A perfect 10. Or an imperfect 10. But I hope you're enjoying this so far.
So @sweirz has set me this challenge on Twitter:
A Scotland international XI made up of players that have never played for the Old Firm. And no Anglos.
So Scotland players drawn exclusively from non-Old Firm Scottish clubs.

Welcome one and all. The first post in the Scottish Football Blog's 24 hour blogathon. Enjoy.
A perfect starting point, then, suggested by the Twitter fixture that is @steakheed
This might seem like a bit of a cheat. People who read this blog will know I don't shy from a spot of Hibernian navel gazing.

Other things:

Mark Schwarzer seems to be back to something like top form very impressed

Nice how Stephen Kelly has won people over another good game from him. It's a shame about Zdenek Grygera though. He's looked a fine defender and this doesn't look like a minor injury, so our thoughts are with him.

Other things:

Mark Schwarzer seems to be back to something like top form very impressed

Nice how Stephen Kelly has won people over another good game from him. It's a shame about Zdenek Grygera though. He's looked a fine defender and this doesn't look like a minor injury, so our thoughts are with him.

By Chris Wright

Today is a bit of a 'down day' in footballing terms, so what better way to fill the void than with another ten-strong random selection of intriguing, nostalgic photos from the Pies archive?

Hundreds of fans pour onto the Estadio Centenario pitch at the final whistle to celebrate Uruguay's 4-2 victory over Argentina in the first ever World Cup Final, 1930

England internationals Stanley Matthews, Stanley Mortensen (both of Blackpool) and George Hardwick (Middlesbrough) take part in the filming of an FA instructional film, 1947

'Der Kaiser' Franz Beckenbauer poses with a NASL ball for a photo in front of the Rockefeller Centre in New York after re-joining the Cosmos for the final year of his playing career, 1983

Huddersfield and Charlton play out their Division One game on a dog of a pitch, 1947

The Italian national side pose with Benito Mussolini (centre) after winning the 1938 World Cup in France

England's Terry Venables limbers up during a training session at Stamford Bridge ahead of a friendly against Belgium, 1964

Aston Villa pose for their pre-season team photoback row, 1971

Referee Alan Robinson finds something or other highly amusing, 1985

Arsenal manager Billy Wright (left) quibbles with referee AJ Sturgeon after the latter had no option but to postpone a match due to the ghostly covering of snow on the Highbury pitch, 1962

Flamboyant rock 'n' rollers Little Richard and Screaming Lord Sutch (along with his parrot) enjoy a kick-about on the Wembley turf ahead of a charity game, 1972

[Photos: PA]

09.09.2011 - Sócrates, menos conocido como Sócrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira, y más conocido como Doctor Sócrates (porque es doctor en medicina) salía en las conversaciones más inverosímiles: "ese que mide uno noventa y calza 39" (en realidad medía 1.

By Chris Wright

Nothing more, nothing less just ten brilliant photos pulled from the PA's bulging goldmine/archive at random...

Graffitied on a Manchester wall; the Tottenham Hotspur line-up, 1968

Chelsea captain Ron 'Chopper' Harris leads his team out (followed by goalkeeper Peter 'The Cat' Bonetti) ahead of the Blues' FA Cup fourth-round replay against Preston North End, 1969

Manchester United's Denis Law is beaten to the ball in an airbourne duel with Rapid Vienna goalkeeper Fuchsbicher during the first-leg of the European Cup Quarter Final at Old Trafford, 1969

Accompanied in shot by Jimmy Greaves, Stanley Matthews quite literally hangs up his boots after making his final appearance for Stoke City at his star-studded testimonial game, 1965

The three recipients of the Golden Shoe Award for the 1982/83 season pose with a huge Adidas boot, from left: Steve Cammack (Div.

The glittering Football Association Challenge Cup - yup, that's its full name - was displayed at the British Consulate in San Francisco earlier this month (AP Photo).

You can when holders Manchester City play the Galaxy at 1 p.m. at Home Depot Center (live on ESPN).

Tickets, starting at $30, are still available.

Everyone 'knows' that Franz Beckenbauer was brilliant. In a recent Guardian poll he was the first defender selected in their greatest team of all time.

I think everyone is right Beckenbauer really was an astonishing player but I wonder how many of the voters had actually seen him play before making their choice?

It's just after 9am the morning before he collects his Footballer of the Year Award, writes Ken Dyer, but Scott Parker is already at West Ham's training ground, changed and ready to test his troublesome Achilles tendon. On top of a cabinet in the club's media office stand three big bottles of man-of-the-match Champagne.

It was far from unexpected but the decision of Red Nev to hang up his boots still fills Manchester United fans with a sense of ‘is it REALLY the end?' for someone who has been part of the United...
Continue to the full story

Photo by Yellow Book

The recent death the England legend known as The Lion Of Vienna recently took me on a hunt of archival footage and interviews of Nat Lofthouse. In doing so, I uncovered an incredible collection of audio interviews with football legends which is a required listening for any soccer fan and reader of this site.

Nat Lofthouse, one of the greatest footballers ever to represent England and a true legend, died Saturday aged 85.

Lofthouse was one of the most lethal centre forwards ever to play for England, scoring 30 goals in 33 appearances. Nicknamed The Lion Of Vienna, the honest and gutsy footballer played for his hometown club Bolton Wanderers where he scored 255 goals in 452 league appearances.

Every single player who has won the Ballon d'Or from the English league has played for Manchester United.

Winners
1956: Stanley Matthews (Blackpool at the time)
1964: Denis Law
1966: Bobby Charlton
1968: George Best
2001: Michael Owen (Liverpool at the time)
2008: Cristiano Ronaldo

Matthews was a war time guest player for United whilst Owen is a current United player.