It was NEVER a free kick to Italy!

Spent the morning at the Church Christmas Fayre spending money I don't have on things I don't need to increase a waistline that is growing too much. Ah, the joys of the festive season!

Then it was the wait for the big game. Could Scotland go all the way with a win against the World Champions... Nervous anticipation was the name of the game as we watched the clock tick round to 5pm and then the family settled down on the sofa to find out if our dreams would come true

If ever there was a parable for what it is to be a Scotland fan it was this evenings events at Hampden Park. When Barry Ferguson that equaliser scored my son and I screamed so loudly that so much my wee daughter (she's only 2) though we were in pain and she got distressed! When Christian Panucci scored that sucker punch from a seriously dubious free kick my 9 year old son wept literally on my shoulder. I told him experiences like tonight are character forming but I don't think he believes his character needs that much forming.

Close but no cigar is as it ever was with Scotland. Yet somehow, it felt that at least this time, the feeling of pride for what had been achieved in getting so close was based on something real not our usual bravado. The climb from 88th in the FIFA rankings under Berti Vogts to 13th or there abouts is no mean feat, so well done to the team and everyone involved.