Sunday 28 April, 2002, Stuart McCall's Tesitmonial

Rangers at Valley Parade

Stuart McCall paid tribute to the fans who had followed him during his time at Valley Parade and at Ibrox in his tesimonial game that the visitors from Scotland won 4-2. Curiously despite six goals being shared, McCall was not on any team that scored one.

The game was a glittering tribute that in some ways seemed unbecoming of the self-effacing City skipper. Stuart built his career by staying out of the spotlight. He was the man who looked after things quietly in the middle of the field while other grabbed the headlines. Thrust into the spotlight he seemed uncomfortable.

Certainly Stuart did not play a typical Stuart game, a testimonial game is never going to be an arena for McCall's brand of tackling and spirit, although Richard Gough was perhaps unaware of this and would have ended un competitive match before his team mates for an horrendous challenge on dazzling Peter Beagrie that was unbecoming of a tribute game.

The tribute to McCall aspect seemed lost on a number of the visitors from North of the Border. It was a shame that in an event that was to recognise one man a large section of the Rangers following had chosen to change the agenda of the game to a celebration of their nine championships in a row. It would have been nice if those visiting from Glasgow had shifted their attentions away from Ally McCoist and Andy Goram and onto the man of the moment. It was a little off that when the Ciba Stand was chanting the City skipper's name the Kop stand, temporary home to Rangers supporters, drowned them out with another song about the Gers.

More than a little off were the Rangers fans who (reportedly) smashed car windows and taunted locals with racist remarks. They have shamed the Ibrox side. The locals of the Valley Parade area did much for McCall and City some 17 years ago next month, the idea that Stuart's final game will be marked for them by an invasion of racist thugs will I'm sure have dismayed McCall himself.

Also disgraceful was the booing of Andy O'Brien and Dean Windass by what sounded like a large section of the Rangers support. Frankly if Stuart McCall has invited his friends and former team mates back to play it is not acceptable for the visitors to behave hostilely towards them. In the case of Windass it was in good fun. We know Dean and can guarantee that in his years for Aberdeen he probably got up the noses of the Ibrox crowd as he did away fans when he played at City. However the booing of O'Brien was based entirely on the fact he will represents Eire in the World Cup. This petty bigoted racism is appalling and does nothing to pay tribute to Stuart McCall.

Those Rangers fans who booed O'Brien are disgraces not only to football but to right thinking people everywhere. Booing a player because he plays for Eire is no different to booing a black player. I called it when Leeds did it, I call it when Rangers do it. Disgraceful.

Nevertheless the majority of the Rangers fans were in great form as they saw their side take a two goals lead with Ally McCoist twice beating Mark Prudhoe. Jorg Albertz also beat the City keeper with a custom pile driver from the edge of the box. City came cak after half time with Peter Beagrie setting up John Hendrie and Don Goodman to score. City brought on the likes of Mark Ellis and Ranger's brought Paul Gascogine back to make sure of the win. I had criticised City's side this year for being used to losing, it seemed that this Rangers team could not even bring themselves to take it easy in a testimonial, which says something about them I guess.

An emotion Stuart bid farewell to the Rangers fans with a wish that they win the Scottish Cup next week, his signed off for a Bradford side that face a more uncertain future. A future that, for the moment, Stuart McCall will not be involved in.

So how does one sum up twenty years of a career? What final phrase does one leave the reader with in a tribute to a man who has had a greater effect on Bradford City than any other?

The truth is one does not.

The thing about football, the greatest thing about football is that it is forever renewing. Stuart McCall gained a place in the City side when it looked like fan's favourite Cec Podd would never play football again. Twenty years on and who knows who's testimonial we will be celebrating in two decades time? Would we ever have pictured today when we saw the 16 year old with the shock of red hair in the place of Podd back in 1982?

2022: Bradford City bid farewell to World Cup hero and Bantam legend Michael Standing... You never know.