tartanhamish

Thanks

There are a number of Scottish Fitba heroes who have humbled the Auld Enemy; Law, Baxter, Last Minute Reilly, Tommy Walker and more. Walking along Battlefield Road Hampden bound I prayed to God, any God for a hero. Thousands marched more in hope than expectation as we have not the players nor the talent of the past nor our illustrious opponents. The Tartan Army, Scotland fans were drawn to The National Stadium as Bonnie Prince Charlie’s sodjers were to glorious failure. An act of Newtonian Gravity sucking us in to inevitable defeat. With Scotland there is however always a however. The atmosphere was electric. The England players so tall, so confident they exuded over confidence knowing victory would be theirs as of right. It is the rule of historical fact. However Hampden had its Roar back, and some. Our players, our heroes took occasional control and when relinquished we the Scotland fans roared and roared until we got it back. England scored, as they always do, victory was theirs, it always is. However. A free kick mile out. ‘He will never score from there’, and he did. Yes he did. Mayhem in the stands. Another free kick a minute later. ‘He won’t score from there, again?’. Yes he did, yes he did. Mayhem and madness. My lungs burst, my ears rung with the Hampden roar. Hugging, mass hysteria and more. Yet, this England we are playing. They of course equalised when we passed the precious ball to them for no particular reason. Last Minute Leigh Griffiths scores 2 goals, brilliant goals that will live in the hearts of Scotland fans forever. What a game, what drama, what a noise. We snatched a draw from the jaws of victory and defeat, from misery to happiness to misery. The 90 minute mutual dislike for our English friends ended with them applauding us and us clapping them in return. Class. I think they appreciated the Hampden Roar. See Scotland, see Scotland, what would we do without them, what would they do without us?

Here's my thoughts; after playing well, for the first time in the campaign the game was drifting away & the crowd started to sing. The West Stand corner got the crowd going & helped the team along. With 10 minutes to go we were out of the cup & faced with a meaningless England game. 2 years of frustration culminated in the sub Chris Martin. My brother nearly self combusted with rage. Martin then scored the most important goal in 10 years. Fans can boo, we should perhaps boo more. Should we demand a lap of honour after not qualifying, guilty then of accepting second best? Not easy supporting Scotland. Hamish

Here we are again, 18 years of failure & we are faced with self analysis, berating the SFA, possible boycotts, sack the manager & guess what, we may just be facing the same dilema in 2 years. I feel that we are not only facing terminal decline, we are well down the slope. The weekend before Wembley in an attempt to gee myself up I u-tubed old England victories, not once did I convince myself we could win, we did in fact not win. The damage was done a few weeks ago & years ago. if Strachan stays then we back him, if he goes then he has done his best & as to all past managers I thank him. If he stays he should explain the failure of the last 2 years to us the fans & to his employers. We then Move on. Please note in my piece in the paper I 'suggested ' that Regan should go, I have no idea what he really does for Scottish football, I am in no position to judge. I however will be supporting Scotland forever & he will move onto another job. He deserves eternal damnation for a pricing policy that deliberatley drives fans away from Hampden, surely it is our pitiful display that ensures empty seats. Plus, no Scotland on cooncil TV unless we are playing England. Criminal. Hamish

Vancouver Tartan Army Flag, over for Wembley, been to many Scotland games, went missing at the end of the game. Untied and away. Let us find it & return it. Please.

Vancouver Tartan Army Flag, over for Wembley, been to many Scotland games, went missing at the end of the game. Untied and away. Let us find it & return it. Please.

Another autopsy, it's the manager, it's the SFA, it's the clubs. Is it our fault for cheering the boys after a failed campaign allowing Mr Strachan to escape scott free from the Georgia away game? We are all in it together. The media, radio Scotland blandly covering fitba with ex pros unwilling to have a real go at the failed coaches who produce failed players. Whilst the SFA are not entirely to blame just ask yourselves; we are paying far too much money to watch a 4th rated team, my £35 ticket was a lot cheaper than the Hampden england game. I just don't have an answer, none of us do. However perhaps it is for us, the fans to instigate change, another Scotland manager will be facing the sack in 2 years.

I was too young at 16 to go to Germany i however lived outside Frankfurt, Darmastadt for 2 years 78-80 & went to most eintracht games & always cast my mind back to the Scots fans walking to the game that day we should have beaten Brazil. I heard about a Scot who stayed & had a pub in the city but never met him. Outside Wembley for many of us the 1st foreign trip was to Prague in 76 & sporadic trips abroad saw the Tartan Army change, grow & mature into the magnificent support we have, whilst remaining proudly immature by the way. I did an obit on an Andrew Gibson in the Herald, a guy who was in Spain, Wembley & Bergen in 63 , Brusselles inn61 for the play off never mind Florence for the Gers Cup Winners Cup final in 62 & prague for the Celts semi final draw in 67. The kids today jump on Ryan Air or Easy jet, Wembleys in the 60s never mind earlier were a trek & a half. I can be in a queue in tesco in Ayr & chat to the assistant , mention French Bread & we are suddenly marching from the eifel Tower. So many memories watching Scotland, the glory. Plus the stramashes. In the end it is the team & the fans, we are world class whilst the team is.........! Arra best Hamish

The first 100 years of scottish fitba

Well done, i never get asked about the fitba or opposition players or tactics. hamish

A good goal by a plucky opposition with a decent sizeable travelling support in a game we were going to score loads of goals with my mood not helped by morons behind me & having paid too much too watch. Not sure I clapped, but Estonia scored their first major goal in competition against us at Pittodrie 1993. On the way to the game we passed a Trabant near Stonehaven, a squad of 5 or 6 were in the main stand & when Bragin scored in 57 minutes one lad invaded the pitch to shake all the players hands. Definitely laughed. We won 3-1.

I was living in Germany for 2 years circa 78-80. Missed Maradonna, Stein's first game a 3-2 victory over Norway losing 2-1 not long to go. We scudded Portugal 4-1 at home methinks.

Not convinced a 'Welcome to Hell' sign would have been worthy of a game against Gibraltar The atmosphere was never going to be that good & there has been a residue of resentment at the ticketing prices which has not helped. I clapped loudest at the Gib goal & to witness a hat-trick. 2 full houses against Poland & Germany will welcome the real Hampden Experience back, We are all Scotland by the way..... Hamish

There was no way there would ever be an atmosphere in a game against Gibraltar & why should there be? Having spent £35.00 to sit in the West Stand in front of 4 arses who took great long & noisy exception to being instructed to sit down. The ludicrous tkt pricing policy stopped many fans both regular & occasional from attending allowing a family (lack of) atmosphere to pervade. What joy is there in celebrating a victory against such plucky foes? Well done Gib fans & as a fellow traveller it was a pleasure to see you all celebrating a good goal. That was kid on fitba yesterday, the next game kick starts the adventure & the atmosphere.

My Father travelled a bit in Europe for his job & saw a few good club & country games in the 80s. Gothenburg for the Dons & Dundee Utd, Celtic in Bremen & Austria somewhere. He was in Brussels for the 83 3-2 defeat. He did however buy a ticket for a game in Switzerland in '83 but his boss found out & sent him elsewhere. We lost. Hamish