Greatest Premier XI: James Forrest of Celtic? Or Brian Laudrup of Rangers? Who's our right wing king?

Our decisions have been based on three criteria - ability, longevity and success. Paul Gascoigne was named attacking midfielder in the Greatest Premier XI yesterday. Who will play outside him?

5

Name: Ralph Milne.

Clubs: Dundee United (1976 to 1987).

Titles: One (1983).

There are several players who are strong contenders for the dubious honour of being the best player never to represent Scotland. John McGovern of Nottingham Forest and Andy Ritchie of Morton are two. Ralph Milne of Dundee United is most definitely another. How he was overlooked by his country remains a mystery.

Milne excelled for the great Tannadice team of the 1980s domestically and was one of their outstanding performers when they won the Premier Division in the 1982/83 season. He scored 15 goals for them from out wide in the league that term. His chipped opener in their vital final game against Dundee at Dens Park was a thing of beauty and quite remarkable in the circumstances.

In Europe he was sensational. He netted four times during United’s run to the European Cup semi-finals the following term. That was more than Kenny Dalglish, whose Liverpool team triumphed, managed. In total, Milne was on target on 15 occasions in continental competition. That is a club record which will probably never be beaten.

Alas, Milne was a troubled genius. He drank to excess and gambled and his relationship with his manager Jim McLean was fractious. He moved on to Charlton Athletic in 1987 and later played for Bristol City, Manchester United and Sing Tao in Hong Kong. He retired from the game at 32 in 1993.

He passed away from complications caused by liver problems aged just 54 in 2015. His career was a case of “what might have been”. But he certainly enjoyed his share of success and was, at his very best, simply brilliant.

 4

Name: Trevor Steven.

Clubs: Rangers (1989 to 1991 and 1992 to 1997).

Titles: Seven (1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997).

The signing of a certain Maurice Johnston kind of overshadowed the arrival of Trevor Steven at Ibrox in the summer of 1989. But the capture of the England internationalist from Everton for £1.5m was a coup. Alex Ferguson at Manchester United had been keen to land the midfielder. But the chance to play European football proved decisive. English clubs were banned from continental competition at the time.

Steven proved to be a far greater success than his fellow new boy during two spells in Glasgow. He renewed his partnership with his old Goodison Park team mate Gary Stevens on the right flank and flourished. He was an intelligent footballer, devastating going forward and reliable at the back.

Marseille paid a then British record £5.5m fee for him in 1991 and he helped them win the French title in his solitary season on Cote d’Azur. But financial issues saw him return to Govan just a year later. He was instrumental in Rangers’ unbeaten run in the inaugural Champions League.

Injuries blighted Stevens’ second spell, but he still performed at a high level whenever he featured and managed to help Walter Smith’s men complete Nine-In-A-Row.

3

Name: Gordon Strachan.

Clubs: Dundee (1974 to 1977) Aberdeen (1977 to 1984).

Titles: Two (1980 and 1984).

He only stood 5ft 6in in his studs, but Gordon Strachan was a colossus. He terrorised opposition defences whenever he got on the ball. He could take on and beat his man. He could create opportunities for those around him and score goals. The bigger the occasion, the better he seemed to play.

Strachan may not always have enjoyed the most harmonious relationship with Alex Ferguson, his manager at Pittodrie, but he was crucial to the success his side enjoyed in the early 1980s. He helped them win two Premier Division titles, four Scottish Cups and, of course, the European Cup Winners’ Cup and European Super Cup.

Dons fans adored the ginger-haired magician almost as much as opposition supporters loathed him. The manner of his departure for Manchester United in 1984 angered Ferguson, who would join him at Old Trafford two years later, but his legendary status in the north-east was unaffected. 

He won 50 caps for Scotland, captained Leeds United to the First Division title in 1992 and became the first man to receive the FWA Player of the Year award in both England and Scotland.

2

Name: James Forrest.

Clubs: Celtic (2010 to present day).

Titles: Nine (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020).

When the baby-faced teenager from Prestwick made his Celtic first team debut against Motherwell as a late substitute 10 years ago last month there was great excitement about his potential. But nobody could have envisaged just how influential and successful he would become for the Parkhead club. He is, along with Scott Brown, the only player to pick up winners’ medals in every one of their nine consecutive Scottish title triumphs.

Forrest is fast, powerful, direct and has amazing close control. He can go outside players and wreak havoc cutting inside. Like every winger, he can blow hot and cold. But when he is on his game he can be unplayable, including at the very highest level in Europe. 

He lost his way for a while after Ronny Deila replaced Neil Lennon as manager and looked set to depart. Injuries were a factor in that. He was revitalised when Brendan Rodgers arrived. He grew in confidence, was an ever-present in the first team and became a far more prolific scorer. 

At just 28, he has many years ahead of him and is destined to finish his career as one of Celtic’s greatest and most decorated players.

1

Name: Brian Laudrup.

Clubs: Rangers (1994 to 1998).

Titles: Three (1995, 1996 and 1997).

In Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark is a melancholy and embittered character.

Brian Laudrup, who Rangers supporters often refer to by the name of bard’s most famous creation, brought only joy and happiness at Ibrox. 

Jim Baxter is considered by many to be the Glasgow club’s most gifted player ever. But Laudrup must run him very close. He was nothing short of a genius. 

Walter Smith’s side had won six Scottish titles in succession when Laudrup arrived in a £2.3m transfer from Fiorentina in 1994. But the new signing took them to a new level in the following three seasons and helped them complete Nine-In-A-Row. It was fitting that he scored the goal, a header against Dundee United at Tannadice, that clinched that achievement. 

So how come Laudrup was so good? The ball stuck to his feet. He had incredible pace and could glide past opposing players. But he could also cut open a defence with a pass. He set up as many goals for his team mates as he created.

In the 1996 Scottish Cup final Gordon Durie scored a hat-trick in a 5-1 win over Hearts. But that match will forever be known as “the Laudrup final”. He set up all three of the striker’s goals and netted a brace himself

He became only the third player after John Greig and Sandy Jardine to win the SFWA Footballer of the Year award twice in 1997. But he did it in the space of just three seasons. 

Archie Knox was Smith’s assistant during the winger’s time in Scotland. “In that Chick Young interview with Walter he said Brian couldn’t play at the highest level in Europe,” said Knox. “He deserved to get that mike rammed up his a***!”

UNLUCKY TO MISS OUT: Tommy McLean, Shunsuke Nakamura, Claudio Reyna.

TEAM SO FAR:

1 - Andy Goram (goalkeeper).
2 - Danny McGrain (right back).
3 – Maurice Malpas (left back). 
4 – Alex McLeish (centre back).
5 – Willie Miller (centre back).
6 – Scott Brown  (defensive midfielder).
7 – Paul Gascoigne (attacking midfielder).
8 – Brian Laudrup (right winger).
9 – TBC (left winger).

10 - TBC (striker).
11 - TBC (striker).

TOMORROW: Left winger.