The cheers of 12,000 jubilant Scotland fans were still reverberating through the Cardiff air, as a group of policemen frantically carried Jock Stein down the tunnel at Ninian Park.
The greatest manager in domestic Scottish football history had just guided his nation to within touching distance of Mexico 86, after Davie Cooper’s late equaliser rescued their hopes. Wales’ had been all but destroyed in a monumental Battle of Britain decider.
Now, though, Stein was ashen-faced amid the post-match chaos. Seconds before the final whistle, he’d collapsed on the touchline, clutching his chest. Less than half an hour later, Alex Ferguson entered the Scotland dressing room and uttered the mortal words that no one wanted to hear: “Jock’s dead…” A legend had passed away at the age of 62.
Stein had been manager of Leeds for only 44 days when he was appointed Scotland’s new boss in 1978 – the same length of time that Brian Clough had lasted four years earlier in rather more infamous fashion.
Revered at Celtic as the first boss to claim nine consecutive Scottish league titles,
