'Bye-bye, Scotland!' - Clarke's leaving letter to the Tartan Army

'Bye-bye, Scotland!' - Clarke's leaving letter to the Tartan ArmyImage source, PA MediaImage caption, Steve Clarke became the first man to lead Scotland to three major tournamentsByAmy CanavanBBC Sport Scotland in Charlotte, North CarolinaPublished6 minutes agoSteve Clarke's tenure as Scotland head coach came to an abrupt and shock end on Saturday night in Charlotte.Following seven years as boss, where he led the country to back-to-back European Championships and the ongoing World Cup - the first for the men's team in 28 years - the 62-year-old has resigned while still at the squad's base camp in Charlotte, North Carolina.Clarke penned an emotional letter to the Tartan Army on his exit, here it is in full.Clarke steps down as Scotland boss after World Cup exitPublished1 hour agoScotland's elimination from World Cup confirmedPublished1 hour agoScotland's ill-fated World Cup story finally at a sorry endPublished1 hour agoWhen I was first approached by the Scottish FA about the position of head coach, I was advised by many people to leave well alone as the job had become a poisoned chalice. In my head I was just the wee boy from Saltcoats who had done well in his chosen profession and my country wanted me to be their leader, at least in a football sense. I couldn't find a reason to turn the approach down. My job remit was simple: qualify for a major tournament. As I reflect on my seven years in the job, my overriding emotion is pride, closely followed by satisfaction. To the the first coach since Craig Brown, in 1998, to lead the country to the finals of a major tournament was the stuff of dreams. That night in Belgrade - with no supporters in the stadium due to Covid - was an experience of pure, raw emotion from start to finish. It gave the nation some welcome cheer from the restrictions of the pandemic.Although the tournament was, for us at least, a bit of a damp squib, there was an unforgettable night at Wembley when we m...