Euro 2020: 'Worldwide demand for the Tartan Army': Fan group 'welcoming the new normal' as Scotland gears up for first match

As Euro 2020 kicks off on Friday, a spokesman for the Tartan Army tells of how they are seeing worldwide demand and he is ‘welcoming in the new normal’ of Scotland appearing at the tournament.

It's Coming Hame by The Corner on Washington Street in Glasgow, marking Scotland's return to Euro 2020 after a 23-year wait (Photo: John Devlin).

After being visited by a photographer from the New York Times at his house in Ayr, Hamish Husband, the Tartan Army’s spokesman, has been left in disbelief as he adjusts to Scotland’s Euro 2020 appearance.

Mr Husband who is a key spokesperson for the Scotland national football team’s fan group said: “I won’t believe it till I’m in the stadium and the teams come out as it’s been 23 years and I’ve had many heartaches since then.

"I’ve been to the women's Euros and the Euros world cup so if they qualified this time I would have been following them as well so I’ve had heartache with the men and the women.

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"I’m welcoming the new normal, however, and that is Scotland actually winning at tournaments again.

“One of my friends also did Der Spiegel the German Magazine so there’s a worldwide demand for the Tartan Army.”

On Friday, Italy is playing Turkey in the Stadio Olympio in Rome in the Euro 2020 first match.

It will be the first game played on the big screens at Glasgow Green’s fan zone which opens at 5pm.

Due to Covid, Mr Husband commented that the Euros is ‘not the same’ but agreed that Scotland’s involvement this year has captured the nation.

He added: “The whole thing has just been different.

“It’s restricted to social media because of covid but only maybe two months I wouldn’t have believed they would have let fans in with rumours of it going to Germany and Russia.

"One of the disappointments is not having international fans visiting- the whole point of a tournament is having fans from all over Europe and that is the big thing that is missing.”

Comparing Scotland and Peru’s history in football victory, Mr Husband mentioned that he went to Peru three years ago to watch Peru and Mexico play and was amazed by the atmosphere.

He said: “There wasn’t obviously covid but it was amazing the way that qualifying for the World Cup had captured the nation- there were bank tellers and shop keepers all wearing Peru shirts- the place was all covered in red and white which is a bit like what happened with us and Argentina in 1978."

Mr Husband is not planning to go to the fan zone in Glasgow Green but mentioned that friends of his who could not get tickets will be there to celebrate the games coming ‘hame’, as billboards across Glasgow emphasise.

He said:"I would hope that all Scots fans follow the guidelines so that it’s football that is leading us into the new normal."

"Hopefully there’s positivity for everybody that’s happening out of this.”

Mr Husband joked: “Except for the Czechs, obviously.”

The football fan will be there in the flesh to see Scotland Vs Czech Republic on Monday at Hampden Park in Glasgow and will also be at the infamous game between Scotland and England at Wembley Stadium on June 22.

Asked whether he has hopes for Scotland, Mr Husband said no, however added: “I’ve aged terribly but the hope is they will qualify for the next round.”

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