Strachan: Irish tie tops Auld Enemy clash

Gordon Strachan admits Scotland’s forthcoming joust with traditional rivals England at Celtic Park will play second fiddle to their European Championship qualifying clash with Republic of Ireland four days earlier.

For a century and more, the annual meeting with the Auld Enemy was the highlight of the international football calendar for many of the Tartan Army.

It was disbanded for various reasons in 1989, since which time the teams have met at Euro 1996 and in a two-legged European Championship play-off in 1999, with the fixture then resurrected last year in the shape of a challenge at Wembley and the reciprocal game arranged for November 18 at Parkhead.