SCOTLAND v ENGLAND: 1 DAY TO GO
WIN IT... special. I grew up watching these games and dreaming of playing in them. It would be brilliant to be involved in one.”
To score in one would be even better and with Mulgrew renowned for having a left foot like a wand in dead-ball situations, he could be a threat if Scotland can force some free-kicks in dangerous places.
Although that is an area where Mulgrew feels Gordon Strachan’s talented squad is particularly blessed.
He said: “There are a few good takers in the team – so to dream of actually taking a free-kick would be a start!
“We have Snoddy, Barry Bannan, a lot of good free-kick 1976: takers, never mind left-footed ones. Hopefully I can get one because I would be confident if I did get a free-kick in the final third.”
It’s at the other end where Mulgrew will be needed most however as the Scots strive to follow up on the success of the previous qualifier when the first clean sheet in seven games helped Strachan’s side to a 1-0 win over Slovenia.
Much has been made of central defence being a problem position for Scotland over the past few failed campaigns but in Mulgrew and Russell Martin, Strachan might just have found his favoured partnership.
Mulgrew said: “We played CHARLIE MULGREW CLOSE YER LEGS RAY, KING KENNY’S ON MARK... 1984: really well to get the clean sheet against Slovenia – but that comes from the whole team.
“A lot of the time the back four get the credit but we know how hard the people in front of us work and how they make our job a bit easier.
“It is a team game. We take confidence from it. But it is a whole new challenge again this time around and we need to be ready for it.
“We know it is not going to be easy. We are underdogs, they have top-class players all over the pitch.
“We aren’t kidding ourselves. We know how hard it is going to be but we are up for the game and are going to give it everything we have got.” MARK MCGHEE’S BELTER STUNS SHILTON... 1985: BIG GOUGH AT THE BACK POST
always have a chance