Frenetic fans, football, castles and a heap of fun - BILL WATT's fulfilment of a life-long dream to join Scotland's famed Tartan Army had it all ... plus a few beers.
"We'll be coming, we'll be coming, we'll be coming down the road. When you hear the noise of the Tartan Army boys, we'll be coming down the road".
Yep, I was singing loud and clear with the tens of thousands-strong Tartan Army (Scottish supporters) as Scotland made their grand entrance (followed soon after by their rapid exit) at the European Football Championships in Germany. The culmination of a life-long fantasy.
You see, despite being a proud Aussie, I was born in Scotland and my Dad followed everything Scottish with a passion. He especially loved the Scottish football team and, well, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
I had been to two World Cups, patriotically donning the green and gold of Australia, but anyone who knows me well would have seen me occasionally dressed in a royal blue Scottish football jersey.
So, when the travel agent/events guru/friend who brilliantly managed my trips to watch the Socceroos in Russia (2018) and Qatar (2022) asked if I was interested in travelling to Germany for the Euros it sparked a train of thought that ended with my wife declaring: "Let's go. Knowing Scottish football, you might not get another chance".
Here are a few observations gleaned from our fabulous football odyssey:
FREE BEER
Football fanatics are undoubtedly among the most generous of people. In the three games I attended along with my Scottish-born Aussie brother-in-law, we were generously offered free beer (four or five times, though we were restrained in our acceptance), ice-cream (the kilted bloke seated next to me decided it was hot and everyone nearby - 15 in total - needed something to cool down), chips/crisps and lollies (sweets/candy). Seeing my credit card out in a food stall queue, one young Tartan Army fanatic advised us that it was cash only at the facility, and promptly whipped out a 20 euro note and offered it to me. Astonishing!
BOOZY BROTHERHOOD
Alcohol has a well-deserved reputation for creating havoc at big events. And, let's face it, nobody wants to sit next to a pissed-as-a-newt, sideline expert who is up for a fight at the least provocation. Well, this didn't appear to be a problem in Germany. Let me clarify: There were tens of thousands of Scots who were drinking heavily before, during and after these games, but we didn't see one fight, or even a serious argument. Yes, there were lines of men in kilts relieving themselves in bushes outside the ground, but unless you were in the bushes with them you weren't going to see anything that offended you.
FLOWER POWER
You travel to big football tournaments to see football played on a larger than life stage. But, often the glorious highlights (especially when you follow Scotland) aren't the the players' performances, but rather the show put on by the fans. I love the national anthems prior to kick-off. The German crowd in Munich sang their anthem loud and proud. As did the Swiss and Hungarians at the other two games we watched. But, the three renditions of Flower Of Scotland (the Scottish anthem), was just incredible. Tens of thousands belting out "O flower of Scotland, when will we see, your like again, that fought and died for, your wee bit hill and glen etc etc" is something I will never forget. My wife, who joined us for one match (versus Switzerland), couldn't believe how loudly the tartan throng sang. And, an older German at a later game said he still had shivers from hearing The Flower in Munich and that it was the best thing he had ever heard at a football match. Take a wee look here:
BLOODY ENGLAND
My son reckons England's sporting teams "live rent-free in my head" (I sort of get it). So, it was nice to see that I am not alone with that particular issue. This is a widespread malaise in the football world, but it can be quite funny ... as long as you're not English.
As we arrived at the first match, Germany vs Scotland, the German fans were directing some chants at the Scottish fans. The Scots retorted by singing: "We hate England, we hate England, we hate England more than you ... we hate England more than you". Says a lot, when you think of Germany's history with England!
Danish supporters chanted at the English during a Euros match: "You're just a shit part of Scotland, shit part of Scotland, you're just a shit part of Scotland"!
And, while travelling to the Scotland v Hungary game on a completely jam-packed tram in Stuttgart, the friendly Scots fans squeezed up even tighter to let a trio of Hungarians on board. One of the Hungarians, his face inches from mine, saw my Scottish jersey, and muttered his only English words of the whole journey - "F**k England"! It made me smile.
Of course, the English almost got the last laugh by making the championship decider, but contrastingly, every Scot (and, to be fair, millions of others) got to cheer for Spain as they beat England in the final in Berlin.
THE FOOTBALL
A friend of mine has a saying when watching our team play in another football code: "The score's irrelevant".
Well, if you follow Scotland's national football team, that's a great philosophy. For the record, Scotland were thrashed by Germany, drew with Switzerland, and lost to a pretty ordinary Hungarian side. But, despite the early exit of their team from the 2024 Euros, I reckon every Scot who travelled to Germany loved the overall experience and will be back next time their wee nation qualifies for a big tournament.
TICKETS
If you're going to a big tournament, get in early for tickets. For the Euros opener in Munich - Germany vs Scotland - there were reportedly 200,000 Scots in the city. The stadium capacity is around 70,000, so the demand for tickets was insane. And, it was a similar equation for the other two Scotland games in Cologne and Stuttgart. My secret weapon was the Sydney-based World of Discoveries travel group (wofdi.com). They specialise in tours to huge sporting events, and through their advice as well as their network of official sporting contacts and long-term planning, the day was saved. We managed to get top shelf tickets to Scotland's three group games (sadly their only ones), in Munich, Cologne and Stuttgart.
SIDE TRIPS
Apart from watching games and partying with fans at big overseas tourneys, I reckon it's essential to fit in a little sightseeing and some 'cultural' experiences. In this vein, the World of Discoveries team took a group of us football fanatics to a bundle of super spots in Germany and Austria. Highlights included Mad King Ludwig's fairy tale castle in Bavaria; the James Bond museum at the top of a mountain in the Austrian Tyrol (https://www.bringbitz.com/post/licence-to-thrill); the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart; lunch, booze and party-time at the famed Hofbrauhaus in Munich; wine tasting at Lieser Castle on the Moselle River and a spa stay at the Aqua Dome resort in alpine Längenfeld, Austria. All of these experiences made our sporting sojourn even more memorable.
SPORRANS
At the risk of recommending wholesale cultural appropriation (which I have been told is a bad thing), I reckon the sporran (essentially a fancy Scottish man bag worn over the groin with a tartan kilt) should be taken up by men everywhere. The kilt is optional, but the sporran is a must have for your wallet, passport and mobile phone. Buy your sporran shares. It's the next happening thing!
The author paid his own way. He travelled with World Of Discoveries, a Sydney-based company specialising in tours to global sporting events (wofdi.com).
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