Albion midfielder Graham Dorrans today insisted Scotland will compete with Spain in their Euro 2012 qualifiers as he recalled teenage meetings with Spanish stars.

Dorrans is preparing for his country’s opening qualifying matches against Lithuania tomorrow and Liechtenstein next week.

But the Tartan Army are already looking ahead to an October 12 meeting with World Champions Spain at Hampden Park and the return fixture a year later.

And Dorrans is relishing the chance to lock horns again with the Spanish players he met in the Under-19s European Championships Final in 2006, when the Scots lost 2-1.

Dorrans has been the most successful member of that Scotland team, having become a hit at The Hawthorns and won full international honours.

He said: “It was a great achievement getting to the final. It was disappointing I did not play too many games in the tournament but to come on in the final and score the goal was a great experience.

“The Spanish team included Pique, Navas and Mata, who are in the senior squad now. They beat us 6-0 in the group stage but we gave them a better game in the final.

“I don’t see why we should just surrender six points to them. We will give Spain a good game here and over there.”

Dorrans has caught the eye of the Scottish football public in his international appearances to date, but the former Livingston man has insisted he still does not take a starting place for granted.

He said: “I never see myself as a first pick. But I have a bit of experience now of playing against quality players in England every week. The Premier League is one of the best leagues in the world so there is not much difference going up against the bigger teams in the qualifiers.”

Before facing the big guns of the Czech Republic and Spain next month, Lithuania and Liechtenstein have to be negotiated and Dorrans is keen to play his part.

He said: “It is important for us. We know it will be a tough game but our sights are set on getting three points to take into the next game.”

Dorrans is easing himself into his first full season of Premier League action after starring for the Baggies in last season’s Championship promotion campaign.

And he insisted he never doubted his ability to succeed south of the border.

He said: “It has not surprised me how well it has gone. If I did not think I could do it I would not have gone down in the first place.