St Johnstone legend Chris Millar is in a select group of ex-Perth players who can say they have played against the man who scored the winning goal in the Euros AND one who has got a share of the Golden Boot award.
And the even better bit is – they both found the net versus England!
Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal broke the hearts of football fans south of the border to make it successive defeats for Gareth Southgate’s men in the final of the European Championships.
The forward was an 18-year-old breaking into the Real Sociedad first team when David Moyes’ side faced Saints in a 2015 pre-season friendly at East Fife’s ground.
Millar captained Saints for that one.
And a year earlier he played in a Europa League qualifier when Ivan Schranz scored twice at McDiarmid Park for Spartak Trnava to give the Slovakian’s a 2-1 lead Tommy Wright’s team would be unable to overturn in the return leg.
Schranz’s three goals at the Euros – against Belgium, Ukraine and England – were enough to earn him the Golden Boot for the tournament along with Harry Kane, Cody Gakpo, Jamal Musiala, Georges Mikautadze and Dani Olmo.
Millar is delighted that a little bit of extra shine has been put on a glorious era for the Perth club – even though he couldn’t remember that he’d played against either of the Euro stars!
“I do remember the Sociedad friendly,” Millar recalled. “Davie Moyes was their manager.
“The game had to stop for a bit because of a kit clash.
“But I’d be lying if I can remember anything about Oyarzabal as a player.
“We’d been knocked out of Europe by Alashkert and needed games before the league season started.
“We knew they would be a good team but we did well against them. Nil-nil is a decent result.
“It is surreal to think Oyarzabal has gone from playing a Bayview to scoring the winner in front of nearly 80,000 people in the final of the Euros.
“Nine years ago – wow, time flies.
“It’s a lovely wee connection.
“I’ve been sending it on to my family and folk in group chats – I’ve played against the guy who scored the winner against England in the final.
“It’s a wee tip of the hat, isn’t it!
“There are always young players coming through who you don’t know are going to have a great career.”
A shirt worth keeping
Millar chose Russian striker Maksim Maksimov of Lithuania’s FK Trakai as the pick of the opponents Saints came up against in their European campaigns.
Schranz, though, is the player who has since gone on to make the biggest mark in international football.
“I didn’t have a clue about that one either,” Millar admitted. “It’s unbelievable.
“A golden boot winner!
“I hope somebody got his shirt.
“Liam Craig was a big one for swapping – I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s got it! That’s a collector’s item.
“Things like this just make those European nights even more special when you look back.
“We weren’t a bad team, were we?
“We did well against good opposition and good players. If anything, we maybe let ourselves down a wee bit against teams we should have beaten.
“A lot of that had to do with the time of the season we played in Europe. One summer we were only off for two weeks.”
McCabe taking notes
The Sociedad friendly proved to be the one and only time now Airdrie boss, Rhys McCabe, played for Saints.
“Obviously, the gaffer would have known all about Ginge,” said Millar.
“It didn’t work out too badly him coming back, did it?
“Rhys was at Sheffield Wednesday with Mayso (Stevie May) and I got to know him when I went down there with my media degree.
“He’s really making his mark as a manager now.
“I like the football Airdrie play.
“Rhys’ style is like the Spanish style – playing from the back, through the lines, trying to break teams down that way.
“He was clearly taking more from that friendly against Sociedad than I was!”
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