SpawnPoint

From today's news: -

"THE Tartan Army scored an amazing victory in Georgia - before a ball was even kicked.

Citizens of this impoverished country have taken the travelling fans to their hearts for lavishing disabled children with clothes, toys and cash.

Locals turned out at Tbilisi Airport yesterday morning to welcome around 300 Scots with a medley of traditional folk songs. And by the time the day was through, Georgian TV was broadcasting special news programmes about the generous visitors from afar.

The Tartan Army's impact came as the national team prepared for a match which could see us make it to the Euro 2008 finals.

We've already beaten France and Ukraine to top the qualifying group. If we beat Georgia tonight and France draw with Lithuania, we've qualified. France could only end up with the same points as Scotland - and our two wins against the World Cup finalists mean we go through. If both France and Scotland win tonight, we need just a draw in our final game - at home to World Cup winners Italy next month.

Yesterday, though, the focus was on Georgia - and the Tartan Army made an immediate impact in the country.

Denis Keefe, Britain's ambassador to Georgia, joined Scotland fans at a gift-delivery event for First Step, a day centre for mentally and physically disabled youngsters. The 49-year-old diplomat said: "I think this is fantastic. These guys might be here for a football match but they are really helping to put Scotland on the map. "Everything I had previously heard about the Tartan Army is true. They are brilliant ambassadors for their country."

Several dozen travelling supporters got in some early practice at First Step, on the outskirts of Tbilisi. They played Scotland the Brave on their pipes and encouraged the kids to beat the drum for their country. Musician Craig Shepherd, 36, from Edinburgh, said: "It's been a privilege to come here and share a little bit of Scotland with the kids."

The Scots watched a five-a-side football match involving the squealing youngsters and later attended a barbecue at the centre with Ambassador Keefe. A hospital linked to the centre will receive baby care equipment costing £15,000 thanks to the generosity of the Scots. Mum Nana Zakareishvili explained that until her 17-year-old son Mishiko was 14, he had nowhere to go during the day. Nana, 35, said: "When First Step opened, he was able to come to school for the first time. I am very satisfied because he is learning skills and is happy to go to school every morning."

And people wonder why the Scots fans are loved all over the world when we travel.

I'm still just trying to figure out how I can explain to Debbie that if we qualify for Euro 2008 i'm gonna be in Austria and Switzerland for a week or so before we go to Corfu for our vacation LOL.

Come on the Scots!!

Well i'm just getting ready to head to our National Stadium to watch Scotland in their crunch Game against the Ukraine!

We're currently top of the qualifying group with 3 games to go and a point ahead of Italy and 2 ahead of France with 3 games left to play.

56000 Scots all singing "Flower of Scotland" is going to really get the adrenaline pumping and my heart racing.

It's funn, because at the start of qualification no one gave us a hope in hell of qualifying as we had the current World cup champions AND the runners up in our qualifying group but here we are, top on merit and aiming to stay there.

I must admin i'm really, really proud to be Scottish at the moment and, hopefully, with luck we'll get a result today and move onto Wednesdays game against Georgia knowing another win will see us qualify!

I'll be on later, probably the worst for wear and totally hoarse.

Good luck to both England AND France in the rugby world cup finals later today although in true Scots fashion I hope France win ;)