List of Scotland international footballers born outside Scotland explained

This is a list of players who have played international football for the Scotland national football team and who were born outside Scotland. For the purposes of international football, the global governing body FIFA considers Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland to be distinct and individual countries.[1] [2] This has happened since the early days of international football, as Arthur Kinnaird, 11th Lord Kinnaird (born in England) and Henry Renny-Tailyour represented Scotland in the 1870s. The first black international football player, Andrew Watson, was born in British Guiana and represented Scotland during the 1880s.

The majority of these players were born in England. In a friendly match against Cyprus in November 2011, five of the sixteen players used by Scotland were born in England. The rules of selection were quite strict until 1971, when national teams were allowed to pick players if one of their parents were born in that country. This was later relaxed to allowing selection for one grandparent being born in Scotland, although it was temporarily tightened again, which prevented Nigel Spackman from playing for Scotland. The Home Nations have since made an agreement that also allows players who have been educated for at least five years in the relevant country to be selected by its national team.[3] Jordan Rhodes was selected on this basis.[3]

Australia

British Guiana

Canada

England

Notes

Only played in England

A large number of Scottish internationals born in Scotland never played senior club football in that country, either due to the circumstances of their upbringing; for example Alex Donaldson, Jimmy Nelson (raised in Belfast rather than England, settled in Wales after playing for Cardiff City), Tommy Lawrence, Scot Gemmill, Dominic Matteo, Richard Hughes, Ikechi Anya (who also played in the Spanish leagues) and Dominic Hyam,[8] or being scouted by clubs in England at a young age and remaining in the English football league system throughout their career; this includes several who reached the landmark of 25 caps such as Billy Liddell, Denis Law, Billy Bremner, Willie Donachie, Asa Hartford, Frank Gray, John Robertson, John Wark, Colin Calderwood, Darren Fletcher, Barry Bannan and Grant Hanley.[9] [10]

Conversely, Joe Baker had only played in the Scottish football league system when he was capped by his birthplace England in 1959 – he was the first player to be in that situation. His elder brother Gerry Baker was also raised in Scotland but had been born in the United States and later appeared for their national team.[11]

India

Ireland

Isle of Man

The Isle of Man does not have an internationally recognised national team; the Isle of Man Football Association is affiliated to the English Football Association as a County Football Association.

Malaysia

South Africa

Sweden

United States

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FIFA vote threat to Scotland team . . 13 January 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081220111635/http://www.snp.org/node/14655 . 20 December 2008 .
  2. Web site: Robert Wagman . FIFA needs to tighten nationality loopholes . Soccer Times . 13 January 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080908063649/http://www.soccertimes.com/wagman/1999/oct20.htm . 8 September 2008 . dead .
  3. News: Jordan Rhodes' honour at first senior Scotland call-up. BBC Sport. BBC. 2 November 2011. 14 November 2011.
  4. Web site: Lyndon Dykes wanting more when Scotland face Israel next month. 5 September 2020. BT.com. en.
  5. News: Bruce wants to join the foreign legion . The Herald . Herald & Times Group . 19 January 1990 . Jim . Reynolds . 18 October 2013.
  6. Web site: Football pioneer: Andrew Watson - the first black international . Tom . McGowan . www.cnn.com . CNN . 23 February 2012 . 29 May 2014.
  7. Web site: Eadie Fraser - identifying a famous name . Malcolm John Eadie Fraser was born in Goderich, Ontario, on 4 March 1860 . Scottish Sport History . Andy . Mitchell . 30 May 2012 . 4 December 2013.
  8. Web site: English-born Scots and the question of nationality in football . Andy McDougall . Back Page Football . 24 March 2016. 17 October 2018 .
  9. Web site: All the Scottish Internationalists that Have Played for Each English Premier League Club . Stuart Spencer . . 11 August 2017 . 17 October 2018 .
  10. https://books.google.com/books?id=mT0AAgAAQBAJ&dq=Anglo+Scots&pg=PA81 The Global Sports Arena: Athletic Talent Migration in an Interpendent World
  11. Web site: Siblings who went their separate ways . https://web.archive.org/web/20150709164051/http://www.fifa.com/news/y=2013/m=9/news=siblings-who-went-their-separate-ways-2182037.html . dead . July 9, 2015 . . 27 September 2013 . 17 October 2018 .
  12. News: Interview: Paul Wilson on Stein, Celtic and racial abuse in the 1970s . Andrew . Smith . The Scotsman . 10 October 2011 . 31 July 2014.
  13. News: Kieran Tierney taking his Manx connections seriously as he embarks on Celtic career. Fisher. Stewart. 27 October 2015. The Herald. Newsquest. 2 May 2017. 20 April 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170420141805/http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/13899935.Kieran_Tierney_taking_his_Manx_connections_seriously_as_he_embarks_on_Celtic_career/. live.
  14. News: Shaun Maloney aims for recall to Scotland squad . BBC Sport . BBC . 24 September 2010 . 29 May 2014.
  15. News: Richard Gough voices disapproval at George Boyd Scotland call-up . Daily Record . Trinity Mirror . 6 May 2009 . 29 May 2014.
  16. Web site: Jimmy Walker . www.londonhearts.com . London Hearts Supporters' Club . 10 September 2012.

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