Gilks joins Tartan Army

Rochdale-born Matthew Gilks has joined another former Canary goalkeeper, David Marshall, in the Scotland squad for their Euro 2012 qualifying double header against Lithuania and Liechtenstein next month.

Rochdale-born Matthew Gilks has joined another former Canary goalkeeper, David Marshall, in the Scotland squad for their Euro 2012 qualifying double header against Lithuania and Liechtenstein next month.

Gilks, who was beaten six times as Blackpool were given a Premier League lesson by Arsenal on Saturday, has been given his surprise international chance after the Scottish Football Association discovered that he Scottish grandparents.

Gilks, who never played a first team game for City, replaces Neil Alexander and, with Cardiff's Marshall, will be back-up to Allan McGregor in the absence of the injured Craig Gordon.

Scotland coach Craig Levein has recalled veteran David Weir to the international fold, explaining that it is because Scotland will be “playing for real”.

The 40-year-old Rangers skipper, whose last game in dark blue was against Holland at Hampden almost a year go, was left out of Levein's first two squads for the friendlies against the Czech Republic and Sweden.

However, in the wake of a 3-0 drubbing in Stockholm earlier in the month, the former Hearts and Everton stopper will win his 66th cap in Kaunas next week.

“The thing about Davie is he is still playing at the highest level week in, week out,” said Levein. “The fact he is still turning in top-class performances made it a pretty easy decision to make.”