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Episode details

Radio Scotland,05 Jul 2026,28 mins

Available for 29 days

It remains a world record scoreline for a senior football match, and It’s one of the most famous games in Scottish football history, when on a miserably wet and windy day in September 1885, teenage shoemaker John Petrie and his Arbroath teammates wrote themselves into footballing folklore by thrashing Aberdeen's Bon Accord 36-0 in a first-round Scottish Cup tie. Petrie scored 13 of the goals, still the record for most goals scored in a senior tournament, although referee David Stormont disallowed a few more. Andrew Cotter digs deeper into this legendary game and explores the backstory to this remarkable match and those who played in it. The life of 13-goal John Petrie is uncovered, revealing a complex mix of footballing success, personal tragedy and occasional controversy, revolving around a man who was held in high regard by the local community. One of the many amazing stories around this game is the fact that on the very same day, a mere 18 miles away, Dundee Harp was also playing in the first round of the Scottish Cup against Aberdeen Rovers. Dundee Harp beat Aberdeen Rovers 35–0. Presenter: Andrew Cotter Contributors: Fraser Clyne, Andrew Lornie, and Helen Smith-Petrie John Petrie was played by David Colligan Producer: Gus Beattie Scotland v The World is Gusman production for BBC Radio Scotland

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