Don Lawson, of Badenoch and Strathspey Tartan Army, last night claimed Mr MacAskill should look closer to home.

The Inverness publican said: “It’s another soundbite from the man we call ‘anti-pub Kenny’.

“The kick-off time for the Italy match was good for pubs and good for the country. I was in Glasgow and didn’t see violence.

“Kenny MacAskill is actually one of the very few members of the Tartan Army who has been arrested for being drunk and disorderly.

“The words pot, kettle and black spring to mind.”

Hamish Husband, spokesman for the Association of Tartan Army Clubs, said: “If the government believes this is such a major issue they should ensure Scot-tish national games are shown on terrestrial TV. This would mean people who want to see Scotland play aren’t forced into the pub.

Mr MacAskill had said: “It’s not just Old Firm games where kick-off times are important.

“I was at the Scotland-Italy game where we didn’t get the result we wanted. We know that ambulance call-outs went through the roof after the match, as did domestic violence figures.

“It was because people had been drinking too much all day. That is unacceptable.”

He added: “Kick-off times are matters for the police. But crucial qualifiers must be looked at.”

In November 1999, Mr MacAskill missed Scotland’s 1-0 win over the Auld Enemy at the old Wembley after being apprehended by the Metropolitan Police on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly and held in the cells.

He said afterwards: “There was a simple misunderstanding on the way to the ground. 

“I was neither cautioned nor charged and was released as soon as the match was over. 

“I was really fed up going all the way to Wembley and missing the famous victory, but it won’t put me off going to any future games.”