THE history of football in Ireland - on both sides of the border - is as complex as a timeline of the two countries themselves.
Anyone trying to commit to print the back stories of the various national teams that represented different parts of the island throughout the 20th century would need to chop down a fairly sizeable part of the rainforest to do it justice. It is an unsurprisingly intricate story.
To try to clarify an increasingly confusing picture, in 1953 FIFA decreed that no longer would there be a team referred to simply as Ireland in official competitions, in the process spawning the first side to play under the Republic of Ireland banner. Eight years later this team representing the Football Association of Ireland (not to be confused with their northern neighbours, the Irish Football Association) played Scotland for the first time in their new guise as part of a double-header. The second game remains Scotland's only competitive victory over the Republic on Irish soil. Gordon Strachan's side will look to double that tally in Dublin on Saturday.
It is perhaps surprising that, including those opening meetings in May 1961, the two countries have met on the football field only 10 times. Less of a shock is the fact that it has become a closely-contested rivalry, with both sides winning four times and the other two games drawn. The opening twin salvo, however, hinted at a relationship likely to be dominated by the Scots.
The two nations had been bracketed together alongside Czechoslovakia in a three-team qualifying group for the 1962 World Cup. Only one team would make it to the finals in Chile and it would be sorted out fairly quickly. There was no messing about in those days, the campaign all done and dusted within six months rather than the drawn-out process it has become today.
The first game of the group took place on May 3, 1961 and saw the Irish head to Hampden. In front of almost 47,000 fans, the Irish - featuring a young Johnny Giles - were well beaten 4-1, with Ralph Brand and David Herd both scoring twice.
Just four days later, and the sides were facing up to each other again. The venue this time was Dalymount Park in Dublin, the home of Irish League club Bohemians, and again the Scots, managed by Ian McColl, triumphed by a three-goal margin. Brand scored once more to add to a double from Alex Young, a result that effectively ended the Republic's World Cup aspirations before the qualifying competition had really got going. A report in the Irish Times did not spare them, describing it as "one of the worst displays ever by an Irish team".
The mood was rather lighter in the Scotland camp as they looked to qualify for their third successive World Cup finals. Fifty-four years have now passed since that solitary competitive victory against the Republic in Ireland - the teams drew 0-0 in a European Championship qualifier in 1986, while Scotland won a friendly in 2000 - and Brand's recollection of his goal in Dublin and details of how the match panned out are understandably hazy.
Instead, the former Rangers player modestly points out he was fortunate to be part of a side that included such stellar talent as Bobby Shearer, Eric Caldow, Paddy Crerand, Billy McNeill, Jim Baxter and Davie Wilson in what must surely be considered one of Scotland's most gifted line-ups. Only an eventual playoff loss to the Czechs in neutral Brussels denied them a place at the World Cup the following year.
"I read recently that our win was the only time Scotland had won a proper game in Dublin which was quite surprising," Brand told Herald Sport from his home in Edinburgh. "It didn't do us much good in the end mind you as we still didn't qualify! That was unfortunate but in football you learned to take things as they came along, the good and the bad. But we had a really strong team at the time. I can look back with pride on what I achieved but really I was just fortunate to be in there with the some helluva good players. It's a special experience to play for your country and it was a pleasure to play alongside some of the lads who were out there with me."
Strachan may not have the same calibre of player at his disposal but Brand is hopeful the national team is heading for better times. "Scotland are doing well just now, you can see they're giving it everything. Hopefully they can get back qualifying for the major finals again."
Brand, now 78 years old, spent 13 seasons at Rangers after signing for Bill Struth as a schoolboy. A former corporate hospitality host on matchdays, he has not been back at Rangers in recent times and laments for the state the club has fallen into.
"I don't go to Ibrox at all now but it looks like they are trying to recover from the last three years or so," he added. "A lot has gone on in that period and I'm just worried they won't get the club back to what it used to be. If they are it will take a long time to get it fixed."
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