England won 2-0 over Trinidad and Tobago, goals by Crouch and Gerrard. Mr. McConnell will not be delighted, especially on the day where his anti-English attitudes have once again been clearly demonstrated by his introduction of top-up university fees for English students studying in Scotland - "to discourage a flood of students from south of the border (including Wales)".

Not liking the English has been a vote winner in Scotland since William Wallace. Unfortunately it is also a reason why more and more the English are preparing to set Scotland adrift after a suitably long period of penury. The hostility to the English stems from a history of such things as invasions and clearances and the odd Jacobite rebellion here and there. If the Scots can't get over these minor impediments and exploit the opportunities inherent in an England whose economy is still one of the strongest in Europe, then they aren't as "canny" as they pretend to be.