At SFHG we rarely look at anything beyond the Second World War because that is the period covered almost exclusively, and to the detriment, in our opinion, of Scotland's true standing in the World Game, by the Scottish Football Museum. But this is one of the exceptions because here direct comparisons can be made

Scottish football had two Golden Eras. Best of all, and perhaps to you surprisingly, was the short period from 1921 to 1926 when, on the 3-1-0 basis, the points-won to points-possible ratio was 78%. Had we gone that might have made us winners of the 1930 World Cup. After all the American team with five somewhat journeyman Scots in it reached the semi-final, whilst, even the period from 1874 to 1887 when Scotland was de jure World Champions, the same ratio was only 73%. And this compares with the dire 1950s when it was just 22%.

Which brings us, but not directly, onto Steve Clark. In reaching this coming year's World Cup his teams have had a ratio of 54%. But then even in making it to the disappointment of the Euros it had been a point higher. Furthermore, when Craig Brown's made it to the Mondial in 1998 his ratio had been 58%, in 1986 it had been under Jock Stein and, on Stein's death, Alex Ferguson 55%, with Stein in 1982 doing it with 45%, yet Ian McColl failing to do so in 1966 with 67% but a team in the end decimated by injury.

So on the face of it for June a good degree of caution is needed. But there is a caveat and for once a good one. In the last ten games of the campaign, the ones that mattered, Clark's men achieved 63% and with a maintenance of that sort of form (and luck) there is the possibility, the God's willing, of not just a good party off it but on-field going perhaps not far far but at least further than ever before.