My first ever Scotland game was at Wembley in 1988, where Peter Beardsley scored the only goal and there was a riot on the terraces at half-time; a character-building experience for a 12 year old!

Following that, my first home match wasn’t until 9-and-a-half years later, at home to Latvia in the game that clinched qualification to the World Cup… and my first “proper” away game, against Norway in Bordeaux.

There are so many that have been absolutely superb, and the best result (1-0 against France, Sept 2007) is never in question, but in terms of the trip itself, it would probably be one of:

• Poland in 2001 – a whole week in Poland, and so many different experiences;
• Belarus 2005 – another week, and one where my fledgling Russian skills came in handy;
• Austria 2005 – Graz was an amazing party destination and a laugh from start to finish;
• Japan 2006 – complete culture shock from start to finish

I’d love to say France 98, which was great, but I was probably too young and naïve to appreciate it fully at the time, having that “we’ve got this to look forward to every 2 years” idealism at the time! I also had a surprisingly good time in Moldova, but due to food poisoning and other stories, that’s not a view shared universally by the NATA members who were present…

Tricky one this – there’s been so many! Again, I’d need to narrow it down from one of the following:

• Stade de France
• Yokohama (big, but too far from the pitch)
• Busan World Cup Stadium
• San Siro (great from the outside, facilities are absolutely shocking though!)
• Olympiastadion in Munich, for its sheer iconic status
  

I’ve owned two glengarries in the past – one fell in a taxi in Heidelberg ahead of the B game in Mannheim, and the other developed an unusual odour having been worn in the humid Japanese heat.

We’ve had some pretty minging kits over the years, including the much-feted Euro 96 tartan effort, but I’ll plump for the Fila pinstripes as my most disliked. The white away shirt with the “vomit” detail on the shoulder, circa 1996, wins it from the away choices.

I have to confess to still liking the silliness of Doe-A-Deer as well as the less controversial “walk a million miles”; the least favourite has to stand up/sit down if you hate England, as it’s a little tiresome (and does us no favours as a nation).

Aside from the euphoria of beating France in September 2007, the other biggest high is probably the Kirin Cup win, which saw Scotland become the first team from the British Isles to lift a regularly contested international trophy on foreign soil.

The lows include the 1999 play-off defeat to England, the 6-0 capitulation in Amsterdam in 2003, the near-miss in the last campaign thanks to a disastrous early goal from Italy, and paying £5 for a pint for Bruce in Norway, only for him not to drink it.

Best: Japan had a vast array of cutting edge conveniences, none more so than the “transporter room” at the Asahi Brewery Restaurant. An honourable mention also to the Braveheart-themed bog at the Highlander Styrian Restaurant in Graz.

Worst: The portaloo at FC Dacia Chisinau stadium, which Ally had to come out of, fetch his camera and return to take a photo. Majori station toilets in Latvia were also pretty special.

Southampton 3 Man Utd 1, Southampton 6 Man Utd 3 and Worthing 2 Crawley 0 are all up there, but really it has to be Southampton 3 Arsenal 2 in the last competitive game at The Dell, with Le Tissier coming on as a late sub and scoring the winner with his first touch!

Selfish inconsiderate commuters: we all have to travel the same way, so let’s be as considerate to each other as we can!? And people who say “yes, I’d like another £5 pint of lager”, then leave it undrunk for the barmaid to tip away at the end of the evening.

Also see Bruce’s list for some ideas…

1 book? A crime or spy thriller I haven’t read.

1 magazine? Something with “arty” pictures. For the stories, of course…

1 album? At the moment, it would have to be Alligator by an American band called The National.

1 film? A box set of Lost may provide some inspiration

1 beer? Schumacher Altbier.

1 spirit? Apfelkorn or Ossenkamper, both varieties of German schnapps that actually taste pleasant

And 1 famous member of the opposite sex? Lisa Snowdon, as she’d provide something soft and cosy for me to rest my weary head…