Greatest Premier XI: Ferguson or McStay? Gazza or Lubo? Who's the midfield maestro in our dream team?

But Herald and Times Sport writers had no difficulty picking the man they believe to be the best in the position since the Premier Division was formed in 1975.

Craig Brown, the former Scotland, Motherwell and Aberdeen manager, and Archie Knox, the ex- Aberdeen, Rangers and Scotland assistant, didn’t disagree.

Our decisions have been based on three criteria - ability, longevity and success.

5

Name: Lubomir Moravcik.

Clubs: Celtic (1998 to 2002).

Titles: Two (2001 and 2002).

Oh, how they laughed when Dr Jo Venglos brought in a little-known 33-year-old playmaker from his native Slovakia to Celtic in a cut-price £300,000 transfer back in 1998.

Rangers had lavished over £25m on a raft of household names that summer after Dick Advocaat had been appointed manager. This signing was evidence, the critics mocked, that the old biscuit tin mentality was alive and well at Parkhead.

Well, Lubomir Moravcik proved to be a rather worthwhile acquisition and then some. He certainly made far more of an impact than Gabriel Amato, Colin Hendry, Andrei Kanchelskis and Daniel Prodan did across the city. He enjoyed great success and became a cult hero to supporters.

Mention the name “Lubo” to Celtic fans fortunate enough to see him in action in the flesh during the four seasons that he spent in this country and they will go all misty-eyed at the memory of his sublime trickery.

But there was real steel along with the skill. He was tenacious as well as talented, formidable not just flashy. He gave the Glasgow club a real cutting edge in the final third.

He scored a double in a 5-1 win over Rangers at Parkhead in just his third game and, despite being unable to help Celtic lift any silverware in his debut season, continued in that vein.

Martin O’Neill recognised a unique talent when he took over as manager in 2000, urged Moravcik to get forward and attack at all times and used him repeatedly. His side did the domestic treble and then retained the title before, amid widespread mourning, the attacking midfielder departed.

He remains one of the best signings, if not the best signing, in Scottish football history.  

4

Name: Stiliyan Petrov.

Clubs: Celtic (1999 to 2006).

Titles: Four (2001, 2002, 2004 and 2006).

The reign of John Barnes and Kenny Dalglish at Celtic was short-lived and ill-fated and isn’t fondly-remembered by supporters. But it wasn’t all bad. The signing of the 20-year-old Bulgarian prospect Stiliyan Petrov from CSKA Sofia for £2m was a masterstroke.

Barnes, who lasted less than a season, didn’t get the best out of Petrov during his reign. The youngster was homesick in Glasgow and being played out of position at right back did nothing to help him settle. But when Martin O’Neill took over in 2000 and moved him into midfield he flourished.

His goals, link-up play and work rate were hugely important to the success that O’Neill’s side enjoyed at home and abroad over the following five years. He stayed when Gordon Strachan took over and helped the Parkhead club to win a League Cup and Premier League double.

An £8m transfer to Aston Villa, where he was reunited with O’Neill, followed. It says much for Petrov that he signed a contract extension so that Celtic could receive a fee.  

3

Name: Barry Ferguson.

Clubs: Rangers (1997 to 2003 and 2005 to 2009).

Titles: Five (1999, 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2009).

Barry Ferguson was considered for the defensive midfield berth in our dream team because towards the end of his eventful and trophy-laden playing days he sat deep and dictated play. But he was, at the beginning of his career especially, too good going forward, too creative a player, too clinical in front of goal, to be deployed there.  

Ferguson, the brother of former Rangers player Derek, established himself as a first team starter at Ibrox after Dick Advocaat took charge in 1998. Despite being just 20, he played regularly as his side completed the treble and performed with a maturity beyond his years. He was skilful, direct and passionate.

