List of Scotland national football team captains
![](../I/m/Kenny_Miller_-_Brazil_vs_Scotland_Mar11_(cropped).jpg)
This article lists all the captains of the Scotland national football team. As of June 2015, Scotland have played 737 officially recognised international matches and have had 146 different team captains. George Young captained Scotland most often, with 48.[1] Only two other players, Billy Bremner and Gary McAllister, have captained the team more than 30 times.[1]
The first captain of the Scotland team was Robert Gardner, who led the team in the first ever international match, against England on 30 November 1872. He went on to captain England on just one further occasion, the second international match, on 8 March 1873, against the same opposition. The present regular team captain is Darren Fletcher.
List of captains
- Key
* | Still active for the national team |
Caps as captain | Appearances made while captain |
Total caps | Total number of appearances made |
- As of 12 November 2016
![](../I/m/Andrew_Watson_Footballer.jpg)
![](../I/m/JamesCowan.jpg)
![](../I/m/Billy_Bremner_and_Johan_Cruyff.jpg)
![](../I/m/Aitken.jpg)
![](../I/m/ChristianDailly.jpg)
![](../I/m/Darren_Fletcher_vs_Everton_(cropped).jpg)
Player | Scotland career | Caps as captain | Total caps | First captaincy | Last captaincy |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gardner, RobertRobert Gardner | 1872–1878 | 2 | 5 | 30 November 1872 | 8 March 1873 |
Thomson, James J.James J. Thomson | 1872–1874 | 1 | 3 | 7 March 1874 | 7 March 1874 |
Taylor, JosephJoseph Taylor | 1872–1876 | 2 | 6 | 6 March 1875 | 4 March 1876 |
Campbell, CharlesCharles Campbell | 1874–1886 | 8 | 13 | 25 March 1876 | 21 March 1885 |
Neill, Robert W.Robert W. Neill | 1876–1880 | 2 | 5 | 23 March 1878 | 13 March 1880 |
McDougall, JohnJohn McDougall | 1877–1879 | 1 | 5 | 7 April 1879 | 7 April 1879 |
Davidson, DavidDavid Davidson | 1878–1881 | 1 | 5 | 27 March 1880 | 27 March 1880 |
Watson, AndrewAndrew Watson | 1881–1882 | 2 | 3 | 12 March 1881 | 14 March 1881 |
Rowan, ArchieArchie Rowan | 1880–1882 | 1 | 2 | 25 March 1882 | 25 March 1882 |
Holm, AndrewAndrew Holm | 1882–1883 | 2 | 3 | 10 March 1883 | 12 March 1883 |
Arnott, WalterWalter Arnott | 1883–1893 | 3 | 14 | 26 January 1884 | 4 April 1891 |
Paton, MichaelMichael Paton | 1883–1886 | 2 | 5 | 29 March 1884 | 23 March 1885 |
McPherson, JohnJohn McPherson | 1879–1885 | 1 | 8 | 14 March 1885 | 14 March 1885 |
Lambie, JohnJohn Lambie | 1886–1888 | 2 | 3 | 20 March 1886 | 19 February 1887 |
Semple, WilliamWilliam Semple | 1886 | 1 | 1 | 10 April 1886 | 10 April 1886 |
McAulay, JamesJames McAulay | 1882–1887 | 2 | 9 | 19 March 1887 | 21 March 1887 |
Smellie, BobBob Smellie | 1887–1893 | 2 | 6 | 10 March 1888 | 13 April 1889 |
Gow, DonaldDonald Gow | 1888 | 1 | 1 | 17 March 1888 | 17 March 1888 |
Stewart, DuncanDuncan Stewart | 1888 | 1 | 1 | 24 March 1888 | 24 March 1888 |
Robertson, ThomasThomas Robertson | 1889–1892 | 3 | 4 | 9 March 1889 | 19 March 1892 |
Thomson, AndrewAndrew Thomson | 1889 | 1 | 1 | 15 April 1889 | 15 April 1889 |
Gillespie, GeorgeGeorge Gillespie | 1880–1891 | 2 | 7 | 22 March 1890 | 28 March 1891 |
McLeod, JohnJohn McLeod | 1888–1893 | 1 | 5 | 29 March 1890 | 29 March 1890 |
