It's weird being an Englishman in Scotland sometimes but yesterday was brilliant...

...well, it seems brilliant if but a little hazy. Just about recovering from yesterday’s alcohol fuelled antics. Watched the England game in a fellow Englishman’s flat literally three streets away from Hampden – we heard the cheers through the open windows. Prior to the game we’d had a few beers in a boozer near Queens Park and the atmosphere amongst the tartan army was absolutely electric, the boozer was bouncing. I have to say, that England could learn a lot from the guts and determination of McLeish’s squad. I know it’s probably easier to get yourself up for games against the likes of Italy and France and they’ve not had the injury worries England have had but hats off to them, a superb work ethic and a set of fans that don’t boo their own players but create an electric and intimidating atmosphere. After the game the flat was invaded by my mate’s in-laws – all decked out in the usual tartan army paraphernalia – singing amongst other things, “Tell Andriy Shevchenko-o-o, that we’re top of the group and he’s no-o-o” along with the Sound of Music’s “Doe-Re-Me” as they’re obviously getting pretty confident they’re off to Austria.

We then put our footballing rivalries aside and headed into Waxy O’Connors to watch the rugby. My mate and I were the only two Englishman in the pub – well the only ones singing swing low - with the majority of the pub being Irish and Scots vociferously cheering every French tackle, and making strange hand signals in our direction. It was such a great feeling at the end with even the most vocal of ‘French supporters’ coming up to shake our hands. It really was an English performance that showed similar spirit and determination levels to the earlier performance by the McLeish’s team at Hampden. I really hope England and Scotland qualify for 2008, and we meet Scotland at some point in the tournament, as well as England retaining the World Cup in Paris. If we do I just hope the banter can remain as humorous and friendly as I witnessed yesterday evening.