Anyone remember John Robertson ? Another great winger but from a different era. He was a big big Bryan fan and used to model himself and his hairstyle on the great man. Although I saw him on TV recently and he looks about 10 stones heavier !

I take back what I said earlier ! You can definitely hear Williams on Spell and Knopfler on Valentine So not all the same.

I met John Robertson when he was with Celtic. They were up here to play Inverness (I am a seaon ticket holder) I knew he was a big BF fan and had a chat about BF/RM and I gave him some bootlegs.

J.O'B.

At his best, he was brilliant ! Did he still have the majic or was he past his sell by date ? And did you win ? Inverness have some sort of hoodoo over Celtic. You never lose !
John, any ideas why Scotland always failed on the big stage ? They had some great players and teams between 1966 and 1990, but never got very far in any competetion. Weren't they the first to beat England after the 1966 World Cup ?

It is pretty straightforward actually. Although both were the same age, Henderson burst onto the stage very early in his career. He was a teenage wonderkid and was rightly Scotland's first choice from the age of 18. He won all of his caps bar 6 by 1966 when he was still only 22. Long term injury problems really hindered him thereafter and he slipped back the way, although still capable of doing the business.

Johnstone only really started to deliver after Jock Stein took over at Celtic in 1965 when he introduced the focus and discipline that Jinky needed. From 1966 onwards Jinky was the first choice Scotland winger.

So the selectors really didn't have much of a dilemma as the pattern of their respective careers really dictated who to select.

So, the real question is why didn't Jinky win more caps over the period when he was first choice? I think the answer lies in his aversion to air travel. Only 5 of his caps were earned abroad. In addition, I think he was more injury prone than Henderson, and that would have curtailed his tally. Out of Henderson's 6 caps in the 5 years after 1966, 3 were home matches over 2 weeks in May 1969 when Johnstone was injured, and the other 3 were away matches when presumably Jinky just shied away from the travel.

An interesting question is who would have been first choice if their career pattern had been similar and both had peaked at the same time. This is where we come back to John's point about the right style and approach to blend with the overall group/team aspiration coming into the equation - and not just natural ability. I suspect the choice might well have come down in favour of Henderson under these circumstances. Although not at the genius level of Jinky, he still had a disgraceful amount of natural talent. While Jinky beat men for fun, he often went back for seconds (and thirds), whereas Henderson beat men for a purpose - which was to get to the line and put over his trademark accurate low level cross for his centre forward to attack. Henderson could also be relied upon to put in a performance whereas Jinky was mercurial; sometimes he was unstoppable (which are the performances that everybody remembers) - but there were games where he just didn't get going. Plus Henderson was much more physically robust than Johnstone which counted for a lot more in those days when football was still a man's game.

So, while not as naturally talented as Johnstone, Henderson was arguably the better player overall by virtue of all of the above - and the safer choice for an international manager where games were few and far between, which meant that players had to be relied upon to perform on the day.

Can I suggest we shift this part of the conversation to the General section as forum users will expect a discussion about Bryan's most talented guitarist.

I think on the guitarist discussion there is is a difference between talented and favourite. My favourite is of course Phil, and session wise Leo Abrahams, Chester Kamen and Ollie Thompson.

I think Leo is the most talented of them all. I have heard him do some amazing stuff and he has a good ear to copy and reproduce what was on record (Out Of The Blue 2006 tour was note for note and tone 100% as per the record) He is also very creative and technically gifted and does more than play the guitar.

J.O'B.

I loved David Williams!! So funky. Just like Nile.

Also Ollie is a great discovery, gives it all some freshness and action.

Liked Leo too, especially when he did a solo on when she walks in the room and such. Otherwise he's a bit too "quiet/relaxed" to my taste. I think he serves better as recording musician. Really loved the soundtracks from the Ocean's movies. He's really good at those things. Also his album honeytrap is very relaxing and fun to listen to.

Too bad David Williams is gone, he and Ollie together would have been great!

Hey!
I wonder why you all seems to have forgotten the guitarist on the song Flesh+Blood!!! Great songwriter and singer he is too!
/p

All great guitarists, but that's by the by. I have waited 15 years for this moment. I supplied and fitted Jinky's lounge, hall, stair and landing carpet!! In Uddingston. There is a DVD about Jinky. In it, you will seeing him playing keepy uppy on the living room carpet. Light blue (yes)! with a floral pattern through it. That's what Agnes wanted. That's my carpet! Orchard Park from the late lamented B.M.K. in Kilmarnock. The same people that carpeted The Titanic.

To work for such a wonderful couple was one of the most endearing moments of my life. Nothing was a problem to them.

Before you all start, I never did the measure on The Titanic.