As a bit of a 1980s sports obsessive - I've kept that quiet - you can probably appreciate my sense of anticipation when I heard news of a BBC Scotland programme called The Lost Final. Presented by Pat Nevin, the 45-minute documentary takes a look back at Scotland's triumph in the 1982 U18 European Championships.
The tournament holds particularly fond memories for Nevin. Not only was the diminutive Clyde winger player of the tournament, the 18-year-old would be offered a contract by a Turkish club and would score a stunning goal in the final. Not bad for someone who may have had his mind on his final degree exam that he was supposed to be sitting the day after the final.
It is Nevin's spectacular goal that provides the backbone of the programme. Nevin admits that he has never seen his strike in the final and begins a search to find some television coverage of the match against Czechoslovakia. Starting his hunt talking with a BBC Scotland archivist, you get an indication of how little media coverage there was regarding the tournament.
To be fair, there was a lot going on in the world of football and beyond at that point. With the Falklands War raging, and the World Cup on the horizon, it is understandable how the event sneaked under the radar. Yet winning the U18 Euros, Scotland's only win in a major international tournament in any age group, deserves a lot of appreciation.
Qualifying for the tournament would provide a delicious appetizer. Beating England 1-0 at Ibrox, a 2-2 draw in the second leg at Coventry's Highfield Road earned Scotland their place in Finland. Yet preparations for the finals were disrupted when six players from the Aberdeen/Rangers Scottish Cup final were ruled out of the tournament due to the date clash.
Played between May 21-30, Scotland got off to a flying start in the group stage. A 3-0 win over Albania saw Nevin involved in each goal. Two players drafted into the squad due to the withdrawals - Brian Rice and Sammy McGivern - scored, both discussing with Nevin their delight at being involved in Finland.
Nevin would get on the scoresheet in the 2-0 win against Turkey two days later. The other scorer was Gary Mackay, one of five men in the squad who would go on to earn a full cap, and a player who would score a significant goal in Irish history.
At the start of the programme, Nevin and Mackay try to recreate Nevin's goal in the final using Subbuteo figures. But to reach the last four, Scotland had to gain at least a draw against the Netherlands. When Marco van Basten put the Dutch in front, there was a danger that the adventure would end.
A late strike from Gary McGinnis after a backheel from Ally Dick saw the Scots into the semi-finals where they would meet the Soviet Union. Tottenham's Dick would later play at Ajax and share lifts with Van Basten, revealing in the documentary that the great Dutch striker was still angry about that match in 1982.
Dick would be the matchwinner in the semi-final, his two goals against Poland setting up a final against Czechoslovakia. Yet Nevin was once again named as man of the match, with Dick chuckling about this when the two reminisce about the match. But the win did have one drawback; Jim McInally would miss the final due to suspension.
McInally recalls his heartbreak, but his story confirms a common theme of the programme; the love felt for manager Andy Roxburgh, his assistant Walter Smith, and the physio John Watson. McInally explains how Roxburgh started a round of applause for him after the semi-final, with the manager also making sure there were enough activities to keep the youngsters occupied between matches.
The respect is obviously a two-way thing, though. When Nevin interviews Roxburgh, his pride shines through. "It's what kept us young," Roxburgh admits when describing managing the squad during that tournament. "They always had a place in my heart," he adds, explaining how he kept an eye on the careers of those involved.
It wasn't just Roxburgh's man management that is illustrated. His use of Mackay in the false nine position was an unusual tactic to employ in 1982, but it worked in the final. Goals from John Filliben, Nevin, and Mackay, gave Scotland a 3-1 win and saw skipper Paul McStay lift the U18 European Championship trophy.
McStay, a superb player in the heart of Scotland's midfield, is unable to make the reunion organised by Nevin at the Scottish Hall of Fame at Hampden Park. But seeing the rest of the squad exchange hugs, and pose for photos with the trophy is heart-warming. You do wonder if there should be greater recognition for the achievements of the management and the 15 players involved.
Does Nevin get any luck with finding coverage of the final? Do his emails to European television companies or his chat with Czechoslovakian midfielder Miro Hirko lead to any joy? No spoilers will be revealed here, but if you're a lover of sports documentaries then do yourself a favour and watch it on the BBC iPlayer or "the catch-up" as I call it (to annoy my children, mainly).
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