2.Stewart McKimmie (Aberdeen). 3.Tom Boyd (Celtic). 4.Colin Calderwood (Tottenham Hotspur). 5.Colin Hendry (Blackburn Rovers). 6.Derek Whyte (Middlesbrough). 7.John Spencer (Chelsea). 8.Stuart McCall (Rangers). 9.Ally McCoist (Rangers). 10.Gary McAllister (Leeds United). 11.John Collins (AS Monaco). 12.Andy Goram (Rangers). 13.Tosh McKinlay (Celtic). 14.Gordon Durie (Rangers). 15.Eoin Jess (Coventry City). 16.Craig Burley (Chelsea). 17.Billy McKinlay (Blackburn Rovers). 18.Kevin Gallacher (Blackburn Rovers). 19.Darren Jackson (Hibernian). 20.Scott Booth (Aberdeen). 21.Scott Gemmill (Nottingham Forest). 22.Nicky Walker (Partick Thistle).