Scotland v Israel

It was once unusual to play Israel.
Indeed, it was once unique. Alan
Rough marked the first competitive
match between Israel and Scotland
by invoking both the diabolical and
the Biblical.
On 25 February 1981, in the Ramat
Gan Stadium, the Scotland goalkeeper
looked at his boots during the anthems
to see water bubbling up through
the lace holes and then winced as he
faced a downpour of wet sand.
“Yes, it was an interesting start to a
World Cup qualifying group game,”
said Rough, a veteran of three World
Cup finals and winner of 53 caps.
The water through the lace holes is
quickly explained.
“I had one big superstition,” the Partick
Thistle hero said. “I liked to wear
white socks and Big Jock (Stein) had
no problem with that. His view was
I could wear whatever I wanted. So
I always brought a pair of socks to
Scotland camps.
“These ones were a bit dirty so I
gave them to Jimmy Steele (Scotland
trainer) and he said he would get them
washed. When we walked into the
stadium before kick-off, I could see
Jimmy was a bit sheepish. The socks
had just been put in the machine.
“There was no way I was playing
without them and they were soaking.
That’s why my lace holes were
bubbling up as I looked down.”
And the sandstorm? “It’s apparently
a usual occurrence in the area,” says
Rough. “The rain and wind lifts the
sand and deposits the whole wet mess
on your head.”
It did not discomfit Rough or the
Scotland team. A Kenny Dalglish goal
gave the Scots a 1-0 victory en route
to a third successive World Cup finals.
The Jags goalkeeper was outstanding
in securing a clean sheet.
“We were defensively solid in that
campaign,” Rough points out of a side
that lost only four goals in eight games
Kenny Dalglish
turns away
to celebrate
after scoring
the only goal
against Israel
in 1981
HAMPDEN PARK / SATURDAY, 9 OCTOBER 2021
SCOTLAND v ISRAEL / 45