SCOTT FOX believes Scotland are lucky to have David Marshall to fill the gap caused by Allan McGregor's thigh injury.

The Partick Thistle keeper started his career coming through the ranks in Marsh's slipstream at Celtic and always knew the current Cardiff City shot-stopper was destined to star between the sticks for Scotland.

Foxy has now been selected for the national squad himself - as back-up to Marsh and Blackpool's Matt Gilks - and he is sure he will benefit from working alongside his old team-mate and under the knowledgeable gaze of Scots goalkeeper coach Jim Stewart.

And the 26-year-old has no doubt that if Marshall is the starting keeper for tomorrow night's home friendly with the USA, he will give Scotland gaffer Gordon Strachan a selection dilemma when McGregor is fit to play again.

Fox said: "I was at Celtic a couple of years behind David Marshall as a kid and he has always been a very rounded and consistent keeper. He has a great temperament, as he showed when he came in as a 19-year-old against Barcelona in the Nou Camp.

"It is no surprise he has gone on to star in the Championship and now the Premiership with Cardiff. I don't think there is anything between Marsh, Allan McGregor and Matt Gilks and we are lucky to have them.

"If Marsh starts against the USA, we will be in safe hands."

Fox admits his own surprise call-up only sank in after he had completed his club duties with Partick Thistle at the weekend.

The Jags No.1 said: "I know big Jim Stewart well from my time with the Scotland Under-20s and it is great to have the familiar face of Marsh alongside me on the training ground. When you get the chance to work alongside top class keepers, then you are only going to improve your game,

"Realistically I'm not likely to make the bench, but my aim is to work as hard as I can and see where that takes me. To be honest it is a dream to have been picked to join the squad.

"It was Sunday night before it sunk in. With still having the Aberdeen game, and then the match with St Mirren, my focus was on Thistle but come Sunday night it suddenly hit me what I would be doing this weekend and it's just been a great feeling."

Should Fox feature against either the USA or in Norway on Tuesday night, it would make him the first Thistle star to play at full international level since Alan Rough over 30 years ago.

He admits the cheers he received from denizens of the Jackie Husband stand, when recognition of his call-up was relayed over the loudspeaker at Firhill last Saturday, will linger long in his memory.

He said: "I am aware there have not been too many Partick players who have made it into Scotland squads or been capped while they were at the club, so it was a special moment when it came out over the loudspeaker before the game with St Mirren.

"I got a really nice cheer from the fans and that meant a lot, it was just a pity we didn't get the right result against St Mirren."