Game 36: England Legends 2.0 Scotland Legends (Alan Ball Memorial Trophy) 15.05.08

Andy and I drove down to Southampton to watch this game between two sets of ex-international players for the Alan Ball Trophy, commemorating the life of one of the South Coast’s most respected managers who passed away last year. Before the game there was also a minutes silence for Tommy Burns, the former Reading and Celtic manager who had died earlier that day. Brian Robson was also missing due a family bereavement.


The two squads weren’t available in a programme as one hadn’t been issued but the game was being covered on ITV4, which I referred back to when I got home.

England – Woods, Barton, Parker, Walker, Winterburn, Hodge, Parlour, Lee, Le Saux, Merson, Collymore (subs – Wright, Walters, Sinton, Dixon, Sansom, Ball)

Scotland – Goram, Irvine, Elliott, Gough, Boyd, McKinlay, Jackson, Wark, Collins, Gallacher, Durie (subs – Devlin, Gunn, Albiston, Speedie, MacKay)

Some of the players looked reasonably fit but a couple had an expanded waistband since their playing days, notably Paul Merson. The pace of the game was fairly slow in comparison to a normal ‘Auld Enemy’ game but while the legs had gone, the passing and skill was still there.


Most of England’s chances fell to Stan Collymore who had a mixed night. In the 3rd and 5th minutes he went tearing through on goal but put his shots way over the bar. In the 20th minute Merson took the ball on the left side and found Le Saux on an overlapping run. Le Saux went round a defender and put in a low cross that Hodge redirected at the near post. The ball went through Goram’s legs and into the net.


Scotland had a couple of efforts from corners, Durie going close to scoring. Then it was the Collymore show again – no change to the scheduled programme as the ball ended up high in the stand behind the goal. Scotland almost equalised after 28 minutes. A long hopeful ball from Scotland was played back towards the goal by Rob Lee but it was too short for Woods to get to. This allowed Gallacher to take the ball on but Woods was alert and was out to push the ball away before Gallacher could get a shot in.

On 32 minutes Collymore decided it was time for some variety. Le Saux took the ball forward and put a great pass into the box, only for Collymore to slide in and miss the ball completely in front of an open goal. Five minutes later and it finally came right – Merson received the ball in the middle of the pitch and with one touch played Collymore in. Collymore took on Irvine, beat him for pace and slid the ball under the keeper and into the net. 2.0 England!



At half time Scotland brought on Gunn, Devlin, Albiston and Speedie. For England, Walters came on for Hodge. On 57 minutes John Wark produced a moment from the memory banks, a typical run into the box and a chip over the keeper and in. However he hadn’t timed it quite right and the goal was chalked off for offside. At 50, he was the oldest player on the pitch.


The game was a bit stop and start after that, with England bringing on several substitutes. Sinton replaced Le Saux, Sansom and Wright replaced Collymore and Parker and on 75 minutes Jimmy Ball, Alan’s son, came on for Merson. The first thing he did was a late sliding tackle, clattering a Scotland player- like father, like son!


Wark put a header over the bar for Scotland and Speedie also came close to scoring with a shot but the Scots were unable to pull a goal back before the final whistle.