[Opserty]

PHP Code:

// pre-cache templates used by all actions 
$globaltemplates = array( 
        // change the lines below to the list of actual templates used in the script 
        'thanks_leaderboard', 
); 


Remove the comma after the 'thanks_leaderboard'

Also

PHP Code:

// ########################## REQUIRE BACK-END ############################ 
require_once('includes/./global.php'); 


Is wrong, did you read the section on "Using vBulletin-powered scripts outside vBulletin Directory" on the tutorial in your original post?
Something like:

PHP Code:

$curdir = getcwd();
chdir('path/to/forums/');
require_once('global.php');
chdir($curdir); 


Should work.