BARRY READY TO CAP COMEBACK; SCOTLAND v ARGENTINA TONIGHT, 8PM Fit-again Ferguson reaches milestone as skipper.

Byline: By IAIN CAMPBELL 

BARRY FERGUSON will officially become one of Scotland's greatest skippers when he leads out George Burley's side against Argentina tonight.

The Rangers midfielder will skipper his country for the 27th time - equalling the record set by Graeme Souness and Roy Aitken.

It is a near perfect way for Ferguson to end his six-month exile from international duty because of a serious ankle injury.

When informed that he would be joining two skippers who both led the nation in World Cups, he said: "I'll give Souness a phone. Not really, I haven't got his number!

"It's great because I've missed so many games through injury.

I made my debut 10 years ago and I haven't reached 50 caps yet which is disappointing.

"Every time I've been fit I've wanted to play for my country at any level. Everyone should want to do that and I'm no different."

Scotland have not won an international friendly at Hampden since beating Australia 1-0 in 1996 and Fergie admits that it will be a tough ask to end the run against Diego Maradona's team tonight.

But he believes it will be ideal preparation for the World Cup qualifier with Holland in March.

"They're not the easiest opposition to try and turn our record around," he said. "We're playing Holland in March and they're a fantastic team. It would be easy to take a friendly against a nation who aren't the best but when you play the best you can learn from them."

The midfielder does not agree with the pessimists who say that taking the game on was ill advised because it will cost the SFA money and could end in humiliating defeat.

"We should be taking a game against the likes of Argentina," said Ferguson.

"I know that a lot of people say that if it goes the other way then we could get a bit of a humping - but I don't think we will, the way we're going to be set out. It's the right kind of game to take."

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BACK IN BUSINESS Barry Ferguson