McLaren, JamesJames McLaren | 1888–1890 | 1 | 3 | 5 April 1890 | 5 April 1890 |
Hill, JohnJohn Hill | 1891–1892 | 1 | 2 | 26 March 1892 | 26 March 1892 |
Sellar, WilliamWilliam Sellar | 1885–1893 | 1 | 9 | 2 April 1892 | 2 April 1892 |
Sillars, DonaldDonald Sillars | 1891–1895 | 2 | 5 | 18 March 1893 | 23 March 1895 |
Kelly, JamesJames Kelly | 1888–1896 | 4 | 8 | 25 March 1893 | 28 March 1896 |
Marshall, RobertRobert Marshall | 1892–1894 | 1 | 2 | 31 March 1894 | 31 March 1894 |
Doyle, DanDan Doyle | 1892–1898 | 1 | 8 | 7 April 1894 | 7 April 1894 |
Drummond, JockJock Drummond | 1892–1903 | 4 | 14 | 30 March 1895 | 21 March 1903 |
Oswald, JimmyJimmy Oswald | 1889–1897 | 1 | 3 | 6 April 1895 | 6 April 1895 |
Gillespie, JohnJohn Gillespie | 1896 | 1 | 1 | 21 March 1896 | 21 March 1896 |
Ritchie, John L.John L. Ritchie | 1897 | 1 | 1 | 20 March 1897 | 20 March 1897 |
Lambie, WilliamWilliam Lambie | 1892–1897 | 1 | 9 | 3 April 1897 | 3 April 1897 |
Scott, MatthewMatthew Scott | 1898 | 1 | 1 | 19 March 1898 | 19 March 1898 |
Kelso, BobBob Kelso | 1885–1898 | 1 | 7 | 26 March 1898 | 26 March 1898 |
Cowan, JamesJames Cowan | 1896–1898 | 1 | 3 | 2 April 1898 | 2 April 1898 |
Smith, NicolNicol Smith | 1897–1902 | 2 | 12 | 18 March 1899 | 8 April 1899 |
Storrier, DavidDavid Storrier | 1899 | 1 | 3 | 25 March 1899 | 25 March 1899 |
Hamilton, RobertRobert Hamilton | 1899–1911 | 2 | 11 | 3 February 1900 | 23 February 1901 |
Marshall, HenryHenry Marshall | 1899–1900 | 1 | 2 | 3 March 1900 | 3 March 1900 |
Robertson, John TaitJohn Tait Robertson | 1898–1905 | 5 | 16 | 7 April 1900 | 9 April 1904 |
Buick, AlbertAlbert Buick | 1902 | 1 | 2 | 1 March 1902 | 1 March 1902 |
Campbell, JohnJohn Campbell | 1893–1903 | 1 | 12 | 15 March 1902 | 15 March 1902 |
Aitken, AndyAndy Aitken | 1901–1911 | 2 | 14 | 3 May 1902 | 18 March 1911 |
Raisbeck, AlexAlex Raisbeck | 1900–1907 | 4 | 8 | 9 March 1903 | 6 April 1907 |
Sharp, JimmyJimmy Sharp | 1904–1909 | 1 | 5 | 12 March 1904 | 12 March 1904 |
Jackson, TomTom Jackson | 1904–1907 | 1 | 6 | 6 March 1905 | 6 March 1905 |
Gibson, NeillyNeilly Gibson | 1895–1905 | 1 | 14 | 18 March 1905 | 18 March 1905 |
Thomson, Charles BellanyCharles Bellany Thomson | 1904–1914 | 13 | 21 | 1 April 1905 | 5 April 1913 |
Stark, JamesJames Stark | 1909 | 2 | 2 | 15 March 1909 | 3 April 1909 |
Hay, JimmyJimmy Hay | 1905–1914 | 3 | 11 | 5 March 1910 | 1 April 1911 |
McWilliam, PeterPeter McWilliam | 1905–1911 | 1 | 8 | 6 March 1911 | 6 March 1911 |
McNair, AlecAlec McNair | 1906–1920 | 5 | 15 | 16 March 1912 | 10 April 1920 |
Colman, DonaldDonald Colman | 1911–1913 | 1 | 4 | 15 March 1913 | 15 March 1913 |
Nellies, PeterPeter Nellies | 1913–1914 | 1 | 2 | 28 February 1914 | 28 February 1914 |
Gordon, JimmyJimmy Gordon | 1912–1920 | 1 | 10 | 4 April 1914 | 4 April 1914 |
Cringan, WilliamWilliam Cringan | 1920–1923 | 3 | 5 | 26 February 1920 | 14 April 1923 |
Campbell, KennyKenny Campbell | 1920–1922 | 1 | 8 | 12 February 1921 | 12 February 1921 |
Wilson, AndrewAndrew Wilson | 1920–1923 | 1 | 12 | 26 February 1921 | 26 February 1921 |
Marshall, JackJack Marshall[note 1] | 1921–1924 | 2 | 7 | 9 April 1921 | 4 February 1922 |
Cunningham, AndyAndy Cunningham | 1920–1927 | 1 | 12 | 4 March 1922 | 4 March 1922 |
