Scottish Premier League Unique Internationals

Players who are the only one from their home country (by birth or national team affiliation) in the Scottish Premier League.

Bosnia-Herzegovina - Saša Papac (Rangers)

Croatia - Nikica Jelavić (Rangers)

Cyprus - Angelis Charalambous (Motherwell)

Gabon - Willy Aubameyang (Kilmarnock)

Guadeloupe - Mickaël Antoine-Curier (Hamilton Academical)

Greece - Georgios Samaras (Celtic)

Honduras - Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic)

Hungary - János Balogh (Hearts)

Italy - Manuel Pascali (Kilmarnock)

Jamaica - Chris Humphrey (Motherwell)

Mexico - Efraín Juárez (Celtic)

Montenegro - Nikola Vujadinović (Aberdeen)

Morocco - Mehdi Taouil (Kilmarnock)

New Zealand - Steven Old (Kilmarnock)

Nigeria - Sone Aluko (Aberdeen)

Slovenia - Jure Travner (St. Mirren)

Switzerland - Mihael Kovačević (Dundee United)

Togo - Yoann Folly (Aberdeen)

Trinidad & Tobago - Collin Samuel (St. Johnstone)

Uganda - David Obua (Hearts)

All-Time CONCACAF Players in the Scottish Premier League

This is a list of CONCACAF Players that have made at least one league appearance for a Scottish Premier League club since the SPL began in it's current form in 1998.

CANADA

* Mike Franks – Hibernian – 2000
* Jason de Vos – Dundee United – 1998–2001
* Nick Dasovic – St Johnstone – 1998–2002
* Davide Xausa – Livingston – 2001–2003
* Kevin McKenna – Heart of Midlothian – 2000–2005
* Lars Hirschfeld – Dundee United – 2004–2005
* Richard Hastings – Inverness CT – 2004–present

HAITI

* Jean-Francois Lescinel – Falkirk – 2005-07

HONDURAS

* Francisco Ramírez – Dundee United – 2000-01

JAMAICA

* Marcus Gayle – Rangers – 2000
* Fitzroy Simpson – Heart of Midlothian – 1999-2001
* Ricardo Fuller – Heart of Midlothian – 2001-02

NETHERLANDS ANTILLES

* Dyron Daal – Aberdeen – 2006-07
* Shelton Martis – Hibernian – 2006-07

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

* Tony Warner - Celtic, Aberdeen - 1998-99
* Lyndon Andrews – Hibernian – 2000-02
* Brent Sancho – Dundee – 2003-05
* Jason Scotland – Dundee United – 2003-05
* Kelvin Jack – Dundee – 2004-05
* Marvin Andrews – Livingston, Rangers – 2000-06
* Collin Samuel – Dundee United – 2003-07
* Russell Latapy – Hibernian, Rangers, Dundee United, Falkirk – 1999-2009

UNITED STATES

* Claudio Reyna – Rangers – 1998-2002
* DaMarcus Beasley – Rangers – 2007-present
* Maurice Edu – Rangers – 2008-present

Soccer History of You'll Never Walk Alone

I've seen the Liverpool and Celtic supporters sing "You'll Never Walk Alone" countless times, but I never knew the history behind it or even the words to the song. This post tells a little history of the tune along with some video evidence.

The BBC story behind Liverpool and the song You'll Never Walk Alone

Facts from Songfacts:
-- The Rogers & Hammerstein song was originally written for the 1945 musical Carousel.

--Frank Sinatra was the first artist to take this song into the charts (#9 on the Billboard charts in 1945).

--In the original musical Carousel, the song was sung to inspire a pregnant female character after the death of her husband.

--The Pink Floyd song Fearless ends by fading into a recording of Liverpool Football Club fans singing this song.

--In 1985 a version by The Crowd returned the song to #1. Gerry Marsden of Gerry and the Pacemakers was again the lead vocalist. Zack Starkey, Ringo Starr's son, was on drums, making him and Ringo the first father and son to both have UK #1s.

Liverpool or Celtic: Who Walked Alone First? (Link)

Origins as a Football Anthem:
In the 1960's the DJ at Liverpool's Anfield would play the top ten albums in order, with the number one album of the time being You'll Never Walk Alone playing last, right before game time. The fans took to singing it even after the album dropped from the top ten and the "anthem" has stuck ever since. Celtic, Hibernian, Feyenoord, and FC Twente have also adopted the song.

Lyrics:

When you walk through a storm hold your head up high,
And don't be afraid of the dark.
At the end of a storm is a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of a lark.

Walk on through the wind,
Walk on through the rain,
Tho' your dreams be tossed and blown.
Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart
And you'll never walk alone,
You'll never walk alone!

Gerry and the Pacemakers Version


Liverpool Supporters


Celtic and Liverpool Supporters



List of Artists Who've Recorded YNWA:
Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Mario Lanza, Roy Hamilton, Louis Armstrong, Claramae Turner, Perry Como, Adicts, Nina Simone, Malcolm Vaughan, Shirley Bassey, Doris Day, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Ray Charles, Patti Labelle, The Righteous Brothers, Elvis Presley, Tom Jones, Johnny Maestro, Aretha Franklin, Lee Towers, Frankie Vaughan, Olivia Newton-John, Kiri te Kanawa, Smoking Popes, Bryn Terfel, The Three Tenors, Die Toten Hosen, Johnny Cash, Renee Fleming, Alicia Keys, Jordin Sparks

Foreign Born Players on UK and Ireland National Teams

Here are a few of the "foreign-born" players from recent times that have worn the shirts of Scotland, Wales, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and England. Some of the more interesting places of birth are Shaun Maloney (Malaysia), Boaz Myhill (USA), Maik Taylor (Germany), Tony Capaldi (Norway), and Owen Hargreaves and Alan Mannus (Canada).

As you can see, the list mostly consists of English born players playing for the other surrounding nations. Are any of these recent English "exports" good enough to play for England?


Scotland
James Morrison - England
Shaun Maloney - Malaysia
James McEveley - England
Graham Alexander - England
Graeme Murty - England
Steven Fletcher - England
Kris Commons - England

Wales
Boaz Myhill - USA
Lewis Price - England
Lewin Nyatanga - England
Sam Ricketts - England
Ashley Williams - England
Jack Collison - England
Andrew Crofts - England
David Edwards - England
Freddy Eastwood - England
Daniel Nardiello - England
Sam Vokes - England

Republic of Ireland
Dean Kiely - England
Keiren Westwood - England
Alex Bruce - England
Kevin Foley - England
Aiden McGeady - Scotland
Stephen McPhail - England
Darren Potter - England
Martin Rowlands - England
Sean Scannell - England
Kevin Kilbane - England
Andy O'Brien - England
Lee Carsley - England
Darron Gibson - Northern Ireland
Steven Reid - England

Northern Ireland
Maik Taylor - Germany
Alan Mannus - Canada
Martin Paterson - England
Tony Capaldi - Norway

England
Owen Hargreaves - Canada