THE 2008 GAME

10-man England re-claim trophy in 5 goal battle with Scotland.

England came out on top of a 5 goal thriller to retake the trophy they lost last year as they beat Scotland 3-2 at Al Arabi Stadium Doha.

The Build-Up.

Annual England-Scotland expat match on April 25

GULF TIMES

Published: on Thursday, 3 April, 2008, 08:12 AM Doha Time.

Sports Reporter

THE 54th annual England-Scotland expatriate football international match will be held at the Qatar Sports Club on April 25. This year's event is being held under the patronage of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) secretary-general Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrehman al-Thani and with support of the British Charge d'Affaires and Head of Mission Roddy Drummond.

Briefing reporters yesterday, Mark Fotheringham, chairman of the organising committee said the event in Qatar emulates the oldest international fixture in the history of football."I would like to thank Sheikh Saoud for his support and guidance for the event. The event will be the 54th meeting of the 'auld enemy' in the fantastic setting of the Qatar Sports Club. The high quality facilities at the venue is bound to enhance the reputation of the fixture in the annual amateur sporting calendar and is an excellent example of the collaboration between the respective expatriate groups and our Qatari hosts," he said."We hope to attract a crowd of around 2,000 this year and will be aiming to reach beyond the community to include multi-cultural participation," he said about the event which is originally thought to have begun about 25 years ago with the involvement of expatriate oil workers of Dukhan. We are already in touch with other expatriate bodies and will be seeking the participation of their members in the event."QOC representative Hamad al-Hamadi in his address stated that the QOC would render all possible support for the event. "I wish the event continued success in the years ahead," he said.In his address, the British Charge d'Affaires Drummond termed the event as an amazing achievement and a tribute to both the efforts of the British community in Qatar and the continuing support of the Qatari authorities."I am sure that we are going to have a large, diverse and enthusiastic crowd at the match."The Embassy is fully behind such events that promote sport as a way of bringing people together," he said. "It is going be an exciting and fun event with opportunities for people to wave flags, show lung support while being gripped with passion and tension. I also hope that other members of the Qatari community will come and enjoy the day," he added. "At the end of the day it is an ideal event for fostering friendship in the community and so is fantastic from that perspective."The organising committee has secured three gold as well as silver and bronze sponsors for the event with BASF Chemicals, RasGas and International Bank of Qatar (IBQ) being the principal supporters.The honours have been shared equally between the teams for the last few years with Scotland being the defending champions, having won last year's final by a 6-0 margin."We hope to repeat last season's victory and plan to keep the trophy with us this year too," said Scotland team manager Stuart Potter.Displaying the intense rivalry on the field, England team manager Richard Marsh retorted, "We hope to identify the weak spots in our rival team and will aim to capitalise on them."The game which will have free admission and parking is scheduled to start at 2pm with the gates opening at 1pm.

England vs. Scotland 2008 to be held at Al Arabi

THE PENINSULA

Published: on Tuesday, 15 April, 2008, 06:48 AM Doha Time.

Sports Reporter

With two weeks until the games begins, it was announced that the England vs. Scotland Expatriate Football International on April 25 will be held at Al Arabi Stadium.Located off the C-Ring road and Muntazah Street heading towards the Mall, the new location was prompted by an agreement between the event's Organizing Committee and the Qatar Olympic Committee to change venues, making the original venue of Qatar Sports Club available for the final rounds of the Emir Cup games."We always had confirmation from the QOC that they would avail one of their clubs to us, so we weren't worried at the change of venue," says Mark Fotheringham, Chairman, England vs Scotland 2008 Organizing Committee. "We are extremely fortunate to be able to hold the match in such a fantastic venue - with professional dressing rooms, equipment and facilities. It puts this long-running event onto another level, which we are very proud of. This would not be possible without the continued support of the QOC." "Gates open at 1pm, kick-off at 2pm, with free admission and parking. Come and support your team, fly your flags, make some noise and enjoy!"

