The official line is that it was a goose, but the Cassandras fear it was an albatross.
The Scottish football team's European Championship aspirations took a dent yesterday after a stray bird grounded their plane.
The flight scheduled to take the players to the Faroe Islands for their match was cancelled after the bird struck the plane, denting one of the aircraft's wings, requiring it to undergo urgent repairs and taking it out of service.
Atlantic Airways, the Faroe Islands-based airline, had to arrange another aircraft to pick up the Scotland squad. The team's departure from Glasgow airport was delayed by three hours.
Management had been warned of the problem, and kept the players at their Ayrshire base. They eventually took off at 6.45pm.
It is thought that the bird that collided with the plane was either a goose or a pelican.
Magni Arge, managing director of Atlantic Airways, said last night: "A bird hit the leading edge of one of the wings. The dent was too deep to go on with the flight as planned.
"The aircraft had to be grounded for essential repair work and we had to send another one to pick up the Scotland team in Glasgow."
Mr Arge, a former radio reporter, said the country was looking forward to an invasion by the Tartan Army.
He added: "Scotland are our nearest neighbours and our favourite opponents because we have had some very good results against them in the past.
"The Tartan Army always provide a lot of colour and we are looking forward to welcoming them to the Faroe Islands."
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