CALL-UP WAS ONE FINE DAY

SCOTT BAIN bagged Falkirk's first Scotland call-up in 17 years - then revealed how he'd been FINED by his fellow Bairns for the honour. No.1 Bain relishes Bairns mates' ribbing

- BY ALAN ROBERTSON

Now the keeper, who turns 34 in a fortnight, says he won't have his head in the clouds if given the nod - especially after a debut in altitude with a carnival as his backdrop.

Bain is back in the national fold for the first time in six years after Steve Clarke turned to him, Craig Gordon and Liam Kelly for World Cup qualifiers against Greece and Denmark.

He's been a standout between the sticks for the Bairns after summer's decision to call time on his Celtic career to prioritise minutes over money.

A second 45 against Mexico in front of 71,000 before the hosts headed to the World Cup started his Scotland journey before defeat in Kazakhstan and a clean sheet in San Marino.

And the keeper says going into the Premiership new boys' dressing room is "keeping me young" - albeit he's got the experience to cope if pitched in over in Piraeus or at Hampden.

Bain, dad to Harris, 2, said: "As much as I'm pushing 34 this month, I'm always wanting to be in the action, be in the chaos and have a Scotland games ... if I can get on the TV! It's Disney channel and diggers and tractors just now."

While his caps came before Clarke's reign, Bain has worked with the 62-year-old as he quipped: "I'm a little bit out of practice on what I need to bring with me but I'll be fine!"

He added: "I always remember the Mexico game, it was the one before they were going to the World Cup.

"I was coming on at halftime. They'd a full-on carnival on the pitch while I was trying to warm up in the altitude.