The Managers’ Viewpoint

There’s Nothing Like Rivalry between the "Auld Enemy" to get the Blood Pumping! The England and Scotland Team Managers Give Their Views on the upcoming England v Scotland 2008 Game

Gulf News

Published: Tuesday, 15 April, 2008, 07:45 AM Doha Time

Sports Reporter

WITH the anticipation for the kick-off to the 54th annual England v Scotland Expatriate Football International mounting, it is only fair that we go behind the scenes and see what’s really ticking behind that most ancient of rivalries. Speaking to both team managers, Richard Marsh (England) and Stuart Potter (Scotland), we get a little insight into their preparations, both on and off the field, and what their thoughts are about this year’s event.Q: Any comments about the previous season?Richard Marsh: ""It’s a funny old game" as the great English soccer legend Jimmy Greaves often says when relating to the game of football. And that is certainly true when talking about the local annual football matches that have been played in Doha over the years between England and Scotland. Two years ago, in a friendly played at Doha Stadium England beat Scotland 10-0 and went into the following year beating most of the opposition they came up against. Leading up to the 2007 annual fixture to be played in the same stadium, the English camp was full of optimism and confidence. But, on 4th May 2007 the English lads came down to earth with a crash when they were convincingly beaten 6-0 by a well disciplined and organized Scotland team. I could make excuses like our goalkeeper got badly sun burnt the day before the game, or we should not have changed our tactics in the dressing room just before kick off, but basically we were second best on the day and Scotland deserved to win. Well done Scotland."Stuart Potter: "I have been part of the Scotland setup since 2002, four times as a player and now twice as a manager, but I doubt anything will top the 2007 match for me. We had already beaten England 1-0 in the league that season, but I knew previous results meant nothing when it comes to playing the cup game. So to go out on Friday May 4th 2007 and totally dominate that game, scoring three in the first half and three in the second was beyond my wildest dreams. In the end though, 6-0 was a fair result and I was very proud of the Scotland team that day"Q: What about this year’s team?Richard Marsh: "This year England has a new captain in Tommy Westmoreland who has reorganized the team through his leadership, motivation and inspiration. Together with the eight other teams that make up the expatriate Qatar International Football League, England, having only lost the opening game 2-1 in a closely contested match with Garvey’s, has not lost a game since. This means we have now overtaken Scotland to lead the table with two games in hand over our traditional "auld enemy". Although England and Garvey’s have individual teams playing in the QIFL, the English players from both teams have combined as a formidable united England team. We’re looking forward to the challenge of playing Scotland on 25th April in what should be a very competitive game of football."Stuart Potter: "This is my second season as Scotland Manager and it has been a joy working with the players. There have been a lot of changes this year. We lost three of the players that started the match last year (Angus Goodrick, Don Dunlop and Paul Reid) as well as one of the subs (Cevan Sneddon), but, saying that, the squad for this match has balanced itself out with several new players coming in. This will be their first taste of this magical annual event and they should savour every moment of it. It is exciting that the second season of the QIFL has seen it expand to nine teams which has, of course, led to a great competitive season and valuable in developing the team!"Q: Any comments on this year’s event?Stuart Potter: "One of the huge plus points of this year’s event was getting confirmation of the use of one of Qatar’s stadia so early in the proceedings. With the patronage of the Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), HE Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani and with the support of the British Charges D’Affaires and Head of Mission, Roddy Drummond, this year’s game will be held on a world-class pitch with professional dressing rooms, equipment, facilities. I am sure the players will love the experience of using changing rooms for this match rather than them changing at the side of the pitch."Richard Marsh: "It’s good to remember that this annual fixture is not just about a game of football. It involves a lot more than just two teams kicking the ball around a field for 90 minutes. The Committee who has organized the football match and the social event at the Doha Marriot for the post match celebrations should be loudly applauded for all their hard work for which they deserve much recognition. In my view, one of the most endearing facts about this annual event is the way it brings together hundreds of British expats (and other nationals) to enjoy a day of fun, laughter, and enjoyment. There are the fans and spectators sitting in their respective national groups shouting words of encouragement to their teams (and other words at the opposing supporters) whilst sipping cold refreshments in the hot sunshine. And don’t forget the many children who come along to have their faces painted, run around the stadium causing chaos, and not caring a hoot about what is happening on the football field. Come and support your team, fly your flags, make some noise and enjoy!"

The Captains’ Viewpoint.

England, Scotland primed for annual expatriate clash.