Blair, JimmyJimmy Blair | 1920–1924 | 3 | 8 | 8 April 1922 | 16 February 1924 |
Hutton, JockJock Hutton | 1923–1928 | 1 | 10 | 1 March 1924 | 1 March 1924 |
McMullan, JimmyJimmy McMullan | 1920–1929 | 6 | 16 | 12 April 1924 | 13 April 1929 |
Morris, DavidDavid Morris | 1923–1925 | 3 | 6 | 14 February 1925 | 4 April 1925 |
Townsley, TomTom Townsley | 1925 | 1 | 1 | 31 October 1925 | 31 October 1925 |
McStay, WillieWillie McStay | 1921–1928 | 5 | 13 | 27 February 1926 | 2 April 1927 |
Muirhead, TommyTommy Muirhead | 1922–1929 | 1 | 8 | 25 February 1928 | 25 February 1928 |
Craig, TullyTully Craig | 1927–1930 | 4 | 8 | 26 May 1929 | 26 October 1929 |
Meiklejohn, DavidDavid Meiklejohn | 1922–1933 | 6 | 15 | 22 February 1930 | 29 November 1933 |
Crapnell, JimmyJimmy Crapnell | 1929–1932 | 4 | 9 | 18 May 1930 | 17 September 1932 |
Gillespie, RobertRobert Gillespie | 1926–1933 | 3 | 4 | 25 October 1930 | 1 April 1933 |
Morton, AlanAlan Morton | 1920–1932 | 1 | 31 | 21 February 1931 | 21 February 1931 |
Blair, DannyDanny Blair | 1928–1932 | 1 | 8 | 16 May 1931 | 16 May 1931 |
McDougall, JimmyJimmy McDougall | 1931 | 1 | 2 | 20 May 1931 | 20 May 1931 |
Johnstone, JohnJohn Johnstone | 1929–1932 | 1 | 3 | 26 October 1932 | 26 October 1932 |
McGonagle, PeterPeter McGonagle | 1933–1934 | 1 | 6 | 16 September 1933 | 16 September 1933 |
Anderson, AndrewAndrew Anderson | 1933–1938 | 4 | 23 | 4 October 1933 | 7 December 1938 |
Massie, AlexAlex Massie | 1931–1937 | 2 | 18 | 14 April 1934 | 20 October 1934 |
Simpson, JimmyJimmy Simpson | 1934–1937 | 13 | 14 | 21 November 1934 | 10 November 1937 |
Brown, GeorgeGeorge Brown | 1930–1938 | 2 | 19 | 9 April 1938 | 21 May 1938 |
Carabine, JimmyJimmy Carabine | 1938–1939 | 1 | 3 | 8 October 1938 | 8 October 1938 |
Dougal, JimmyJimmy Dougal | 1939 | 1 | 1 | 15 April 1939 | 15 April 1939 |
Shaw, JockJock Shaw | 1946–1947 | 6 | 6 | 23 January 1946 | 4 October 1947 |
Stephen, JimmyJimmy Stephen | 1946–1947 | 1 | 2 | 19 October 1946 | 19 October 1946 |
Shaw, DavieDavie Shaw | 1946–1948 | 1 | 9 | 27 November 1946 | 27 November 1946 |
Woodburn, WillieWillie Woodburn | 1947–1952 | 1 | 24 | 12 November 1947 | 12 November 1947 |
Young, GeorgeGeorge Young | 1946–1957 | 48 | 54 | 10 April 1948 | 19 May 1957 |
Cox, SammySammy Cox | 1948–1954 | 1 | 25 | 3 April 1954 | 3 April 1954 |
Docherty, TommyTommy Docherty | 1951–1959 | 8 | 25 | 5 May 1954 | 19 April 1958 |
Cunningham, WillieWillie Cunningham | 1954–1955 | 5 | 8 | 25 May 1954 | 2 April 1955 |
Smith, GordonGordon Smith | 1946–1957 | 2 | 19 | 19 May 1955 | 29 May 1955 |
Younger, TommyTommy Younger | 1955–1958 | 4 | 24 | 7 May 1958 | 11 June 1958 |
Evans, BobbyBobby Evans | 1948–1960 | 12 | 48 | 15 June 1958 | 8 June 1960 |
Mackay, DaveDave Mackay | 1957–1965 | 7 | 22 | 18 October 1958 | 20 November 1963 |
Caldow, EricEric Caldow | 1957–1963 | 15 | 40 | 22 October 1960 | 6 April 1963 |
Law, DenisDenis Law | 1958–1974 | 5 | 55 | 9 June 1963 | 26 April 1972 |
McNeill, BillyBilly McNeill | 1961–1972 | 8 | 29 | 11 April 1964 | 13 October 1965 |
Baxter, JimJim Baxter | 1960–1967 | 4 | 34 | 25 November 1964 | 10 May 1967 |
Greig, JohnJohn Greig | 1964–1975 | 15 | 44 | 7 December 1965 | 29 October 1975 |
Bremner, BillyBilly Bremner | 1965–1975 | 39 | 54 | 16 October 1968 | 3 September 1975 |
