THE AULD FRENEMY
Scotland and England fans party in Holland ahead of Euros
THE Tartan Army partied in the sunshine of Utrecht as Scotland’s women kicked off their Euro 2017 campaign yesterday.
And the 500-strong fan contingent, headed by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, were happy to leave their rivalry with England to the pitch.
The Scots were joined in the Fan Zone by several hundred England fans but the old foes were united in friendship and football before the match at the Galgenwaard Stadion.
They enjoyed a kickabout in a specially constructed five-a-side pitch behind the town hall and the theme around the bars was coffee and cake, rather than crateloads of beer.
West of Scotland Tartan Army spokesman Hamish Husband has swapped his support from Gordon Strachan’s side to Anna Signeul’s after the women qualified for their first major finals.
And he said fans of the men’s game who dismissed women’s football had got it badly wrong.
He said: “There are a few familiar faces, footsoldiers from the men’s game but sadly many are still disdainful of women’s football and see it as second rate. Frankly, they don’t know what they’re missing.
“The buzz around Utrecht is reminiscent of Wembley trips of old, when the atmosphere was much more friendly.
“There’s a great family spirit with plenty of kids, fewer kilts than normal, and much less alcohol. The fans are mixing amiably and the rivalry will only be on display once we reach the stadium.”“I’m wearing the Back in Britain, SNP MP Hannah Bardell showed her support by sporting a Scotland top. The MP for Livingston told MPs: colours, I hope you don’t mind, I used to play alongside two of Scotland’s national players at university. Their career has obviously done better in football than mine.” Sadly for the fans, Scotland slumped to a 6-0 defeat on the pitch.