The 2002/03 season, when Alex McLeish’s men once again won every domestic trophy, was one of Ferguson’s very best. He scored 18 times and won a £7.5m move to Blackburn Rovers on the back of it. But he never settled in England, returned in 2005 and promptly lifted a fourth league on “Helicopter Sunday”.

His second spell wasn’t as successful in terms of trophies won and ultimately ended in a falling out with Walter Smith and his departure, but he still helped Rangers reach the 2008 UEFA final and triumph in the league in 2009. He’s one of their greatest players in the modern era.

2

Name: Paul McStay.

Clubs: Celtic (1981 to 1997).

Titles: Three (1982, 1986 and 1988).

The Maestro. Debate still rages among the Celtic support about Paul McStay. For some, he was “the 12th Lisbon Lion”, a genuine world-class talent. Others, probably due to the fact he only won three titles in the 16 years he was at Parkhead, are less convinced.

It was McStay’s misfortune to be a player at his boyhood heroes at a time when Aberdeen and Dundee United were rampant and then Rangers could outspend their rivals many times over.

He suffered due to a heinous mismanagement at boardroom level that took the Glasgow club to the brink of bankcruptcy in 1994. But he remained loyal throughout those dark days and is admired and respected for that.

But there was more, much more, to McStay than a devotion to the Celtic cause. He was, at his peak, one of the best midfielders in Europe. He was elegant, composed in possession, capable of slicing open a defence with an inch-perfect pass, could glide past opposition players and scored spectacular goals.

He excelled at international level, made 76 appearances for Scotland and featured at Mexico ’86, Italia ’90 and Euro ’92. Only Kenny Dalglish, Jim Leighton, Darren Fletcher and Alex McLeish have won more caps for their country.

1

Name: Paul Gascoigne

Clubs: Rangers (1995 to 1998)

Titles: Two (1996 and 1997).

His time in Scotland was all too brief and he only won the Premier League on two occasions because of the shortness of his stay. But Paul Gascoigne makes it into the Greatest Premier XI on his ability alone. He was the most naturally gifted British footballer of his generation, possibly ever. The Scottish game was lucky to, albeit fleetingly, have him involved.

Walter Smith signed the England internationalist from Lazio in a club record £4.4m fee in 1995. He didn’t disappoint. “Gazza” was immense in his debut campaign. He scored 19 goals in 42 games, including a hat-trick in the win over Aberdeen at Ibrox that clinched the title, won the Scottish Cup and was named both PFA Scotland and SFWA Player of the Year.

His off-field issues – he was seldom off the front pages due to some infraction or other – surfaced in his second season, but he still netted 17 times in 34 matches as Rangers completed Nine-In-A-Row and lifted the League Cup.

How do you begin to describe Gascoigne the player? He was powerful and brave, he was an immense dribbler who ghosted past players, he possessed unique vision and delighted crowds, he scored superb goals and supplied chances for those around him. On top of all that he was, as England manager Bobby Robson famously remarked, “daft as a brush”.

Archie Knox was Smith’s assistant during his time in Govan. “Gascoigne was phenomenal,” he said. “He was only at Rangers for a short period of time. But he could create something out of nothing and did so on numerous occasions.”

Gascoigne was offloaded to Middlesbrough in March 1998 as his powers began to wane. But the memory of the player he was here lives on. 

UNLUCKY TO MISS OUT: Jim Bett, John Collins, Kris Commons, Ronald De Boer, Eoin Jess, Tugay Kerimoglu, Shaun Maloney, Stuart McCall, Franck Sauzee.

TEAM SO FAR:

1 - Andy Goram (goalkeeper).
2 - Danny McGrain (right back).
3 – Maurice Malpas (left back).
4 – Alex McLeish (centre back).
5 – Willie Miller (centre back).
6 – Scott Brown (defensive midfielder). 
7 – Paul Gascoigne (attacking midfielder).
8 - TBC (right winger).
9 - TBC (centre forward).
10 - TBC (striker).
11 - TBC (left winger).

TOMORROW: Right winger.