well, it may be some way off but the uk has an extra holiday to look forward to injune 2022 — a four—day bank holiday weekend. it's all part of a plan to celebrate the queen's platinum jublilee marking what will be 70 years on the throne. time for a look at the weather, here's chris fawkes. most of us have seen some sunshine today, but through the afternoon the clouds thickened across in western areas and that is a sign of what's to come because it is associated with this weather system out west. this cold front will be pushing gci’oss this cold front will be pushing across the uk bringing all of us a speu across the uk bringing all of us a spell of rain. quite heavy rain for a time and windy too, with the strongest winds on and head of this weather front as it moves in. strongest winds on and head of this weatherfront as it moves in. over recent hours the winds have been gusting into the low a0 mph already. that rain spreads overnight into

scotland, england and wales as well. the head of the weather front it is mild, 11 degrees in london, to the west of the weather front it is fresher. tomorrow that rain will still be with us, stretching down into the midlands and central southern england. it moves into east anglia before clearing, then the weather will brighten with some sunshine four times. it won't be entirely dry, there will be frequent showers across the north west. where it will stay blustery through the day, the winds tending to die off to the south—east as we go through the afternoon. mild, temperature is 10 degrees in the north, 1a degrees in the south. over the weekend low pressure is firmly in charge with several weather front swinging our way. it will be wet and windy at times. on saturday the strongest winds running through the irish sea so winds running through the irish sea so wales and west in england could get gusts up to a0 mph. there will be some drier slots but pretty unreliable and most of us will see

heavy rain at times. 16 on the face of it in london, perhaps not quite that mild given the strength of the winds, then it looks like it will be even windier across the south as we get into sunday. thank you. that's all from the bbc news at six , so it's goodbye from me , and on bbc one we nowjoin the bbc‘s news teams where you are. hello and welcome to sportsday. i'mjohn watson. i'm john watson. our headlines... will it be northern ireland's night?

slovakia stand in their way of a place at next summer's euros. scotland can also qualify tonight. victory for steve clarke's side would see all four home nations represented. he's been the talk of augusta, but bryson‘s found it tough going on the opening day of the masters. and also ahead tonight... we assess why british asians are so underrepresented in english football. they don't give you as much credit. they'lljust be like... they don't really see us as competitive players. good evening. a huge night of football ahead.

scotland up against serbia in belgrade with a place at next summer's european championships at stake. we'll be there shortly. northern ireland have home advantage at windsor park in their play off final against slovakia. just over 1000 fans will be allowed in to watch. both kick offs at 7.a5. with wales and england sure of their places, could we see all home nations represented at next summer's euros? adam wild assesses the challenge facing both sides. they remain some of football's most enduring images. a teenage pele at the 1958 world cup, and that is as far back as you have to go for the last time — in fact, the only time — all four nations were represented at a major tournament. now both northern ireland and scotland are just one game away from joining wales and england in next summer's european championship. things may have changed just a little in 60 odd years, but now both nations stand once more

on the brink of history. i think most people are looking forward to it and excited for the occasion. we had experience with, maybe over the last four orfive years, big games. i think the lads are looking forward to it and excited for the outcome. for northern ireland, it's slovakia and belfast in front of exactly 1060 fans. that is all social distancing will allow. we're obviously disappointed for... we're kind of a full house because whenever you have a game in this, you want your fans who followed you through thick and thin to be there. obviously, it's been difficult times for a lot of people. we know people will be looking to tune in. as i say, hopefully we can put a smile on their face, give them something to look forward to in the future. off the back of it, it's been a difficult year so far. for scotland, the wait for a major tournament has been long and painful. more than 20 years since their last. my whole generation has missed out on seeing scotland

at major tournaments. you know, you look back on old videos, talking to family and stuff how good tottenham used to be, and we need to hopefully carry that with us cos it definitely gives you an added incentive to make people happy. scotland take on serbia behind closed doors in belgrade. they are, once again, tantalizingly close. so, from belfast to belgrade, two matches that could finally, after six decades, bring the home nations back together. adam wild, bbc news. we'll cross to belgrade shortly, but to belfast first tojoin our sports editor dan roan at windsor park. and dan, it would be some achievement if all four home nations could qualify. of those fans allowed in later will be trying to make as much noise as possible. absolutely. just over a

thousand northern ireland fans have been fortunate enough to be allowed in windsor park behind me this evening. there's been talks between the irish fa and the local authorities to enable that to happen. in the past, famously, northern ireland have drawn upon the passionate support at windsor park to pull off incredible victories over the likes of england and spain. and of course, greece, which was the wind that got them to the last euros in france in 2016. the challenge against slovakia tonight to reach a second consecutive championship. if they pull it off, it'll be just the fifth time in their history they've reached a major tournament. look, the crowd to be anything as loud and unsupportive as it has been in the past, but nonetheless, maybe those 1060 fans could just prove the difference against slovakia. northern ireland haven't enjoyed great fall in the last year and a half or so. they did pull off the

