IT WAS the moment Rangers and Celtic players put aside their on-the-pitch rivalries to play for The Queen.

As part of her 1977 Silver Jubilee visit, The Queen visited Hampden to watch the first half of the match between Glasgow Select and the English League. The former won, 2-1.

Glasgow Times:

“The Queen received a rousing pre-match welcome as she arrived on to the pitch to be introduced to the players,” we reported, on May 17.

Kenny Dalgleish, Alan Rough, Derek Johnstone, Willie Ormond, Danny McGrain and Sandy Jardine were all in the Glasgow team which also included players from Partick Thistle and Queen’s Park.

The kit was especially designed for the match, with green and blue stripes to represent Celtic and Rangers, a red and yellow collar for Partick Thistle, red shorts for Clyde and black and white socks for Queen’s Park.

The English League side included players from Everton, Chelsea, Manchester City and Southampton.

Former Partick Thistle and Scotland goalkeeper Rough was one of the Glasgow players who met Her Majesty in the line-up.

Glasgow Times:

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime recently, he said she told him: "When she came to me she said 'Alan you play for a very small team, Partick Thistle, but you have finished fifth in the league and I have to congratulate you'.”

The Queen also congratulated Dalglish, who had just won the league and cup double with Celtic, adding: “Very nice to meet you Kenny, you have done particularly well this year.”

READ MORE: 'Guid oan ye, missus': Glaswegians remember Queen's visits to city

There were other official events, of course, during that trip - a visit to the cathedral, a stroll around Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery, which was hosting an exhibition on The Queen's 25-year reign, and a glamorous Royal Variety show at the King’s featuring Dolly Parton, The Jacksons, Frankie Howerd and David Soul, among others.

Glasgow Times:

However, it was her chat with a bunch of Govan housewives that made the front page during her Silver Jubilee visit.

Glasgow Times:

Her Majesty’s walkabout on the Southside - dubbed ‘talkabout’ by this newspaper, as she spent so long talking to people who had crowded the streets to see her, the schedule had been “thrown to the winds” - included a chat with Mrs Mary Currie, 32, her husband Albert, 41, and their three children.

However, The Queen stopped short of staying for a cup of tea - served in a cosy-covered pot with a plate of salmon sandwiches and bone china bought specially for the occasion - as she was “too busy”.

The Queen and Prince Philip did take time to chat to the neighbours, and to the Curries’ children, who had been told by their mother to “watch their manners and only speak if they were spoken to”, and Mrs Currie said the Royals made her “feel relaxed right away”.

She told the Evening Times: “She asked about the children’s school and if I went out to work, and was particularly interested when I told her I was a nurse in an old person’s home.”

READ MORE: Pictures tell the story of the Queen in Glasgow over the decades

Mrs Currie added: “I’ll never forget this day for the rest of my life.”

Many people in the crowds at George Square agreed. The Queen took time to stop and talk to Glaswegians of all ages amidst the crowd of 60,000.

“Glasgow belonged to The Queen and The Queen belonged to Glasgow today,” we reported.

“Even those who couldn’t get a glimpse of her in George Square were still cheering as she sat down to the official lunch in the City Chambers.”