Glasgow postcard: Irish hoping Hampden is their Island in the Sun

"Oh Hampden in the Sun," sing the Celtic fans, to the tune of that old Harry Belafonte ditty, "Island in the Sun".

Recorded for a film of the same name back in 1957, it proved quite timely for Glasgow's green and white, who hammered Rangers 7-1 in the League Cup final of the same year.

The chant remains to this day in the Celtic fans’ extensive songbook and, very much like Hampden Park, little has changed over the past 65 years.

The historic Glasgow stadium was renovated back in 1999, however, it retains the character of what was once the biggest stadium in the world, compared to the redevelopment of Wembley Stadium and Lansdowne Road, which are unrecognisable since being replaced by modern stadia.

It is far from ideal from a viewing perspective – the seats at the back of the east and west stands are up to 140 metres from the pitch – but the atmosphere remains, with a real sense of history as you enter the magical old arena.

Attendances of over 100,000 at the stadium used to be the norm rather than the exception, with a record crowd of 149,415 inside the ground to watch Scotland play England in 1937.

Just over 50,000 will be present for tonight’s game with the largest travelling Ireland support, post Covid, and it was very much in evidence around Dublin airport on Friday, while the streets of the old Scottish city were filling up with green jerseys early on Saturday morning.

Perhaps the easiest of away days for the Ireland fans, and one that many take on a weekly basis, following Brother Walfrid’s Hoops at Celtic Park.

Paradise indeed, as the 40-minute flight meant that not a card was scratched nor a croissant or coffee flogged, as the queue for the little boy’s room rendered the cabin crew redundant for the short hop across the