dramatic penalty win in the semifinal against bosnia. they've had near misses here in the recent past. they nearly missed out in that double—headed playoff for the last world cup when switzerland got them better of them. i think some players are experienced... the death appointment will be desperate to mrs. —— disappointment. contain the lights of the netherlands and germany and they've made it this far, so it would be a momentous achievement if they were to get to their fifth ever major tournament andjoin their fifth ever major tournament and join england and wales and the euros for next year. so, i really big nice in—store. the relatively new manager, just five months after he took over, can he write his name and northern ireland football history? so much at stake tonight. it's alive for us outside windsor park this evening. scotland are

hoping to qualify for of... let's ci’oss hoping to qualify for of... let's cross to belgrade where we can join chris mcglocklin. we know a number of players missed out on that match against israel in the semi file. for the team in better shape this time? i think they are. the manager would say that they have more players to choose from, but i think even more importantly is that they have more confidence. this is a team that has been steadily in a squad that has been steadily in a squad that has been steadily in a squad that has been steadily growing in confidence, and what steve clarke has done with scotla nd and what steve clarke has done with scotland as he's made them difficult to beat. it's obviously one thing scoring goals in scotland and not doing that is readily as we would like, but not losing as many goals as they once did and that steve clarke said when he came in to take over as scotland boss, he wanted to

make scotland a difficult team to play against. and that is going to be key to what happens this evening he may well play kieran terry as well, so there are some very good players and that scotland board. but of course, there's some good players on the serbian side too. pat, the defensive side of the game steve clarke has improved, but this eight—game run, the best running 32 yea rs, eight—game run, the best running 32 years, there has to be more than just the defensive side. it's mostly structure, i have to say. a lot of those games were not great games. we didn't play very well. and the team bought into it. there's a great spirit within the group, but what steve clarke is more about is structure and organisation. usually isa kind structure and organisation. usually is a kind of three, five, separation which goes back to back. now the players all understand it and

everyone is working together. there's a real belief and a real confidence that they're not going to lose too many goals. however, most of those games haven't been against the top mightiest teams in europe. this is a step up and it's another major test. it is indeed. chris, really, let's look at the facts. this is the biggest game of his career. it is. i spoke this is the biggest game of his career. it is. ispoke to this is the biggest game of his career. it is. i spoke to someone within the camp today and they said what has been key to the past couple of days is that they are doing their best to try and treat this like another game. there will be no rabble rousing, speeches, no addressing them. they are determined to try their best to treat this like another game and let the football do the talking. we know there won't be any fans inside the stadium here this evening, obviously there will be no travelling either. but that may well play a part in what

scotla nd may well play a part in what scotland do this evening. you're right, it's been 22 long years. we know this is being played out in the middle of a global pandemic and we know from many people this is just a game of football, but believe me, it has the potential to put a smile on a huge number of faces. chris, you mentioned there won't be any fans. that's obviously a massive part of what scotland do, but have any of the top got there at all, have you seen any the top got there at all, have you seen any scotsmen —— scotsmen in belgrade? i was here to pick up some accreditation and someone mentioned that he was just talking to a member of the totten army. there will be some who will be attempting to try and get at least to belgrade to try and get at least to belgrade to try and soak up some of the atmosphere. i haven't seen any. i think most if not all have heeded the warnings not to travel because if you travel

here, you have to self—isolate when you get back home. but it is going to be interesting to see what kind of difference that makes to the game this evening. chris, many thanks indeed. chris mcglocklin they are in serbia for us. pat, many thanks indeed forjoining us as well. england also play this evening. it's a friendly against the republic of ireland. drew bellingham could be the third youngest player to represent england. whales begin their november triple header with a friendly against the united states. —— wales. a quick round—up of some of the day's other football lines. england's nations league match against iceland will take place at wembley after the government granted a special excemption to allow the icelandic squad to travel.

the game had been in doubt because iceland play in denmark days before that, and currently there is a travel ban on people arriving from the country. it's been confirmed that liverpool defenderjoe gomez will miss a ‘significant‘ part of the season, after having surgery on a knee injury he suffered while in training for england yesterday. greg clarke has now stepped down as vice president for world football governing body fifa. it comes after he resigned as chairman of the football association on tuesday. his departure comes after he used outdated and offensive racial comments in a parliamentary select committee hearing. well, after a wait of almost seven months, perhaps inevitable we were made to wait a little while longer. rain suspending play for several hours on the opening day at augusta. all eyes on the early favourite. austin halewood has been keeping across the first day, alongside our golf correspondent ian carter. the weather in brighton, the tubing talking points in the opening —— too

big talking points. let's start with the weather because we definitely saw both sides of the national golf course today, torrential rains that brought the play to a halt. just a couple of hours later, right sunlight and warm temperatures. but of course, all the talk beforehand was about one of the favourites. for those of you might not know, the talk about him is because he's back on so talk about him is because he's back on so much weight and that is all in an attempt to get more yardage. you can see how much more he got here and the result is well ranking. the first round all the talk about him. and it's his first round in a major since winning his first major, the us open. further evidence of the improvement that all these statistics point to. yet when he got onto the golf course, it was somewhat frustrating. we can see him

hitting his tee shot