Finally we had a sob story whole nation enjoyed
My youngest son Zak is made of stern stuff and seldom does he cry.
It takes a lot to get the waterworks flowing but a Scotland win and qualification for a major finals had tears of joy streaming down his face.
It’s an image I won’t forget and it summed up the magnitude of a moment which brought a ray of hope into every household in the country.
I’ll get to Zak in a minute but first, here’s how it all unfolded.
It was the biggest roller coaster ever. If Gogglebox had been placed into my house or any in the country then it would have made for box office viewing.
Everything about the game, how it played out, the emotional drain of hope, despair and ultimate joy was something we’ve rarely encountered as a nation used to hard luck stories.
Elation became anger and rage before the happiest of endings with relief and euphoria and a bit of disbelief at what had just transpired.
When Serbia equalised at the end of normal time, some of the language in the Holt household was the bluest of blue.
When extra-time began I headed into the kitchen to make a coffee as I’d seen this Scotland movie before and the belief and optimism was draining from me. I thought that was us, another case of Sod’s law.
We’ve all watched Scotland fail and there’s always the one negative voice in the house that shouts, ‘See, I told you what would happen.’
Then we reached the penalty shoot-out and it was back on to the couch and telling the family to calm it.
Watching David Marshall’s look of disbelief and the army of team-mates charging his way to celebrate was just something I didn’t think I would ever see.
When it was over I went into Zak’s room, where he had been watching the game with his pals over FaceTime. I saw his face and you’d have thought he’d been crying his eyes out for the last half hour.
It was an emotional moment for the two of us but going into the game I had confidence, based on what I had seen from this Scotland side under Steve Clarke.
That togetherness and camaraderie was clear to see and that can carry you places.
Everyone giving their maximum and pulling in the one direction.
Look at the scenes in the dressing room after the game, that’s something you can’t manufacture. Believe me, a side is either bonded as one or it isn’t and the party mood after full-time spoke volumes about the spirit which had been built within the group.
It was so potent and powerful that Serbia couldn’t cope with it.
There are no egos. Nobody acts the part of being the guy who plays for a big club and looking down on someone who plays for a wee club. Everyone is together.
I watched Ryan Christie’s tearful interview at the end, it summed up everything we have been through as a nation perfectly. Word for word he spoke for an entire country.
Yes, he plays for Celtic, he’s a star player and gets the adulation but he’s just a normal guy, like the rest of us. He’s only desperate to do well.
So well done Scotland but, typically, there’s a sting in the tail. We wait 22 years to reach a major finals and the passports will remain in the drawer, as two games are in Glasgow and one in London. That’s enough to make you greet!