Maurice Malpas believes that seeing Scotland take part in their first World Cup in 28 years over in the United States in the coming days will inspire a new generation of youngsters to play for their country.
The national team, who will square up to Haiti in their opening Group C match on Saturday night before facing Morocco and Brazil, have not been involved in the international tournament since France ’98.
Former Dundee United full-back Malpas can still remember the huge impact that watching the finals in West Germany in 1974 and Argentina in 1978 had on him when he was a boy.
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The man who went on to represent Scotland at Mexico ’86 and Italia ’90 thinks that seeing Andy Robertson and his team mates in action will make kids across the country strive to emulate them in the years to come.
“I sat and watched the World Cup on a black and white TV when I was growing up,” he said. “Once the games were finished I was out in the back garden kicking a ball, imitating the players that I had just watched and dreaming of being part of it one day.
“I'm sure there are guys in the current Scotland squad who watched the World Cup and dreamt of being involved. Some of them weren't born the last time we were there, but they will have watched other finals and hoped to get there one day. I'm sure a lot of kids will be doing the same thing in the next few weeks.
“For a youngster, it is everything. You want to be a footballer playing in the World Cup for Scotland. I was fortunate enough to become a professional player and go on and do it a couple of times.
“I can remember watching my United team mate Davie Narey scoring his goal against Brazil at Spain in 1982 on a beach in Corfu. Even then I thought to myself, ‘I'd love to play at the World Cup’. Four years after that I was away to Mexico ‘86.”
Malpas continued, “It's a massive thrill just to get picked to go to the World Cup. To actually get picked for the games is an incredible feeling.
“You do let your mind wander a wee bit when you're listening to the national anthems before kick-off. The hairs on the back of your neck are standing up. Then, bang, you're at it, you're playing, your natural instinct takes over, you just get wired into it. It’s a massive achievement to get there and a massive thrill to play.”
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Malpas started in the matches against Denmark and West Germany at Mexico ’86 and then in the group games against Costa Rica, Sweden and Brazil at Italia ’90.
But he was unable to help the national team to reach the knockout rounds at either of those World Cups and he knows the current side will be determined to progress to the last 32 and make history this time around.
“None of us were fortunate enough or good enough to play in a team that managed to go through,” he said. “These Scotland players be wanting to get that monkey off their back and get out the group stages. That's a massive thing now.”
