As Scotland attempt to pull off the Herculean task of qualifying for the Euro 2012 play-offs by securing a favourable result against World and European champions Spain in Alicante on Tuesday, we look at some of the Tartan Army’s proudest moments.

Scotland have a slim chance of still making next year’s European Championship, currently lying third in their group behind leaders, and already qualified Spain, and the Czech Republic.

With the top two meeting on Saturday and Craig Levein’s men facing the not too daunting prospect of a game in Liechtenstein, the chances are Scotland could still make the play-offs with a draw away to the mighty Spanish in the group’s final matchday on Tuesday.

Could the current side achieve such a result? Well, Scottish sides have been pulling off major surprises when least expected throughout history and Footy Matters gives you five classic examples:

SPAIN 2-6 SCOTLAND

June 13, 1963. Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid. Attendance: 40,000

Scotland: Blacklaw; McNeill, Holt, McLintock, Ure, Baxter, Henderson, Gibson, St John, Law, Wilson. Manager:  Ian McColl

This friendly encounter was not a match with the same potential significance as Tuesday’s clash, but it was an extremely memorable night that produced a scoreline that Scotland supporters would sell their grannies for a repeat of next week.

The odds on that happening would be about a million to one considering the perceived differences in quality between the two teams today, but then this Spanish side were highly fancied as well. In fact, just a year later they would win the European Championship in their home country with a side including several that played in this match, such as Feliciano Rivilla, Carlos Lapetra and Amancio.

Beating them was therefore no mean achievement, but the way the game transpired was sensational. Scotland came into the match on the back of poor defeats against Ireland and Norway but they set about disrupting the Spanish passing game with relish and mercilessly exposed their weaknesses with direct play that brought goals for Denis Law, Ian St John, Willie Henderson, Frank McLintock, Davie Wilson and Dave Gibson.

Perhaps Craig Levein will adopt the same tactics on Tuesday? We expect he’ll be a little more cagey than that!

SCOTLAND 3-2 HOLLAND

June 11, 1978. World Cup Finals Group Stage, Estadio Mendoza, Argentina. Attendance: 35,130.

Scotland: Rough; Donachie, Buchan, Kennedy, Forsyth, Rioch, Hartford, Gemmill, Souness, Dalglish, Jordan. Manager: Ally McLeod

This was a valiant Scottish victory that ultimately saw them bow out of the World Cup at the group stage due to only taking a point from their opening two games against Peru and Iran, and therefore needing to beat the Dutch by three clear goals. Despite that not being achieved, this win will forever be fondly remembered by the Tartan Army.

It was not any old team they beat, but the Dutch; the most artistic and revered team of the era, of Neeskens, Rep et al. Although the Total Footballers were perhaps not as special as the side of four years earlier, they would still go on to make the final for the second World Cup running.

Scotland beat them though, and not only that, but they came from behind to do so too. Furthermore it was achieved in adversity, coming only days after winger Willie Johnston had been sent home following a failed drugs test.

The iconic moment that really stands out from this game, however, is the goal that proved to be the winner; THAT goal, by Archie Gemmill. The wee maestro had already scored once to put Scotland 2-1 up after Kenny Dalglish’s equaliser, when he picked up the ball near the right-hand touchline and weaved in and out of what seemed like the entire Dutch defence, before coolly nudging the ball over the advancing goalkeeper.

Holland got another goal but the Scots held on. Surely as glorious a World Cup exit as it’s possible to make?

ENGLAND 0-1 SCOTLAND

November 17, 1999. European Championship Qualification Play-off Second Leg, Wembley Stadium. Attendance: 76,848

Scotland: Sullivan; Weir, Davidson, Dailly, Hendry, Ferguson, Dodds, Burley, McCann (Burchill 74), Hutchison, Collins. Manager: Craig Brown

Of course we had to include at least one extremely satisfying victory over the Auld Enemy, even if this particular win came only days after England had won 2-0 at Hampden and thus still marched on to Euro 2000 at Scotland’s expense.

However, this was an extremely defiant and praiseworthy performance from the Scots, delivered on the back of predictions Kevin Keegan’s England would romp home emphatically in the wake of the first leg.

Far from it though, Don Hutchison’s goal six minutes before half time was just reward for a determined Scottish showing in one of the last competitive England matches at the old Wembley.

Neil McCann’s cross from the left was met by the head of Hutchison, then of Everton, who rose above Tony Adams to power the ball beyond the despairing dive of David Seaman.

Scotland were the better side in the second half as well, comfortably keeping the likes of Alan Shearer and Paul Scholes at bay, but were unable to get the vital second that would have evened the tie, even with flaxen-haired centre-half Colin Hendry pushed up front for the final minutes. The two sides have not met since.

SCOTLAND 1-0 HOLLAND

November 15, 2003. European Championship Qualification Play-off, Hampden Park. Attendance: 50,670

Scotland: Douglas; McNamara, Pressley, Wilkie, Naysmith, Fletcher, Dailly, Ferguson, McCann (Pearson 71), Dickov (Miller 66), McFadden (Hutchison 90). Manager: Bertie Vogts

This result would provide the high water mark of Bertie Vogts’ reign as Scotland manager, although to be honest that’s not really saying a lot! Any victory over Holland deserves a lot of credit though, even if it was a Dutch side lacking the spark of previous years and that had failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup.

They were, however, still ranked fifth in the world, a lot, lot higher than Scotland. James McFadden’s deflected first half effort, following a one-two with Darren Fletcher, was the difference between the sides.

Even though the home side barely threatened for the rest of the match they deserved the win for the sheer number of timely interceptions and goal-line blocks they made to prevent the likes of Patrick Kluivert and Ruud van Nistelrooy scoring for the Dutch. Rab Douglas also made a number of important saves and the Scots were thankful for the intervention of the woodwork on two occasions as well as wasteful finishing.

Unfortunately the second leg didn’t go so well and Scotland went down 6-0!

FRANCE 0-1 SCOTLAND

September 12, 2007. European Championship Qualification, Parc des Princes, Paris. Attendance: 42,000

Scotland: Gordon, Hutton, McManus, Weir, Alexander, McCulloch, Ferguson, Fletcher (Pearson 26), Brown, Hartley, McFadden (O’Connor 76). Manager: Alex McLeish

A Scotland side totally lacking in star names produced their second victory over the 2006 World Cup finalists France in twelve months. While France had Nicolas Anelka, Lilian Thuram and Franck Ribery, Scotland could call on Burnley’s Graham Alexander and then 37-year-old defender David Weir.

Again they also had James McFadden and once more it was he who slayed the giant with the game’s only goal.

This game, played at the Parc des Princes because the larger Stade de France was occupied with rugby, took a similar form to the Netherlands victory, with France peppering the Scots goal but again coming up against a resolute Scottish rearguard and an excellent goalkeeping performance, this time from Craig Gordon.

Lone striker McFadden rifled in a worthy winner in the 64^th minute from fully 30 yards to stun the Parisian spectators and send the 15,000 or so tartan-clad minority into delirium.