JASON SCOTLAND’S expected move to the English Premiership should have a group of Scottish football “experts” blushing in embarrassment.
Sitting in judgment back in the summer of 2005 were media pundit Murdo MacLeod, union official Tony Higgins, Peter Cormack, Tommy McIntyre and Pat Stanton—all former Hibs players—and the SPL’s Ian Blair.
Only Blair voted in favour of Scotland being allowed to stay at Tannadice, with the explanation given that “his abilities are not such that he enhances Scottish football.”
Despite taking a petition as far as the Home Office, United were told there was nothing they could do and the player looked set to be heading back to the West Indies.
However, in a move branded “absurd” by then Tangerines chairman Eddie Thompson, a fresh panel ruled just weeks later to grant Scotland a permit to allow him to join Owen Coyle’s St Johnstone in the first division.
With a goal-laden season under his belt at Championship outfit Swansea City, whom he joined from Saints two years ago, he is now being touted for a move to newly-promoted Burnley, who are managed by Coyle, or Wigan Athletic, the team bossed by ex-Swans gaffer Roberto Martinez.
According to Chisholm, the prospect of Scotland running out at the likes of Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge and Anfield should leave those who decided his United fate with red faces.
“The decision to refuse Jason Scotland a work permit still annoys me and it looks completely ridiculous now that he seems to be heading to the Premiership,” said Chisholm, who is managing Queen of the South.
“He has gone down to the English leagues, been a massive success and has big clubs queuing up to sign him.
“But he wasn’t good enough for the SPL.
“I still can’t believe what happened here. Everyone knows he had a bit to learn about the game but anyone who had seen him play knew there was massive potential there.
“But we had a panel of guys—most of whom I have never seen at an SPL game—deciding his future and they got it so wrong.
“I would like to think they look at him now and feel a bit embarrassed by what they did.
“Jason had played for United in a Scottish Cup final only a few weeks earlier and was getting more and more game time under his belt.
“He had come to Tannadice from playing in the army so he had loads to learn about how to play in this country but he was getting there.
“He played his part and was learning all the time so it was so cruel for them to say he should be sent home.
“The laddie was devastated, he was in at Tannadice every day asking us what we could do to help him and we had to disappoint him. It got to the stage where he was nearly being deported but then St Johnstone came in and took him.
“They got the benefit of it and that was unfair on United because they had invested in bringing him over and coaching him.
“Now a few years later he is being rated at £3 million. Just think what United could do with money like that?”
Chisholm, who took United to that final against Celtic and into Europe, does not blame the departure of Scotland as the reason he was dismissed by the club after only 10 months in charge but knows it did not help his cause.
“From a personal point of view, who knows how it affected me?” he said.
“I lost a guy who would have developed into our best player so perhaps things could have worked out differently.
“It is amazing to see what Jason has achieved since going down south and I wish him all the best, he deserves every success after the way he was treated up here.”