List of Scotland national football team captains

Kenny Miller, playing for Scotland in a friendly against Brazil in March 2011. The yellow armband signifies that Miller was team captain.

This article lists all the captains of the Scotland national football team.

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.

Since then, George Young went on to set the record for most captaincies of his country, with 48.[1] Only two other players have captained the team more than 30 times, Billy Bremner and Gary McAllister.[1]

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 18:11, 29 March 2015 (UTC)
Andrew Watson (top centre) captained Scotland twice in his three appearances for the national team.
James Cowan captained Scotland just once, in April 1898. This was a common occurrence in his era, as Scotland only played three matches (in the British Home Championship) each season until 1928–29.
Billy Bremner playing for Scotland at the 1974 FIFA World Cup. Bremner was team captain in this game, which Scotland won 2–0 against Zaire.[2]
Roy Aitken captained Scotland 27 times, which included the 1990 FIFA World Cup campaign.
Christian Dailly captained Scotland in a match against the Hong Kong League XI on 20 May 2002.[3] Although the match is included by the Scottish Football Association in its statistical totals, it was not recognised as a full international by FIFA.[3][4]
Darren Fletcher became the youngest player to captain Scotland in over a century when he first led the team, in a friendly against Estonia in May 2004.[5]
Player Scotland career Caps as captain Total caps First captaincy Last captaincy
Gardner, RobertRobert Gardner1872–18782530 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– 24 67 27 May 2004 25 March 2015
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– 14 43 6 February 2013 29 March 2015
Morrison, JamesJames Morrison* 2008– 1 37 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.[3][6]

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 during the Second World War. Some of the captains selected for these unofficial games are listed below.

Notes

  1. ↑ Jack Marshall also represented the United States.
  2. ↑ Christian Dailly also captained the team in an unofficial international match against the Hong Kong League XI.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Scotland Captains by Total Games as Captain". www.londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  2. ↑ "Zaire v Scotland". www.scottishfa.co.uk. Scottish Football Association. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Hong Kong v Scotland". www.scottishfa.co.uk. Scottish Football Association. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  4. ↑ Morrison, Neil (2 February 2005). "2002 INTERNATIONAL MATCHES". www.rsssf.com. RSSSF. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  5. ↑ 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.
  6. ↑ "Gordon Strachan". www.scottishfa.co.uk. Scottish Football Association. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  7. ↑ 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.
  8. ↑ "Sat 18 Apr 1942 Scotland 5 England 4". www.londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  9. ↑ "Sat 10 Oct 1942 England 0 Scotland 0". www.londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  10. ↑ "Sat 17 Apr 1943 Scotland 0 England 4". www.londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  11. ↑ "Sat 16 Oct 1943 England 8 Scotland 0". www.londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  12. ↑ "Sat 02 Feb 1946 Northern Ireland 2 Scotland 3". www.londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  13. ↑ Morrison, Neil (15 November 2012). "1949 TOUR OF CANADA AND USA BY THE SCOTTISH FA". www.rsssf.com. RSSSF. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  14. ↑ Bell, Stephen; Zlotkowski, Andre (6 June 2008). "Scotland XI Tour of Asia and Oceania 1967". www.rsssf.com. RSSSF. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "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