Plinths & Plaques, Statues and Graves
As with not just this but all our trails, local, national and country, we hold the view that merely recording or even putting on-line is a start but not enough. To do justice to the pioneers, as have a few clubs, even countries, to which they went, as in Scotland in the case of Tommy Donohoe and following the lead of Brazils's Bangu, Busby has too and as has SHFG again in Scotland, but also in England and Northern Ireland, there should be, both at home and elsewhere, place for more statues, golden or otherwise, restored, maintained graves, busts on plinths and if not them then plaques.
So, whilst we research and provide biographical and other details of as many of those Scots, native and Diasporan, who through deed and feet spread globally and uniquely the footballing word, we also look at where, in places from which they came or they rest, and as visual expression of our contemporary, national pride in them and those same localities, some form of physical, outdoor recognition would be both appropriate and feasible.
The Scots Irish-Trail
On this SFHG site we normally confine our attentions to pre-World War II but Ireland is the one exception. Connections, from across the North Channel, from the foundations of the first club, Belfast's Cliftonville,, by John McAlery and particularly to the North of the Emerald Isle have always been strong, and in both directions. In spite of the prohibition for much of our footballing history of players born outwith Scotland from taking the field for the national team two from Ireland have done so. At the same time several born here have won Irish caps, all but one legitimately, one not, but all in doing so transferring the unique qualities of the Scottish game to our closest Celtic cousins. In addition a number of Scots-born, Scottish internationals have simply by life been drawn to Ireland and have ended their days there, one in the South, the others in the North.
And then there are those players through family or fate who are born in Ireland, would play for it but again from childhoods and adolescence spent on our side of the water knew nothing but the Scottish game.
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