has anyone read this wife bought this on ebay for me wondered if anyone has and what their views on the subject being to young to remember the subject kind of fascinates me

I got it for my Birthday this year. Read a little of it and it was pretty good.

I recently purchased "The Faroe Islands: So close, yet always so far". It's a riveting read, regarding a topic of great import.

I got this book from my dad for my birthday and so far, only read about Ally McLeod and how he got the job up to the Hampden send-off. Pretty good so far

Excellent read.

Unbelievable how shambolic the whole affair was on and off the park up until the Dutch match. We had great players back then as well which makes it even sadder.

Lou Macari comes out of it looking like a right wee c*nt of a man

I recently watched the Holland game again
I had forgotten just how good that team was

Yes, it's pretty good. The subject also fascinates/obsesses me and I am old enough to remember it all, albeit as a seven year old.

For a better book in my view, look for 'Don't Cry For Me Argentina' by Mike Wilson.

I'd say that the political significance of what happened is often overstated; but in footballing terms, I think its legacy still exists in our approach to games today, whereby there's a stifling determination not to see such hubris ever repeated.

Its a really good book. I think the administration of Scottish football has improved a lot since 78 but at times it is still shambolic and I wonder if we've really learnt the lessons of 1978. I feel sorry for Ally McLeod who was really just a great chap doing his best and never deserved the vitriol he took from the media. Similar to how Burley doesn't deserve the criticism he's getting.

Having been a wee laddie and witnessed it first hand (albeit without the benefit of knowing the media bullshit of the time) I wonder if I should read it as it may just send me 30 years back the way wailing "I thought I'd got over it!".

Perhaps I should, though, as time has blurred things.

My old man used to be a piper in the bands that played at Hampden and my older brother and I pestered him to take us to the send off. He point blank refused saying it was "a bloody disgrace and a total rip-off". He was right, of course, but the masses who turned up didn't see it that way.

I had the good fortune to be in Mendoza about four years ago and visited the stadium. I spoke to groundsman and he'd been there for over 20 years. When I told him where I was from he took me onto the pitch and straight down to the Archie Gemmill end as he knew all about it. Seems that over the years, every so often a Scotland fan will make the pilgrimage and turn up to the stadium for a phot. Cracking place Mendoza and I'd thoroughly recommend a visit if anyone is thinking about it.

I have a friend who was a player at West Ham when Macari was there. Apparently Macari is an arsehole of the highest order and extremely vindictive. Uniformly hated by the players at that time.