Scottish football welcomes eight new faces into the Hall of Fame

LAST night marked the fifth annual Scottish Football Hall of Fame dinner, where eight new entrants were unveiled as inductees to the Hall, situated in the Scottish Football Museum at Hampden.

Football fans from all over the world nominated players whom they thought should be recognised for their contribution to Scottish football. Then a panel of experts from football and the media considered the nominees and whittled them down.

Here, The Scotsman takes a look at the careers and achievements of the eight new inductees:

JOHN THOMSON

Celtic goalkeeper who carved a formidable reputation for himself almost as soon as he made his debut for the club, aged 18, in 1927. His career was cut tragically short when he collided with Rangers striker Sam English and suffered a depression of the skull in 1931. By then he had made four appearances for Scotland (conceding just one goal and never losing a game), four more for the Scottish League select and picked up two Scottish Cup winners medals.

BILL STRUTH

Only the second manager in Rangers' history, leading the club from 1920 to 1954. In that time, he amassed 18 league championships, 10 Scottish Cups, two League Cups, seven war-time championships and 19 Glasgow Cups. He was also the first manager to lead Rangers to both the domestic double and treble. Later became a director and vice-chairman at Ibrox, before his death in 1956.

BILLY LIDDELL

The Dunfermline-born winger was voted sixth by Liverpool fans in their poll '100 players that shook the Kop' in 2006. Liddell played his entire career from 1938 to 1961 with the Anfield club, scoring 228 goals in 534 appearances and winning the First Division title in 1947. Played 28 games for Scotland, scoring six times. Died in 2001.

DEREK JOHNSTONE

Thrown into the Rangers starting line-up for the 1970 League Cup final against Celtic, aged 16, and scored the only goal of the game. Primarily a striker but also utilised in midfield and central defence (including at international level), Johnstone scored 210 goals in 546 games for Rangers. Was part of the Rangers defence when they won the Cup Winners Cup in 1972. Made 14 appearances for Scotland, scoring twice. Now a media pundit.

ARCHIE GEMMILL

Scorer of arguably the greatest goal in Scotland's international history, a slaloming run and dinked shot to help defeat the Netherlands 3-2 at the 1978 World Cup. A key component of Brian Clough's midfield at Derby County and Nottingham Forest, winning the English title with both clubs. Represented Scotland 43 times, scoring eight goals, and as coach led the Under-19 team to the final of the European Championships in 2006, where they lost to Spain.

JIM LEIGHTON

Only Kenny Dalglish has made more appearances for Scotland than Leighton, who kept goal in 91 occasions for his country and at three World Cups. First-choice for Alex Ferguson during his remarkably successful time in charge of Aberdeen, winning the Premier League three times, the Scottish Cup four times, the League Cup twice and playing his part in the Cup Winners Cup and European Super Cup successes of 1983. Joined his manager at Manchester United for a less successful spell, before returning north to Dundee, Hibernian and Aberdeen. Set the record for the oldest player in the SPL, since surpassed by Andy Millen, and is now Aberdeen goalkeeping coach.

IAN ST JOHN

His 80 goals in 113 games for first club Motherwell earned a move to Liverpool in 1961, becoming the club's record signing at 37,500. Formed a formidable partnership with Roger Hunt and clocked up 118 goals in 425 games before being sold to Coventry in 1970. Scorer of nine goals in 21 games for Scotland, he went on to become a TV presenter alongside Jimmy Greaves and is now an after-dinner speaker and pundit.

BOBBY EVANS

Amassed 535 appearances for Celtic in the forties and fifties, and won Scotland 48 caps. The right-half moved on to Chelsea, Newport and Morton before becoming player-manager of Third Lanark, and finished his career at Raith Rovers. Died in September 2001.

Those illustrious names already inducted in the Hall of Fame are: Jim Baxter, Billy Bremner, Sir Matt Busby, Kenny Dalglish, Sir Alex Ferguson, Hughie Gallacher, John Greig, Jimmy Johnstone, Denis Law, Dave Mackay, Danny McGrain, Jimmy McGrory, Billy McNeill, Willie Miller, Bobby Murdoch, Bill Shankly, Gordon Smith, Graeme Souness, Jock Stein, Willie Woodburn, Alan Morton, Alex McLeish, Bobby Lennox, Charles Campbell, George Young, Jim McLean, Joe Jordan, John White, Lawrie Reilly, Willie Waddell, Alex James, Davie Cooper, Tommy Gemmell, Richard Gough, Henrik Larsson, Brian Laudrup, Sandy Jardine, Billy Steel, Willie Ormond, John Robertson, Tommy Walker, Walter Smith, Willie Henderson, Gordon Strachan, Alan Hansen, Ally McCoist, Rose Reilly, Eddie Turnbull, Willie Bauld, Eric Caldow and Jim Cowan.