1966 and all that...

This was emailed to me today from a directory enquiries website called 192.com.

Dear Mike Smith


Remember the glory of 1966?


192.com is calling on England fans to recreate the atmosphere of the 1966 World Cup to give us the greatest chance of being victorious in 2010.


Whether you witnessed England's '66 victory at home with the family, in a pub with mates or at Wembley itself, wouldn’t you love to share those memories with the same people again? Then get back in touch with the help of 192.com. Whoever organises the best 1966 reunion, will win a night out in the pub during this World Cup, all on us!


To get into the spirit of things, share your greatest 1966 World Cup memories with us today for your chance to win a signed photograph of the 1966 England team.

Hmm. We live in an age where some people can take offence at the slightest thing. Being of the 'old school' it takes a helluva lot to offend me. The above email didn't offend me - it downright infuriated me. It seems to me that 192.com have made a lot of assumptions here. For a start - as anyone who knows me will verify - I'm not English. I've campaigned for Scots independence for more than two decades now and proud of my country - and if anyone from 192.com reads this that country is Scotland.

And another thing. In 1966 I was all of four years old (honestly!) Hardly likely to be watching the 1966 World Cup Final in a pub with my mates (even if we did live in Cumbernauld at that time...) In 1966 I was still two years away from watching my first football game (Heart of Midlothian's 3-1 demolition of Falkirk in October 1968 since you ask. What's that? You didn't ask...?)

Even I were old enough in 1966 to be aware of what was going on, I would almost certainly have followed the lead of the great Scottish striker Denis Law and totally ignored the event.

I shall send my reply to 192.com tonight. Something along the lines of Remember the Glory of 1967? When Scotland defeated Eng-ger-lund 3-2 at Wembley Stadium? When Jim Baxter extracted the urine from Geoff Hurst and co.? How about I share those memories with you...?

Or isn't that 'getting into the spirit of things?'