McFadden hailed as Scotland's best

JAMES McFadden has received a timely boost ahead of Birmingham City's relegation decider on Sunday by being named the inaugural Scottish Football Writers' Association/Tennents International Player of the Year.

The attacker's performances in Scotland colours over the past season have cemented his cult status, not least the swerving, dipping shot that defeated France in Paris in a Euro 2008 qualifier last September.

That was one of McFadden's three goals for his country since the beginning of the season, having also contributed crucial strikes against Ukraine and Lithuania at Hampden. But the player once termed "my cheeky boy" by Berti Vogts found himself catapulted into Scottish goalscoring folklore alongside the likes of Archie Gemmill and Kenny Dalglish by his strike against France.

McFadden was touched to have received the Player of the Year award, but admitted he would swap it all for Scotland to be taking their place at the Euro 2008 finals this summer.

"It is a massive honour, especially because this is the first time the award has been won," said McFadden. "It is nice to be picked ahead of the rest of the guys but it has been a real team effort.

"I really don't know how big the impact of that goal has been but all I know is that down here (in England] when I meet people they always say nice things about that goal against France. I suppose the recognition has increased but to be honest I did not know the impact that goal was going to have. It probably still hasn't sunk in yet.

"It is nice to get a personal award but I would gladly swap it to be at the Euro 2008 finals. I am sure we will all be reminded how close we came come the summer, when we are stuck watching it on the TV. I try not to look back too much but beating France, the World Cup finalists, in Paris and scoring the winner with a good goal is special."

Scotland were denied even a play-off spot by a last-minute winner for Italy at Hampden in the Scots' final qualifier, which ultimately proved to be Alex McLeish's last match in charge of the national team. Within two weeks, he had taken charge at Birmingham City but was reunited with McFadden in January when he ended the player's frustrating spell at Everton by taking him to St Andrews in a £4.75million deal.

Now the pair find themselves involved in another vital 90 minutes on Sunday, when Birmingham host Blackburn knowing they must record a better result than both Reading and Fulham to avoid relegation from the English Premier League. McFadden is typically matter-of-fact in his assessment as to why the club find themselves staring at the drop.

"It is out of our hands regardless but we need to do our best and hope at least one of them slips up," said McFadden, who has scored four times in ten league appearances for Birmingham.

"It would be the great escape but if we go down we have nobody to blame but ourselves. We got ourselves into this, now we have one game left to get out of it. If we lose we have failed."

Even in the event of relegation to the Coca-Cola Championship, McFadden believes that his international prospects will not be harmed especially if, as he presumes, McLeish continues as Birmingham manager.

"There is a good chance we could go down but I only joined in January and I am in no hurry to leave," said McFadden.

"He (McLeish] will be here regardless and, if we go down, then I know that if I am playing and scoring goals it should not make that much of a difference to my international prospects. The main concern is Sunday and making sure we get the win."