The Football Years returns to our screens for a second series from Friday, February 25 and will be taking a look back at six memorable seasons in Scottish football.

 

From Scotland’s invincible failures in 1974 through to revolution at Celtic Park via a Rangers European adventure, the programme will run for six episodes and will be part of STV’s Football Friday, which also includes Friday Night Football, a special Sports Centre show based around The Football Years and live online chat after each episode.

 

Episode one: 1974 World Cup... The Golden Generation?

 

Led by Willie Ormond and inspired by their fiery-tempered captain Billy Bremner, Scotland were the only UK nation represented at the 1974 World Cup in West Germany. In this episode Ernie Walker, Joe Jordan, Peter Lorimer, John Blackley, Ally Hunter, Tommy Hutchison, David Hay and Sandy Jardine relive those heady days of summer 1974.

 

Episode two: 1986... Breaking Hearts and Breaking the Bank

 

Hearts came within seven minutes of the league title at Dens Park, only to have it snatched away in dramatic circumstances. Celtic were champions, Hearts finished runners-up and Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen won the Scottish Cup. Rangers were nowhere.

 

In this episode we have exclusive interviews with Graeme Souness, Terry Butcher, Sandy Jardine, Sandy Clark, Willie Miller, Alex McLeish, Jim Leighton, David Hay, Murdo MacLeod, Ernie Walker and Frank McAvennie.

 

Episode three: 1994... In with the New

 

The battle for control of Celtic FC came to a head, bitter rivals Rangers cruised to their sixth consecutive Scottish league title and Raith Rovers created history in 1994 winning the Coca-Cola Cup. In this programme, we have exclusive interviews with Fergus McCann, David Low, Michael Kelly, Kevin Kelly, Jim McLean, Craig Brewster and Gordon Dalziel.

 

Episode four: 1982/1983... Local Heroes

 

This is the story of two north east clubs, two managers and two historic wins that were as joyous as they were unexpected. This was a time in Scottish football when the balance of power shifted, albeit temporarily from the west to the east.

 

Jim McLean, Ralph Milne, Richard Gough, Paul Hegarty, Hamish McAlpine, Maurice Malpas, Willie Miller, Alex McLeish, Gordon Strachan, Jim Leighton and Murdo MacLeod recall those wonderful days exclusively for The Football Years.

 

Episode five: 1973/74... The End of an Era

 

Celtic won the last of their nine-in-a-row Scottish Championships and came within a whisker of a domestic treble. But this season was to be the last hurrah of Jock Stein’s all conquering Celtic side. In this episode we have exclusive interviews with Billy McNeill, Harry Hood, Denis Connaghan, Dixie Deans, Tommy Gemmell and Jim McLean.

 

Episode six: 1992... The Trans Europe Express

 

It was the inaugural season of the UEFA Champions League but the champions of Scotland, Rangers, had to face the champions of England, Leeds, for the right to appear in it. In this episode we have exclusive contributions from Walter Smith, Ally McCoist, Ian Durrant, Stuart McCall, Richard Gough, Mark Hateley, Andy Goram and Gary McAllister.

 

The Football Years

The Football Years: delving into six great years in Scottish football

 

The Football Years, will kick off on Friday 25 February at 9pm and the programme signals the start of STV’s new Football Friday event, which will run for the duration of The Football Years.

 

This six-part programme takes the audience on a journey through the most iconic years of the beautiful game, interviewing some of the sport’s most influential players, commentators and experts who offer an exclusive insight into the most exciting and emotional times in Scottish football.

 

Oscar and BAFTA winning actor Peter Capaldi, best known for his role as Malcolm Tucker in BBC’s The Thick Of It, returns to narrate the second series and revisits some momentous moments in Scottish football history.

 

As part of Football Friday, in addition to the on screen action, viewers can log onto stv.tv/footballyears straight after the programme finishes at 10pm every Friday and participate in live online chat and discussion with The Football Years contributors and some very special guests.

 

The on-air football exploits continue from 10.30pm with a specially extended version of STV’s Sports Centre with presenters Gerry McCulloch and Sheelagh McLaren.

Strangely enough, I don't remember much about Ralph Milne. 

 

Interesting that McNeill seems to regret leaving us!

 

Anyway, that was great.  Some wonderful memories and some nice interviews.  I never tire of seeing our second goal against Bayern! 

 

Perhaps its just me but I got the impression they were making out United winning the League was a bigger achievement than us winning the Cup winners cup & scottish cup.

 

Who is Ralph Milne and why hasn't he got into helping insomniacs?

 

I thought Maurice Backpass was worse!

Who is Ralph Milne and why hasn't he got into helping insomniacs?

 

Still find it bizarre that Fergie signed him for Man Utd, however I it is alleged that he has admitted that Milne was in fact his worst ever signing for Man U.

Disapponted I missed this. Presume it'll be on STV's site though.

 

I take it Richard Gough is still a cunt?

The TV programmes are good, but can't beat having lived through it

 

Agree Al?

 

Missed this post MBT.

Got to agree with you on this.

To the younger lads on here imagine attending three cup finals in a row against the brothers grim and winning them all and having the luxury of your manager slating the team after one of them, because despite the victory it wasn't up to the standard you'd become used to 

Missed this post MBT.

