Source: TheGuardian
Hamish McAlpine, the goalscoring goalie who inspired a piano ballad
Who do you turn to when your strikers keep missing penalties? Your crossbar-swinging, songwriter-bothering goalkeeperBy Graeme Webster for Nutmeg, part of the Guardian Sport NetworkA pulsating Scottish Division One match between Kilmarnock and Raith Rovers was finely poised at 3-3 as the sun began to set behind the old Rugby Park. The 1,436 fans scattered around the ground on 12 September 1987 scanned the pitch for a potential hero. Sometimes heroes are the unlikeliest figures.With the clock running down, Raith Rovers’ veteran goalkeeper, Hamish McAlpine, launched a kick from his own penalty area towards his opposite number, Barry Holland, in the Killie goal. Incredibly, the ball bounced once and flew beyond his baffled opponent into the back of the net. As the Raith Rovers fans celebrated, McAlpine looked on in bewilderment as he tried to figure out what had happened. Astonishment soon turned to joy and, in typical McAlpine style, he celebrated by lifting his boot up for one of his fellow defenders to kiss. The unlikely goal was not so joyful for the man on the receiving end. Holland was dropped for the following match and only made one more appearance for Kilmarnock. Related: Rose Reilly: the only Scottish footballer to win the World Cup ... as Italy captain Continue reading......read full article
