BACKOFTHENET

Stevie May might move from Aberdeen to St Johnstone. Hope he does well.

We need to be united in Scotland, and get behind all our teams. We do no need to be a divided nation.

We need to put the big teams, under 21 year old sides in the lower divisions. This change is about helping the international side, not about helping the big sides. By giving young players early competitive experience, we will develop more players good enough for the international side. So we will be able to qualify for and be dark horses for major tournaments. France, Germany, Croatia, Spain, and the Netherlands play their big sides b teams in the lower divisions to help develop more young players. Look at how well Croatia did to reach the World Cup Final. I f we allowed big sides to play reserve teams in the lower leagues, then maybe we could develop more great players like the Croatian league does. Scotland should copy this, to maximize the potential of young Scottish players. Critics will say, it is unfair take the places of other teams in the league. But I think the priority is the national teams, and the performance of our club sides in European competitions. I think it is idiotic and unpatriotic, to place two or three part time sides league positions, above maximizing the potential of our young Scottish players. Would you rather a party time team 3 or four places higher in the league or Scotland reach a major tournament? That is dumb and unpatriotic. I like part time Scottish sides, they had to the richness and history of Scottish Sport. I support the part time teams being in the Scottish league, as they can develop players too and give match experience to young players by playing their big sides under 21 sides. But the priority is the national side. What gets on my nerves is people who say that we should only have 20 teams in the Scottish League, because they do not want loads of part time teams, in the league yet when you put forward the idea of utilising the part time teams in the lower leagues to give games against under 21 sides, suddenly that same person claims we are insulting the smaller sides by playing them. When for a decade Scotland had a c divisions where big sides b teams played against part time sides, and when Also we need the top clubs to be ruthless in developing young players and signing top talent from abroad so our top teams can do well in Europe and make Scotland proud, so we need to have a system where top teams have a gateway for young players to develop in competitive games, maximizing the potential of our young players. The development of the national team and our clubs sides performances in Europe is the priority.

Selected pick of sides conquered by Scottish sides I took about 4 hours to do this. But I think the effort was worth it. Here is a list of some of the great club sides that Scottish clubs have defeated in competitive games. I have selected a pick of the sides, they have also defeated other teams I have not mentioned. I am including a win in any individual game, including after extra time. So they may have been knocked out over two legs by the same team. I do not include penalty shoot outs, or away goals rule victories, when both games were drawn. This is purely a list of individual game wins by Scottish sides. The order shows the name of a European team with a list of Scottish teams who have beaten them in Europe. KR Reykavic by Aberdenn, Standard Liege by Aberdeen, Dundee United, Hearts, Glasgow Rangers Real Zaragoza by Aberdeen, Dunfermline, Glasgow Rangers Honved by Aberdeen Celta Vigo by Aberdeen and Celtic Fortuna Dusseldorf by Aberdeen, Glasgow Rangers Austria Vienna by Aberdeen Ipswich Town by Aberdeen SV Hamburg by Aberdeen, Hibs, St Johnstone Sion by Aberdeen Lech Pozan by Aberdeen Bayern Munich by Aberdeen, Hearts, Glasgow Rangers Real Madrid by Aberdeen, Celtic Servette by Aberdeen