WHISPER it, but there’s a rather big game at Hampden Park tomorrow. It’s just such a shame there will be precious few people there to see it.

Scotland play Israel in what is effectively a one-leg semi-final to qualify for Euro 2021, the artist formerly known as Euro 2020.

Instead of a 50,000+ crowd singing their hearts out under the Mount Florida floodlights, we’re all resigned to watching from home and hoping for the best.

That doesn’t make it any less important.

It’s still our best chance in more than a decade to qualify for a major tournament for the first time in more than 20 years.

It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make sure Scotland has a place at the party when EURO 2020/21 finally kicks off next summer, which is still scheduled to have games at Hampden itself.

More than anything, it’s a chance for us all – for 90 minutes at least – to focus on something we can all agree on and get behind in this own goal of a year. Scotland.

Clearly, in normal circumstances, it would have provided a busy evening’s work for the Glasgow Taxi nightshift (and the dayshift too, for those fans kicking off early!).

It’s not just taking the Tartan Army to and from the game, it’s fans in pubs, those going early to hospitality, away fans spending a few days in the city, people partying into the night after a win.

A Scotland victory – in all sports, but football more than most – still has the power to lift the nation like little else. I can vividly remember the celebrations on the streets after famous home wins against France, Holland, England, Spain, Czechoslovakia, Australia and many more.

There’s something very special about the glow from the stadium as you drive on Cathcart Road or Aikenhead Road or any road which will get you and your passengers as close as you can get.

Most Glasgow Taxi drivers like me love their football, we remember the good old days of some truly great Scotland teams and we just want the next generation to enjoy a taste of it.

We’ve always been able to boast a right good team of ex-players among our fleet as well, such as Ally Hunter, Bobby Houston, Charlie Gallagher and Willie Fernie (rest in peace) to name a few.

Football is in our blood. It’s everywhere in our city. And it’s in our taxis too.

So come 7.45pm tomorrow night we can all unite and wish Scotland the very best of luck in our biggest game in years.

Hopefully, without waiting too long till the next one!

Stay safe.