A RENOWNED artist has turned dream into reality with a painting of Scotland scoring against England in the World Cup final.
Glasgow painter Peter Howson, who was born in England but moved to Scotland as a child, has included the work, above, in a special World Cup exhibition previewed yesterday.
The optimistic artist hopes the vision will be repeated in France this summer.
He said: ''I'm a Scotland supporter and I hope desperately that they win, or at least qualify, but if they do get knocked out and England are still in I'd be happy for them to do well.
''However, I don't like the arrogance of a lot of the English supporters so I thought I'd do this rather controversial scene. The English fans might be a bit fed up with it, but I think they've got a good sense of humour so they should take it well.''
Howson, once Britain's official war artist in Bosnia, has completed 36 paintings for the London exhibition, one on each of the teams and three extra portraying England. One shows England's Alan Shearer scoring against an unidentified team, another has Gazza taking on two forlorn looking Scottish defenders with a cigarette stuck jauntily between his lips.
''I'm laughing but I did the painting because I love Gazza,'' said Howson. ''He is a brilliant footballer.''
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