Scotland fans enjoy the day out in London. Photograph: John Stillwell/PAWell, that was fun. The teams are nearly as bad as each other, but England and Scotland produced one of the better friendlies in recent memory at Wembley on Wednesday night.
Scotland perked things up by taking the lead twice; England fought back to score three improbable goals; and Rickie Lambert knocked in the header of his life to give us all a little cheer before the new season.
Wouldn't it be great if football was like this all the time? Perhaps it could be – if the two football associations joined forces and organised a money-spinning friendly for charity every non-tournament year. The Scottish Football Association have proposed a return fixture at Hampden Park in 2015.
Playing Scotland regularly would offer England fans a wonderful distraction from the hope and disappointment they go through at international tournaments. At least beating Scotland every two years is a realistic goal.
London was buzzing before and after the game, with fans more cheery that they ought to be three days before the beginning of the all-important Premier League season. The August friendly is traditionally unpopular with fans and players, but over 80,000 people packed into Wembley to watch two mediocre teams go after each other.
The evening was a fine advert for what British football does best. Some men ran around after a football, while others goaded each other in the stands. And Teenage Cancer Trust made some money. Should we do it more often?
