Tartan Army
Encyclopedia
The Tartan Army is a name given to fans
of the Scotland national football team
. They have won awards from several organisations for their friendly behaviour and charitable work. They have been criticised at times for aspects of their behaviour, however, such as jeering the British National Anthem
.
The name first came into common usage in the 1970s, to describe the "well-refreshed
hordes" who would stand on the terracings at Hampden Park
, or biannually at Wembley for the England match
. Scotland fans were criticised at that time for their hooliganism, particularly after they invaded
the Wembley pitch and destroyed the goalposts after the 2–1 win against England
in 1977. Two years later, 349 arrests were made and a further 144 fans were ejected from Wembley Stadium during the 1979 British Home Championship
match, mainly for drunk and disorderly behaviour and vandalism. The behaviour in that latter match prompted the Scottish Sports Minister Alex Fletcher
to apologise to colleagues and led to the creation of the Scotland Travel Club.
The Scotland Travel Club was established in 1980 with the expressed purpose of encouraging responsible behaviour by fans. It has been suggested by Professor Eric Dunning that the improvement in behaviour arose mainly from a desire to look better than the English fans, who experienced significant problems with hooliganism during the 1980s and 1990s. The Tartan Army have won a number of awards for their vocal support and friendly nature. The organisation of the Travel Club had an immediate impact, with the Scotland matches at the 1982 FIFA World Cup
being played in a "family atmosphere". The Tartan Army were named as the best supporters during the 1992 European Championship and also received an award for their behaviour at the 1998 World Cup
in France. BBC News
described the Scotland fans as "one of the highlights" of that World Cup, noting their colourful appearance.
Matches against England, which used to be played on an annual basis as part of the British Home Championship
, were eventually stopped after 1989 due to violence and organised hooliganism. Both matches that were played between the countries in November 1999 in qualification for UEFA Euro 2000 had associated problems. Strathclyde Police
made 230 arrests in connection with the tie played at Hampden, while trouble at the second leg in Wembley resulted in 56 supporter injuries and 39 arrests. Police spokesmen downplayed the incidents after both games, however. Comments after the first game indicated that the arrests were for minor public order offences and that the scale of violence witnessed was lower than a typical Friday evening in Glasgow. The Metropolitan Police
adopted a "zero tolerance" approach for the second game, but the number of arrests were "comparatively small" and the "vast majority" of supporters were well behaved.
The Tartan Army were awarded a Fair Play
prize by the Belgian Olympic Committee
after a 2002 FIFA World Cup
qualifier in Brussels. The fans had been praised by the mayor of Zagreb
for their behaviour after a match against Croatia
in the same competition. In 2002, during the joint bid by Scotland and Ireland to host the UEFA Euro 2008 tournament, First Minister of Scotland
Jack McConnell
cited the "worldwide reputation" of the Tartan Army as a strength of the bid, stating that other countries welcome their arrival "with open arms". In 2005, the Scotland Travel Club became the Scotland Supporters Club, with sections for younger fans being established. Membership had grown to 17,000 by this time. The UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying campaign saw membership numbers increase dramatically to a capacity of 27,500, with a waiting list of over 10,000. The Scotland Supporters Club is operated by the Scottish Football Association
, with membership guaranteeing one match ticket for all home fixtures and offering the opportunity to apply for away match tickets. As of August 2010, the club is at its maximum capacity of 35,000 members and therefore does not accept applications.
In August 2008, Irish Football Association
chief executive Howard Wells criticised jeering from Scottish supporters during the British National Anthem, God Save The Queen
, before a friendly international match against Northern Ireland
. The SFA
, who had pleaded with fans not to jeer the anthem, admitted that they were also "disappointed" by the booing. The Scottish Government also criticised the Tartan Army, commenting that it had "tarnished" their reputation. Scotland were not punished for the booing because the match was a friendly, which fell outside the jurisdiction of UEFA
. God Save The Queen was previously used as the Scottish team's anthem, but it was replaced during the 1970s due to consistent booing at matches. Scotland the Brave
was initially used as a replacement, with Flower of Scotland
being commonly used since 1990. This issue recurred when Scotland played Liechtenstein
in September 2010, as their national athem
uses the tune of God Save The Queen. SFA acting chief executive George Peat publicly apologised for a section of the fans jeering the anthem. It was again booed when Scotland played Northern Ireland in the 2011 Nations Cup.