Gulf NewsPublished: Wednesday, 23 April, 2008, 02:15 AM Doha Time

By Peter Townson

Qatar-based Britons will battle for supremacy in their 54th annual England-Scotland expatriate match at the Al Arabi Stadium on Friday. Despite being a "friendly" there is certainly an element of rivalry and an intense desire on behalf of both sides to emerge victorious in what is one of the world’s oldest rivalries in sport. Gulf Times spoke to the captains of both teams and discovered that after competing throughout the season for the first time in the Qatar International Football League, the sides are more eager to beat each other than ever before.England managed to finish the season on top of the league table, a fact that captain Tommy Westmorland was eager to point out, before adding that "however, if we lose on Friday, the league will mean nothing." This match is the climax of the season and Westmoreland is well aware of its importance, having been involved in two of the three previous matches."Last year England was embarrassed 6-0, and there is no way we are going to let the English community down like that again," promised Westmoreland. He added confidently: "With the quality we possess throughout the side, we should come out victorious after a very close match."Scotland captain, Mark Fotheringham, is expecting an equally gruelling and well-balanced game, but is similarly confident in his team’s ability to overcome the ‘auld enemy.’"The match is evenly poised and the sides are stronger than ever before," he said. "But our collective willingness to do anything for our teammates and our passion will win us the trophy this year." He referred to the two matches the teams have played this season, one in which England won 4-1, and the other when the teams drew 2-2 after "a particularly dubious penalty awarded six minutes from the end of the match, which drew England level.""We still feel aggrieved after both those results, especially the draw, and we want to get our revenge against England. Football matches don’t come as big as this one on Friday, and we will certainly step up to the plate," he added. Fotheringham, a versatile midfielder, has played in the last five matches and is looking forward to the "opportunity to play in front of a big crowd, and show our true colours."His counterpart Westmoreland pointed out that the England team had the strongest defensive record in the league this season, and also have "a lot of quality and experience going forward." He referred to David Wallace, who plays on the left of the midfield, as the star player in the team, and perhaps the catalyst for a special team performance. "He has scored a lot of goals this season and has played really well all year," he said, adding that "he will certainly worry the Scottish team, and can hopefully spur us on to victory."Scotland have a number of stars as well however and Andy Daykin who was voted the best player in the league, and Gavin Clark who was the top scorer by some 17 goals after scoring 30 in the league this season, will both need to be carefully watched by the English defence.However, this is a team match, in which the collective strength of the squads will be severely tested. Both teams may have individually excellent players, but that will count for very little come kickoff on Friday, when all 16 players who get on the pitch will have to stand up and be counted for their countries."It is certainly a great honour to play in this fixture, but with that honour comes responsibility, and we will do our best to make sure we come out on top," said Westmoreland."We are fully prepared and cannot wait until kickoff on Friday."One thing is for sure - he is not the only one eagerly anticipating the fiercely competitive battle to take place this weekend.

Past & Present Viewpoint.