Bohemians by Aberdeen, Dundee United, Glasgow Rangers Feyenoord by Aberdeen Rapid Vienna by Aberdeen, Glasgow Rangers Barry Town by Aberdeen FC Copenhagen by Aberdeen, Celtic, and Glasgow Rangers Groningen by Aberdeen Basel by Celtic, Hearts Dynamo Zagreb by Celtic, Dunfermline, Hearts Slovan Bratislava by Celtic Leixoes by Celtic Go Ahead by Celtic Dynamo Kiev by Celtic, Glasgow Rangers Liverpool by Celtic, Hibs Nantes by Celtic Inter Milan by Celtic, Glasgow Rangers St Etienne by Celtic, Glasgow Rangers Red Star Belgrade by Celtic, Glasgow Rangers Benfica by Celtic Fiorentina by Celtic Leeds United by Celtic, Glasgow Rangers Waterford by Celtic Rosenborg by Celtic, Hibs, St Johnstone Boavista by Celtic, Glasgow Rangers Dundalk by Celtic, Glasgow Rangers Juventus by Celtic, Dundee United, Glasgow Rangers Ajax by Celtic Real Sociedad by Celtic Sporting Lisbon by Celtic, Dundee, Hibs, Glasgow Rangers Shamrock Rovers by Celtic B Dortmund by Celtic, Glasgow Rangers P Belgrade by Celtic Inter Cable Telecom by Celtic St Patricks by Celtic Cwmbran Town by Celtic Hapoel Tel Aviv by Celtic, Glasgow Rangers Porto by Celtic, Hibs, Glasgow Rangers Valencia by Celtic, Hibs Blackburn by Celtic Vfb Stuttgart by Celtic, Hearts, Glasgow Rangers, Dunfermline FBK Kaunas by Celtic Lyon by Celtic, Glasgow Rangers Barcelona by Celtic, Dundee United, Hibs Shakhtar Donetsk by Celtic Artmedia Bratislava by Celtic Manchester United by Celtic Villareal by Celtic Dinamo Moscow by Celtic Braga by Celtic, Hearts Utrecht by Celtic Rennes by Celtic HJK Helsinki by Celtic Helsingborg by Celtic Spartak Moscow by Celtic Cliftonville by Celtic Shakter Karagandy by Celtic AC Milan by Celtic, Dundee Anderlecht by Celtic, Dundee, Dunfermline, Glasgow Rangers FC Cologne by Dundee, Glasgow Rangers DWS Amstedam by Dundee Grasshoppers by Dundee United, Glasgow Rangers Sparta Prague by Dundee United, St Mirren Slask Wroclaw by Dundee United Monaco by Dundee United, Glasgow Rangers B Monchengladbach by Dundee United, Glasgow Rangers PSV Eindhoven by Dundee United, Glasgow Rangers Viking Stavanger by Dundee United Werder Bremen by Dundee United, Glasgow Rangers Lens by Dundee United Hadjuk Split by Dundee United Coleraine by Dundee United Glentoran by Dundee United, Glasgow Rangers Antwerp by Dundee United, Kilmarnock St Patricks Athletic by Dunfermline, Hearts, Everton by Dunfermline Ujpest Dozsa by Dunfermline Athletico Bilbao by Dunfermline, Glasgow Rangers West Brom by Dunfermline Bordeaux by Dunfermline, Hearts Bologna by Hearts Atletico Madrid by Hearts Rot-Weiss Essen by Hibs DOS Utrecht by Hibs Napoli by Hibs Malmo FF by Hibs, and Celtic Sochaux by Hibs Strasbourg by Hibs AEK Athens by Hibs Eintracht Frankfurt by Kilmarnock Shelbourne by Kilmarnock, Glasgow Rangers Glenavon by Kilmarnock Strum Graz by Livingston, Glasgow Rangers Katowice by Motherwell, Glasgow Rangers Llanelli by Motherwell Glentoran by Motherwell Nice by Glasgow Rangers Sparta Rotterdam by Glasgow Rangers Ferencvaros by Glasgow Rangers Wolverhampton Wanderers by Glasgow Rangers Seville by Glasgow Rangers Dynamo Dresden by Glasgow Rangers Steua Bucharest by Glasgow Rangers Rennes by Glasgow Rangers Torino by Glasgow Rangers Dynamo Moscow by Glasgow Rangers Ankaragucu by Glasgow Rangers Osasuna by Glasgow Rangers Slavia Prague by Glasgow Rangers CSKA Moscow by Glasgow Rangers FC Bruges by Glasgow Rangers Vladikavkaz by Glasgow Rangers PAOK Salonika by Glasgow Rangers Beitar Jerusalem by Glasgow Rangers Parma by Glasgow Rangers Zalgris Kaunas by Glasgow Rangers Kaiserslauten by Glasgow Rangers MK Maribor by Glasgow Rangers Molde by Glasgow Rangers Bursaspor by Glasgow Rangers Rijeka by Aberdeen Shkëndijan by Aberdeen Fola Esch by Aberdeen Ventspils by Aberdeen Alashkert by St Johnstone Lincoln Red Imps by Celtic Infonet Tallinn by Hearts Stjarnan by Celtic Qarabag by Celtic Astana by Celtic Brondby by