SCOTLAND'S World Cup qualifier tonight against Slovakia and Sunday’s game against Slovenia are must-win matches if the Scots are to earn a play-off spot and a chance to qualify for Russia 2018…

PETER (Broxburn) – With the World Cup qualifier against Slovakia tonight can you give me the history of this fixture? Can you also tell me if any Slovaks have played for the Old Firm? I think Moravcik of Celtic may be Slovakian?

There really is no history. Slovakia only became an independent country in 1993 and this qualifying section is the first time we have met. So the Slovaks lead 1-0 in games. Hopefully, we will even that up!

Yes, you are right, Lubo Moravcik is Slovakian and gained 38 caps from 1994-2000, scoring six goals. Prior to that he represented Czechoslovakia 42 times (from 1987-93) notching seven goals.

Another Slovak of note to play at Parkhead was Stan Varga who was capped 54 times by Slovakia between 1997 and 2002. He also scored two goals.

Rangers also had two Slovakian internationals in recent memory – Filip Sebo and Vladimir Weiss.

Sebo became a cult figure at Ibrox during his short stay there. Signed by Paul Le Guen as a striker for £1.85million in 2006 he made 24 appearances for Gers and managed only two goals.

He had a better strike rate with Slovakia scoring seven times in 15 internationals.

Vladimir Weiss had a season on loan to Rangers in 2010-11 from Manchester City. He has been capped 62 times and scored seven goals.

He currently plays for Quatari side Al Gharafa and could feature against Scotland.

BOBBY MacDONALD – (via email) With Scotland playing Slovakia tonight I am reminded of one of their club sides, Artmedia Bratislava, knocking Celtic out of Europe a few years ago. But didn’t they also play Rangers in a European match in the same season?

This is strange but true. In 2005-06 Celtic played Artmedia in a Champions League 2nd Qualifying Round tie.

In the first leg in Slovakia Artmedia had a magnificent 5-0 victory. Celtic came close to turning things around in the second leg, winning 4-0 at Celtic Park.

Artmedia went on to reach the group stages, where they played Rangers home and away.

Both matches ended in draws. 0-0 at Ibrox, 2-2 in Bratislava. Rangers progressed to the round of 16, where they were eliminated by Villarreal of Spain.

ROBERT (Kings Park) – All this talk of Scotland’s possible involvement in a play-off for the World Cup made me think about previous matches. I don't reckon our record in play-off games can be that great?

You are correct in thinking that. Scotland have competed in four play-offs and progressed just the once.

The first occasion was a one-off match in neutral Brussels against Czechoslovakia for a place at the 1962 World Cup.

The game was locked at 2-2 after 90 minutes but the Czechs won 4-2 after extra-time.

All of our three subsequent play-offs were over two legs with Scotland at home first on each occasion.

We reached the Mexico World Cup in 1986 after a 2-0 aggregate win over Australia.

For Euro 2000 England triumphed on a 2-1 aggregate and for Euro 2004 we lost 6-1 over both games to the Netherlands.