Well done Scotland, but we’re not talking Braveheart levels of tactical brilliance and endeavour here

It’s a decent narrative as Scotland hadn’t qualified for anything substantial since 1998, but even so context has to be delivered.

There are 55 countries in UEFA and 24 of them have qualified for a bloated, both in terms of numbers and host countries, finals.

And when you consider the complete dross in the competition like San Marino, Andorra, Gibraltar and Northern Ireland it was actually more difficult not to qualify.

If 24 teams at the finals becomes the norm England, Germany, France, Belgium and Spain and any other superpowers should be awarded byes to the final stages, just to save time.

Back in the day the European Championships used to be the best football tournament in the world because there were only eight strong teams involved and you had to hit the ground running to get anywhere. Even limited coaches like Gareth Southgate couldn’t possibly cock qualification up these days, even with Harry Maguire and Eric Dier in his squad.

Qualification was so easy this time around four of the five teams from Wales’ original group got through!

And yet Scotland scraped home by beating the might of Israel and a past-it Serbia team on penalty shootouts.

We’re not exactly talking Braveheart levels of fight, passion, tactical brilliance and endeavour here.

Comediennes Jimmy Krankie and Nicola Sturgeon could probably have negotiated a path through to the finals, although how the latter will cope with an inevitable duffing by England at Wembley next year is anyone’s guess. Not well I guess.

Even a tough initial group wasn’t an issue. Scotland finished miles behind Belgium and Russia and yet will compete alongside them at the finals.

As an aside I always wonder why we English are expected to join in the applause when our noisy neighbours Scotland and Wales achieve any sporting success.

Understandably those countries are never afraid to show their displeasure when England fail, something that should always be reciprocated. It’s like expecting Posh fans to cheer on Northampton Town’s battle against relegation from League One.

One of my favourite memories of international football is the 1978 World Cup when England didn’t even qualify leaving Scotland to enjoy UK bragging rights and boy did they brag. ‘We’re on the march with Ally’s (manager Ally MacLeod) army,’ was a popular refrain at the time, right up until Scotland were humiliated by Peru and Iran in the group stages, despite the presence of top talent like Graeme Souness and Kenny Dalglish.

It was a joyous time to be an English football fan.

*Scotland’s achievement was still more worthy than Wycombe Wanderers’ winning promotion to the Championship on a flawed points per game formula.