STUART ARMSTRONG produced “the best Scotland debut I’ve ever seen” according to Gordon Strachan.

That as may be, and the Celtic midfielder was superb in his first international outing, but there are one of two others who would argue that their debuts in the dark blue were even more memorable.

Murdo MacLeod

He was vastly experienced by the time he eventually got chosen in 1985 by Jock Stein, the Celtic man feared it was never going to happen, and he was thrown into the deep end by starting against England.

MacLeod even had a hand in the goal, scored by Richard Gough, which secured the Rous Cup at a soaking Hampden.

Ronnie Simpson and Jim McCalliog

One was 36, the other 20, and both made their Scotland debuts at Wembley against the world champions.

McCalliog scored in the famous 3-2 win and the oldest ever debutant had a fine game in goal just a month before he was named Player of the Year and won the European Cup. So not a bad few weeks.

Denis Law

The great man, of course, scored on his debut in 1958 as an 18-year-old, his first of the 30 which makes him joint all-time leading scorer with Kenny Dalglish.

Law was on the mark in a 3-0 win in Wales, a hint about what was to come from the country’s best ever striker. He started as he meant to go on.

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Joe Craig

Okay, he might not be a household name but the former Celtic player is the answer to a terrific quiz question.

He became the first and so far only Scotland player to score on their debut without having kicked a ball.

This was against Sweden in 1977. He replaced Kenny Burns with 15 minutes to and two minutes later scored with a diving header - his first touch.

It was his one and only cap.

Paul McStay

There are some who felt the Celtic legend never played well for Scotland. They could not have been more wrong.

He made his debut at 18 against Uruguay in a friendly at Hampden and was, quite frankly, magnificent.

So good was McStay that Jock Stein got off his seat to shake the player’s hand after being substituted to a standing ovation.

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Charlie Nicholas

It was Stein again who looked to his old club for new talent.

Nicholas was the darling of Scottish football, he started against Switzerland alongside his hero Kenny Dalglish The new paring hadn’t had a kick and the Swiss were 2-0 up late in the game.

John Wark got one back and then Nicholas latched onto a Dalglish pass, played a bit of keepy-uppy before scoring a spectacular equaliser.

Henry Morris

His story is so very Scottish.

A striker for East Fife's greatest ever side, he won his first cap in 1949 against Ireland, scored a hat-trick in a 8-2 win, and was never seen again.

Frank McAvennie

Alex Ferguson called up the top scorer in England for the World Cup qualifying play-off first leg against Australia in 1985. The West Ham striker, then 25, scored Scotland's second goal in a 2-0 Hampden win, Davie Cooper got the first. and helped secure their place for Mexico 86.