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The Scotland national under-21 football team, controlled by the Scottish Football Association, is Scotland's national under 21 football team and is considered to be a feeder team for the Scotland national football team.
The team is for players of 21 years of age or under at the start of a two-year European Under-21 Football Championship campaign. Therefore players can still be playing for the Under-21s at up to 23 years old. As long as they are eligible, players can play at any level, making it possible to for example play for the U-21s, senior side and again for the U-21s. It is now also possible to play for one country at youth level and another at senior level (providing the player is eligible). James McEveley is a current Scotland international and former England U-20 player.
As a European U21 team, Scotland compete for the European Championship, held every other year. The team has qualified for the final stages of these Championships on six occasions, although not since 1996. There is no Under-21 World Cup, although there is an Under-20 World Cup.
[edit] Competition History
The team has enjoyed some success at continental level, at least relative to that of the full national side, which has only qualified twice for UEFA European Championship tournaments. Scotland have reached the last four of the tournament three times (1982, 1992 and 1996), while appearing in the quarter finals on three other occasions (1980, 1984 and 1988). The team's performance in 1992 and 1996 was sufficient to qualify for the Olympic Games in Barcelona and Atlanta, but they were unable to compete due to Scotland not being independently represented at the Olympic Games.[1]
| Year |
Progress |
| 1978 |
Did not qualify |
| 1980 |
Quarter Final |
| 1982 |
Semi Final |
| 1984 |
Quarter Final |
|
| Year |
Progress |
| 1986 |
Did not qualify |
| 1988 |
Quarter Final |
| 1990 |
Did not qualify |
| 1992 |
Semi Final |
|
| Year |
Progress |
| 1994 |
Did not qualify |
| 1996 |
Fourth place |
| 1998 |
Did not qualify |
| 2000 |
Did not qualify |
|
| Year |
Progress |
| 2002 |
Did not qualify |
| 2004 |
Did not qualify |
| 2006 |
Did not qualify |
| 2007 |
Did not qualify |
|
| Year |
Progress |
| 2009 |
Did not qualify |
| 2011 |
In progress |
|
[edit] Head coaches
Archie Knox left his post as Scotland's National Youth Teams Coach on 30 August 2007 to take up a full time with Bolton Wanderers as coaching co-ordinator, Maurice Malpas took temporary charge. In January 2008 the SFA appointed a new full time coach in Billy Stark, who left his job as manager Second Division side Queen's Park to take the poistion.
[edit] Current squad
The following players were selected for the squad to play Albania on 28 March 2009 and 1 April 2009.[2]
[edit] Recent results and forthcoming fixtures
[edit] 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
[edit] External links
Billy Stark
Netherlands 4 – 0 Scotland 
Rainer Bonhof
85' (pen.)