History, colour, rivalry, pride

Gulf News

Published: Thursday, 24 April, 2008, 02:21 AM Doha Time

By Peter Townson

THE England and Scotland expatriate teams will line up against each other for the 54th time tomorrow when they compete in their annual expatriate clash at Al Arabi Stadium. The match begins at 2pm.From humble beginnings, the event has evolved into a major sporting fixture in Doha’s calendar, and this year, organisers are expecting thousands of fans to turn out to support their teams.The first known instance of the match taking place was in 1954, when the teams played on an oiled sand pitch in Dukhan, a far cry from the five star facilities they will find themselves playing on this weekend. Although the score from that first match is unknown, the seeds were sown for an exhilarating future. The fixture has even featured ex-international players, when Frank Worthington and Tommy Gemmill represented their countries in the 1990 match. Gemmill managed to inspire Scotland to victory, which was no doubt as proud an achievement as scoring in the 1967 European Cup to help Celtic win the trophy! But the beauty of this fixture is that it turns amateur players into international footballers for ninety minutes, and the support from the entire British community makes the moment an extremely proud one for all involved.Speaking to past and present members of the squad, one very quickly becomes aware of the rivalry between the two teams, stemming from historical tensions, nationalistic pride and the obvious bragging rights that come with securing victory.Current principal of Doha College, Mark Leppard, has played in five matches, representing England and captaining them on a number of occasions. He told the Gulf Times that he has very fond memories of the event and remembers just how competitive it is every year. "The day is a great family event and before and after the match, the two sides are very friendly and have a lot of banter together. However, during those 90 minutes, it is a really hard fought game, and both sides are desperate to win." Leppard recalled his fondest memory of the fixture: "Every one of the matches I played in is memorable for a variety of reasons, but the best memory for me was being the winning captain of the side and going up to receive the trophy with my firstborn child." Although not taking part in the match this year, Leppard will be attending with his family, and is "looking forward to another great day for the whole community."From a past master to a future star, and Andy Daykin, who has only been in Doha for less than a year, is similarly aware of the importance of the match, simply through what his new teammates have told him. Daykin, who was voted player of the season in this year’s Qatar International Football League, said he was amazed at what he had been told about the significance of the match and could not wait to get on the pitch tomorrow."I knew the event would be big, but I had no idea it would be as big as this," he said, adding that "the spirit throughout our team is really brilliant."Certainly the fixture has grown in stature and is now one of the main events in an increasingly busy list of British expatriate community events. Chairman of the organising committee and captain of the Scotland side, Mark Fotheringham, has thanked Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani for his support with the event this year, and for helping to secure the venue for the match. He also thanked the British Embassy for its support. The embassy finds itself in a controversial position this year with the current Charge d’Affaires Roddy Drummond being Scottish. However, Drummond is trying his level best to retain a sense of partiality, and said: "I am not supporting either team during the match." Then again, he added that if Scotland emerges victorious, he will be wearing his kilt to the gala dinner in the evening - whether he actually wants to don his national dress is a matter up for debate!However, as everyone who has ever been involved in the match is keen to point out, the rivalry between the two sides is in no way divisive, but brings the British community together, giving them an opportunity to support their friends and family who might be taking part.

PRE-MATCH COMMENT

Formidable England aim to wrest back trophy

Published: Friday, 25 April, 2008, 03:16 AM Doha Time

By John Verghese

ENGLAND will have sufficient motivation when they take on a determined Scotland in the 54th annual expatriate football international match at the Al Arabi Sports Club today.The match is scheduled for kick-off at 2pm.Having lost the previous year’s match 6-0 to their rivals and with encouraging performances in the current season’s expatriate Qatar International Football League (QIFL), England, under new captain Tommy Westmoreland, will hope to translate their promise and potential into results in one of the oldest rivalries in sport. This year’s England side has a formidable look about it, having been bolstered by players from the Garveys and Education City teams in the QIFL. England manager Richard Marsh has said that the match against the traditional "auld enemy" would be competitive. "All the players are eagerly looking forward to playing the Scots. The confidence levels are high as the camaraderie among the players has bonded the squad and encouraged the lads to play as a team," Marsh told the Gulf Times."Our emphasis on team play was a key factor in the squad playing high quality football consistently and topping the league this season under our inspirational captain Westmoreland," he said. "The build up for the annual England-Scotland match actually started when the CAN-Q league began in October 2007, with both teams using the tournament as a means to improving their squads. This has helped the players achieve a consistently high level of fitness leading up to today’s eagerly-awaited annual clash. "Another reason for optimism is the fact that we have no injury worries," Marsh said, referring to the team’s preparations. "The England team would like to extend their thanks and appreciation to the Qatar Football Association (QFA), Doha Stadium and Qatar Sports Club officials for allowing the team to train at the facilities both during the week and at weekends. We are encouraged by the support from the QFA and hope the relationship will grow stronger in the forthcoming season," he added. "The most endearing aspect about the annual event is the way it brings together hundreds of British expatriates and other nationals to enjoy a day of fun, laughter and enjoyment. I would like all the fans to come and support their teams, fly flags, make some noise and to enjoy themselves." The England squad includes a mix of individuals from the oil and gas industry, teachers, executives from various establishments in Doha as well as those from the medical industry. However, Sam Turner, the youngest member of the squad is a student at the Al Khor International School.The team has three quality goalkeepers to choose between Carl Windley, Mark Jarman and Danny Topping. England’s defence is expected to be controlled by Shaun Swan, England’s best player of the CNAQ tournament, Andy Cooper and Jono Glynn. The strike force comprises of Jay Weaver, Germay Amanual and Dave "Ducky" Wallace. Mark Beharrell and Craig Toyne will perform midfield duties. The other players of the side include the long serving Johnny Lord, defenders Wayne Symons, Paul Cowland, John Schofield as well as midfielders, Joe Hughes and Richard Lambross, Chris Duffy, Luca "Beardo" Brunton and Stuart McBride.Scotland coach Paul Smith expects a stiff challenge in this year’s event and declared that the team would respect their opponents. "I expect a close contest this year as England have benefited from players joining them from other teams in the QIFL but the Scotland team will aim to be on the winning side," he said, referring to the event which started in 1954 with the involvement of expatriate oil workers of Dukhan. "The passion associated with the match is pretty high and so our squad which has several new players will be keen to make a mark in the event. We have no injury worries and so we should do well," he added."I am sure the players will love the experience of turning out on a world-class pitch with professional equipment and facilities. The new bunch of players will be eager to savour the moment," said Stuart Potter, who is in his second season as the team manager.Led by captain and midfielder Mark Fotheringham, the other key players in the Scotland ranks include winger Andy Daykin, who was adjudged the best player in the 2008 QIFL as well as Gavin Clark, the top-scorer and defender Russell Casey, who featured in all 16 games of the league.The venue gates will open at 1pm with free admission and parking.