The Tartan Army has been a consistent opponent of the concept of a Great Britain team
, particularly its proposed participation in the 2012 Olympic Games, due to concerns that such participation would endanger the separate status of Scotland within international football.
supporters, "traditionally the backbone of the Tartan Army", had declined since the 1980s. However, Rangers still provided the single largest proportion with 21%. While west of Scotland Catholics, traditionally associated with Celtic
, were still notably under-represented. Politically, the Scottish National Party
enjoyed the support of almost two in five Tartan Army members.
newspaper's Scottish Politician of the Year
ceremony, for their charitable work. The Tartan Army Children's Charity (TACC) is a registered Scottish charity run by Scotland fans, raising money for disadvantaged children in Scotland and in the countries visited by fans following the team. The TACC has donated funds to projects for disabled and blind children in Ukraine
, Georgia and Macedonia
. In 2009, £30,000 was donated to each of two projects in South Africa, where the Tartan Army had hoped to visit for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
. The TACC, which is the nominated charity of the SFA
, also organise trips for disadvantaged Scottish children to watch Scotland play at Hampden Park
. TACC's main fundraising events are a monthly lottery and the TACC Kiltwalk, an annual 26 mile sponsored walk from Hampden Park to Loch Lomond
. Another prominent charitable organisation is the Tartan Army Sunshine Appeal, which raised £10,000 to held victims of the Chernobyl disaster
.
, Keith Lumsden designed a corporate tartan for the Tartan Army which was registered on 1 March 1997 under number 2389 with both the Scottish Tartans Authority (STA) and the Scottish Tartans World Register (STWR).
It is mostly Balmoral Blue and Torea Bay , with Freedom Red , Gainsboro White , and Golden Poppy .
The Scottish Tartans Society notes that the design was taken originally from Royal Stewart and modified having Black Watch added as a background. It was first seen in common use at the 1998 FIFA World Cup
.
Fan (person)
A Fan, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person with a liking and enthusiasm for something, such as a band or a sports team. Fans of a particular thing or person constitute its fanbase or fandom...
of the Scotland national football team
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
. They have won awards from several organisations for their friendly behaviour and charitable work. They have been criticised at times for aspects of their behaviour, however, such as jeering the British National Anthem
God Save the Queen
"God Save the Queen" is an anthem used in a number of Commonwealth realms and British Crown Dependencies. The words of the song, like its title, are adapted to the gender of the current monarch, with "King" replacing "Queen", "he" replacing "she", and so forth, when a king reigns...
.
History
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
hordes" who would stand on the terracings at Hampden Park
Hampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
, or biannually at Wembley for the England match
England and Scotland football rivalry
The England–Scotland football rivalry is a highly competitive sports rivalry that exists between their respective national football teams. It is the oldest international fixture in the world, first played in 1872 at Hamilton Crescent, Glasgow...
. Scotland fans were criticised at that time for their hooliganism, particularly after they invaded
Pitch invasion
A pitch invasion or field invasion, known as rushing the field in the United States, occurs when a crowd of people who are watching a sports game run onto the field, to celebrate or protest about an incident...
the Wembley pitch and destroyed the goalposts after the 2–1 win against England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
in 1977. Two years later, 349 arrests were made and a further 144 fans were ejected from Wembley Stadium during the 1979 British Home Championship
1979 British Home Championship
The 1979 British Home Championship was a British Home Nations competition, won by the English football side and notable for seeing marked increases in hooliganism and falling attendance which would result in its cancellation in 1984. The English started well, beating Northern Ireland to match the...
match, mainly for drunk and disorderly behaviour and vandalism. The behaviour in that latter match prompted the Scottish Sports Minister Alex Fletcher
Alexander MacPherson Fletcher
Sir Alexander MacPherson Fletcher was a British Conservative Party politician.Fletcher was elected as the Member of Parliament for Edinburgh North at a by-election in 1973, serving there until 1983, when after boundary changes he became MP for Edinburgh Central...
to apologise to colleagues and led to the creation of the Scotland Travel Club.
The Scotland Travel Club was established in 1980 with the expressed purpose of encouraging responsible behaviour by fans. It has been suggested by Professor Eric Dunning that the improvement in behaviour arose mainly from a desire to look better than the English fans, who experienced significant problems with hooliganism during the 1980s and 1990s. The Tartan Army have won a number of awards for their vocal support and friendly nature. The organisation of the Travel Club had an immediate impact, with the Scotland matches at the 1982 FIFA World Cup
1982 FIFA World Cup
The 1982 FIFA World Cup, the 12th FIFA World Cup, was held in Spain from 13 June to 11 July. The tournament was won by Italy, after defeating West Germany 3–1 in the final.-Host selection:...
being played in a "family atmosphere". The Tartan Army were named as the best supporters during the 1992 European Championship and also received an award for their behaviour at the 1998 World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
in France. BBC News
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
described the Scotland fans as "one of the highlights" of that World Cup, noting their colourful appearance.
Matches against England, which used to be played on an annual basis as part of the British Home Championship
British Home Championship
The British Home Championship was an annual football competition contested between the United Kingdom's four national teams, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from the 1883–84 season until the 1983–84...
