Scotland's trip to Zalaegerszeg was a strangely memorable one - even for locked out fans who travelled

Nobody knew quite what to expect from a trip to Zalaegerszeg in a quiet corner of Hungary and where the people seemed a bit nonplussed by a World Cup qualifying match taking place in one of its neighbourhoods.

It does, though, signify a lot for Scotland and manager Steve Clarke, who clocked up another milestone – Monday’s 2-0 win over Belarus was his 70th game in charge. He now needs one more win and two more games to go above Craig Brown in both most victories (32) and most matches departments (providing shootout triumphs over Serbia and Israel are classed as victories rather than draws). What a month October could be. Clarke has already edged ahead of the aforementioned Stein on victories on either count.

Of course, none of the above really matters a jot if Scotland cannot get the two wins it feels imperative to secure in the next two outings against Greece and Belarus. “It is nice to be named in the same breath as someone like Mr Stein and Craig,” said Clarke, when asked about the personal wins statistic afterwards. “I knew Craig a lot better than I knew Mr Stein. But you know what I’m like, I tend to shy away from anything that’s about me because I am more interested in my team and I’m more interested in trying to qualify for tournaments for the country.”

He provided a hint about his future. Maybe him moving on after this campaign is not quite as cut-and-dried as everybody thinks. “If I ever stop, when I retire or when I get moved on from this position, whether it’s voluntary or otherwise, then that’s the time to think about what you’ve achieved,” he said. Some observers had been positing whether Clarke might be gone by next month. Two defeats in this opening double header might have facilitated such a departure, either on his own accord or at the SFA’s invitation. Zero points would have meant next to zero chance of participation at next summer’s World Cup in North America. No point in hanging around.

As it stands now, Scotland are very well placed. Clarke, his reputation on the rise again, will be very much in situ for the upcoming visits of Greece and Belarus to Hampden. His players will be there too, it’s just a matter of which ones and in which position. Nottingham Forest’s Angus Gunn has ensured that barring injury – and that might not be an issue given he wasn't even named in the European squad by the now sacked Nuno Espirito Santo – is the No. 1. Even if Craig Gordon gets back playing again, these matches come too soon.

Welcome headaches for Clarke

Providing all remain fit between now and then, Clarke has welcome headaches in who to play between Grant Hanley and Scott McKenna, who came in against Belarus and impressed. Kieran Tierney, if available for selection, is now back-up for Andy Robertson and there will be no hysteria over how to squeeze him into the starting XI unless the Liverpool player has remained glued to the bench at his club. Che Adams is even more established as the No. 9, with Clarke unlikely to play with two strikers in the first game against Greece. The manager will quickly find himself in the stocks again if he doesn’t start Ben Gannon-Doak. The Bournemouth winger has the ability to get people up off their seats in an empty stadium.

So there was much to feel thankful for as we sat talking on the veranda outside a hotel just a short walking distance from the ZTE Arena, where the supporter-less game had not long finished. It all felt pleasingly old school. A couple of beers and, on a neighbouring table, the Montenegrin referee and his linesmen from said game sitting analysing their own performances while puffing away on Capstans. What was this? The 1970s or something? A train had earlier chugged past the stadium barrelling its way through the Hungarian night on its way into Slovenia. If it was anything like the one we had arrived on, old school doesn’t begin to describe it. It was like something out of a John Le Carre novel. It was an atmospheric, memorable trip.

Even the fans who had travelled and yet who hadn’t managed to gain access to the game seemed content. Certainly the young teenager from Milngavie who bagged Andy Robertson's match-worn shirt was feeling pretty good about the world.

The supporters had been treated with respect by the authorities even if some of them had been asked to take down their Scotland flags from hotel windows due to a busybody request from Uefa. At the ground itself, and although a plea to be allowed to hang flags inside the stadium was refused, the authorities did allow fans to hang banners on the stadium gates. One of the local policemen and women outside made this possible.

Behind locked gates

They seemed a mostly cheery, patient lot. “Mate, know anyone who has a cherry picker,” the policeman in charge was asked by one of the Scotland fans who still hadn't quite accepted that watching this match was beyond them. And actually, it wasn’t beyond a couple of them.

Alistair Craig and a pal took up position at a far corner behind a locked gate and reported that he saw both goals scored at either end of the park. “Of course, it wasn’t a perfect view,” he said. “There were a few others with us but a lot of them gave up.”

Some headed to a local bar-restaurant, where a firestick was produced out of a sporran. A few minutes later the premises was beaming out a possibly not entirely legal stream of the game. Those watching were instructed to turn off the notifications on their phone as the transmission was running a couple of minutes slower than real time.

No one wanted the joy of the goals going in diluted. Suspense is everything. The hope that kills them isn’t just intact. Worryingly, it might even be growing.