SUPPORTERS have occasionally sung it in joyful celebration, but there is no happiness in the fact that there is now only one Charlie Adam.

The Scotland and Stoke City midfielder sat within Hampden yesterday for a press conference about tomorrow's World Cup qualifier against Wales. More poignantly, though, it soon veered off into personal and touching territory. Adam spoke with gentle sadness about the recent loss of his father, also Charlie, who died just before Christmas. Adam is 27; his dad was only 50.

Charlie Sr never reached the career highs enjoyed by his son although he, too, was a gifted player most notably for Dundee United and Partick Thistle in the 1980s and 1990s. The pair of them were not in the habit of going to Scotland games while wee Charlie was growing up – their team was Dundee – but they would later share something even more special.

There was the profound satisfaction of dad sitting in the Hampden stand to watch his boy pull on the dark blue. Scotland will play their third home game in this World Cup qualification group tomorrow and the first in which young Charlie will be unable to pick out his proud father in the stand.

The trauma of his father passing away at such a young age was inevitably profound. "It was massive. He was there when I had the hard times – my whole family were – but he was the one who helped me get where I am. If it wasn't for him I probably wouldn't have achieved what I have. It's been a difficult time but that's when you appreciate what you've got, what lies ahead, and what can be achieved.

"We never went to watch Scotland. We were massive Dundee fans so we went to watch them. But I was fortunate that my dad managed to see me playing for my country and playing in one of the best leagues in the world. That's the important thing. It's just sad the way things happened. He was at the Serbia and Macedonia home games. Those were special occasions."

On Sunday, Charlie's mum Ellie watched from stand as his younger brother, Grant, won a medal as St Mirren's substitute goalkeeper in their Scottish Communities League Cup final win over Hearts. During the celebrations, Grant wore a t-shirt paying tribute to their dad. Charlie, who was in a television studio working as a summariser at the match, had not realised the gesture was coming.

"It was only in the last five minutes I realised what was going on. My brother can be an emotional wreck at times but it was hard when I saw it because I was doing the TV and I was excited. Hopefully dad was looking down and he's delighted for my brother because it meant to a lot for him to see us doing what we're doing.

"You get support from your family and your friends and that's the biggest thing. When you get a difficult time you find out your real friends and I've had that over the past few months. I hope I can start repaying them with good performances. Let's see if we can get a win on Friday and I'll be delighted.

"I will sense my dad's presence at the game. I always do. Every time I walk on the pitch you just hope that he's there and he's still watching. It was a difficult time. When you get on the pitch it's not all forgotten but it makes life a lot easier. When you're on the pitch and you're training, it takes your mind away from what's gone on. It's how you react to it that matters. The whole family are doing well and they seem to be strong."

Adam has played 21 times for Stoke City since leaving Liverpool in August but recently his appearances have been from the bench. He has not started a game at club level since the end of January, although he was on at kick-off in Gordon Strachan's first game as Scotland manager, the February friendly against Estonia.

That game meant much to Strachan but not a great deal to many others. Scotland supporters may have deep sympathy for Adam for what he has been through but, in purely football terms, many remain critical of him for the ease with which Gareth Bale moved away from him to score in the October World Cup tie in Cardiff. That remains at the forefront of many fans' minds when it comes to Adam and Scotland.

The reaction pained him: "The criticism was there and I take it on the chin. Maybe it was my fault, maybe it wasn't. There are not many players in the world who could have done what Gareth Bale did that night. He got the ball, dribbled with it and went past me. He stuck it in the top corner and that's the way it goes. The criticism is part of football and I understand that.

"He got the ball on the halfway line and I let him come to me. I showed him onto his left side – maybe I should have shown him onto his right. But he was 35 yards out and normally they go into the goalie's hands or go over the bar. Instead, it went into the top corner and I got the criticism. Maybe I could have got over a bit quicker and shown him down the line. He is a great player and there are only a select few in the world who can do that. It's done, dusted and gone now."

For Adam, all that can be done is moving on.