, were eventually stopped after 1989 due to violence and organised hooliganism. Both matches that were played between the countries in November 1999 in qualification for UEFA Euro 2000 had associated problems. Strathclyde Police
Strathclyde Police
Strathclyde Police is the territorial police force responsible for the Scottish council areas of Argyll and Bute, City of Glasgow, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire and West...
made 230 arrests in connection with the tie played at Hampden, while trouble at the second leg in Wembley resulted in 56 supporter injuries and 39 arrests. Police spokesmen downplayed the incidents after both games, however. Comments after the first game indicated that the arrests were for minor public order offences and that the scale of violence witnessed was lower than a typical Friday evening in Glasgow. The Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan police
Metropolitan Police is a generic title for the municipal police force for a major metropolitan area, and it may be part of the official title of the force...
adopted a "zero tolerance" approach for the second game, but the number of arrests were "comparatively small" and the "vast majority" of supporters were well behaved.
The Tartan Army were awarded a Fair Play
Sportsmanship
Sportsmanship is an aspiration or ethos that a sport or activity will be enjoyed for its own sake, with proper consideration for fairness, ethics, respect, and a sense of fellowship with one's competitors...
prize by the Belgian Olympic Committee
Belgium at the Olympics
Belgium has competed at most editions of the Olympic Games after making its first appearance at the 1900 Games. The nation was host to the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp....
after a 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
qualifier in Brussels. The fans had been praised by the mayor of Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
for their behaviour after a match against Croatia
Croatia national football team
The Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
in the same competition. In 2002, during the joint bid by Scotland and Ireland to host the UEFA Euro 2008 tournament, First Minister of Scotland
First Minister of Scotland
The First Minister of Scotland is the political leader of Scotland and head of the Scottish Government. The First Minister chairs the Scottish Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Scottish Government policy...
Jack McConnell
Jack McConnell
Jack Wilson McConnell, Baron McConnell of Glenscorrodale is a British Labour life peer in the House of Lords. He was third First Minister of Scotland from 2001 to 2007, making him the longest serving First Minister in the history of the Scottish Parliament...
cited the "worldwide reputation" of the Tartan Army as a strength of the bid, stating that other countries welcome their arrival "with open arms". In 2005, the Scotland Travel Club became the Scotland Supporters Club, with sections for younger fans being established. Membership had grown to 17,000 by this time. The UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying campaign saw membership numbers increase dramatically to a capacity of 27,500, with a waiting list of over 10,000. The Scotland Supporters Club is operated by the Scottish Football Association
Scottish Football Association
The Scottish Football Association is the governing body of football in Scotland and has the ultimate responsibility for the control and development of football in Scotland. Members of the SFA include clubs in Scotland, affiliated national associations as well as local associations...
, with membership guaranteeing one match ticket for all home fixtures and offering the opportunity to apply for away match tickets. As of August 2010, the club is at its maximum capacity of 35,000 members and therefore does not accept applications.
In August 2008, Irish Football Association
Irish Football Association
The Irish Football Association is the organising body for association football in Northern Ireland, and was historically the governing body for Ireland...
chief executive Howard Wells criticised jeering from Scottish supporters during the British National Anthem, God Save The Queen
God Save the Queen
"God Save the Queen" is an anthem used in a number of Commonwealth realms and British Crown Dependencies. The words of the song, like its title, are adapted to the gender of the current monarch, with "King" replacing "Queen", "he" replacing "she", and so forth, when a king reigns...
, before a friendly international match against Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
. The SFA
Scottish Football Association
The Scottish Football Association is the governing body of football in Scotland and has the ultimate responsibility for the control and development of football in Scotland. Members of the SFA include clubs in Scotland, affiliated national associations as well as local associations...
, who had pleaded with fans not to jeer the anthem, admitted that they were also "disappointed" by the booing. The Scottish Government also criticised the Tartan Army, commenting that it had "tarnished" their reputation. Scotland were not punished for the booing because the match was a friendly, which fell outside the jurisdiction of UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
. God Save The Queen was previously used as the Scottish team's anthem, but it was replaced during the 1970s due to consistent booing at matches. Scotland the Brave
Scotland the Brave
"Scotland the Brave" is a Scottish patriotic song. It was one of several songs considered an unofficial national anthem of Scotland.Scotland the Brave is also the authorised pipe band march of The British Columbia Dragoons of the Canadian Forces, and is played during the Pass in Review at Friday...
was initially used as a replacement, with Flower of Scotland
Flower of Scotland
Flower of Scotland is a Scottish song, used frequently at special occasions and sporting events. Although there is no official national anthem of Scotland, Flower of Scotland is one of a number of songs which unofficially fulfil this role, along with the older Scots Wha Hae, Scotland the Brave...
being commonly used since 1990. This issue recurred when Scotland played Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein national football team
The Liechtenstein national football team is the national football team of Liechtenstein and is controlled by the Liechtenstein Football Association. The organisation is known as the Liechtensteiner Fussballverband in German. The team's first match was an unofficial match against Malta in Seoul, a...
in September 2010, as their national athem
Oben am jungen Rhein
Oben am jungen Rhein , sung to the same tune as God Save the Queen, has been the national anthem of Liechtenstein since 1963, when the lyrics were altered ....
uses the tune of God Save The Queen. SFA acting chief executive George Peat publicly apologised for a section of the fans jeering the anthem. It was again booed when Scotland played Northern Ireland in the 2011 Nations Cup.