THE MATCH REPORT

England down Scotland for title

Published: Saturday, 26 April, 2008, 02:32 AM Doha Time

By John Verghese

Ten-man England produced a superb second half performance to edge a fighting Scotland 3-2 in the 54th annual expatriate football match at the Al Arabi Sports Club yesterday.With the victory, England regained the trophy they lost to Scotland last season and thus continued their exciting battle for supremacy in one of the oldest rivalries in sport.England manager Richard Marsh praised the high quality game and attributed the success to a superior display. "It was a fantastic and competitive game but we deserved to win as we played technically better today," he said. "We played stronger after being reduced to 10 on the field. This was possible due to our high quality bench strength," he added.England captain Tommy Westmoreland was pleased with the performance. "I am happy with the result. The team worked hard and stuck together even after being reduced to 10 men on the field. Our goalkeeper Mark Jarman and the defenders too did a wonderful job," he said."We have always said that ours is a squad game requiring the efforts of all players. The quality of our bench has been reflected in the result. Once we went up by two goals, our strategy to keep at bay the Scottish attacks paid off," he added."England played better and so are worthy winners," said Scotland manager Stuart Potter."Without scoring goals you cannot win a game," he added.The match was played in a carnival atmosphere featuring face painting and music with about 2,500 flag-waving supporters cheering their teams.England, bolstered by the presence of players from the Garveys and Education City teams in the QIFL, enjoyed greater possession in the opening session but failed to translate their midfield promise into goals.In the early session, strikers Dave Wallace and Jay Weaver were active up front for England. But with the team suffering a setback in the 32nd minute after their inspirational captain Tommy Westmoreland was expelled for a challenge on the rival team’s Jordan Gammie, Scotland capitalised on their numerical advantage to forge ahead in the last minute of the first half. Graeme Pattison, lurking in the penalty area, produced a spectacular shot to get past the defence of England keeper Mark Jarman to give Scotland a 1-0 advantage at the interval.After resumption following a performance by the Doha College band, England justifiably displayed greater urgency and purpose in their attacks with strikers Wallace and Weaver continuing relentlessly their quest for goals. Twelve minutes into the second half, England’s cheering fans found joy when Scotland’s Russell Casey deflected the ball into his own goal following an England build-up down the middle to level scores at 1-1. Growing in confidence after having secured the equaliser, England persisted with their attacking instincts and netted their second goal in the 57th minute through a well-taken shot by Stuart McBride.With England ringing in a couple of good substitutions, Scotland’s attacks were effectively nullified and with the team’s strike force working hard, England added their third goal in the 73rd minute through Wallace. Wallace latched onto the ball following a build-up along the left flank and struck powerfully past the displaced Scotland defenders and goalkeeper Fraser Carver to give England a 3-1 lead.But with four minutes remaining for the long whistle, Scotland’s Andy Daikin, the best player in the 2008 expatriate Qatar International Football League, struck his team’s second goal from a well executed free-kick. Thereafter, as the minutes ticked away, England did well to smother the rival attacks and lay claim to the title. Later, British Charge d’Affaires and Head of Mission Roddy Drummond presented the trophy to the winning team.

