Tartan Scarf

There are many images of past Scotland games with brylcreemed bandy legged wingers, toe-tector boots and a thick woollen jumper that absorbed more water when it rained than the T-ball laced football that proved to be more hazardous to a forwards napper than an England goalie's gloves at Hampden.
Scotland fans would travel to the game with a hip flask, a wee bit of hope and most important of all a Tartan Scarf.
As a kid I always wondered where said scarf was kept, in a drawer or under the bed? Never mind the Bay City Rollers it was Rod Stewart who set the fashion for a longer Stuart scarf, 2 sewed together. Man Utd fans I believe were the instigators of the wrist band scarf which come to think of it may be in Roy Keane's mind as he lambasts said Glory Hunters and fits in their mind-set as both Rollers fans and fashion followers.
Tartan suits were more common in olden day Wembley weekends than kilts, check out your DVD of the 1967 3-2 game & most of oor fans were wearing proper suits with ties and Tartan Scarves.
The modern kilt wearing Tartan Army soldier only emerged at the '98 France World Cup, neer one was seen 2 years earlier as Football came home and we missed a penalty. Paris, Bordeaux & St Etienne were awash with ill fitting kilts and Adidas sambas.
It will be strange to be at Ibrox on Saturday, but not for the first time for a Scotland international. I have dug my lucky cashmere Stuart Tartan Scarf out of the drawer just as all those old guys did when I was young.  I have a St Andrews ski hat just to make me modern, up with the kids, or as my pal said I just look like a big kid.
The pain & suffering may have started in Dortmund with an unlucky defeat, but our challenge really starts on Saturday & when Scotland score I will throw my Tartan Scarf in the air just like Scotland fans did all these years ago. 2 minutes later mind you I will be hiding behind said Scarf as Scotland attempt to create a stramash on their own goal line. Some things will never change.




Hamish