Hibs, Dundee United Linfield by Celtic Also in the English FA Cup Crewe Alexandria by Queens Park Nottingham Forest by Queens Park Notts County by Queens Park Manchester by Queens Park Oswerstry by Queens Park Aston Villa by Queens Park Old Westminsters by Queens Park, Glasgow Rangers Blackburn Olympic by Queens Park, Partick Thistle Blackburn Park Road by Third Lanark Darwen Old Wanderers by Cowlairs Higher Walton by Queens Park Accrington by Renton Rossendale by Cowlairs Church by Rangers Fleetwood Rangers by Partick Thistle Blackburn Rovers by Renton Cliftonville by Partick Thistle Lincoln City by Glasgow Rangers In the Scottish League, Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup The best English Team Berwick Rangers have been beaten by lots of Scottish sides. Intercontinental Cup Racing Club by Celtic Also In the Texaco Cup / Anglo Scottish Cup Newcastle United by Ayr United, Hearts, Dundee United West Brom by Greenock Morton Burnley by Hearts Coventry by Falkirk, Motherwell Huddersfield Town by Airdrie Norwich City by Motherwell Everton by Hearts Blackburn Robers by Motherwell Man City by Airdrie Notts County by St Mirren Oldham by Greenock Morton Mansfield by Partick Thistle Preston NE by Greenock Morton Sheffield United by St Mirren Blackpool by Kilmarnock Spurs by Motherwell Also in the British League Cup Celtic beat Sunderland, and Rangers beat Everton. Also in the 1967 NASL Cagliari by Dundee United, Hibernian Sunderland by Hibernian Shamrock Rovers by Dundee United Bangu (Brazil) by Aberdeen Wolverhampton by Aberdeen Cerro (Uruguay) by Aberdeen ADO Den Haag by Hibernian Also in the Scottish Challenge Cuo Linfield by Queen of the South. Cliftonville by Livingston. Bala Town by Alloa Athletic. TNS by St Mirren Bray Wanderers by Elgin City Sligo Rovers by Falkirk Here is my top 30 of achievements by Scottish sides to have beaten in competitive games. I take into quality of opposition, status of team defeated, number of teams to have defeated the foreign team, and also for bonus points either regional rivalry, or the exotic novelty of the win. 1. Barcelona by Celtic, Dundee United, Hibs 2. Real Madrid by Aberdeen, Celtic 3. Bayern Munich by Aberdeen, Hearts, Glasgow Rangers 4. Inter Milan by Celtic, Glasgow Rangers 5. Liverpool by Celtic, Hibs 6. AC Milan by Celtic, Dundee 7. SV Hamburg by Aberdeen, Hibs, St Johnstone 8. Leeds United by Celtic, Glasgow Rangers 9. Juventus by Celtic, Dundee United, Glasgow Rangers 10. Sporting Lisbon by Celtic, Dundee, Hibs, Glasgow Rangers 11. Manchester United by Celtic 12. Ajax by Celtic 13. Porto by Celtic, Hibs, Glasgow Rangers 14. Dundalk by Celtic, Glasgow Rangers 15. TNS by St Mirren 16. Linfield by Celtic and Queen of the South 17. Barry Town by Aberdeen 18. Shakter Karagandy by Celtic 19. Everton by Dunfermline 20. PSV Eindhoven by Dundee United, Glasgow Rangers 21. Anderlecht by Celtic, Dundee, Dunfermline, Glasgow Rangers 22. Red Star Belgrade by Celtic, Glasgow Rangers 23. Aston Villa by Queens Park 24. Nottingham Forest by Queens Park 25. Werder Bremen by Dundee United, Glasgow Rangers 26. Newcastle United by Ayr United, Hearts, Dundee United 27. Racing Club by Celtic 28. Astana by Celtic 29. Spurs by Motherwell 30. Eintracht Frankfurt by Kilmarnock The most glaring teams not on this list are Chelsea, PSG, Roma, Lazio, Marseille, Sampdoria, Arsenal, IFK Gothenburg, Galatasary, Fenerbache, West Ham, Swansea City, Cardiff City, Wrexham, Newport County, Torino, and Zenit St Petersburg. Plus almost all non European teams such as Corinthians, and Santos. No Scottish team has played Truro City, of Cornwall. The teams beaten by the most Scottish teams seem to have been Standard Liege, Anderlecht, and Sporting Lisbon. Scottish clubs have also beaten nations in friendlies including Striling Albion against Japan, Aberdeen against South Africa, and Hearts against Australia.

