Gordon Strachan Named Two British Footballers as His ‘Toughest’ Opponents

Scottish footballing legend Gordon Strachan has revealed that midfielder Drew Busby and defender Stuart Pearce were the two toughest opponents he ever faced as a player.

Remembered for his longevity, Strachan enjoyed a 23-year-long career as a player, starting out with Dundee in his native Scotland before moving to Aberdeen. At Pittodrie, under the management of a certain Sir Alex Ferguson, Strachan enjoyed success as Aberdeen successfully disrupted the hold that Rangers and Celtic had on the Scottish top flight.

After seven years with Aberdeen, Strachan moved south of the border, where he would play for a further 13 years. Five of those years were with Manchester United, who Ferguson joined two years after Strachan’s move. The midfielder gradually fell out of favour, leading to a surprise move to the Second Division to join Leeds United, with whom he became a cult hero.

Strachan spent six years in West Yorkshire before a two-year stint with Coventry City to round out his playing days at 40 years old. Across such a brilliant career, Strachan has now pinpointed the two toughest players that he either played with or against.

Strachan Feared Pearce And Busby

Scotland international found both tough to play against

Comfortable as a midfielder or a forward, Drew Busby is best remembered for his six-year stint with Heart of Midlothian in the 1970s, during which time he faced Strachan as part of both Dundee and Aberdeen.

Busby, who played for 18 years, was clearly a figure that struck fear into Strachan. Speaking to Jeff Stelling on his Football’s Greatest series, Strachan stated:

“This was about 15 minutes (before full-time), and I basically kept away from him. At the end of the game, he came running across and I thought, ‘he’s going to smack me,’ and he shook my hand and went, ‘Well done, that’s more like it.’”

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Busby was not the only player that Strachan found tough on the pitch. The second name mentioned by the Scottish international was none other than “Psycho,” Stuart Pearce, who was best known for his 12-year tenure at Nottingham Forest across the 1980s and 1990s.

An unforgiving defender and notorious hardman, Pearce was as known for his character as he was for his ability, which included prowess from set pieces and being a threat in attack. In the tackle, though, there were few with more aggression and conviction than Pearce.

“Stuart Pearce was one that was just too hard for me to handle,” Strachan explained.

“So, I invented playing between the lines, I was 20 years ahead of everybody. He’d have to come and find me, rather than putting myself out as a self-sacrifice.”