Exclusive:Meet Scotland's forgotten record holder bidding to be World Cup wildcard alongside 'standout' ex-teammates
The Scottish striker is making a case for an inclusion into Steve Clarke’s squad with his early season form.
Scotland’s strong start to their World Cup qualification campaign has raised hopes that maybe - just maybe - Steve Clarke's men can finally end their 28-year exile from the global stage next summer.
A 0-0 draw with Denmark followed by a comfortable 2-0 win against Belarus earlier this month has given Scotland real hope that qualification can be secured. And while the likes of Scott McTominay, Andy Robertson, and John McGinn would be shoo-ins for a place in the squad should they make it, there’s one wildcard option hoping his strong early-season form can see him re-enter the international spotlight and bag him a seat on the plane next to some of his former teammates. Step forward Fraser Hornby, Scotland under-21s’ all-time record goal-scorer with ten goals in 18 appearances.
The 26-year-old ex-Everton academy talent had become something of a forgotten man in recent years following his departure from Merseyside five years ago. Labelled as a forward with a “Duncan Ferguson-esque” ability to bully centre-backs during his teenage years, his instinctive goal-scoring ability made him a prime candidate to be Scotland’s No 9 for years to come. It hasn’t quite materialised for him - yet.
Hornby went on loan to Kortrijk in Belgium from Everton before moving to French side Reims permanently in 2020. He struggled to become a first-team regular in Champagne country and a loan move to Aberdeen - his only spell with a Scottish club - in 2021 was hardly vintage either, not finding the net in ten league appearances. However, a return to Belgium with Oostende a year later renewed his confidence and after bagging eight goals on loan, and he earned a permanent transfer to German side Darmstadt the following summer. But just three months into the move, a serious ankle injury brought a premature end to the 2023/24 season.
Fast forward to 2025, and the big striker on the comeback trail. Free of the injuries that had punctuated the early stages of his career, he has claimed three assists in his opening five league games after moving into a No 10 role. Hornby and Darmstadt are thriving in the opening stages of the new 2. Bundesliga season, bringing renewed hope that he could yet have a future at the international level.
“Darmstadt is probably the first place in my career that felt like I was at home since I was at Everton,” Hornby told The Scotsman. “The move has been really good for me on the pitch as well. Everybody's great here. It's a family-oriented club. My family loves coming over here as well. When I first went to Belgium on loan from Everton. I was 18 or 19, and it was something that not many people did at that time.
“I had options to go to League One in England. I was thinking about what I want from the game. I want to play in the biggest games possible. To be honest, I never really heard much about Kortrijk, but I knew that there was some interest there. Then, looking at the league, you've got Club Brugge and Anderlecht, all these like big games. I thought, ‘Can I go there to test myself against these teams that are playing in the Champions League?’ That's probably the best decision I’ve made in my career, because as soon as I made that step, it opened me up to a lot of different places around Europe. I'm really glad that I did it.
“Germany has been the most similar to the UK in terms of the culture and I feel like the people have a similar approach to life. I've been away from the UK for quite a long time now, you forget what it was like before, and this has just become my normal. Especially in a football environment, you've got so many different cultures, compared to when I first started. I came three years ago. We've got a lot of variety and nationalities and cultures. That's also one of the perks of being a footballer. You get to experience people from all around the world.”
Hornby’s career has already taken him to England, Scotland, and France despite career still being in its relative infancy. However, after the varied career path of his younger years, the north-western city of Darmstadt is beginning to where he feels most at home. Famed for being one of the country’s cultural hubs, it has been dubbed the ‘City of Science’ due to its rich history in technology and engineering. Into his third season at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor, he wants to engineer some history of his own by guiding his side to promotion to the German top flight this season.
His desire to represent Scotland on the senior international stage is clear and he is refusing to give up hope of a call-up to the senior squad. Having grown up playing alongside the likes of Billy Gilmour and Lewis Ferguson at youth level, the imposing forward hopes his good form at Darmstadt can still catch head coach Clarke’s eye in the process.
“Billy Gilmour was always someone who stood out,” he recalled. “We were roommates together for three years with the under-21s. He came into the setup at 16 or 17. I'd never seen somebody that young be so good and impact games the way that he did. It's no surprise to see how his career is developing.
“The same goes with Lewis Ferguson, who is also a good friend of mine. I’ve played with him since the under-17s with Scotland. He was underrated. I always say he was the best person I've ever played with at winning fouls. The things he did as a teammate, you realise how good he is and how difficult some of the things he does are. Maybe doesn't get the recognition from the outside, but to me, it's no surprise that he is the captain of Bologna now and doing really well over there.
“For myself, there are still [international] ambitions. This is something I would really like to do. I think the more I play here and show performances, the more they will look at me for a place in the squad. I spoke to Steve Clarke when I was still playing for the under-21s, and we talked about the importance of playing football regularly and performing well. I think I've done that for a while now.
“There hasn't been any contact recently, and I don't know how many people follow the 2. Bundesliga, but I hope that if I continue to perform, I'll get on their radar.”
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