Tartan Army will stand united with Ukraine at rescheduled play-off - until game begins

Scotland fans are planning a show of solidarity with Ukraine when the two countries clash in a rescheduled World Cup qualifier in June.

The match was meant to be played on March 24 at Hampden but that date has now been scrapped after a request from Ukraine to global football authority Fifa.

Tartan Army spokesman Hamish Husband admitted there will be huge global support for the Ukraine team.

And he confirmed that Scotland fans were already planning how to show their support for the Ukraine players and fans - until the 90 minutes kicks off.

He said: “There’s a lot going on here, emotionally as well as in a sporting way, and the Tartan Army will make it very clear, first and foremost, that they stand with Ukraine against Russian oppression.

“I am assuming that the invasion will still be ongoing by June but we simply don’t know.

“It’s a very unusual, extraordinary situation, where the focus of the world will be on Hampden and everyone will be willing the other team to win.

“But that’s ok. We’d be exactly the same if Ukraine were playing any other team.

“The big challenge for Scotland is to get our players focused on what they are doing on the pitch. As soon as the first whistle has blown they need to forget all that is going on, all about war and economic sanctions, because football has to be settled on the park.”

Husband said he expects the Ukrainian players to be “supercharged” for the match.

He said: “We can see how proud these people are and the passion they have for their country. This will result in a massive motivational boost.

“We saw a similar thing in the Euros last year, when Denmark seemed to get incredibly pumped up after their star player Christian Eriksen was stretchered off and his life was in peril.