'We are more popular than Taylor Swift' - Tartan Army reflect on experience in US city dubbed 'mini Scotland'
A campaign has apparently been started to rip up Scotland fans’ passports to make them stay
While Boston has been dominated by the Tartan Army takeover over the last week, one smaller city just beyond its borders has earned itself the nickname “mini Scotland”.
Providence, Rhode Island — a city of about 200,000 people — has been transformed by Scotland supporters since the country’s World Cup campaign got under way last week.
What started with bemusement from locals as kilted fans descended on the smaller city some 50 miles outside Boston turned into total adoration for the Scots.
“We have certainly changed lives here in Providence,” said Hamish Husband, from Ayr, and who is often put forward as a Tartan Army spokesperson.
“We are more popular than Taylor Swift who is getting married soon nearby.”
The American singer had been rumoured to be getting married at her enormous Rhode Island home Watch Hill in July, although no location has been confirmed.
Mr Husband said that when the Tartan Army first arrived, many locals seemed unaware of why large numbers of Scottish supporters were appearing in kilts and accompanied by bagpipes.
“They asked us things like: ‘Why are you wearing kilts? Are you here for a conference or a holiday?’” he said.
But after Scotland supporters went viral following their presence at the Boston Red Sox v Texas Rangers baseball game at Fenway Park on Sunday, the mood shifted.
“After that, we’d walk down the street here and people would just shout ‘Go Scotland’ and ‘No Scotland No Party’.”
He added: “I was in the hotel this morning and the hotel manager told us off because we didn’t have any traffic cones on the local statues.”
For many Scotland supporters, the decision to stay in Providence came down to soaring accommodation prices in Boston.
“A few people set up a WhatsApp group calling themselves the Providence Tartan Army and it just grew from there,” Mr Husband said.
“God knows how many thousands have come here. It’s a very cosy city so you see Scots everywhere.
“It felt like coming home when arriving here.”
The scale of the Scottish presence became particularly apparent on Thursday when thousands of supporters marched through the city before gathering for the Tartan Army’s own TA in the Park event at downtown Providence’s 195 District Park.
Earlier in the day, Scotland supporters visited Hasbro Children’s Hospital to donate $10,000.
“The doctors and nurses all came out cheering,” Mr Husband said.
“There were loads of Scots there and it was really quite emotional.”
The Tartan Army also donated $6,500 to the Rhode Island Highlanders Pipe Band as a thank you for the city’s hospitality and to support local children learning the bagpipes.
Mr Husband joked that a campaign had now begun to rip up supporters’ passports to stop them leaving.
Gordon Stewart, from Arbroath and a member of the Providence Tartan Army, commented on the number of Scots in the city, saying there were at least 5,000 with more arriving throughout the week.
“It’s like a mini Scotland here,” he said.
Many supporters are now making their way to Miami for Scotland’s game against Brazil next week — the final match in the country’s Group C campaign at the FIFA World Cup.
Mr Husband added: “We’re ready for it, but I will miss Providence.”
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