Pitch Invasion: How the Scottish and Irish Changed Football

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Arts Documentary hosted by Rhona Cameron, published by BBC in 2024 - English narration

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How the Scottish and Irish changed football. Chapter 1: Genius Manchester United is one of the most successful football clubs in England, but its worldwide success was built on the shoulders of footballing geniuses from Ireland and Scotland. Sir Matt Busby's 25-year reign as manager saw triumph borne out of tragedy. He survived the devastating Munich air crash in 1958, to rebuild the Manchester United team to become European champions ten years later. Denis Law arrived in England from Aberdeen as an awkward teenager, but a spectacular combination of elegance and menace turned him into a record goal scorer. Over the next decade, George Best, the introverted youngster from Belfast, would blossom into English football's first superstar. In 1977, Liverpool also looked north of the border and found Glaswegian striker Kenny Dalglish, who would become the undisputed King of the Kop. Dalglish spearheaded a Scottish and Irish dynasty at Liverpool, one that would dominate English football for the next decade. At the same time, Arsenal would benefit from the influx of footballing talent from Ireland. Liam Brady, an elegant playmaker from Dublin, triumphed along with his many Irish teammates in one of the most exciting FA Cup finals ever in 1979. In the early 1980s, Manchester United's next prodigy was Norman Whiteside from Belfast, who as a young player ripped up the record books. Another genius at Manchester United was not to be found on the pitch but in the dug-out. Glaswegian Alex Ferguson became manager in 1986 and despite a difficult start, he would triumph, winning an unprecedented 13 Premier League titles and transforming Manchester United into a global superpower. Chapter 2: Guts In the early 1970s, Leeds United was the team that personified guts on the pitch and was the dominant force in English football. Central to this success was their tough tackling midfield led by Irishman Johnny Giles and their Scottish captain Billy Bremner. In Ireland, budding young footballers developed not only their skills but also their physical and mental toughness playing Gaelic games. These were players like Martin O'Neill, who set his sights on making it to the top of the English game. And despite his early struggles, O'Neill would win the European Cup with Nottingham Forest in 1980. At the same time, the ‘Edinburgh enforcer', Graeme Souness, was winning league titles and European cups with Liverpool. However, his journey to the top of the English game began like many other Irish, Northern Irish and Scottish players before him - with rejection at his first big club. Scot Pat Nevin brought his own brand of grit and determination when he signed for Chelsea in 1983. He was one of the few players prepared to confront the racism that was fast becoming the scourge of English football. In 1993, Roy Keane from Cork took the English game by the scruff of the neck when he joined Manchester United. Keane became the ultimate midfielder in the Premier League era, striking fear into his opponents with his ruthless will to win. Today's game may leave little room for the hard men of the past, but the new generation of Irish, Northern Irish and Scottish players such as Rachel Corsie still know what it means to play with guts. Chapter 3: Glory Welcoming all visitors to Anfield is the statue of the legendary manager from Ayrshire, Bill Shankly, who in the 1960s laid the foundations on which Liverpool FC built decades of glory and success. In the early 1980s, clubs such as Arsenal looked north of the border for a lethal striker who could bring back the glory days. There, ‘Champagne' Charlie Nicholas made headlines off the pitch but remained determined to win a trophy in England Meanwhile, Liverpool's Scottish star Kenny Dalglish was elevated to player/manager and achieved a remarkable league and cup double in 1986. At a Wembley cup final, his all-conquering team fielded no English capped players but four Scots and three Irish capped players. Scottish manager George Graham brought the glory days back to Arsenal with the thrilling finale to the 1989 season. Arsenal beat Liverpool 2-0 at Anfield to snatch the league title. In 1992, the Premier League was launched in a blaze of publicity, and Manchester United began an unprecedented period of glory, winning league title after league title, and dominating English football for the next two decades. When legendary manager Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, the man chosen to replace him was fellow Glaswegian David Moyes. However, after just ten months, glory turned to failure and Moyes was sacked. Football has always been a game of winners and losers. But it is also a game of glorious moments, created so often by Scottish, Irish and Northern Irish managers and players. These moments will live forever in the hearts of adoring fans.