Blacklaw to be capped by Scotland

But the news this week is that Adam Blacklaw, our former goalkeeper from the 1950s and 1960s, will be getting a full cap very soon over 46 years since he first pulled on the goalkeeper's jersey for his country.

Back then the Scots didn't award caps for all international appearances, you only got one if it was either a Home International against England, Northern Ireland or Wales, or in a World Cup Finals.

Adam won three caps in all. The first two were in friendlies in June 1963 against Norway and Spain in Bergen and Madrid respectively. His third came over two years later in December 1965 when he was in goal for a World Cup qualifier against Italy in the San Paulo in Naples.

The rules changed as Sandra Buchanan of the SFA explains. ""Prior to 1975, the SFA didn't issue caps to players unless they were British Championship games or in the World Cup, but our board decided a few years ago to award players who had never received caps a commemorative cap.

"We put word out in the press as it was difficult to trace all the players, and we had a host of people contact us, and Adam is the most recent.

"He is entitled to a cap under the new criteria, and he and his family and friends have been invited up to a special presentation at Hampden, where they will also have a ground tour and visit the museum."

That ceremony will take place on 3^rd November this year when Burnley's second Scottish international, recent visitor to Turf Moor Jock Aird was the first, finally gets his fully deserved Scottish cap.