Shaun Maloney has revealed it felt like he had just won a cup final when he banged home the winner against the Irish at Celtic Park.
The wee midfielder scored the most valuable goal of Scotland’s Euro 2016 qualifying campaign so far when he curled in the clinching strike against the Republic of Ireland with just under a quarter of an hour to go.
The Scotland fans packed into Parkhead that November 14 night went absolutely wild, as did the players and manager Gordon Strachan.
Maloney, as he looked ahead to the return clash against Martin O’Neill’s men at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday evening, revealed that his goal brought back magical memories of when his club Wigan won the FA Cup against Manchester City thanks to a last-gasp goal from Ben Watson two years ago.
Maloney, who switched career to Chicago Fire in America in January, said: “I recall that moment pretty clearly.
“I hadn’t really been in a stadium that had reacted like that for a while.
“You could probably go back to the FA Cup final at Wembley to find the last time it felt anything like that.
“Yes, it was a similar feeling to the Man City match when that part of the Celtic Park erupted so I was pretty aware at the time how everyone was feeling.”
It was such a great strike that you could forgive Maloney for taking a sneaky peak at a replay every now and again. Indeed, there will be a few hits on the internet, no doubt, as the Tartan Army get themselves psyched up for Saturday.
However, Maloney insisted: “I haven’t looked at the goal again on Youtube.
“I don’t tend to do that much.
“I am sure I will at some point though.
“I haven’t even watched the game again, although we have seen parts over the last few days as we prepare for this game.
“I remember that it was a really tense affair, which was understandable given what was at stake.
“It was one of those games, with so much pressure on, that there wasn’t much between the sides.
“It still felt like a really good match to be a part of, with the atmosphere etc.
“I don’t think this weekend’s game will be too dissimilar to that one.”
Earlier this week, Scots assistant boss Mark McGhee wasn’t too complimentary about the standard of the Major League Soccer set-up in the United States which Maloney has moved to.
McGhee questioned whether it was even as high a standard as the Championship in England but Maloney is happy with life in Chicago and doesn’t think the move has, or will, hamper his international career.
He said: “I feel that was a little harsh.
“It is really difficult to pitch it at a level.
“I have said Championship myself previously but within that you have some real top players such as Robbie Keane, Kaka and now Steven Gerrard.
“It is difficult to pigeon-hole it because you have these players coming from the highest clubs in Europe and then you have different levels of player.
“I can understand if it comes across a little bit negative from Mark but it is quite difficult to put it on a standard with another British league.
“He has watched quite a few games and if they haven’t been great then…
“Some of the matches are more physically demanding than I have been used to and I don’t think it has affected me for the last four months.
“I also think I am training as hard there as I would be in Britain.
“The lifestyle in Chicago is superb so I can’t complain.
“There are lots of things you can do there.
“I have had a lot of family across and, surprisingly, they seem to visit more often than they did when I was in Manchester!
“They are always keen to do touristy things.
“I have been to the basketball and ice hockey and thoroughly enjoyed both, although they’re very different from each other.
“The papers over there are filled constantly with baseball, the two I mentioned and even with the off-season with American football as well.”
The only sport that really matters for Maloney, though, is the football that will be on display in all its glory at Dublin on Saturday.