Alan Nelson Dick

I have watched Scotland for the best part of fifty years and have been both proud and embarrassed, happy and sad … and witnessed very memorable moments in many games. 

Denis Law destroying a very good Czech side in the early sixties, John Greig scoring late to beat the Italians. Being present at Annfield and being ecstatic, the same at Cardiff then being distraught. 

Cheering brilliant goals by Gilzean, Dalglish, McCoist, Johnston, McFadden et al. I enjoyed the skills of Johnstone and Henderson, the arrogance of Slim Jim and the all-round play of the teams of these eras. 

I suffered at Wembley for the 5-1 horror show .. and suffered never actually being there when we beat England. But all that paled into insignificance when I went to Paris in 2007.

The whole experience of Paris. Being there with two of my sons. Taking part in that ‘Oh so memorable march /walk / singsong’ from the Eiffel Tower to the Parc de Princes. 

I don’t think that I have ever heard Flower of Scotland sung so lustily from all round the stadium. Then I witnessed James McFadden’s goal. Celebrating in the ground and after the game will live in my memory forever.

That wasn’t even the best game of that campaign. The game at Hampden when we took Ukraine apart was magnificent. 

But Paris had THE GOAL.

If I am fed up or feeling down, I just watch THE GOAL again, or rewind Gordon McQueen’s description of THE GOAL on Sky, or listen to the Radio Clyde commentary by Peter Martin of THE GOAL, or simply watch The Tartan Army march on YouTube. 

Paris was my defining memory of the many wonderful memories watching Scotland over the last fifty years.