Football: McGinlay called up by Scotland

JOHN McGINLAY, the Bolton striker whose list of employers reads like an audition for

Obscurity Knocks, has an opportunity to establish himself in Scotland's European Championship plans after being named in the squad for the Hampden Park friendly against the Netherlands a week tonight.

When the Dutch were celebrating their European triumph of 1988, McGinlay had just won what remains his only honour, an Isthmian League medal with Yeovil. He did the rounds with Elgin, Bury, Shrewsbury and Millwall, but now - barely a fortnight before his 30th birthday - he faces the prospect of tangling with opponents who ply their trade in Barcelona and Milan.

McGinlay is the only uncapped player in a 23-man selection, Craig Brown's first at senior level. Deprived of the injured Kevin Gallacher and unwilling to risk Duncan Ferguson after limited first-team action, Brown watched the 24- goal Highlander in Bolton's FA Cup defeat by Oldham on Saturday before deciding to give him a belated taste of life above the Endsleigh League.

'There is a parallel in England where Terry Venables pulled a master stroke by bringing Peter Beardsley back at 33,' Brown said yesterday. 'Obviously he has a track record whereas McGinlay doesn't, but I remember Willie Ormond picking Don Masson and Tommy Hutchison late in their careers and they did a great job for Scotland.'

Brown clearly feels no compulsion to build a younger team for the European qualifying campaign. Despite talk of a new dawn - the refurbished Hampden is a 38,000 sell-out - he has also restored Ally McCoist, 31, for the first time since he broke a leg in Portugal last April, while Jim Leighton is retained at 35 after what was expected to be a one-off comeback in Malta in November.

Nevertheless, Andy Goram's return after a knee injury means he is favourite to resume goalkeeping duties. Goram is one of six Rangers men in a pool which contains only five English-based players, among them the likely captain, Gary McAllister. Dick Advocaat, the Netherlands coach, reveals his squad tomorrow.

SCOTLAND SQUAD (friendly v the Netherlands, Hampden Park, 23 March): Goram (Rangers), Gunn (Norwich), Leighton (Hibernian), McKimmie (Aberdeen), McLaren (Hearts), Robertson (Rangers), Boyd (Celtic), Hendry (Blackburn), Levein (Hearts), Irvine (Aberdeen), McStay (Celtic), McCall (Rangers), McAllister (Leeds), I Ferguson (Rangers), Collins (Celtic), O'Donnell (Motherwell), McKinlay (Dundee Utd), McCoist, Durie (both Rangers), McGinlay (Bolton), Jess, Booth (both Aberdeen), Nevin (Tranmere).

Jason McAteer, the Bolton Wanderers midfield player, will win his first cap for the Republic of Ireland in next Wednesday's friendly against Russia in Dublin. The 22-year- old was born in Birkenhead but his grandfather was born in Ireland. Jack Charlton beat off competition from both England and Northern Ireland for his services.