Best fans in the world?

[BostonStrong]

A LOVE LETTER FROM BOSTON

Dear Tartan Army,

I searched for this forum and registered, just so I could reach as many of you as possible.  I think it’s important you know what you have meant to a city my family and I adopted a decade ago.

Boston is a charming city, as you have no doubt discovered.  But Bostonians tend to be very serious, most of the time.  It’s expensive as hell to live here - you’ll have noticed that, too - and it seems that simply keeping pace with the treadmill is overwhelming.  It’s hard NOT to be serious, really.  I’ll be honest with you; most of us weren’t really that bothered about the World Cup; we didn’t have the time nor space for it in our lives.  We couldn’t imagine how our creaking transit system would cope, and it felt like our country’s fractious politics might overshadow the whole thing.  You could easily walk along Newbury Street a week before the opening matches and have no idea a World Cup was being played here, save the occasional picture of Messi in a shop window.   

But then, something magical happened: you arrived in your tends of thousands, a sea of Scotland jerseys and kilts, a roaring wave of joy and togetherness that overwhelmed this city, completely upending how we thought about hosting.  You stood on tables and sang until the wee hours, you hugged strangers in the street, filled Gillette stadium (yes, that’s its proper name) with glorious chants, cheered on policemen as they showed off their ball skills, and drank beer.  ALL of the beer, in fact (I’ll let you tell the England fans arriving this weekend you’ve left nothing for them).  Red Sox games were one again joyous occasions, something we as a city had craved in recent years.  It dawned on us we’d won the lottery - our tournament began with the greatest fanbase we could have hoped for.  You set the tone.

And I think Boston responded, too.  I hope you found us to be gracious and grateful hosts, because DAMN, did we love having you.  There will be many more fan bases coming through this fine city, and we will be welcoming to them all, but you’re going to be a tough act to follow.

From us, thank you.  You will always be welcome here - where everybody knows your name.  And we sure are glad you came…

Edited June 19 by BostonStrong

[fringo]

19 hours ago, BostonStrong said:

A LOVE LETTER FROM BOSTON

Dear Tartan Army,

I searched for this forum and registered, just so I could reach as many of you as possible.  I think it’s important you know what you have meant to a city my family and I adopted a decade ago.

Boston is a charming city, as you have no doubt discovered.  But Bostonians tend to be very serious, most of the time.  It’s expensive as hell to live here - you’ll have noticed that, too - and it seems that simply keeping pace with the treadmill is overwhelming.  It’s hard NOT to be serious, really.  I’ll be honest with you; most of us weren’t really that bothered about the World Cup; we didn’t have the time nor space for it in our lives.  We couldn’t imagine how our creaking transit system would cope, and it felt like our country’s fractious politics might overshadow the whole thing.  You could easily walk along Newbury Street a week before the opening matches and have no idea a World Cup was being played here, save the occasional picture of Messi in a shop window.   

But then, something magical happened: you arrived in your tends of thousands, a sea of Scotland jerseys and kilts, a roaring wave of joy and togetherness that overwhelmed this city, completely upending how we thought about hosting.  You stood on tables and sang until the wee hours, you hugged strangers in the street, filled Gillette stadium (yes, that’s its proper name) with glorious chants, cheered on policemen as they showed off their ball skills, and drank beer.  ALL of the beer, in fact (I’ll let you tell the England fans arriving this weekend you’ve left nothing for them).  Red Sox games were one again joyous occasions, something we as a city had craved in recent years.  It dawned on us we’d won the lottery - our tournament began with the greatest fanbase we could have hoped for.  You set the tone.

And I think Boston responded, too.  I hope you found us to be gracious and grateful hosts, because DAMN, did we love having you.  There will be many more fan bases coming through this fine city, and we will be welcoming to them all, but you’re going to be a tough act to follow.

From us, thank you.  You will always be welcome here - where everybody knows your name.  And we sure are glad you came…

Excellent. 👏👏👏

[ThistleWhistle]

We’re the European Tourist Champions and on our way towards winning the World Cup of Tourists.  The highlights for each run to hours.  
 

In terms of football 5 shots on target in 5 games or about £4k spunked up the wall per attempt if the football is the main priority.  
 

Our support deserves die on your shield type performances and instead we happy clap absolute shit the bed wank.  

[exile]

36 minutes ago, ThistleWhistle said:

We’re the European Tourist Champions and on our way towards winning the World Cup of Tourists.  The highlights for each run to hours.  
 

In terms of football 5 shots on target in 5 games or about £4k spunked up the wall per attempt if the football is the main priority.  
 

Our support deserves die on your shield type performances and instead we happy clap absolute shit the bed wank.  

I think it's match results that affect the perception of Scotland being 'tourists' rather than the other way around. 

[OATN1972]

I saw there was a donation made by the Tartan Army to a children's hospital in Boston, with fanfare and reagalia....but some part of me felt it was like the Bible quote from Jesus in Matthew:

"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full". 

"But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you"

 

(Matthew chapter 6, verses 2-4)

[ceudmilefailte]

5 hours ago, OATN1972 said:

I saw there was a donation made by the Tartan Army to a children's hospital in Boston, with fanfare and reagalia....but some part of me felt it was like the Bible quote from Jesus in Matthew:

"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full". 

"But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you"

 

(Matthew chapter 6, verses 2-4)

I understand exactly where you’re coming from with that.
But if it was the Sunshine appeal they have been doing a pretty good job of keeping under the radar. 

[KENTTA]

Been to many a Sunshine Appeal presentation and they definitely deserve more publicity

[fringo]

Dubliner Bar Boston closed early to recover from Tartan Army and put the English out, out , out. 🤣

 

 

[fringo]

Seen this too 🤣

 

 

[ceudmilefailte]

Asking for trouble. 

