SCOTLAND'S game against England at Celtic Park knocked I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here off television screens across the country last night.

But armchair viewers were still treated to the Three Lions roaring in the Jungle in a programme that was definitely not the squeamish.

It was so grisly in places it probably shouldn't have been shown before the watershed.

The night had started so well too. Fans of both teams filed into the ground filled with optimism and early to see the latest instalment of the oldest international fixture in world.

Spirits were soaring and hopes were high that Gordon Strachan's side could, after a year of steady progress, record their first win over their fierce rivals in 15 years.

They had certainly performed brilliantly in last year's showdown with Roy Hodgson's side at Wembley when they were unlucky to end up on the receiving end of a 3-2 defeat.

Saltires belonging to battalions of the Tartan Army from Alloa, the Isle of Arran, Aberdeen, Castlemilk - not very far travelled on this occasion - Prestwick, Larbert and Sunderland were draped across advertising boards in the stadium.

In the Lisbon Lions Stand, where the visiting fans were billeted, there were Saint George's Cross flags from Bethnal Green, Stoke, Doncaster, Barnsley, Carlisle, Birmingham, Sheffield, Wolverhampton, Norwich and Macclesfield.

Vigo Thieves were in attendance and played Believe - our official Euro 2016 anthem and classic - by the side of the pitch before kick-off. After the stunning win over the Republic of Ireland last Friday night, most Scotland fans did.

The Primal Scream's song Rocks and 500 Miles by The Proclaimers were also blasted out of the stadium Tannoy to get spectators in the mood in the minutes leading up to the game.

THERE were a few well-kent faces dotted around the ground. Tubes from Soccer AM was there. Rangers goalkeeper Steve Simonsen snuck in among the Scotland fans to watch his country in action.

Celtic manager Ronny Deila was also a neutral observer. Rumours that he had turned up to see what Celtic Park was like when it was filled to capacity were unconfirmed.

As had been the case before the Ireland match last week, the rendition of Flower of Scotland was sung well out of time and tune with the music and quickly killed the excellent atmosphere that had been generated.

To paraphrase Billy Connolly, we are 1-0 down before kick-off with such a dour national anthem. The sooner this terrible dirge is ditched and replaced by 500 Miles the better.

There was a minute's applause before kick-off in tribute to the Scotland fan Nathan McSeveney, who tragically lost his life after the Euro 2016 qualifier with Martin O'Neill's team.

Supporters had spent the day tying scarves and strips to the railings in front of the stadium entrance's statues of Brother Walfrid, Jock Stein and Jimmy Johnstone in honour of the 19-year-old.

It was a stark reminder once again that football is not, as proud Scot Bill Shankly once memorably and jokingly remarked, far more important than life or death. The two captains, Scott Brown and Wayne Rooney, came together for a photograph before kick-off to promote the Unite to Beat Ebola campaign by Unicef. After that, though, hostilities commenced.

"We all voted Yes," was belted out by the England support after the game kicked off in reference to the independence referendum back in September.

That was followed by renditions of God Save The Queen and Rule Britannia.

AND those were among the more savoury songs in the English contingent's repertoire. What the others were could not possibly be repeated in a family newspaper like the Evening Times.

Scotland started fairly brightly and when Gary Cahill appeared to handle the ball inside his own area, 50,000 Scotland fans stood as one and shouted: "Handball!"

Their vocal appeal was ignored by the excellent match official, Jonas Eriksson of Sweden.

After Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had glanced a Jack Wilshere cross beyond the stranded David Marshall in the first half, the England fans turned their attentions on the Scotland manager.

"Cheer up Gordon Strachan!" reverberated around a stunned stadium that had been silenced by a slack piece of defending and the realisation that the Auld Enemy had taken the lead.

"Can you hear Scotland sing?" was followed by the inevitable "En-ger-lund! En-ger-lund! En-ger-lund!" as the travelling fans really started to enjoy themselves.

Charlie Mulgrew was booked for a rugby tackle on Chamberlain and soon the Celtic midfielder - once again one of the national side's better performers - was the target. "Dirty Scottish b******!" came the call.

England skipper Rooney netted a diving header to put Roy Hodgson's charges on easy street.

The home team toiled to get to grips with the game.

BUT then Andy Robertson popped up, combined well with Johnny Russell and prodded the ball beyond Fraser Forster.

The youngster's fine goal raised the roof and gave Scotland's supporters hope that their heroes could snatch a result. But that optimism was short-lived.

Rooney grabbed his second to make sure of an emphatic victory. As he milked the applause of his fans, they sang "You're not singing any more!" The Scots weren't.

Those who had stayed to hear the final whistle were crestfallen. It was a wretched evening for Scotland and the Tartan Army.