How Tartan Army’s infectious good humour can transform Scotland

The positive attitudes of the Tartan Army have created the kind of genuine community spirit that would benefit society as a whole

The violent clashes that broke out in Glasgow city centre before Sunday’s Ranger-Celtic cup final were a reminder that Scottish football hooliganism has never really gone away, with the Santa hats worn by some adding a surreal touch.

As Christmas shoppers ran for cover, so-called fans threw punches and flares at each other, while also attacking the police and smashing shop windows. Chief Superintendent Stevie Dolan said that officers had to act “swiftly and robustly to ensure public safety and reduce disorder”, adding that “the use of weapons or violence will not be tolerated”.

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Contrast this with the Tartan Army’s summer foray into Germany, where the battle cry of “No Scotland, no party” signified this enormous force – estimated to number some 200,000, or about 3.6 per cent of this country’s entire population – most assuredly came in peace.

The Tartan Army marches to Cologne Stadium ahead of the game against Switzerland in the Euro 2024 tournament in Germany (Picture: Bradley Collyer)The Tartan Army marches to Cologne Stadium ahead of the game against Switzerland in the Euro 2024 tournament in Germany (Picture: Bradley Collyer)
The Tartan Army marches to Cologne Stadium ahead of the game against Switzerland in the Euro 2024 tournament in Germany (Picture: Bradley Collyer) | PA

Make love, not war

For years, many fans of the Scotland national team have been following the side’s exploits in far-flung countries with two things mainly on their mind: watching the game and, frankly, getting drunk and trying to sleep with the locals. And they have discovered it is far more enjoyable to make love, rather than war.

The resulting parties have also led to the creation of deeper bonds of friendship than a one-night stand, and the birth of a Tartan Army ‘culture’ that is diametrically opposed to the mindset of the thugs who brought violence to the streets of Glasgow on Sunday.

One country where this appears to have been particularly successful is Estonia. In 2005, the then Foreign Minister Urmas Paet gave a nod to the popular exaggeration that football fans created the significant business links between the two countries.

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“It can be said, jokingly, that it all started with the arrival, in Tallinn, of numerous business-minded members of the Tartan Army in the mid-1990s, even if some of the football matches did not turn out to be as spectacular as expected,” he said in a speech at Edinburgh City Chambers. I was with the Tartan Army in Latvia in the 1990s when I first heard this claim from an Estonian woman who had travelled to meet a Scots fan she had got to know on a previous trip to her country.

German tourist boom

In 2021, after Scotland drew 0-0 with England in the delayed Euro 2020 tournament, fans partied in London’s Leicester Square as everyone expected. However, what happened next would have surprised many. In the morning, fans still dressed in their kilts and Scotland tops – suggesting a long night – returned to the square to help tidy up the mess they had made.

And Scotland’s supporters went down a storm with the locals in Germany this year. Two fans who helped an elderly local with a walking frame by holding an umbrella to shield him from a particularly heavy downpour of rain found themselves immortalised in an artist’s depiction that appeared in train carriages in the country.

Dr Jürgen Amann, of tourist organisation VisitCologne, declared that “Scottish fans won the hearts of the people of Cologne,” adding; “We'll remember the Tartan Army for a long time to come.” And he wasn’t joking or just getting a bit carried away.

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Travel company Skyscanner recently told the BBC that the number of Germans visiting Edinburgh had increased by 156 per cent compared to last year. The firm’s Mohit Joshi said that Scotland fans “brought warmth, kindness, and humour to Germany – qualities that the locals truly admired. This curiosity has sparked a growing interest in Scotland.” During the tournament, Visit Scotland reported a 57 per cent increase in online searches in Germany about holidays in Scotland.

Even Google’s “AI overview” recognises the Tartan Army’s finer qualities, saying they are “known for their friendly behaviour and charitable work”. It also claims that Scotland’s fans ‘unofficial slogan’ is “we'll support you evermore, f*** the score!", which I take issue with, as it suggests fans don’t care whether the team wins or loses, which they most definitely do. But it adds that “generative AI is experimental”, and how much can you really expect from a robot?

Deep-fried pizzas

The contrast between these two sporting cultures is stark, and it demonstrates the power of social norms to influence behaviour. Clearly, the spirit that enthuses the Tartan Army is one to be encouraged, while efforts to suppress the mindless violence and hatred of the hooligans should be increased.

It should not be too much to hope that club football could, one day, adopt a similarly peaceful culture while maintaining the competitive side of the game. Cultivating a sense of humour is one place to start. For example, whenever Scotland plays Italy, the cry of “We’re going to deep-fry your pizzas” is sure to be heard.

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My own suggestion as far as Rangers and Celtic go is for both clubs to swap colours, maybe only for one game, as a symbolic gesture of friendship. Rangers in green, Celtic in blue-and-white hoops? “It will never happen” is what most people say when I mention this, but why not? They are only colours, after all, and the switch might make some people think.

Tangible rewards

However, I actually think that there might be greater rewards to be had from trying to turn the positivity of the Tartan Army into a force for good in society as a whole, rather than club football.

Apart from excessive alcohol consumption, there is much to admire: an outgoing, friendly demeanour; a fondness for people from other countries and cultures; good humour in the face of both victory and defeat; and a desire to help others. This is being noticed by people in countries like Germany and Estonia, with Scotland reaping tangible rewards as a result.

For one reason or another, the Tartan Army has developed the kind of culture that would benefit any community or country and become a model of a good society that Scotland should at least try to emulate.

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