British Football League Champions - Alternative History 1889 - 2017 I took a few hours to do this. But I think it was worth it. This is looking at if the Scottish, English, Welsh, and Northern Irish Leagues did not exist, and instead the British League had started in 1889 with Scottish, Welsh, English and Irish (then Northern Irish after Irish independence) sides were allowed to join. I do not support the Scottish, English, Welsh, and Northern Irish Leagues merging. I am an Aberdeen, and Inverness fan. We would do nothing in a modern day British League system nowadays. Plus Scotland would lose a major way of showing it’s identity to the rest of the world. But I have done this list to decide who would have been British champions in an age where the Scottish and English leagues merged. I have also added a bit of couner history with the fact that if Northern Ireland has been part of a British League, the Northern Irish teams would have been bigger. Plus I have added an imaginary team called Dublin Irish Celtic United, to represent Republic of Ireland football before independence. Plus I have taken into account, how much bigger sides from Scotland and Northern Ireland would be with British Premiership TV money. Year Champions - 1889 Preston North End. 1890 Preston North End. 1891 Everton 1892 Sunderland 1893 Sunderland 1894 Aston Villa 1895 Sunderland 1896 Aston Villa 1897 Aston Villa 1898 Glasgow Celtic 1899 Aston Villa 1900 Aston Villa 1901 Liverpool 1902 Sunderland 1903 Hibernian 1904 The Wednesday 1905 Newcastle United 1906 Liverpool 1907 Glasgow Celtic 1908 Manchester United 1909 Newcastle United 1910 Glasgow Celtic 1911 Manchester United 1912 Blackburn Rovers 1913 Sunderland 1914 Dublin Irish United 1915 Dublin Irish United 1916 Glasgow Celtic 1917 Glasgow Celtic 1918 Glasgow Rangers 1919 Glasgow Celtic 1920 Glasgow Rangers 1921 Glasgow Rangers 1922 Liverpool 1923 Glasgow Rangers 1924 Cardiff City 1925 Glasgow Rangers 1926 Huddersfield Town 1927 Newcastle United 1928 Glasgow Rangers 1929 Sheffield Wednesday 1930 Sheffield Wednesday 1931 Arsenal 1932 Motherwell 1933 Glasgow Rangers 1934 Belfast Celtic 1935 Arsenal 1936 Glasgow Celtic 1937 Manchester City 1938 Arsenal 1939 Everton 1940 - 46 WW2 (WW2 was 1939 - 45, but season could no start until 1946.) 1947 Liverpool 1948 Arsenal 1949 Portsmouth 1950 Hibernian 1951 Hibernian 1952 Manchester United 1953 Arsenal 1954 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1955 Aberdeen 1956 Manchester United 1957 Manchester United 1958 Heart of Midlothian 1959 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1960 Burnley 1961 Tottenham Hotspur 1962 Ipswich Town 1963 Everton 1964 Liverpool 1965 Manchester United 1966 Glasgow Celtic 1967 Glasgow Celtic 1968 Manchester City 1969 Leeds United 1970 Glasgow Celtic 1971 Glasgow Celtic 1972 Derby County 1973 Liverpool 1974 Linfield 1975 Derby County 1976 Liverpool 1977 Liverpool 1978 Nottingham Forest 1979 Liverpool 1980 Liverpool 1981 Aston Villa 1982 Liverpool 1983 Dundee United 1984 Aberdeen 1985 Aberdeen 1986 Liverpool 1987 Glasgow Rangers 1988 Liverpool 1989 Glasgow Rangers 1990 Glasgow Rangers 1991 Glasgow Rangers 1992 Glasgow Rangers 1993 Glasgow Rangers 1994 Manchester United 1995 Blackburn Rovers 1996 Manchester United 1997 Manchester United 1998 Linfield 1999 Manchester United 2000 Belfast Celtic 2001 Manchester United 2002 Arsenal 2003 Manchester United 2004 Arsenal 2005 Chelsea 2006 Chelsea 2007 Manchester United 2008 Glasgow Celtic 2009 Manchester United 2010 Chelsea 2011 Glasgow Rangers 2012 Manchester City 2013 Manchester United 2014 Manchester City 2015 Chelsea 2016 Glasgow Celtic 2017 Glasgow Celtic Top teams in League. All time list of record British League title winners. 1. Manchester United have 15 titles. 2. Glasgow Celtic have 14 titles. 2. Glasgow Rangers have 14 titles. 4. Liverpool have 13 titles. 5. Arsenal have 7 titles. 6. Aston Villa have 6 titles. 7. Sunderland have 5 titles 8. Chelsea have 4 titles. 8. Manchester City have 4 titles. 10. Everton have 3 titles. 10. Aberdeen have 3 titles. 10. Sheffield Wednesday have 3 titles. 10. Hibernian have 3 titles.