For all St. Johnstone supporters, season 1999/2000 spelled the end of an era.
More significantly, it also spelled the end of an era for fans' favourite Allan
"Biscuits" Preston who, aged 30, ended a memorable 6 year association with the club
when he was forced to hang up his boots due to injury.
On this page we celebrate the
Perth career of Il Biscotti and look back on the world famous Biscuits For Scotland
campaign, a crusade organised by blueheaven which captured the imagination of the
support and gripped Scottish Football in places of it's anatomy which had previously
remained ungripped...
12th January '98
The earliest rumblings of the campaign can be traced back to this date. Saints lose 3-2 to
Hearts in a Premier League match, with Scotland boss Craig Brown, doing a pundit job for
Sky Sports, commenting that Biscuits is the best player on the pitch. Saints fans say
"Aye", and instantly we know we're on to the beginnings of something big.
22nd February '98
blueheaven officially launches the Biscuits For Scotland campaign, publishing a page on
the web site which invites fans to pledge their support to the cause via the technological
wizardry that is e-mail. The now sadly-invalid address dedicated to Biscuiteers is
bisc4scot@popr.prestel.co.uk, and the messages of support begin to arrive thick and fast.
25th February '98
The first major publicity coup for the crusade, as the now-defunct Fitba magazine adds its
backing. This leads to a snowball effect as various top celebs get wind of the campaign and
lend it their support. These include master World Cup tactician Ally MacLeod, top choice
looker Eva Herzigova and bulbous-haired 70s pop legend Leo Sayer.
12th April '98
With the petition now looking a bit beefier thanks to input from some of our best-loved
celebs, a first draft is posted to national team coach Craiggy B at his SFA headquarters.
23rd April '98
The pressure mounts and it's 1-0 to the Biscuiteers as the SFA are left with little choice
but to inform us of their official recognition of the campaign. News filters through that
the petition has been passed on to Wee Craig, and the nation braces itself in anticipation
of the Scotland coach's response.
1st June '98
In what begins as an innocent on-line interview with Scottish football fans, Browner is
forced into a corner and admits full knowledge of the campaign's existence. He even goes
as far as to reminisce over his days as Under-21 coach when he and Il Biscotti would often
partake in carefree games of "passy-passy" and "headers and volleys". Mr Brown, it seems,
is beginning to crack.
5th June '98
It's World Cup time and there's no place for Biscuits in the squad. However, just when it
looks like the SFA have grabbed a vital equaliser, a letter arrives at blueheaven Towers.
What's this? An envelope marked "Scottish Football Association"? You can read the contents
of that letter below...
Thanks for your communication and for your information on the "Biscuit for
Scotland" campaign.
I wish to point out that I picked Allan Preston for Scotland long before most people at
St. Johnstone had ever heard of him. He was an Under 21 internationalist from his Dundee
United days and I have followed his progress since.
Whilst I agree he has had a very good
season, I have to make value judgements on an international basis and I don't feel, at
present, he is as good as the players we have included in our squad.
I shall keep a close watch on his next season as well as careful contact with my friend,
Paul Sturrock.
Best Wishes.
Craig Brown
International Team Manager
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19th September '98
The World Cup may be little more than a distant (and bad) memory, but the campaign goes on
and the celebs continue to make known their support for Il Biscotti. This time it's done
live on television, as Helen Chamberlain and Tim Lovejoy, co-presenters of cult Saturday
morning show Soccer AM yell the words "Biscuits For Scotland!" in front of a nationwide
audience. During the same show, the backing of Scotland captain Gary McAllister is
recruited during an interview. Not only this, but the pair go on to give the campaign
regular mentions on the show every week for the remainder of the season!
5th October '98
The media continues to embrace the campaign, with well-known Saints supporter Stuart
Cosgrove becoming the latest to provide his valuable support. Cosgrove, probably best
known for presenting "Off the Ball" on BBC Radio Scotland every Saturday afternoon, was
even good enough to spill the beans over a story involving Biscuits and some stolen
under-arm deodorant during one of the team's much-fabled trips to Dublin two years
previously.
6th October '98
A new Saints fanzine is launched, and with it comes yet more publicity for the campaign.
The J-Files even goes as far as to launch a range of t-shirts, alarm clocks, mouse mats
and jigsaws featuring the "Biscuits For Scotland" logo and a picture of a penguin
underneath the phrase "P-P-P-Pick up a Preston".
