Mission accomplished - Clarke's boldly going to the big stage at last

Tartan Army pain that evaporated into the Hampden sky.

- BY MICHAEL GANNON

Steve Clarke's personal World Cup anguish was finally put to bed as the Scotland manager achieved a lifelong dream.

Little wonder the gaffer savoured those incredible scenes at the national stadium.

Rewind 35 years and the picture could not have been more different for him.

Clarke was part of Andy Roxburgh’s 26-man group that headed to Genoa in the spring of 1990 as part of their build up for the World Cup in Italy a few months later.

By the time the boarding passes were handed out that summer, the then-Chelsea right-back was left in the departure lounge.

It was another kick in the teeth for a player who had been close to making it to Mexico four years earlier and was still knocking on the door for France in 1998.