Scotland stands on the edge of a moment it has waited a generation to see and the SNP is calling on fans across the country to lift the roof for Steve Clarke’s side tonight.
The national team is one win away from reaching the World Cup finals for the first time since 1998 and Hampden is expected to be alive with noise as Scotland face Denmark in a match that could bring an entire nation to its feet.
For supporters without a ticket the game will still be within reach thanks to a long running campaign by SNP politicians who pushed for Scotland’s qualifying matches to be shown on free to air television.
In years gone by Scotland supporters were forced behind a paywall while all England games were broadcast freely across the UK, a situation that created frustration among fans who felt priced out of their own national team.
After years of pressure, and cross party support, Scotland’s qualifiers were finally moved to terrestrial channels, opening the door for thousands of households to follow the highs and lows of the campaign without paying subscription fees.
Ahead of tonight’s decider SNP MSP Paul McLennan said the decision has ensured that no family is shut out of what could be one of the most emotional nights in recent football history.
He said the collective experience matters, especially on a night when Scotland once again stands within touching distance of the world stage.
“The Scotland side stand on the brink of creating history tonight and the whole country is behind Steve Clarke’s side,” he said.
“For the thousands of supporters not lucky enough to have tickets for Hampden tonight it is fantastic that all fans will be able to cheer on the team from their living rooms.”
He said the previous broadcasting arrangement failed fans for too long.
“For far too long Scotland supporters were shut out from watching the national team whilst all England matches were broadcast on terrestrial TV here in Scotland,” he said.
“The UK Government continually stonewalled questions on the matter by saying that sport is a devolved issue despite broadcasting being reserved to Westminster.”
McLennan said the shift to free to air coverage has helped rebuild that connection and that the SNP will continue pushing for all Scotland matches to be added to the official list of protected events.
He said doing so would guarantee that future generations will be able to watch the men’s and women’s teams without facing financial barriers.
“Thanks to a campaign led by SNP politicians, alongside colleagues from other parties, fans have been able to enjoy all the highs and lows of this qualifying campaign on terrestrial TV,” he said.
“We will continue to campaign for all Scotland matches to be included on the list of sporting events guaranteed to receive free to air coverage so that the future generation of Scotland fans will be able to cheer on the men and women’s international teams regardless of their household incomes.”
As the country prepares for kickoff McLennan offered one final message that echoes the feeling of stadiums, streets and living rooms across Scotland tonight.
“Good luck to Steve Clarke and the players tonight, we all believe you can do it,” he said.
“Come on Scotland.”
