Aberdeen legend Joe Harper is set to receive a medal from the SFA in recognition of scoring a record five goals in a single international match.
The Pittodrie great will be presented with the medal at Hampden before Scotland’s Nations League clash against Poland on Thursday.
Aberdeen’s all-time leading goalscorer says he is tremendously proud to be honoured for his five goal salvo against Canada in 1967.
The only other player to score five goals in an international game for Scotland was Newcastle United legend Hugh Gallacher against Northern Ireland in 1929.
Harper was still a teenager when he hit the five goal spree on a summer tour of Asia and Oceania by a Scotland XI.
The Scots played Israel, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Auckland Provincial, Vancouver All Stars and New Zealand Under-23’s, winning every game.
At the time the matches were not recognised as full internationals.
However in 2021 the SFA announced the games against Canada, Australia and Israel from that tour would be upgraded to full international status.
That also meant ‘King of the Beach End’ Harper’s five goals against Canada counted as coming in a full international – and a joint Scotland scoring record.
Harper said: “It is a real honour to be presented with a medal for scoring five goals for my country.
“I’m absolutely delighted.
“The only other person to score five goals for Scotland is Hughie Gallacher.
“I was only 19-years-old at the time and it was a special feeling to score so many.
“I never imagined that 55 years later I would receive a medal for it.”
‘It was my job, scoring goals for fun’
The SFA’s decision to upgrade those games elevated Harper’s international cap count from four to five.
It also allowed players who never officially played for the national team before or after to each be given a commemorative cap.
Legendary former Aberdeen and Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson was one of those previously uncapped players.
Sir Alex received his cap on the pitch at Hampden at half-time in the 3-2 World Cup qualifier win against Israel in October 2021.
For Harper, 76, the five goals against Canada on June 13, 1967 held extra significance as they came in front of family.
Aberdeen’s all time leading scorer with 205 goals, Harper said: “My mum’s family lived in Canada.
“Her brother and his wife and daughter Anne-Marie were at the game.
“They also brought a lot of Scottish people they were friendly with.
“They were all singing ‘Joey Harper, Joey Harper’ which was fantastic.
“It was extra special to have family there to see me score five goals.
“I was allowed to go to their house that night for dinner.
“At that age it was my job, scoring goals for fun.”
‘Scoring five was a dream come true’
Harper came off the bench, and scored, in a previous match on the tour when Scotland beat New Zealand under-23s 7-2 in Wellington.
The six week tour coincided with one of the greatest periods in Scottish football history when Celtic and Rangers both reached European finals.
Celtic became the first British club to win the European Cup when beating Inter Milan in Portugal in Lisbon on May 25, 1967.
Rangers faced Bayern Munich in the Cup-Winners’ Cup final, losing 1-0 after extra-time in Nuremberg on May 31.
The first game of Scotland’s tour was a 2-1 win against Israel on May 16 in Tel Aviv.
As a result players from Celtic and Rangers were not involved in the touring party which was primarily made up of young, promising talent.
Harper, who was inducted into the SFA Hall of Fame in 2019, said: “I scored in my appearance before Canada.
“However Canada was my first start and to score five goals was a dream come true.
“People may say it was only Canada but they were a decent side and a lot of their team played in America.
“As a teenager to go to all those countries and then score five goals was a brilliant experience.
“I wasn’t even with Aberdeen at the time, I was with Huddersfield.
“I went to Aberdeen in 1969-70.”
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