McLintock, FrankFrank McLintock | 1963–1971 | 1 | 9 | 18 April 1970 | 18 April 1970 |
Moncur, BobbyBobby Moncur | 1968–1972 | 7 | 16 | 11 November 1970 | 9 June 1971 |
Stanton, PatPat Stanton | 1966–1974 | 3 | 16 | 14 June 1971 | 16 May 1973 |
Hay, DavidDavid Hay | 1970–1974 | 2 | 27 | 17 October 1973 | 27 March 1974 |
Jardine, SandySandy Jardine | 1970–1979 | 9 | 38 | 30 October 1974 | 19 December 1979 |
McQueen, GordonGordon McQueen | 1974–1981 | 1 | 30 | 1 June 1975 | 1 June 1975 |
Buchan, MartinMartin Buchan | 1971–1978 | 2 | 34 | 17 December 1975 | 18 June 1977 |
Forsyth, TomTom Forsyth | 1971–1978 | 1 | 22 | 7 April 1976 | 7 April 1976 |
Gemmill, ArchieArchie Gemmill | 1971–1981 | 23 | 43 | 6 May 1976 | 25 March 1981 |
Dalglish, KennyKenny Dalglish | 1971–1986 | 6 | 102 | 27 April 1977 | 26 March 1986 |
Rioch, BruceBruce Rioch | 1975–1978 | 10 | 24 | 28 May 1977 | 11 June 1978 |
Masson, DonDon Masson | 1976–1978 | 2 | 17 | 7 September 1977 | 12 October 1977 |
McGrain, DannyDanny McGrain | 1973–1982 | 10 | 62 | 28 May 1980 | 15 June 1982 |
Hartford, AsaAsa Hartford | 1972–1982 | 3 | 50 | 16 May 1981 | 18 November 1981 |
Souness, GraemeGraeme Souness | 1974–1986 | 27 | 54 | 24 May 1982 | 8 June 1986 |
Hegarty, PaulPaul Hegarty | 1979–1983 | 1 | 8 | 24 May 1983 | 24 May 1983 |
Miller, WillieWillie Miller | 1975–1989 | 11 | 65 | 12 June 1983 | 19 October 1988 |
Aitken, RoyRoy Aitken | 1979–1991 | 27 | 57 | 15 October 1986 | 20 June 1990 |
McLeish, AlexAlex McLeish | 1980–1993 | 8 | 77 | 2 December 1987 | 17 February 1993 |
Leighton, JimJim Leighton | 1982–1998 | 4 | 91 | 30 May 1989 | 7 June 1995 |
McStay, PaulPaul McStay | 1983–1997 | 7 | 76 | 12 September 1990 | 12 October 1994 |
Malpas, MauriceMaurice Malpas | 1984–1992 | 2 | 55 | 14 November 1990 | 3 June 1992 |
Gough, RichardRichard Gough | 1983–1993 | 8 | 61 | 6 February 1991 | 28 April 1993 |
Strachan, GordonGordon Strachan | 1980–1992 | 5 | 50 | 1 May 1991 | 25 March 1992 |
Levein, CraigCraig Levein | 1990–1994 | 1 | 16 | 24 March 1993 | 24 March 1993 |
McAllister, GaryGary McAllister | 1990–1999 | 32 | 57 | 8 September 1993 | 31 March 1999 |
McCoist, AllyAlly McCoist | 1986–1998 | 1 | 61 | 27 March 1996 | 27 March 1996 |
Hendry, ColinColin Hendry | 1993–2001 | 22 | 51 | 26 May 1996 | 28 March 2001 |
Boyd, TomTom Boyd | 1990–2001 | 6 | 72 | 12 November 1997 | 25 April 2001 |
Lambert, PaulPaul Lambert | 1995–2003 | 17 | 40 | 9 October 1999 | 10 September 2003 |
Gallacher, KevinKevin Gallacher | 1988–2001 | 1 | 53 | 7 October 2000 | 7 October 2000 |
Burley, CraigCraig Burley | 1995–2003 | 1 | 46 | 6 October 2001 | 6 October 2001 |
Dailly, ChristianChristian Dailly[note 2] | 1997–2008 | 11 | 66 | 16 May 2002 | 12 November 2005 |
Ferguson, BarryBarry Ferguson | 1998–2009 | 28 | 45 | 6 September 2003 | 28 March 2009 |
Fletcher, DarrenDarren Fletcher* | 2004– | 31 | 77 | 27 May 2004 | 11 November 2016 |
Pressley, StevenSteven Pressley | 2000–2006 | 1 | 32 | 30 May 2004 | 30 May 2004 |
McNamara, JackieJackie McNamara | 1996–2005 | 1 | 33 | 17 November 2004 | 17 November 2004 |
Weir, DavidDavid Weir | 1997–2010 | 4 | 68 | 11 May 2006 | 6 September 2006 |
McManus, StephenStephen McManus | 2006–2010 | 8 | 26 | 26 March 2008 | 14 November 2009 |
