MARK McGHEE played a significant role in Celtic’s famous Centenary Year triumphs in 1988 when Billy McNeill’s side celebrated in style by claiming a league and Cup double.
The former striker also won a European Cup-Winners’ Cup Final against Real Madrid in his days at Aberdeen and has also been named the Scottish Footballer of the Year.
But the ex-Hoops frontman admitted a goal against England gave him the greatest feeling in a career that also took him to Morton, Newcastle and SV Hamburg.
The Scotland assistant boss, who won only four caps, will never forget getting on the end of a right-wing cross from current gaffer Gordon Strachan to nod the ball beyond the sprawling English keeper Peter Shilton to give the Scots a 13th-minute lead at a packed Hampden in 1984.
Unfortunately, Tony Woodcock levelled before half-time as the game ended in a 1-1 stalemate.
McGhee revealed: “That goal surpasses anything I ever did by a million miles. I never played in a World Cup or anything like that, but to score against England was the pinnacle for me.
“Why? For me, it was because I grew up as a football fan. I was at Wembley in 1977 with my brother and all my mates from the architect’s office. It was just THE fixture in the calendar, over and above everything.
“You used to play it every year then. So for me, to have the opportunity to play, when Sir Alex Ferguson told me that Big Jock had decided I was playing, it was just like literally a dream come true.”
McGhee, though, wasn’t so happy when the Scots lost 3-2 at Wembley in a friendly three years ago.
He said: “I was raging at one thing and that was Ricky Lambert’s goal because there had been a bit of confusion with Charlie Mulgrew going on.”
McGhee wanted the versatile former Celt to pick up the English striker at the corner-kick, but the message was lost in the din and Scott Brown was left to guard the 6ft-plus ex-Liverpool hitman. He was outjumped as Lambert headed in the winner.
The Scots No.2 said: “I felt it was an unnecessary defeat. That was my disappointment. The lads had done brilliantly and worked really hard. Our performance only started to deteriorate when we had to make all the changes.
“Generally speaking, it was an encouraging performance and we can remember that when we go back there on Friday. I believe we are going to have to play well to get something from this game.”
