(Top Picture – Mount Florida)

Having grilled Danish bacon in extra time, 27 years since they last qualified, Scotland are in the 2026 World Cup, Yass!  As I write, Scots are remortgaging houses & selling kidneys to get to the Americas’ World Cup party. Since 1977’s Joe Jordan ball-punch to win a penalty against Wales at Annfield & Kenny Dalglish’s header, I don’t think Scotland has gone quite as totally bananas as we did over Scotland’s epic victory.

A succinct summary of the game was: ‘A bicycle kick, penalty, red card, tap in, another Danish equaliser, stoppage time belter & halfway line lob to secure the win, all after playing utter ‘You’ve got it right’ Humpty Mince! Perhaps the most Scotland way to qualify for the World Cup, all after Belarus miraculously drew 2 all with Denmark in Copenhagen to give us a shot at clear qualification, which we didn’t really deserve.

I have some sympathy with Denmark, who overall played better than Scotland, but oh the sheer delight when McTominay scored his towering & astonishing bicycle kick goal; the joy when Shankland tapped in & ecstatic relief when Tierney caught a Danish sklaff clearance to curl the ball past club team mate Schmeichel; & as Scots held our breath worried that the skilful Danes might snatch another equaliser, the delirium when McLean launched the ball from the halfway line to beat Casper, who gave up the ghost!

The highest causes of absences from work registered by UNISON for 2025 could now well be: 1. Flu, 2. Sprains & 3. Scotland’s 4-2 win over Denmark. But many of us have been here before, able to reflect on 8 World Cup appearances. Alas, we’ve never advanced beyond the first round of any finals & missed progression 3 times on goal difference. Oh please! Let’s break our duck this time round. What we can be sure of is much partying, bagpipe playing, kilts swaying, & friends making as the Tartan Army land in the host countries crying, “No Scotland, No Party!”

I’m all for passionate patriotism & competiton, but some values are more important. The Scottish team Steve Clarke’s put together are talented and have some good role models, humble and not too big for their boots.

Captain Andy Robertson spoke emotionally of his former Liverpool teammate ‘Diogo Jota’, who tragically died in a car accident. They used to chat about both failing to reach the last world cup with their national teams and their aspiration to reach next year’s. Andy couldn’t get his friend out of his mind, thinking that, if alive, Jota would be in the World Cup due to Portugal qualifying and that Andy now had the chance to go for both of them. I admire 31 year old Andy’s vulnerability & readiness to openly share his grief.

John McGinn makes goggles for his eyes & face on scoring a goal. It’s to encourage his nephew Jack, whose eyesight has deteriorated such that he has to wear glasses permanently & goggles for football. John saw how upset his nephew was and told him, each time he scored he’d pretend he had goggles on. Low & behold such an action has encouraged a host of young footballers not to be put off or discouraged about having to wear specs for sport, and to wear them with confidence & pride!

And Ayrshire lad Ben Gannon Doak, now playing in the English premiership for Bournemouth, speaks openly about how his Faith in Jesus Christ and spiritual disciplines of prayer, reading the Bible & fellowship with other believers, increase his confidence to train & play without fear and to the best of his ability.

The legendary Liverpool manager Bill Shankly famously said, “Some people think football is a matter of life and death, I can assure you it is much more serious than that.” I can assure you, that while fitba is important to our nation & world, there are many more important things like God, family, friendships, & your inside self, your soul, who you truly are and who you are becoming. I love how McTominay went to blow a kiss to his mum after scoring his legendary goal. Character & values which are longer lasting euphoric victories & major successes in life. Hopefully this Scotland team can give us both good examples and much more to cheer about! We’ll be Comin’!