Rachel Corsie: Poignant moments from past colour Scotland's hopes for World Cup play-off

Before the World Cup play-off round one match with Austria, I was asked to write a letter to my younger self and it's brought a flood of memories to the fore for me.

While that walk down Memory Lane travelled a little further than 2019, even looking back to three years ago to the Women's World Cup in France brings a lot of emotion. It will be the same for the rest of the squad who were asked by the Scottish FA to do likewise ahead of that massive game and Tuesday's round two match with Republic of Ireland.

There are elements of almost guilt as you reflect. Guilt because the memories feel as though they are overshadowed by a feeling of unhappiness and disappointment. It was our first ever World Cup and, in that draw against Argentina in the Parc des Princes, we let slip a lead that would have seen us go through.

It can be extremely hard to find joy in these tournaments. Maybe because we are all so competitive and ultimately there is only ever one winner.

But also, when you push yourself to every last inch of your capability physically, mentally and emotionally, just to hopefully perform at your very best in the right moment, the pressure and strain can make it very hard to remain present and aware of the true achievement that even being there is.

Did I enjoy it? Overall, yes... I think.

I can remember arriving at our hotel in Nice and being greeted by fans who filled the narrow street. It was late in the afternoon and it was a humid, sunny day as we stepped down off the bus. It finally felt like we were there - it was real.

My girlfriend, now fiancee, Lisa, had written me letters - one to open ahead of each match - and I had been given other cards from friends and family that I took with me and often read through the days we were there.

Very recently, when moving officially down to Birmingham this summer, I actually found the little box where I had kept them all. I'd let it slip my mind, but I kept a journal and wrote in it every morning when I woke up, leaving a message before bed again every night.

I feel it was intentional that I stumbled across that so recently. There were other little bits and pieces of memorabilia, like coffee shop business cards, a match ticket stub, my official player lanyard, among other little things.

Maybe afterwards is always when you feel you can look back on these memories and feel the significance of the experience.

One that will always be more special is the day we qualified for the last World Cup. Reminiscing about the final whistle in Albania is still so vivid. The euphoria of everyone, the celebrations together, the happiness of everyone that day will live forever.

Those reflections are important, as those of us who were there can hopefully draw on those memories as an extra tiny percentage that favours us come match day against Republic of Ireland.

Our opponents perhaps will have some who feel they can draw on similar experiences and that's another reason why we need those with the familiarity to pull it into our corner.

Both teams have great players and are moving in a similarly positive direction as a collective, so we will need to be at our best on Thursday to have our greatest chance. Hopefully there will be a record home crowd at Hampden to roar us on.

The game will be the biggest one for us all in a long, long time and the memories of the past, and how our future could hold it all again, is the best motivation we could have.