12th October '98
A mention for the campaign is discovered in the St. Johnstone Unofficial Yearbook 1998/99,
appearing on the quiz page. The question reads "Which player's claims for an international
place caused the Biscuits For Scotland campaign?". Hurrah! Unfortunately, there are
universal cries of "bugger", when a quick butcher's at the answer section reveals the name
Alan Main(!). "It's good, but it's not right", as Roy Walker once said.
30th October '98
Following Biscuits' amazing 25 yard wondergoal in the 3-0 trouncing of Hearts in the
League Cup semi-final, the campaign finally gains its first mention in local propaganda
machine the Perthshire Advertiser. PA journalist Gordon Bannerman writes: "Preston, who has
become an internet cult figure with a 'Biscuits For Scotland' campaign in full stride".
14th November '98
The J-Files releases it's first issue, and includes a double-page feature on the
campaign's rise to world domination. Also included is an interview with old fan's
favourite Paul Cherry, in which he too joins the cause.
28th November '98
In a refreshing change from being a total git, football pundit Charlie Nicholas gives the
campaign a mention on national TV and even goes as far as to give it his full support.
Och, he's not that bad really, is he?
29th November '98
The team behind The Sporran Legion (a daily cartoon strip in the Scottish edition of
"The Sun") add their names to the cause.
27th March '00
Star Saint of the Decade Roddy Grant gives the campaign his backing during an interview
for Issue 2 of the blueheaven fanzine.
12th February '02
A two year lull in celebrity membership finally comes to an end when self-styled urban
songstress Shola Ama hops aboard the campaign bandwagon. Ama further endears herself to
the blueheaven team by belly-laughing at a joke beginning "Ten cows in a field. Which one
hates Iraq?" She also told us she has a Scottish grandfather. By that time, to be honest,
we'd kind of lost interest in her and her stupid stories.
Allan Preston interview here.
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One of the most amazing aspects of the campaign was the amount of top celebrities who were
willing to add their support to the crusade - and we're not just talking D-list celebs here
either. Here is the full warts-and-all list of well-known names and faces to jump on the
bandwagon and join in with the national calls of "Forza Il Biscotti!"
Ally Macleod
Proboscus monkey look-a-like who masterminded Scotland's short-lived assault on the 1978
World Cup Finals (so clearly an expert on international football then).
Leo Sayer
Pop legend with an extremely high voice (thought to have been brought about by the
gratuitous wearing of embarrassingly tight trousers for lengthy periods of time during
the mid-late 70s). Sayer, the proud owner of an absolutely gigantic head of hair, brought
us "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing". Unfortunately Sayer's desire to boogie was never
fulfilled due to the restrictive tailoring of said pants.
Eva Herzigova
Herzigova's admirable finger-on-the-pulse approach to the big issues of Scottish football
are unrivalled in the world of modelling. The Euro-babe was the only "Supermodel" to respond
to the Biscuits For Scotland campaign, which makes her alright in our book. Ave, Eva!
Helen Chamberlain & Tim Lovejoy
Co-presenters of Sky Sports' Saturday morning show Soccer AM. For the record, Helen isn't
quite as good looking as Eva, but is more attractive than Ally MacLeod.
Gary McAllister
Chrome-domed former Scotland captain. Comes from Motherwell but as far as we know still
has a job.
Stuart Cosgrove
Saints-supporting presenter of BBC Scotland's Off The Ball and Channel 4 big-wig, who not
only joined the campaign but also exclusively revealed that Biscuits is a known dealer in
stolen under-arm deodorant.
Shola Ama
High-fiving lady crooner. Sang "You Might Need Somebody" - a song we reckon may well have
been about this very campaign.
Paul Cherry
Former Saints midfielder, now running his own financial services company in Perth city
centre.
Charlie Nicholas
One time Scotland striker, now makes a living out of being extremely irritating.
Roddy Grant
Winner of our Star Saint of the Decade poll and all-round Legend.
Fitba
Dearly-departed glossy Scottish football mag, gone but not forgotten.
The J-Files
Former Saints fanzine which gave the campaign some weighty backing in producing a range
of t-shirts, alarm clocks, jigsaws and mouse mats (honestly!)
The Sporran Legion
Cartoon strip from The Scottish Sun.
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Eva Herzigova... known admirer of
the continental wing-back system
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Leo Sayer... pictured here hurtling to his death
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Shola Ama... got something in her eye
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