The truth about THAT Lawrence Shankland miss every Scotland fan knows as striker has to prove himself all over again

From East End Park to the Johan Cruyff Arena. From Kevin Rutkiewicz to Virgil van Dijk. They say a week is a long time in football. But for Lawrence Shankland, a decade ago must now seem like a different lifetime.

On 22 March, 2014 he was on loan at Dunfermline and playing against East Fife in League One. He ended up on the losing side that day but he scored. Of course, he scored. Because that’s what he’s done pretty much ever since. And that led to last night in Amsterdam. Exactly 10 years on, Shankland was picked by Steve Clarke to start for his country against Holland in their own backyard.

And irrespective of the chance he passed up or what the striker goes on to do in his career - that’s some journey. This was a boy who started at Queen’s Park and had a job as a tool maker at the McAlpine factory in Hillington. And in 2017, he thought he might need to go back to it. Shankland walked into a DW Sports shop at Glasgow Fort to buy himself two balls.

He’d just been released by Aberdeen and was without a club. So he jumped on to the pitch at Bannerman High School and kicked them about himself to keep fit.

At times last night - up against Dutch skipper van Dijk - he must have wished he’d had one of them to get a touch. It’s some audition eh?

With just four friendly games to play before the Euro 2024 Finals, Clarke HAD to have a proper look at Shankland from the start against a top nation. But going head-to-head with the big Liverpool centre-back who is arguably the best defender in the world?

What a test for the Hearts man. As it was for the rest of Clarke’s team in Amsterdam. But in many ways, this was the perfect game for the manager to take on right now.

Because as much as the Euro 2024 opener at the Allianz Arena