"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 Irish sea.
48 hours in Glasgow. The tales of these roaming Irish rovers will not make it onto the travel pages, however, the memories will live long, irrespective of the quality of football on display tonight; the result itself will likely become an addendum to the final draft of their Scottish story.
Carry-on luggage a minimum with backpacks barely big enough to fit a change of jersey – travel day green for match day orange – passport, smart phone and a spare pair of pants optional.
Some will return to the airport on Sunday in the same garb, unchanged, unshaven, and unapologetic – the match may even have been half watched in a Barrowlands bar, either side of an Oasis tribute and a rousing rebel band.
.@Ed_Leahy got some predictions from the Ireland and Scotland fans ahead of tonight's #NationsLeague showdown in Glasgow
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) September 24, 2022
📺 Watch live on @RTE2 and @RTEPlayer from 7pm https://t.co/2W5kFtUgZE
📻 Listen live on @RTERadio1
📱 Live updates on @RTESport online#SCOIRL #COYBIG pic.twitter.com/FO0SofoU3c
The Ireland players, meanwhile, got a chance to take a run out on the old pitch on Friday evening in a week that has been free from injury issues, which has certainly put the manager in confident form heading into the game.
That was in evidence at the press conference that took place at the stadium ahead of the training session as Kenny gave as good as he got with the local press, who were quick to take him back to his time managing in Scotland, which would not rank too highly on his otherwise impressive CV.
Kenny may still have some regrets about his time managing Dunfermline, however, so much has happened in his career since, that he happily played along with the opening shots from the home media.
"It shows how long ago it was, as I had four kids under seven, the youngest was only one," recalled Kenny, when asked about the 2007 Scottish Cup final where Dunfermline had beaten Rangers, Hearts and Hibs en route to the decider, only to lose 1-0 to Celtic.
"They are coming tomorrow and the youngest is now 16 and the rest of them have finished school and out in the real world so it gives an indication of how long ago it was."
A comment about Ireland being "spectacularly limited" didn’t appear to sit well with the top table either, as John Egan joined the manager for the sit down, but Kenny was quite happy to dismiss talk of this resurgent Scotland as be batted the reference away, saying they would be more or less the same side that Ireland beat 3-0 in June.
Just hours from the game, the pressure for this one is certainly on the home team, who are expected to right the wrong of the summer, while pushing to top the group ahead of their Ukraine decider on Tuesday.
Kenny and Co, meanwhile, continue the rebuilding project at the iconic ground, and while Hampden has maintained its image after being updated, the Ireland manager is hoping that his new-look Ireland are more akin to those modern stadia, where the awful aesthetics of past performances have disappeared without trace.
