The Souttar brothers have been saluted as John and Harry go from Brechin beginnings to differing World Cup dreams. They were teenage Terrors at Dundee United who shared a pathway from the tight-knit Tannadice academy to the top. Now they are World Cup stars for two countries half the world apart.
A Brotherly Bond Bolstered Over Football
Sean Dillon has watched John and Harry Souttar's journey to the greatest show on earth for the past 15 years. He reckons even the 9000 miles separating the brothers' footballing nations is nothing compared to the lengths both have gone to just to be there. In the early hours of this morning, John and Scotland got their Group C campaign underway with a 1-0 win against Haiti in Boston. Three hours later, Harry – representing his mother's native Australia – kicked off his Group D hopes against Turkey with a brilliant 2-0 win more than 3000 miles away in Vancouver.
For parents Jack and Heather, the dilemma over how to follow both is real. Yet given the obstacles their sons overcame to reach this stage, nothing seems insurmountable to the Souttars. Injuries for one. In Rangers defender John's case, that's been three separate Achilles injuries that could have curtailed his professional career but haven't. An Achilles rupture struck down Leicester City stopper Harry too – meaning he never kicked a competitive ball for 16 months until making his return two months ago. But that's nothing compared to the personal grief they endured four years ago.
Overcoming Personal Tragedy
The loss of beloved big brother Aaron at the age of 42 after a battle with motor neurone disease hit the family hard but, in the words of Harry, brought him even closer to John. Both carry the memory of Aaron – as well as their own tattoo tributes to their brother – on to the world stage in North America. Veteran defender Dillon, who stood beside both brothers when they made their respective debuts for Dundee United over a decade ago, said: "I'm absolutely buzzing for them, it's no more than John and Harry deserve. It's mental they're representing countries from different sides of the world, especially given how close-knit the family is. But it couldn't happen to a nicer family or to nicer fellas and I mean that genuinely."
Dillon added: "They are amazing people and the boys have come through a lot in their footballing careers and also in their personal life. Listen, the football quality was there to see from a very early age. A lot of talented fellas come through the academy. But you need more than that. You need to show a bit of resilience. Having the injuries that they've had and coming back from them and then kicking on again and again and again is testament to that. John in particular. Having been through what they have, to come back and do what they've done is incredible. But injuries aside, the loss of their brother.. I have no doubt that they'll say football and injuries and everything else goes out the window when you've been through something like that. Football is not the be all and end all. Although they'll be having an amazing time at the World Cup, I've no doubt they'll be missing their big brother and thinking about him all the time. They both deserve enormous credit, the injuries they've had, the personal stuff they have been through."
From Debuts to World Cup Stardom
It's 13-and-a-half years since Dillon – still playing for Montrose at the tender age of 42 – lined up beside a skinny 16-year-old John Souttar in a New Year Premiership clash against Aberdeen. Two years later it was a 6ft 6in Harry Souttar who was benefiting from his experience – if not his vocal leadership – in a 3-3 end of season clash with Partick Thistle. Dillon said: "Am I surprised how well they've done? Not at all. We knew all about them coming through from an early age and the quality both had. I remember both their debuts for different reasons. Harry's was a draw against Partick Thistle and we'd already been relegated. I struggled to help him vocally that day because I couldn't talk! I'd had a collision with Billy Mckay against Inverness the week before and it turned out I fractured a bone in my neck which stopped me from being able to talk never mind shout!"
"It was Aberdeen away for John's debut. I played centre mid that day. Peter Houston, the manager at the time, basically just said if he needs a little bit of help, give him a little bit of help. But John was great. Coming in so young, he always had that relaxed nature about him. He was just so chilled and looked so confident in everything he did. I remember John getting a hard time banter-wise because we used to do a bit of work on heading the ball and getting up and timing the jumps. I think it was Dave Bowman who described him as looking like he'd been shot out of a cannon with his hands beside his hips when he jumped! He was just 16 or 17 and so thin. But I bumped into him in Portugal a couple of years ago and, wow, he gave me a bear hug. You could see the difference in him and that shows you how much work he's put in to adapt and better himself."
Harry might also have been pulling on the navy blue in North America had his Scotland call-ups not stalled after U-19 level. After learning of his mother's Aussie nationality, the Socceroos leapt at the opportunity six years ago and the giant Leicester defender is now at his second World Cup. Dillon said: "Yeah, it's an interesting one. But these things do happen. Sometimes it's just one coach who doesn't really fancy you or you don't get picked for that one squad and somebody else comes in."
