[Burnie_man]

International U21 football came into existence in 1977 (after the scrapping of the U23 level, although that age level remains at Olympic level), and it also allowed over age players to be fielded.

How many over age players were permitted and when did this rule cease to exist? I seem to recall Hamish McAlpine and Roy Aitken turning out for Scotland U21's when they were well older than that!

[HibeeJibee]

I never knew you could field over-age players in the age-grade tournaments 'back in the day', you learn something every day.

RSSSF seems to suggest it was perhaps 1984 when it became restricted to U21s only.

[Burnie_man]

Anyone have a definitive answer? I'm thought it was a few years later than 1984 but can't find much if anything on the net.

[Skyline Drifter]

HibeeJibee, on 13 December 2011 - 13:23, said:

I never knew you could field over-age players in the age-grade tournaments 'back in the day', you learn something every day.

RSSSF seems to suggest it was perhaps 1984 when it became restricted to U21s only.

I can certainly remember overage players playing in the u21's. I definitely recall Hamish McAlpine playing several games for ours. It was often a keeper who was overage as back then their seemed to be very few young keepers with any experience and of course goalkeeper was the most difficult position to get experience in the first team for an international backup so they were often given a run in the younger age team.

No idea when it stopped but mid 80's would seem about right.

[stuthejag]

Jim Duffy played as an over age player in 1987, and I suspect Pat McGinlay might have also played as an over age player in the early 1990's ?

[Burnie_man]

OK, have found my Scotland v England Euro U21 Quarter Final programme from Feb 1988 at Todders, and the Scotland squad included;

Bobby Geddes - 33
Campbell Money - 27
Paul Hegarty - 33

The most overage player in the England squad was Stewart Robson at 23.

I reckon it didn't last much longer than 1988.

[Bearwithme]

I seem to recall John Greig played for the under-21s/23s when he was knocking on a bit.

[Fitba Stats Bobby]

The latest one I've found so far is Gary McAllister in November 89:

http://www.uefa.com/...file/index.html

[cmontheloknow]

While not answering the exact question, the following were all definitely capped as over-agers (as they were too old when it started in '77).

Pat Stanton
Bobby Clark
Hamish McAlpine
Tommy Craig
Asa Hartford
Ally MacLeod
Alan McCulloch
Derek Parlane
Lex Richardson
Paul Hegarty
Iain McCulloch
Gordon Smith
Jim Stewart

Stanton is the oldest person to have been capped at U21 level, though there may have been someone else to have played at an older age, if that's clear! John Greig didn't get an U21 cap.

This post has been edited by cmontheloknow: 18 December 2011 - 17:03