OK, I'll admit it - I might have been wrong ....

SteveStrummerUK
 
... with my previous comments regarding Wayne Rooney's suitability for the job of England captain.
 
I may also have even questioned his place in the side.
 
I have to say that my concerns over his appointment as skipper have mostly been quelled. If anything, the captaincy seems to have led to a noticeable improvement in his recent performances. Coupled with the added responsibility that means he seems more aware of what's going on around him, he also looks sharper, fitter, and maybe a yard faster than in the previous couple of seasons.
 
Good to see.
 

Don't worry he's still a miserable git and you are still 100% spot on about Adrian (not since the glory days of Sven Goran-Eriksson???) Chiles.
 
Good match though both sides getting stuck in from the start until the gulf in class got wider between the two.

SteveStrummerUK
 
 
I used to enjoy the Home Internationals back in the day JB, and tonight's game certainly had that 'feel' about it.
 
Were they stopped because of the crowd trouble, or was it more to do with the (excessive) amount of games the players were expected to play?

I don't know I've been having those same thoughts myself.  Last England / Scotland game I remember going to was at the old Wembley and I'm pretty sure Gordon Strachan was on the pitch I know Alan Rough was in goal, that was after the first time the tie was scrapped at Wembley anyway and that was definitely due to the rumbustuous nature of the crowd.
 
Since then I don't know what happened but what I do know is when the Home internationals do get played all the teams tend to gel better when they are in other competitions.
 
This was indeed vintage British football at its 'jumpers for goal posts' best.  Some real courageous stand up play with plenty of crunching tackles and respect between players.
 
Even better though was the scoreline Scotland (0)1 England (1)3 for any 'Sweatys' here that may still be in denial or otherwise confused about the result...
 
England fans singing the National Anthem just before half-time was also a highlight.  That was always going to pee off nearly (but not quite...) half of them at least.