Thousands of football fans across the city will be at fever pitch tonight as the national team looks to end 22 years of hurt and qualify for next year’s European Championships.
Only Serbia stand in the way of Steve Clarke and his players and a spot at the re-arranged tournament next summer – and thousands of eyes across Tayside will be tuned in and hoping for a positive result.
The current Covid-19 restrictions mean the travelling Tartan Army fans won’t be in attendance, nor will those staying at home be able to watch the game at their local boozer, but it hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm for the big game.
‘We’re all devastated we can’t make it to the game’
Billy Douglas, who runs the Menzieshill Tartan Army bus to Scotland’s games at Hampden, will be watching at home tomorrow night – but has planned ahead in case there’s reason to celebrate at the final whistle.
He said: “I’ve taken Friday off work so I’ll be having several beers watching the game.
“I stayed in to watch the Israel game last month because I was worried it would go to extra time and I’d miss it because of the 10pm curfew.
“Some of the other boys went to the Charleston Bar and right enough they got chucked out before the end of the game!”
With it being Scotland’s biggest game in many years, Billy admits he and his fellow Tartan Army footsoldiers can’t believe they won’t be there to roar the team to victory.
“You’ve got to embrace the moment… have that self-belief – in yourself and your teammates. You need to do it together.”
24 hours to go – let's do this.#SRBSCO pic.twitter.com/s9csZcxeFv
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) November 11, 2020
He added: “We’re all devastated we can’t make it to the game. At the start of the year we were looking at getting to Norway, because we thought that’s who we would end up getting in the final, and were going to book flights from Birmingham at a £40 return but obviously Covid happened.
“In terms of away games, we’ve only had one direct flight and it’s a case of just getting to the games in whichever way possible.
“The strangest place we’ve been so far is probably Albania and that was for a nothing game – so it’s absolutely gutting we can’t make it to this one.
“We’d even looked up the price of a pint in Serbia, so we can’t believe we won’t be able to have a few over there.”
‘If we get the first goal then I’ll be confident’
Mike Andrews, committee member of the Carnoustie Tartan Army, said he was quietly confident Clarke’s team could pull it off in Belgrade.
“I wouldn’t say I’m overly confident, Serbia are a good team but Scotland have been resolute recently,” Mike said.
“If we get the first goal then I will be much more confident in our ability to see the game out.”
The Carnoustie club would have had fans travelling to the game tonight in normal circumstances, and Mike admits it will be a strange experience to watch at home.
He said: “The Carnoustie Tartan Army has been going for around four years and there has been a flag at every game.
“There are at least half a dozen of our members who save up and go to every game home and away.
“About 50 of us went to the game against Ireland a few years ago in Dublin and it was a special trip. The Temple Bar was something else.
“So it will be strange having to watch the game at home.
“It’s even stranger that we can’t go to the pub. Ordinarily we’d go to The Stag in Carnoustie but that will be off the cards this time.
“Hopefully Scotland can get the result we all want though.”
‘I think we might sneak a 1-0 victory’
On the streets of Dundee, fans are in a buoyant mood ahead of Thursday’s big game.
Supporters will be forced to watch from home but that coupled with the torrential rain in the city this week hasn’t dampened their spirits.
John Robbins, from Whitfield, said: “I’ve almost lost track of what’s going on with international football given the tournament should have been held this year.
“I do think we might sneak it with a 1-0 victory but knowing Scotland as we all do it might go catastrophically wrong but I think it would be a major lift for the country if the boys could do the business.”
Esther Robbins said she “vaguely” remembers the hype surrounding Scotland’s last appearance at a major tournament at in 1998.
Despite not being the biggest football fan in the world she said she was “quietly confident” Steve Clarke’s men could achieve victory.
She added: “I think the whole of Scotland is needing some optimism at the moment, so I’m going to say with some positivity we could win 2-1.
“It is exciting that we at least have the opportunity to qualify.”
Scott Gourlay, who was only 9 days old when Scotland competed against Brazil in France in 1998 will be watching the game at his flat in the city.
He said: “It is a bit of downside that the fans can’t be there and the pubs can’t be open to screen it.
“Although the football hasn’t been great to watch in recent fixtures we have been grinding out victories so I think we can get a win tomorrow.”
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