[Toepoke]

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/16xbqL1CdP/

New recruit 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🤖

 

[Auchinyell Sox Change]

On 6/20/2026 at 10:27 AM, ThistleWhistle said:

We’re the European Tourist Champions and on our way towards winning the World Cup of Tourists.  The highlights for each run to hours.  
 

In terms of football 5 shots on target in 5 games or about £4k spunked up the wall per attempt if the football is the main priority.  
 

Our support deserves die on your shield type performances and instead we happy clap absolute shit the bed wank.  

100% - but masses turn up every time - same backslapping in Munich etc at last euros - and Genoa at WC 90

Ireland got to 1/4 finals at forst time of asking at WC / Wales same stage i think for first Euros 

we put up with this endless dirge  - unfortunately its got way worse under Clarke  - Hungary must win

- was at Turin for 1-0 loss to Brazil ; one of the worst games ive been at - Roxburgh trying to play for a draw - they were so bored they took a long range shot ,,,,,, Leighton made arse of it - of course when we then go forward at last we almost score

[ceudmilefailte]

28 minutes ago, Auchinyell Sox Change said:

100% - but masses turn up every time - same backslapping in Munich etc at last euros - and Genoa at WC 90

Ireland got to 1/4 finals at forst time of asking at WC / Wales same stage i think for first Euros 

we put up with this endless dirge  - unfortunately its got way worse under Clarke  - Hungary must win

- was at Turin for 1-0 loss to Brazil ; one of the worst games ive been at - Roxburgh trying to play for a draw - they were so bored they took a long range shot ,,,,,, Leighton made arse of it - of course when we then go forward at last we almost score

Got a medal for best supporters in 1998   Or was that just an SFA thing

[DoonTheSlope]

Seen a full kilt wanker in Schipol yesterday. It was touching 30 degrees in Amsterdam and no doubt it’s even hotter in Miami yet he was all fair away himself that he was wearing his glengarry adorned with pin badges with feathers and pipers jaiket. He must’ve been planning on sitting through a what, 7? 8? 9? hour flight all the way to Miami

It’s not my place to say or care about what fitsodjers wear on manoeuvres but you could just tell he was one the “I dinnae support a club team I only support Scotland” characters that would be first to complain if they seen somebody in club colours on tour

I don’t want to say the P word as it’s been getting aired regularly these days but it was the epitome of the P word

[Toepoke]

18 hours ago, ceudmilefailte said:

Got a medal for best supporters in 1998   Or was that just an SFA thing

FIFA award, I still use it as my keyring 🙂

[fringo]

43 minutes ago, Toepoke said:

FIFA award, I still use it as my keyring 🙂

Ditto. 

[OATN1972]

"We're shit, but our kilts are fit"

[dan cake]

On 6/13/2026 at 12:49 AM, Goozay said:

What I found weird/novel was the amount of fans that left the ground in Athens when we went three-nil down. Just a weird reaction, especially when the bars stay open till 5 in the morning. 

We got kept in the stadium for nearly a hour (after the final whistle) the last time we played there, probably as relevant as the score line 

[Chris-Ecosse]

On 6/24/2026 at 10:10 PM, Toepoke said:

FIFA award, I still use it as my keyring 🙂

Same. Also use it as my keyring.

[Goozay]

18 hours ago, dan cake said:

We got kept in the stadium for nearly a hour (after the final whistle) the last time we played there, probably as relevant as the score line 

Sorry pal. Not having that. There was still half an hour to go. And those that did leave missed the most incredible atmosphere at a loss I've experienced. When Christie got the second with Denmark losing it's one of the most craziest bounces at a Scotland game I've experienced. The folk that left early had already made the effort to be in Athens, but watched events unfold on their phone on a train back into town. What is the point of that?

Another point on being the "best fans in the world". We were practically silent after conceding early for the rest of the half in the second and third games. Folk seem more than happy to sing in the pubs and on the school buses, but go missing when they're in the stadium and the team needs their support. 

[DoonTheSlope]

Cosgrove was spot on yesterday on off the ball when he said what does it really matter if people love the tartan army or not

It’s a football team and yet again the football team have let themselves and its fans down

[dan cake]

9 hours ago, Goozay said:

Sorry pal. Not having that. There was still half an hour to go. And those that did leave missed the most incredible atmosphere at a loss I've experienced. When Christie got the second with Denmark losing it's one of the most craziest bounces at a Scotland game I've experienced. The folk that left early had already made the effort to be in Athens, but watched events unfold on their phone on a train back into town. What is the point of that?

Another point on being the "best fans in the world". We were practically silent after conceding early for the rest of the half in the second and third games. Folk seem more than happy to sing in the pubs and on the school buses, but go missing when they're in the stadium and the team needs their support. 

Couldn’t really care what you’re have or not having tbh. Well done you for staying tho 👍

[DoonTheSlope]

7 minutes ago, dan cake said:

Couldn’t really care what you’re have or not having tbh. Well done you for staying tho 👍

I wonder what he’d think if a whole team and its manager left a game early…

[Goozay]

16 hours ago, DoonTheSlope said:

I wonder what he’d think if a whole team and its manager left a game early…

Shheesh. You are as repetitive as you are tedious  

[Goozay]

20 hours ago, DoonTheSlope said:

Cosgrove was spot on yesterday on off the ball when he said what does it really matter if people love the tartan army or not

It’s a football team and yet again the football team have let themselves and its fans down

The two aren't mutually exclusive though. 

You can appreciate the Tartan Army's antics stateside and acknowledge that our support is world class, while also lamenting that the team's performances fall far, far short of that.