Steve Clarke regret hangs over Roxburgh’s Scotland call
Andy Roxburgh has revisited one of the biggest regrets of his career, with steve clarke back in focus after a framed squad photograph in his office brought the story into sharp relief. Roxburgh said the decision to leave Clarke out of Scotland’s final World Cup squad remains a moment he thinks about clearly. The reflections come as Scotland fans are also watching former Rangers striker Robbie Ure make a strong start in Sweden, while Glasgow parents have been reassured over childcare provision during a World Cup bank holiday.
Roxburgh revisits the Steve Clarke decision
Roxburgh said Clarke was part of the 28-man provisional squad for a pre-tournament trip to Italy in February, when the group travelled to get to know each other before the final selection was made. Clarke, then 26, was later cut when Roxburgh reduced the squad to 22 players.
Roxburgh described the omission as one of the biggest regrets of his career. The photograph on his wall, showing the provisional squad, keeps the memory close, with Clarke visible in the image. The former Scotland manager said he still sees the squad picture every day in his office and is reminded of the call he made.
How the shirt decision became a symbol
The wider story also recalls Roxburgh’s attempt to reconnect with supporters after Scotland’s difficult opening match at Italia ’90. He said he decided to wear a tartan scarf before the match against Sweden because he wanted to show the fans that the team felt the same pain after the defeat to Costa Rica.
Roxburgh said the gesture was meant to be visual rather than verbal, because he could not speak directly to supporters in that moment. He added that even Craig Brown questioned the idea at the time, but the scarf became linked with the victory that followed and later appeared in an illustration presented to Roxburgh in 2024 by the Scottish Football Writers’ Association.
That image and the framed squad photograph now sit side by side in Roxburgh’s home, one tied to a celebrated moment and the other to a lingering regret.
Fans also watch Robbie Ure’s rise
Elsewhere, Scotland fans have been taking notice of Robbie Ure after his strong form in Swedish football. The 22-year-old striker has scored seven goals in as many games and broke a club record with his latest strike in the Allsvenskan.
Ure joined Sirius from Anderlecht in March 2025 and has quickly become a major part of their season. He has helped push the club to the top of the table after two games, scoring against Degerfors and Hammarby, and has also been described by supporters as one of the league’s standout performers.
Bank holiday plans and childcare reassurance
In Glasgow, parents have been told that funded childcare will not be affected by the June 15 bank holiday linked to Scotland’s World Cup qualification. Councillor Ricky Bell said parents of children aged three to five remain entitled to 1, 140 hours of funded early learning and childcare, and any hours lost on the public holiday can be moved to another day.
Bell said early years settings will help families reschedule the hours, with the same flexibility applying to vulnerable families who receive bought-in childcare. The message is simple: the entitlement stays in place, and arrangements can be adjusted across the year.
As Scotland’s World Cup story continues to generate fresh headlines, steve clarke remains part of a wider national conversation about selection, memory, and what might have been. For Roxburgh, the framed squad picture will keep that regret alive, even as the focus shifts to the next chapter.
