THE Vikings visit Hampden on Saturday in what is a must-win qualifier for the World Cup Finals in 2010.
C J of Dalry writes: Norway are Scotland's next opponents in the World Cup qualifiers. Can you give me any details of previous meetings between the two countries?
Scotland have played Norway 15 times in total, the first of which was played on May 26, 1929, in the Brann Stadion, Bergen, and resulted in a 7-3 victory for the Scots. In the 15 matches, Scotland have won eight, drawn five and lost two. Only five games have been at home, all of which were played at Hampden, and the results were:
Scotland 1 Norway 0
(Friendly 05/05/54)
Scotland 6 Norway 1
(Friendly 07/11/63)
Scotland 3 Norway 2
(European Championship qualifier 25/10/78)
Scotland 1 Norway 1
(World Cup qualifier 15/11/89)
Scotland 0 Norway 1
(World Cup qualifier 09/10/04)
AJ EVANS (Carfin) - Do you know if former Raith Rovers inside-forward Bernie Kelly ever signed for Aberdeen?
Bernie, who signed for Rovers from Muirkirk Juniors in 1951, was a high-scoring inside-forward who gained a Scotland B cap in 1957 and also represented the Scottish League. He moved to Leicester City in 1958 and scored 15 times in 27 appearances. He went to Nottingham Forest in April 1959 but, due to homesickness, he returned to Scotland when he signed for Aberdeen in September of the same year.
He made four appearances for the Dons, scoring once, before returning to Raith Rovers in 1960 where he finished his playing career.
OLYMPIANS (Coatbridge) - I know that Ronnie Simpson played in goal for the British Olympic team in 1948 while a member of Queen's Park. A friend tells me that another goalkeeper with a Celtic connection also played for Britain at the Olympics. Is he right?
He is. John Kennedy, who signed for Celtic in March 1965, had played for the British side at the Tokyo Olympics of 1964 when he was a player with Belfast Distillery. Oddly enough, it was Ronnie Simpson who kept him out of the Celtic team.
SOMETHING IN RESERVE (Shettleston) - When Rangers beat Hearts in the 1998 Reserve League Cup Final how many players were, or later became, full internationalists?
There were seven, namely Theo Snelders, Barry Nicholson, Tony Vidmar, Charlie Miller, Sebastian Rozental, Peter Van Vossen and Ian Durrant.
Their full line-up was: Snelders, Nicholson (Young), Riccio, Vidmar, Graham, McInnes, Miller, Rozental (Van Vossen), Durrant, McKnight (Fitzgerald).
Davie Graham scored the only goal of the game.
ROCKET MAN (Cambuslang) - I know Elton John had a relative who was a famous footballer, but I cannot remember his name or who he played for. Can you help?
Elton John (real name Reg Dwight) is the nephew of former Nottingham Forest legend Roy Dwight. He joined Forest from Fulham in 1958 and wrote himself into Forest folklore in the 1959 FA Cup Final at Wembley against Luton Town when he converted a cross from Scottish winger Stewart Imlach for 1-0.
Tommy Wilson headed a second but, after 33 minutes, tragedy struck when Roy broke a leg and, since there were no substitutes in 1959, Forest had to play the last hour with 10 men. Luton pulled a goal back but Forest held on to ensure the cup went to Nottingham.