Got to agree with you on this.

To the younger lads on here imagine attending three cup finals in a row against the brothers grim and winning them all and having the luxury of your manager slating the team after one of them, because despite the victory it wasn't up to the standard you'd become used to 

True Al, we didnt know how lucky we were.

I remember being gutted I coulnd't get to Gothenburg, but compensated that by the "knowledge" we'd be in the final in '84 and I could go then 

 

Still can't believe we lost the semi in the fog at pittodrie

I remember being gutted I coulnd't get to Gothenburg, but compensated that by the "knowledge" we'd be in the final in '84 and I could go then 

 

Still can't believe we lost the semi in the fog at pittodrie

 

You mean the semi-final that Porto were alleged to have bribed the referee?

In the same season Roma are meant to have bribed the ref in their semi with the arabs.

Disapponted I missed this. Presume it'll be on STV's site though.

 

http://player.stv.tv/programmes/football-years/2011-03-25-2100/

True Al, we didnt know how lucky we were.

 

In all honesty, I think in part we did. I remember standing in the rain in Gothenburg when the team had finally left the pitch, when I had tears streaming down my face, thinking I'd never see the likes again. Having said that after coming back from Portuga the next year and losing the first leg of the semi 1-0, we booked up for the final in Switzerland. Still struggle to believe we didn't get back to the final. At the time the last four were us, Porto, Juventus and Man Utd, I remember praying we would get Porto

In all honesty, I think in part we did. I remember standing in the rain in Gothenburg when the team had finally left the pitch, when I had tears streaming down my face, thinking I'd never see the likes again. Having said that after coming back from Portuga the next year and losing the first leg of the semi 1-0, we booked up for the final in Switzerland. Still struggle to believe we didn't get back to the final. At the time the last four were us, Porto, Juventus and Man Utd, I remember praying we would get Porto

 

We would have beaten Man Utd, Al. That Juve team would have been the one with Platini, Rossi and Boniek eh? Think we would have beaten them?

 

Thanks for the link Kow 

watched this, this evening. I'm obviously horrendously biased but thought it concentrated more on United which, considering there have only been 3 teams from Scotland to win Euro trophies, is a bit crazy; it almost done us down.

Good contributions by most I thought apart from Chick Young... "You knew Aberdeen were a really good side.. but .... WOOF! Where did Dundee United come from?"

The clue's in the name, Chick....

 

Liked Hamish McAlpine's comment about "maurice Backpass"... how accurate.

 

And aye, Richard Gough's still a cunt.

We would have beaten Man Utd, Al. That Juve team would have been the one with Platini, Rossi and Boniek eh? Think we would have beaten them?

 

Thanks for the link Kow 

 

Over ninety minutes and playing as we were capable of, I reckon we could potentially have beaten any of them. My point however was at the time Porto were the least known of the possible opponents and i reckoned by drawing them we probably had represented our best chance of reaching the final.

After first leg, we booked and paid a £50 deposit to travel to Switzerland for the final by train from Aberdeen. Absolutely fucking gutted that night we crashed out to them

I broke my wrist that night, walking back across the links!

Just finished watching this weeks episode... 92-93 but it was really all about the huns in the CL.  They broke off talking about that to talk about the League Cup Final, and considering our current predicament (and that of the last 16 years), that Hately cunt gave us a reminder of just how far we have fallen:

 

"In those days you really wanted the LC, to win the first trophy ahead of ... Aberdeen"

 

The LC Final was sickening - Winnie's (even though they said it was Aitken) "backpass" and Theo's chest down for McCall to score and then Smith's og - but it was nowhere near as sickening as the Scottish Cup Final.  Grant hitting the post in the first 30 seconds but then before we knew it we were 2 down without doing too much wrong.

 

They kicked the fuck out of us that day; John Brown assaulted Scott Booth on several occasions but was never punished for it.  Our midfield (in particular Grant, but Richardson and Mason too) were superb and ran the game, the huns were chasing shadows all day but we just couldn't get the second goal after Rico's strike. It was fucking gutting.

 

I often wonder what our fate would have been if we had won just one of those trophies.  It was probably only second to 90-91 as far as how good a footballing side I've seen regularly in the flesh, but like 90-91 I do wonder about the long term effect that season had on us.

Not sure, think Miller would still have dismantled the side as he wanted the title. It wasn't a lack of resources that stopped us progressing under Miller but how he used them, sadly.  That team was a joy to watch at times, 5's, 6's, 7's, all in the right end too.

Not sure, think Miller would still have dismantled the side as he wanted the title. It wasn't a lack of resources that stopped us progressing under Miller but how he used them, sadly.  That team was a joy to watch at times, 5's, 6's, 7's, all in the right end too.

 

I read some time ago that Miller actually asked the board for £3m, and had targets identified which he felt could win us the league and the board refused. But no doubt the resources he did get weren't used too wisely.  Joe Miller as a replacement for Paul Mason... EFF EFF ESS. 

I read some time ago that Miller actually asked the board for £3m, and had targets identified which he felt could win us the league and the board refused. But no doubt the resources he did get weren't used too wisely.  Joe Miller as a replacement for Paul Mason... EFF EFF ESS. 

 

Paul Mason, fantastic