Former Scotland captain David Weir (pictured) today became the most high-profile player to throw his support behind the idea of a team fully representative of the United Kingdom when he said any player that turned down the opportunity to play in the Olympics would "regret it forever".

Weir, who last month skippered Glasgow Rangers to the Scottish Premier League title, claimed that even though he will be 42 by the time of the Games next year he would love to be involved.

"I'm all for it [Team GB] - it's a great idea," Weir, who with 69 appearances is Scotland's sixth-most capped international, told Scotland on Sunday.

"If I was asked to play - although, let's be honest, that's not really that likely - I wouldn't hesitate for a second."

The fact that such a high-profile international as Weir has supported the idea of players from Scotland appearing for Team GB at London 2012 is a devastating blow to Scottish Football Association (SFA) chief executive Stewart Regan, who has always claimed that he did not believe many Scots would be interested in playing. 

But Weir claimed that most Scottish players were excited by the prospect of representing Britain in the Olympics.

"I think that's a widespread view amongst most [Scottish] players, which isn't that surprising because they'd be very foolish to say 'no', and I don't think that many will," he said.

"Any player who turned it down would regret it forever."

Weir's backing for a united British team came as Wales' Adam Matthews joined his international teammates Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey in declaring his availability for London 2012.

"I think every player would be interested to be in the Olympics, so if the chance comes about I'll take it," said the 19-year-old from Cardiff, who is due to join Glasgow Celtic next month.


So far the only player to publicly declare their opposition to the idea of playing for Team GB is Arsenal's Scotland striker Jule Fleeting (pictured above wearing number 10), whose father Jim is director of football development at the SFA.

Fleeting, who has scored 114 goals in 118 appearances for Scotland, made her opposition about playing for a British women's team known as long ago as April 2008 but has now reiterated it.

"Obviously the Olympics is a fantastic stage but I am Scottish through and through," said Fleeting.

"It might mean our girls would not have the opportunity to play for the national team in the future because some of us went to play for Team GB.

"That's not a risk any of us are willing to take."

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