The Tartan Army has been a consistent opponent of the concept of a Great Britain team
Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic football team
The Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic football team represents Great Britain and Northern Ireland in international football competitions in the Olympic Games. The selection is limited to players under the age of 23, except three overage players...
, particularly its proposed participation in the 2012 Olympic Games, due to concerns that such participation would endanger the separate status of Scotland within international football.
Composition
Research carried out in 1996 noted that the proportion of the Tartan Army comprising RangersRangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
supporters, "traditionally the backbone of the Tartan Army", had declined since the 1980s. However, Rangers still provided the single largest proportion with 21%. While west of Scotland Catholics, traditionally associated with Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
, were still notably under-represented. Politically, the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
enjoyed the support of almost two in five Tartan Army members.
Charitable work
The Tartan Army received a nomination in the inaugural International Scot Award, as part of The HeraldThe Herald (Glasgow)
The Herald is a broadsheet newspaper published Monday to Saturday in Glasgow, and available throughout Scotland. As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 47,226, giving it a lead over Scotland's other 'quality' national daily, The Scotsman, published in Edinburgh.The 1889 to 1906 editions...
newspaper's Scottish Politician of the Year
Scottish Politician of the Year
Scottish Politician of the Year is an annual award established in 1999. It is held by The Herald newspaper in Prestonfield, Edinburgh, Scotland....
ceremony, for their charitable work. The Tartan Army Children's Charity (TACC) is a registered Scottish charity run by Scotland fans, raising money for disadvantaged children in Scotland and in the countries visited by fans following the team. The TACC has donated funds to projects for disabled and blind children in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, Georgia and Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
. In 2009, £30,000 was donated to each of two projects in South Africa, where the Tartan Army had hoped to visit for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
. The TACC, which is the nominated charity of the SFA
Scottish Football Association
The Scottish Football Association is the governing body of football in Scotland and has the ultimate responsibility for the control and development of football in Scotland. Members of the SFA include clubs in Scotland, affiliated national associations as well as local associations...
, also organise trips for disadvantaged Scottish children to watch Scotland play at Hampden Park
Hampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
. TACC's main fundraising events are a monthly lottery and the TACC Kiltwalk, an annual 26 mile sponsored walk from Hampden Park to Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond is a freshwater Scottish loch, lying on the Highland Boundary Fault. It is the largest lake in Great Britain by surface area. The lake contains many islands, including Inchmurrin, the largest fresh-water island in the British Isles, although the lake itself is smaller than many Irish...
. Another prominent charitable organisation is the Tartan Army Sunshine Appeal, which raised £10,000 to held victims of the Chernobyl disaster
Chernobyl disaster
The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine , which was under the direct jurisdiction of the central authorities in Moscow...
.
Official Tartan
Prior to the 1998 FIFA World Cup1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
, Keith Lumsden designed a corporate tartan for the Tartan Army which was registered on 1 March 1997 under number 2389 with both the Scottish Tartans Authority (STA) and the Scottish Tartans World Register (STWR).
It is mostly Balmoral Blue and Torea Bay , with Freedom Red , Gainsboro White , and Golden Poppy .
The Scottish Tartans Society notes that the design was taken originally from Royal Stewart and modified having Black Watch added as a background. It was first seen in common use at the 1998 FIFA World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
.
See also
- Football in ScotlandFootball in ScotlandAssociation football is the national sport in Scotland and highly popular throughout the country. There is a long tradition of "football" games in Orkney, Lewis and southern Scotland, especially the Scottish Borders, although many of these include carrying the ball and passing by hand, and despite...
- Ally's Tartan ArmyAlly's Tartan ArmyAlly's Tartan Army was a novelty record released by Scottish comedian Andy Cameron on the Klub Records label to mark the Scottish football team's qualification for the 1978 World Cup in Argentina. The "Tartan Army" are Scotland's fans; "Ally" was team manager Ally MacLeod...
- Association of Tartan Army ClubsAssociation of Tartan Army ClubsThe Association of Tartan Army Clubs is an organisation that represents the interests of the numerous Scotland supporters' club branches, which are collectively known as the Tartan Army. Previously there was no central organisation of the Tartan Army, since when ATAC has become the official voice...