Today is essentially D-Day for Northern Ireland's World Cup campaign, with the visit of Poland to Windsor Park.

The absence of the suspended trio of Steve Davis, George McCartney and Kyle Lafferty will not help our chances. However if we as fans can again create a vibrant atmosphere for this game, then there is always the possibility that the players can produce another memorable performance and what would be a great victory.

Poland will, I'm sure, not relish a visit to Windsor and they'll know all about the kind of hard working and tenacious performances the Northern Ireland side can produce as well as the passion and fervour of the 'Green and White Army'. Forget the defeat in 2004 — that was then, this is now!

The Polish FA have taken up their full ticket allocation for the game and with the many thousands of Poles who are now a part of the community here in Northern Ireland, I think this match is one that is greatly anticipated by many fans.

I know that a lot of banter has been flying around, many people now work with Poles or have Polish friends, neighbours and contacts, and that has helped to create a buzz ahead of today. It's always important though that we remember that football is a game that should be enjoyed and played within the spirit of respect.

The Amalgamation of Official NISC have worked with a range of agencies including the IFA's Community Relations Department, members of the local Polish community and Crusaders Football Club to put together a 'Respect Day' at Seaview, the highlight of the event being a friendly game between Northern Ireland and Polish fans.

Among other activities at the 'Respect' event will be face-painting and bouncy castles for the kids and a soccer skills session led by the IFA's Grassroots team. With many supporters from throughout Northern Ireland planning to get there before the big game at Windsor, it looks set to be fun occasion. The event starts at 11:30am, with the fans game at 1pm.

Looking ahead slightly, at lunchtime this coming Wednesday at the Storm Cinema in the Odyssey Arena, we have the first screening of a one-hour documentary chronicling the story of the 'Green and White Army'. The project, which has been made by fans during the past number of months, is something the production team are very proud of and I'm looking forward to seeing their work.

It tells the story of the journey Northern Ireland's fans have travelled from the days of poor attendances and bad publicity to the highs of capacity crowds, supporters awards and recognition for the fantastic atmosphere the fans create both at home and away.

The hope is that the production will eventually be televised and distributed to schools and community groups, so that everyone can see the hard work that has gone into changing the perception of Northern Ireland fans.