Steve Clarke's Scotland victory address: Smelling magic, subs, player apologies and Tartan Army message

Kieran Tierney struck the goal that really mattered to put the Scots 3-2 up in injury time against ten-man Denmark. Clarke praised the fans who he stressed never wavered even though they watched Denmark, who had Rasmus Kristensen sent off after an hour, equalise with nine minutes left through Patrick Dorgu.

“When it goes 2-1, they are right behind us, when it goes 2-2, I heard them again,” he said. “And that was really important. Right in the last part of the game, the crowd was still with us. Everybody was in the stadium, nobody left because they could smell magic.”

Clarke explained his substitutions. “We did not use the ball well enough," he said. "We spoke about that at half time. I don’t want to be critical about the players on a night like this! The second half started similarly and they got the penalty, 1-1. Obviously I had to make changes.”

He went with two strikers up front in Che Adams and Lawrence Shankland, who scored to make it 2-1 with 12 minutes left. “Two up top worked quite well for us in Denmark. I knew at some stage tonight I would probably have to go to two up top. It’s one of the reasons I started Lyndon, thinking Che and Lawrence would come in and give us a different process up front. Got back to 2-1 against ten men, you’re thinking ‘nearly there’. Obviously we weren’t because we conceded at 2-2 and you’re thinking, ‘Oh my God, what’s next?’”

What’s next was that Tierney curled in a glorious left-footed effort in injury time from 25 yards to spark wild scenes inside Hampden. Clarke noted the Danes were speared in the six minutes of time added on, much of which was because of their time-wasting ploys.

Steve Clarke’s Scotland super subs

Tierney replaced Aaron Hickey after 72 minutes. “Obviously it was a great decision to put a left footed player on at right-back!” he smiled. “If it hadn’t worked out I would have got a bit of stick for that! I spoke to Kieran pre-camp saying we had issues. We knew Aaron couldn’t finish 90 minutes and 90 minutes.”

Kenny McLean replaced Ben Gannon-Doak in the first half. “All the subs scored,” noted Clarke. “When Kenny got the ball in the last minute, I’m thinking ‘counter-attack’. He hits the ball and I am thinking, ‘you know what, that’s going to go in! And it did. Listen, fantastic night, I am delighted for all of my players.”

There was a blow before kick-off when they lost John Souttar to an injury sustained in the warm-up. Grant Hanley came back in again having been dropped following Saturday’s Greece defeat. “Grant apologised for the game in Greece,” revealed Clarke. “I said you don’t have to apologise to me ever, because I know every time you go to the pitch you give everything.” The manager described Hanley’s performance as “outstanding” against Denmark.

The Scots also lost Ben Gannon-Doak in the first half with a knee injury. He had already assisted McTominay’s overhead wonder goal. McLean came on with Ryan Christie moved further forward. “Sometimes as a coach your changes work, tonight they worked,” he said.

Scotland have topped a World Cup qualifying group for the first time since 1981, when they reached the following summer’s Espana 82. No Scotland manager has led the team to three major finals. Clarke is in an elite band of his own after also reaching two European Championship finals. The manager told his players they would need 14 points to qualify. They did so with 13. “The group made a liar of me,” he said.

Although he said that he didn’t like to be so emphatic about anything, he admitted it was the best feeling he had ever had in football. “This is the best,” he said. It made up for not being picked for the two World Cups as a player.

It was better for him, he added, because he can celebrate for many nights. The players can only celebrate for one before heading back to their clubs.

“For three months, I can just enjoy myself,” he smiled. “I’ve got a little bit of time. It's going to be good and it's going to be a good Christmas in the Clarke household, I promise you.

He had one last message for the Tartan Army. “I'll see you in the USA, Mexico or Canada," he said. "Get your visas, get your tickets. And the good thing is you've got six months to prepare. You don't have to wait until March to go to the play-offs. You can have a couple of friendly games in March. I look forward to the tournament, that's what they have to do.

“They should be proud of their players, they should be proud of their country.”