SCOTLAND SHOULD BACK ENGLAND

IF there is anyone out there who wants  England's bid to stage the 2018 World Cup to fail, it's time they took a hard look in the mirror and had a long talk with themselves.

Of course I am well aware that Scotland harbours many who suffer from a blind hatred of England and all things English.

Just as I am equally aware that, while enjoying a wind up with our British cousins, there are even more Scots who feel affection for them.

However, neither emotion should play a part in Scots giving their full backing for England to stage the 2018 tournament. What should be the over-riding factor is fairness.

For a start, by the time the next but one World Cup comes around, it will have been 52 years since the only time the tournament was hosted there.

In that time it has been staged twice in Germany and twice in Mexico, with Spain, Italy and France the other European countries to have hosted it.

It has even been held in America, where they think it's a wee lassies' game, and where they call it soccer, though the Yanks are bidding to put on the World Cup razzmatazz for the second time.

So the time is now right - maybe even overdue - for FIFA and Sepp Blatter to ensure that there is no hint of backroom political wheeling and dealing, and that open honest fairness is the order of the day.

My belief if that if Scotland joined in, in helping the English bid in an equally open way, it would show a generosity of spirit which would help England and, at the same time, enhance this country's reputation.

So let's see first minister Alex Salmond step up and proclaim that, as a patriotic Scot, he wants our nearest and best neighbour to win the race to host the Word Cup in 2018.

And let us also hear the same from Scottish Football Association president, George Peat.

It would also be helpful if other leading figures within Scottish football joined a Scotland-is-backing-the-England-bid campaign.

Rangers chairman, Alastair Johnston should speak out, while his counterpart at Celtic, former Defence Secretary in a British Government, John  Reid's voice would be powerful, and possibly influential too, given his status within the Establishment.

But most of all let us hear from the Tartan Army and their two often quoted spokesmen Hamish Husband and Tam Ferry.

They are both keen to prattle on about the Tartan Army at other times, so let us hear from them now. For it is time for old antagonisms to be put aside. The Tartan Army could even enhance its reputation by being all grown up about this issue.

Of course it would be lovely if we in Scotland could stage a amajor tournanment, but the size of our wee country makes the World Cup an impossible dream.

However, if England succeeds, there are benefits for Scottish football, and for the tourist industry north of the border.

Some of the nations taking part might seek to base themselves within easy reach of Celtic's Lennoxtown and Rangers's Murray Park, and use their training facilities.

Hibs and Hearts could also see their revenue boosted during the cash-flow dry summer months as it is a sound bet there are counties who would chose the Edinburgh area as a good base.

And, with the compact nature of Britian, many of the hundreds of thousands of supporters who would flock to the tourney from all over the world, would be sure to want to make a visit to Scotland a part of their World Cup experience.

It makes sense financially And it makes sense morally too.

There are plenty of Scots - Hollyrood justice secretary Kenny MacAskgill at their forefront - who seek to portray the Scottish people as morally superior.

A sort of political slant to the old drunk man's   "Wha's Like Us? toast, if you like.

Now the opportunity is here for all Scots to show just what kind of moral fibre they are made of. To put aside the oldest football rivalry in the international game and to do what is right.

It may even prove to old cynics such as this observer, that Scotland - and not just in a football sense - has at last grown up.