Kirkcaldy steam train to see Slim Jim at Wembley '˜67
Brian Wallace was just 20 when he travelled to Wembley to watch a Jim Baxter-inspired Scotland win 3-2 against the Auld Enemy on April 11, 1967.
The match has since passed into legend and 50 years later Baxter’s triumph will be celebrated with an event at the Adam Smith Theatre on April 17.
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Hide AdBrian, a Raith Rovers fan, had seen Jim play whilst he was still at Stark’s Park so was delighted to see him feature for the national side.
“Jim and Denis Law were probably the big stars in that Scotland side, even though there were a lot of good players there,” he said.
“We went on an old steam train. It was a football special that stopped off at Kirkcaldy. Four of us went down and we met up with a friend who was working down there.
“It was my first time at Wembley. I can remember Jim Baxter’s keepie-uppies and sitting on the ball.
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Hide Ad“When England made it 3-2 we started to get a bit jittery. It should have been well and truly over by then.
“Rather than taking the mick, I think we should have pressed our advantage home, but we still won at the end of the day.
“We went up to King’s Cross to get the train back. There were a fair few bodies lying on the platform and the police were going through their wallets trying to figure out which train to put them on!
“That game is only surpassed by the Coca-Cola Cup win in 1994!”
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Hide AdTickets for the Jim Baxter Celebration, which includes guests Jim McCalliog, Gordon Brown, Val McDermid, Willie Henderson and Craig Brown, are available at £20 for a standard ticket or £30 for VIP ticket which includes a pie and a pint and chance to meet the VIP guests in the Beveridge Suite before the show.
Standard tickets are available online, by phone or in person at the box office, but VIP tickets must be bought on the phone or in person.