Cross-border rivalry set for prolongued activity

Discussions regarding a return match between England and Scotland at Hampden Park have taken place between the respective football associations, it is understood.

However, the date for any match is dependent on the qualifying draw for the 2016 European Championship, which takes place in February next year.

The two countries met on Wednesday night at Wembley for the first time in 14 years to celebrate the Football Association’s 150th anniversary year, with England coming from behind twice to win 3-2 in front of 80,000 fans.

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While there is widespread appetite for the fixture to become a regular part of the international calendar again, particularly north of the border, the Scottish Football Association’s friendly strategy for a two-year period will hinge on the European draw to be made in France.

If England and Scotland were drawn together in the same group, then that would obviously negate the need for a friendly fixture.

Prospects of a reverse game in Glasgow were enhanced by the good behaviour of over 20,000 of the Tartan Army in London.

After his side’s defeat, Scotland manager Gordon Strachan was left to try and piece together the lessons his team must learn from such a disappointment.

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Strachan wants his team to show more steel and concentration after squandering the opportunity to record a result which would have had fans buzzing for years.

Strachan, the former Leeds player and Middlesbrough manager, said: “I feel huge disappointment for everybody. It could have been a result you’d be talking about in 40 years’ time.

“There are things I liked but our concentration went at times.

“That was the defining thing. It wasn’t work rate, it was concentration that cost us.

“When we lost a couple of our more experienced players the game went away from us.”

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