Miller, KennyKenny Miller | 2001–2013 | 5 | 67 | 9 February 2011 | 10 August 2011 |
Caldwell, GaryGary Caldwell | 2002–2013 | 7 | 55 | 29 February 2012 | 26 March 2013 |
Brown, ScottScott Brown* | 2005– | 21 | 51 | 6 February 2013 | 29 March 2016 |
Morrison, JamesJames Morrison* | 2008– | 1 | 42 | 7 June 2013 | 7 June 2013 |
Statistics include official FIFA recognised matches only. The Scottish Football Association includes a match against a Hong Kong League XI played on 23 May 2002 in its statistical totals.[2][5]
Unofficial games
The above list considers captains selected for games officially recognised by FIFA and the Scottish Football Association. In addition to these, there have been a number of games played by Scotland teams on an unofficial basis, for example the "wartime internationals" played during the Second World War. Some of the captains selected for these unofficial games are listed below.
- Jimmy Gordon[6]
- Tom Smith[7]
- Matt Busby[8]
- Bill Shankly[9]
- Tommy Walker[10]
- Jock Shaw[11]
- George Young[12]
- Ian Ure[13][14]
- Doug Fraser[14]
- Christian Dailly[2]
Notes
- ↑ Jack Marshall also represented the United States.
- ↑ Christian Dailly also captained the team in an unofficial international match against the Hong Kong League XI.
References
- 1 2 "Scotland Captains by Total Games as Captain". www.londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
- 1 2 3 4 "Hong Kong v Scotland". www.scottishfa.co.uk. Scottish Football Association. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- ↑ Morrison, Neil (2 February 2005). "2002 INTERNATIONAL MATCHES". www.rsssf.com. RSSSF. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- ↑ Roberts, Chris (14 December 2011). "Darren Fletcher has the courage and strength to beat illness, says ex-Man Utd mate Henning Berg". Daily Record. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
- ↑ "Gordon Strachan". www.scottishfa.co.uk. Scottish Football Association. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
- ↑ Morrison, Neil (15 November 2012). "1921 TOUR OF CANADA AND USA BY "THIRD LANARK'S SCOTLAND XI"". www.rsssf.com. RSSSF. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- ↑ "Sat 18 Apr 1942 Scotland 5 England 4". www.londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- ↑ "Sat 10 Oct 1942 England 0 Scotland 0". www.londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- ↑ "Sat 17 Apr 1943 Scotland 0 England 4". www.londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- ↑ "Sat 16 Oct 1943 England 8 Scotland 0". www.londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- ↑ "Sat 02 Feb 1946 Northern Ireland 2 Scotland 3". www.londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- ↑ Morrison, Neil (15 November 2012). "1949 TOUR OF CANADA AND USA BY THE SCOTTISH FA". www.rsssf.com. RSSSF. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- ↑ Bell, Stephen; Zlotkowski, Andre (6 June 2008). "Scotland XI Tour of Asia and Oceania 1967". www.rsssf.com. RSSSF. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- 1 2 "Tour games in 1967 that the Aussies count and we don't". The Scotsman. Johnston Publishing. 14 August 2012. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
External links
- Scotland captains by date, London Hearts Supporters' Club