THE POST MATCH FANS VIEW.

Fun and fervour mark expat match

Gulf Times

Published: Saturday, 26 April, 2008, 02:32 AM Doha Time

By Peter Townson

A large gathering of British expatriates gathered at Al Arabi stadium yesterday to watch the 54th England versus Scotland Football match, which England managed to win 3-2.Although the match was the central focus of the day, there was other entertainment on offer to keep the spectators happy, and the feeling of the whole community getting together to share a "great family day out," was the salient feature of the event.The match was shrouded in controversy with England captain Tommy Westmoreland being sent off in the first half, and then England scoring towards the end of the match when Scotland had a player on the ground injured. However, after the 80 minutes of action, both teams graciously applauded each other as they were awarded their trophies by the Charge d’Affaires from the British Embassy, Roddy Drummond.Drummond presented the match officials each with an official Euro 2008 match ball before he awarded the Scottish and then the English players their individual trophies. He also handed over the cup to Westmoreland to a chorus of cheers and applause from all the fans.Drummond said: "Today has been a great day for all the families and the whole British community. The atmosphere has been excellent, and it has been a lot of fun for everybody."He said that this was the first match he had seen, and it had lived up to all his expectations, proving a wonderful day for all involved. Fans attending the event were equally positive about the day and expressed similar opinions on its importance to the community.One Scottish ex-player said that this year’s match was "bigger and better than any before, with a lot more organisation involved." He said: "It was a great game, a great atmosphere and all in all a great day," adding that "the quality of the football was also excellent, and better than any previous games he had been involved in or watched.Another England fan, visiting family in Qatar said that he had thoroughly enjoyed the whole match, although he said that "Tommy should never have been sent off!"Certainly there were many families in attendance and the enjoyment of the children at the pitch side was an indication of how the event brings members of different communities together.As one England fan said: "The match has been a brilliant day out for the kids, and the venue is excellent. The weather was hot, but underneath the shade in the stadium it was quite comfortable, which made it all the more enjoyable." He said that this was the best of the matches he has attended over the years, and was already looking forward to the next game, saying he "wouldn’t miss it for the world!" The event featured two brief sets by the Doha College band, ‘Russian Roulette’ who succeeded in building up the atmosphere with their enthusiastic performance of a number of rock classics. Half-time also featured a ‘greatest fan’ competition, which was won by Joe, a member of the ‘Tartan Army,’ who graciously donated his prize, an official Euro 2008 match ball, to a much younger English contestant.Overall the day was a wonderful indication of the strength of the British community in Qatar, and their willingness to unite and enter into the right spirit to enjoy events such as these.The venue and organisation could not have been more appropriate and everyone involved thoroughly enjoyed themselves. However, it might have been the English players who enjoyed themselves that little bit more last night, safe in the knowledge that they have secured their bragging rights until next season, when the rivalry will be reignited all over again. One thing that all agreed on though is that this year’s event will take some beating. 

The Teams Emerge The "Auld Enemy" head out of the tunnel at Al Arabi Stadium, Doha, ready to commence battle.	Teams Shake Hands The Scotland and England teams wish each other well before commencing battle!
No Prisoners! Scotland's Warren Murdoch is determined that the English forwards will not get through on goal.	No Holds Barred! The English defence are equally determined to stop Scotland's top marksman Gavin Clark (30 goals) from getting a shot off at goal.
Aerial Duel I The middfield battle is equally as intense. Scotland's Joel Luckett rises to the occassion.	Aerial Duel II Scotland's Mal Zidd finds himself under pressure from his England counterpart.
The Scottish Crowd The Scots in the crowd cheer on their teams efforts to retain the trophy.	England Joy However, its England who celebrate as they hit Scotland with three goals in a second half comeback.
England Victorious Its England who climb the steps to receive their medals and the cup after their 3-2 victory.