A THOUSAND years from now historians will be poring over the archives to compile a list of Scotland's greatest sporting heroes.

Based on the last 60 years, they will be spoiled for choice as they separate the good from the great.

The guile of Jim Baxter was unquestionable, the courage of Jackie Stewart astonishing and the determination of Sir Chris Hoy inspirational.

However, in the last nine years there have been none from these parts who have come close to the phenomenon that is Andy Murray.

At 27, he is arguably one of the finest, if not the finest, sportsperson this country has ever produced.

His record is astonishing. Since joining the ATP world tour in 2005 Murray has won 31 tournaments, two Grand Slam events and an Olympic gold medal. Not to mention £22million in prize money.

It is little surprise, then, that his imminent arrival in Glasgow's east end as part of Britain's Davis Cup team to face the USA is causing such a stooshie.

"It should be absolutely amazing," Team GB captain Leon Smith told SportTimes exclusively.

"Scotland was high on our list of venues for a number of reasons. Firstly, since I have been captain we've played a few ties at Braehead which has been fantastic even when Andy hasn't been in the team.

"And the other reason, of course, is Andy. He hasn't played in Scotland since he won Wimbledon last year. He deserves the chance to play a very, very meaningful match in his home country."

It is an honour that, much to Murray's sadness, he was not able to savour during the Commonwealth Games this summer. He had previously confessed he'd have relished the chance to come to Glasgow if tennis had been chosen by organisers as one of the sports in the 2014 programme.

Yet fellow-Scot Smith, who was once Murray's coach, is in little doubt the world No.6 will throw himself into the World Group tie next March at the Emirates Arena with just as much purpose and pride as he affords to any task he faces.

"I think Andy will love it," said Smith, who witnessed an emotional Murray break down in floods of tears when he last played in Scotland in the Davis Cup back in 2011.

"I saw how much it meant to Andy to represent Britain at Braehead Arena against Luxembourg and Hungary.

"He played with enormous passion, determination, commitment and emotion.

"Now Andy faces a World Group tie against the USA and I know he will just love it."

MURRAY is now a different beast from the one who wept on the court at Braehead three years ago.

All his greatest achievements have come since then, including an astonishing surge over the last two months. In September the Scot dropped out of the world top 10 for the first time in six years after a quarter-final exit at the US Open.

That was the catalyst for an astonishing run to the ATP Tour Finals due to him winning three tournaments in three weeks that hauled him back up the rankings.

It was another feather in Murray's very feathery cap. It is a measure of his achievements that he is already being heralded by some as the greatest competitor that Scotland has ever seen.

It's a belief shared by Smith and the 21,000 people who snapped up every ticket for the three-day event within a matter of hours.

"It's very important that the Scottish public get to see Andy," explained Smith, who was appointed Britain's Davis Cup captain in April 2010.

"He's a Scottish icon and he will be a legend for ever more in the nation's sporting history because of the Olympics, Wimbledon, the US Open and whatever else he goes on to achieve. Not to mention a host of tour titles.

"He deserves to be talked about in those terms. At this stage of his career it's important for people to see him at his best and in his prime."

While returning to Scotland will be a special moment for Murray, it will also be a very poignant time for Smith.

"It means an awful lot to me," the coach explained. "I was born in Glasgow, brought up in Glasgow and schooled in Glasgow.

"It's nice to visit friends and family but I'm most excited about bringing this team out in front of a home crowd.

"It will be more amazing than people expect, it will be really special. People will just say, 'Wow!'

"When I'm sitting there in my home city, it will be a very proud moment."