GORDON STRACHAN has created a special squad:

Team Scotland.

And it's this new-found unity which Scott Brown hopes can carry them all the way to Euro 2016.

The captain explained the removal of divisions and formation of a genuine club spirit is like a breath of fresh air blowing a wind of change through the national camp.

He said: "It's the best dressing room I have been in. Everyone is chirpy and chatting.

"You can sit beside anyone and there are no problems whatsoever. It's a good place to be.

"I wouldn't say there were cliques, but it was weird when I first came in to the squad.

"You could see, automatically, the Rangers players would sit beside Rangers players because they were best mates, and Celtic would sit beside Celtic.

"I came in from Hibs and was going: 'Where the hell am I sitting? Am I supposed to be in this squad'?"

Under Strachan it is very much all for one, and one for all, as the performances against Georgia and Poland underlined.

This will be vital when Scotland play the Republic of Ireland in their next match, on November 14.

Brown is already up for it and said: "It's going to be a special occasion, especially at Celtic Park.

"We'll be playing at home."

Some would argue the Irish, under Martin O'Neill, will feel equally at home. But Brown said: "It doesn't matter where it is, to be perfectly honest.

"But it's good it's going to be at Celtic Park. It's going to be outstanding. I'm sure it will be jam-packed.

"For us, just to get there and pull on the jersey is going to mean a lot, but also the Republic of Ireland, too."

It is already shaping up as one of the most important games Scotland will play in a group which has already thrown up many curve balls.

Brown said: "It's wide open. But that's really good for us. Anyone can beat anyone. It's been shown already.

"You just have to go in with a desire. And, if everybody works hard, you just don't know what's going to happen

"It's scary."