Anyone who can remember exactly where they were when Scotland beat Sweden 2-0 in the 1990 World Cup or who recalls the Tartan Army send-off for Ally McLeod and the 1978 squad to Argentina will find the hairs on the back of their neck in for a work-out if they happen to catch a short film which is showing now at a TV screen near you. Already hailed (by Herald Commentator columnist Peter Broughan) as ''the best thing that Scottish Television has ever produced'', the channel's three-and-a-half-minute ''promo'' for its World Cup coverage perfectly and eloquently encapsulates every aspect of Scotland's passion for its national team.

The jubilant highs and the inevitable lows of being a Scotland supporter are there; the way in which Scotland games emotionally involve the entire population, male and female, young and old; the lengths to which fans will go to demonstrate support; the pride, the passion, the fierce loyalty, the iconic moments and the unquashable sense of optimism are all represented by this joyful celebration of what it is to be Scottish during a World Cup. And it's all set to The Proclaimers' most famous and rousing hit, 500 Miles.

The first time I saw this short film, memories of previous World Cups came flooding back. Being dangled out of the third-floor window of a Mount Florida highrise to contribute a wave to the 1978 World Cup team send-off. Having to endure an unconsolable six-year-old brother's night-long sobbing on holiday in Brittany when Scotland was knocked out of the 1982 World Cup. Asking waiters for match updates during a formal 21st birthday dinner when Scotland was beating Sweden in 1990.

The fact that the film isn't listed on TV schedules means that it has gained something of the status of the BBC's elusive promo, A Perfect Day, another film which features the perfect balance of imagery and music. Having canvassed the opinion of several female friends -

all of whom had the same ecstatic reaction to the film - and the aforementioned brother, who proclaimed it ''spine-tingling'', I was determined to find out who had dreamt up the promo.

Not only did it turn out that a woman was responsible for the film, but it transpired that it was a university classmate of mine. Emma Walsh belongs to the same category as most of the film's fans - she isn't a football buff, but she invariably gets swept along

by football fever come World Cup time.

Walsh revealed that the starting point for the film was the Proclaimers song which her boss, Scott Ferguson, Scottish Television's Controller of Broadcasting, wanted to use in a trailer for the channel's World Cup coverage. His original plan was that Walsh, who currently works in the commercials department, and her colleague, Enzo Facchini, would make a film based on a script commissioned from an advertising agency. However, Walsh and Facchini submitted their own ideas and script and Ferguson was so impressed that he ditched the agency.

Walsh is delighted and taken aback by the response to the film, but is not totally surprised to learn that female viewers, in particular, are going bananas for it. She says: ''The main idea behind it is the passion - the lengths people go to - not just for football, but for their country.'' Billed as the director and producer, Walsh was also responsible for the emotive editing which splices different scenarios of Scottish life with memorable images and footage from previous Scotland games. ''Scott Ferguson gave me a list of every goal against Scotland in every World Cup, European Cup and match against England since 1967, plus every goal we scored,'' she says, by way of explaining how a non-expert came to compile such a magical montage.

Obviously, the promo will only be running until June 10, so keep your remote control handy to record what may well turn out to be the highlight of the entire World Cup . . .