International Games | 12th - 19th November '25

Got nothing against the Scots in general, been there many times, always agreeably. Hiked in Black Isle, and on Lewis and Harris. Been in Edinburgh twice for the festival. Didn't even get any mither in Glasgow (although my Edinburgh friend couldn't believe I was catching the train over to visit the city — he said to me “Why would you or anyone go there!?”). Even walked all the way out to Celtic Park along the Clyde. Wanted to visit Ibrox, pity that I didn't have time.
They seem, though, to have quite a lot against us. An ancient grudge, going back centuries. I clearly remember a couple of Home Internationals in which they beat us at Wembley. Atmosphere coming out of the stadium, and in central London for the rest of the evening, was pretty much the wild west. A bunch of them ganged up on me at one point — “Hoi, yuu — the big ****! Tek me oon!!” He kept saying it, got right in my face (Think of the Kevin Bridges bus stop sketch, and you're not far off: by the way, that's a masterpiece stand-up art, makes me laugh like a drain). But because I'm a slippy fucker, managed to talk my way out of it…
Fairly pleased for them.
What does make me dream — for them — is Curaçao. They'll be absolutely slaughtered, of course, but imagine being literally any of the inhabitants of that tiny island and thinking, “We're going to the World Cup”.
 
cant think i've enjoyed a non-city gave as much as that, really great drama right to the end, and some of the goals were brilliant ,mctominay was excellent, theirnys was really good, the 4th was special but for me the shanklin goal brought back memories of possibly the best goal every scored

 
that game was bloody nuts. How we can be so gash and yet produce goals like that beats me. Anyway, really pleased we got through. You could see what it meant to the players, good for them.
The Denmark team will wake up today and think 'did that really happen or was it a fevered nightmare'.
 
Actually shout out for Belarus who really helped Scotland to qualify. After losing their 1st 3 games by plenty (1-5 Greece A, 0-2 Scotland H, 0-6 Denmark H) and were the group whipping boys they finally grew a pair and gave Scotland a tight game in Glasgow and secured fighting draws with Denmark and Greece
 
At the start I didn't want Scotland to win, essentially because they never want England to win.

However as the game progressed I started to invest in their emotion and energy as a whole nation pulled together without any sulking over being substituted or petty club rivalries infesting the atmosphere

Then I clicked onto Twitter and Arsenal fans slating Nico O'Reilly because he's putting pressure on Lewis-Skelly.

It's not just Arsenal and it started with Ferguson telling his England players not to mix with the Liverpool lads.

However, last night provided a powerful reminder of Italia 90 and the unbridled joy of England's victory over Belgium and Cameroon in the days when we used to love the national team
 
At the start I didn't want Scotland to win, essentially because they never want England to win.

However as the game progressed I started to invest in their emotion and energy as a whole nation pulled together without any sulking over being substituted or petty club rivalries infesting the atmosphere

Then I clicked onto Twitter and Arsenal fans slating Nico O'Reilly because he's putting pressure on Lewis-Skelly.

It's not just Arsenal and it started with Ferguson telling his England players not to mix with the Liverpool lads.

However, last night provided a powerful reminder of Italia 90 and the unbridled joy of England's victory over Belgium and Cameroon in the days when we used to love the national team
Lewis Skelly is 3rd choice LB for Arsenal so no chance he's getting in ahead of O'Reilly who is a much better defender (Lewis Skelly is a midfielder originally).
 
Lewis Skelly is 3rd choice LB for Arsenal so no chance he's getting in ahead of O'Reilly who is a much better defender (Lewis Skelly is a midfielder originally).

So is O'Reilly originally. O'Reilly height means he has that great combination of physique and technical ability. Just online Arsenal fans being online Arsenal fans, because from where I am sitting Lewis-Skelly has a massive job ahead of him to get ahead of him.
 
Got nothing against the Scots in general, been there many times, always agreeably. Hiked in Black Isle, and on Lewis and Harris. Been in Edinburgh twice for the festival. Didn't even get any mither in Glasgow (although my Edinburgh friend couldn't believe I was catching the train over to visit the city — he said to me “Why would you or anyone go there!?”). Even walked all the way out to Celtic Park along the Clyde. Wanted to visit Ibrox, pity that I didn't have time.
They seem, though, to have quite a lot against us. An ancient grudge, going back centuries. I clearly remember a couple of Home Internationals in which they beat us at Wembley. Atmosphere coming out of the stadium, and in central London for the rest of the evening, was pretty much the wild west. A bunch of them ganged up on me at one point — “Hoi, yuu — the big ****! Tek me oon!!” He kept saying it, got right in my face (Think of the Kevin Bridges bus stop sketch, and you're not far off: by the way, that's a masterpiece stand-up art, makes me laugh like a drain). But because I'm a slippy fucker, managed to talk my way out of it…
Fairly pleased for them.
What does make me dream — for them — is Curaçao. They'll be absolutely slaughtered, of course, but imagine being literally any of the inhabitants of that tiny island and thinking, “We're going to the World Cup”.
Re the Glasgow / Edinburgh thingy,just remember you can have more fun at a Glasgow funeral than an Edinburgh wedding.
 
Lewis Skelly is 3rd choice LB for Arsenal so no chance he's getting in ahead of O'Reilly who is a much better defender (Lewis Skelly is a midfielder originally).
Yeah I wasn't having a go at him mate.

I just noticed that ESPN had posted an either/or poll on O'Reilly or Lewis-Skelly and it just struck me that it was such an English thing to do, and thus create more tension
 
Having been born in Scotland but lived in England since the age of 7, I am happy when either team wins/qualifies (though it's different when they play each other - Scotland all the way, then!).

I was on the edge of my seat last night - what a way to win! This is what we love about football.
 

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