Ex-Scotland international James McFadden to join Tam Cowan in live ‘aff the baw’ event in Merchant City

One of Scotland’s favourite television and radio presenters has announced a new monthly ‘aff the baw’ live show where he will be joined by a series of special guests at the iconic Blackfriars in Glasgow’s Merchant City.

Tam Cowan - the long-standing voice of Scottish football and all round entertainer - is renowned for his work on ‘Off The Ball’ with Stuart Cosgrove on BBC Radio Scotland.

He will now host a no-holds-barred evening of laughs, jokes and trivia with a number of Scottish football icons at Blackfriars’ Club 45 comedy basement.

Cowan will kickstart his series of shows in the company of former Scotland international turned TV pundit James McFadden on Tuesday, April 25 where he will share advice on how to beat a French goalkeeper from 40-yards...

Doors open at 7pm with last entry at 7.30pm. Tickets for the event are on sale now via Skiddle priced at £16.75. tinyurl.com/4r5bnr4n

Minimum age requirement: 18.

It comes as Scotland National Team manager Steve Clarke announced his 23-man squad for this month’s opening Euro 2024 qualifiers against Cyprus and Spain.

The Scots - 42nd in the FIFA World Rankings - host the Cypriots at Hampden Park on Sunday, March 25 (14:00 GMT) before entertaining the 2010 World Cup winners at the national stadium on Tuesday, March 28 (19:45 BST).

With first-choice goalkeeper Craig Gordon still sidelined with a long-term injury and entering the twilight stage of his playing career at the age of 40, uncapped stoppers Zander Clark and Angus Gunn have been included in his absence.

Norwich No.1 Gunn has committed his international future to Scotland after being capped by England at Under-21 level, while Celtic skipper Callum McGregor returns to the squad after missing the November friendly defeat against Turkey in Diyarbakir due to injury.

Midfielder Ryan Jack remains the only Rangers player to feature but in-form Hoops left-back Greg Taylor - capped 10 times - and David Turnbull have been omitted.

Detailing his decision to call up 27-year-old keeper Gunn to his latest squad, Clarke said: “I head through a third party that Angus was interested in playing international football. When I heard that, I thought I would go down and meet him at Norwich. We had a good conversation.

“I didn’t have to persuade him too much because he felt that playing for Scotland was his best chance of getting international football. Obviously his dad is a full Scotland international so that all fitted in quite well. I didn’t need to speak to Bryan (Gunn), it wasn’t him who was going to make the decision, it was his son. I spoke to Angus and he was very honest.

“We’ve lost Craig Gordon to injury which is a massive blow to us as he is the undisputed number one and I looked at the pool of goalkeepers available to us and I just felt if we could improve that pool then that’s what we should do. That was the thinking behind getting Angus on board.”