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  • They Played in Blue - Part One

    The recent thread on the message board re club or country got me to thinking about Hibs players that have turned out in the dark blue of Scotlandand so this article represents the first in a trilogy that details such players - all within living memory (for some more than others!) and excluding anyone still actually active as a player. Caps may not always have been won whilst a Hibs player but each named individual has played for both club and country.


    Thomson Allan

    Thomson Allan was born in Longridge, West Lothian on 5 October 1946 and joined Hibs in 1963 where he soon became a regular in the first team. In 1971 he was transferred to Dundee where he won a League Cup Winner’s medal in 1973 and it was whilst he played for Dundee that he won his two international caps and travelled as a reserve goalkeeper when Scotland competed in the 1974 World Cup in Germany. In 1979 Thomson joined Meadowbank Thistle for a brief period on loan before signing for Hearts later that same year and he remained at Tynecastle until his retirement from the game in 1980.

    Thomson Allan won two Scottish caps

    Steve Archibald

    Born in September 1956, Archibald joined Clyde in 1974 and spent four years with the Bully Wee before attracting the attention of Aberdeen whom he joined in 1978, winning a Scottish League Championship medal there in 1980. He next joined Spurs, attracting a then record fee for the transfer of a player from Scotland to England and was top scorer in his first season at White Hart Lane where he went on to win FA Cup winners medals in 1981 and 1982 as well as a UEFA Cup winners medal in 1984.

    In 1985 he was transferred to Barcelona where he won a Spanish League Championship medal in his first season and a European Cup runners up medal the following year. In 1988 he returned to Scotland and joined Hibs where he quickly gained cult status before leaving to play at several other Clubs prior to his retirement from playing after which he briefly managed both East Fife and Airdrie.

    Steve Archibald won 27 caps

    Bertie Auld

    Born in Glasgow in 1938, Bertie Auld joined Celtic in 1955 and after a colourful career at Parkhead he left to join Birmingham City in 1961 where he was in the side which reached the Fairs (UEFA) Cup Final. In 1965 he returned to Celtic and two years later was a key member of the Lisbon Lions side, the first British Club to win the European Cup. Released by Celtic in 1971 he had one season with Hibs before taking up a coaching role with Partick Thistle where he enjoyed moderate success before becoming the Hibs Manager in 1980. Two years on he moved to Hamilton Academical and then back to Thistle briefly before joining his last Club, Dumbarton, in 1988.

    Bertie Auld won three Scottish caps and suffered the ignominy of being sent off in his first game for his country.

    Sammy Baird

    Born in Denny, Stirlingshire in May 1930 he first joined Clyde in 1949 and played there for five years, winning a ‘B’ Division Championship medal before being transferred to Preston North End in 1954. A year later he was at Ibrox where he had five good seasons winning League Championship medals in 1956 and 1957 together with a Scottish Cup winner’s medal in 1960 before leaving to join Hibs. In 1962 he left Easter Road and joined the now defunct Third Lanark but just one season later he was appointed player/manager of Stirling Albion.

    Sammy Baird won seven Scottish Caps

    Eamonn Bannon

    Born in Edinburgh in April 1958 Bannon joined Hearts as a youngster and had three seasons at Tynecastle before leaving to join Chelsea in January 1979 but he could not settle in London and ten months later he joined Dundee United for a then Scottish record transfer fee of £165,000. A driving force in the midfield for United when the Tannadice club enjoyed success under Jim McLean he won a Scottish League Cup winner’s medal and a Championship winning medal in season 82/83. In 1985 the Arabs reached the UEFA Cup Final but fell at the final hurdle and as that side began to break up Bannon returned to Hearts in July 1988 and had another five seasons there before making the short trip across Edinburgh to join Hibs before returning for a third spell at Tynecastle in the 94/95 season. He finished his professional career having played briefly for both Stenhousemuir and Falkirk and finally hung up his boots when in his 40’s, having been turning out regularly for East of Scotland League outfit Spartans.

    Eamonn Bannon won eleven Scottish caps

    John Blackley

    John Blackley was born near Falkirk in May 1948 and joined Hibs in 1965 from junior side Gairdoch United. A wonderful defender Blackley was part of the Hibs side immortalised as Turnbull’s Tornadoes in the early 1970’s and remained at Easter Road until 1977 when he left to join Newcastle United, attracting a fee of £100,000. Things did not go to plan at St. James’ Park and led to a move to Preston North End in May 1979. A little over two years later he was appointed player/manager of Hamilton Academical thereby starting off in a long career in football coaching/management. Blackley was both assistant manager and manager at Easter Road, having been right hand man to Pat Stanton and then in the chair himself when Stanton departed. Since leaving Easter Road he has also coached at St. Johnstone, Dundee United, Plymouth Argyle and Sheffield Wednesday.

    John Blackley won seven Scottish caps

    Tommy Bogan

    Tommy Bogan was pinched from under the noses of Celtic who were widely tipped to want the player before Hibs boss Willie McCartney used his undoubted charm to entice the striker to Easter Road in late 1943. Bogan found the net on a fairly regular basis for the greens but turned out to be quite possibly the unluckiest player ever to win a Scotland cap! Tommy was chosen to face England at Hampden in the wartime international held in April 1945 but lasted only 50 seconds before being carried off with torn ligaments in his left leg. His name entered into the record books, not necessarily because his participation was so limited but because it was the first time in an international match that a substitute was allowed!

    Des Bremner

    Des Bremner was born in the Banffshire town of Aberchirder in September 1952 and began his playing career in the Highland League with Deveronvale before signing for Hibs in 1972. Equally effective in both defence and midfield Bremner was the main cover for right back John Brownlie when that youngster suffered a terrible leg break in a match against East Fife. After seven happy and not unsuccessful years at Easter Road he departed for Aston Villa in 1979 and won both a League Championship medal in 1981 and a European Cup winner’s medal the following year. Des moved across the City in 1984, joining Birmingham City and remains in the game as a football development officer with the FA.

    Des Bremner won a single Scottish cap

    Comments 3 Comments
    1. Ray_'s Avatar
      Ray_ -
      I'm Sure Sloop won the Newcastle player of the year award during his period on Tyneside.

      Great stuff Johnnyboy, looking forward to the rest of it.
    1. Hibee Hibernian's Avatar
      Hibee Hibernian -
      Brilliant to read.
    1. Lucius Apuleius's Avatar
      Lucius Apuleius -
      Sammy Baird, a good Denny man. However, I recall him sitting in the dug out at Annfield wearing his Ranger's scarf.
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