Scotland v Austria

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SCOTLAND v AUSTRIA / EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS / FIFA 2022 WORLD CUP advent of low-cost airlines and social media have resulted in two major changes to the plans of the travelling Scotland fans. Firstly, there is no need to book for at least seven days to take advantage of cheaper flights through staying over a Saturday night (these were in the glorious days of every away international being on a Wednesday). And there is now social media and the number one Tartan Army rule of ‘what goes on tour, stays on tour’ has long been forgotten in the era of the dreaded camera phone. A few highlights over the years include the three-second game in Tallinn (when Estonia did not turn up), the subsequent trip to play them in Monaco (another glorious 0-0 draw) and a fantastic trip to Hong Kong where the Tartan Army had a week which can only be described as ‘cheeky nonsense’ from beginning to end. Kenny Nicol, Elise Birks and Iain Clarkson, along with Tam Coyle outside the Azteca Stadium before the Mexico v Scotland friendly in 2018 48 HAMPDEN PARK / THURSDAY, 25 MARCH 2021
SCOTLAND v AUSTRIA / EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS / FIFA 2022 WORLD CUP There was also the WESTA ‘wee happy bus’, a 19-seater driven by a Gilbert O’Sullivan lookalike from Airdrie, which in 1993 went from Glasgow-Paris- Milan-Rome for an Italy v Scotland game (we lost 3-1, although Kevin Gallacher scored a cracker), then returned via the same route on a trip which was an absolute joy. I met people that I still travel with to this day. Seeing Scotland lift the Kirin Cup and spending a fortnight in Japan was also unforgettable, as was the relatively recent trip to Peru and Mexico with the highlight arguably being a trip to Machu Picchu where an Alpaca took a liking to my Tartan Trilby. Like many fans of my generation my fashion sense has changed dramatically over the years and the denims/Scotland top/scarf has gradually been updated by a tartan trilby/pipers’ jacket/kilt and my infamous tartan Docs boots, which have served me so well over the last 20 years. Being a DJ in the so-called ‘day job’ has also resulted in many adventures over the years and enabled me to start DJ-ing in the Shed nightclub near Hampden Park, where I have hosted pre-match events for the last few years. That’s where Austria comes in. The trusty laptop taking over from vinyl has enabled me to DJ at many a Scotland away trip since the first event which, was in Graz before our 2-2 draw with Austria on 17 August, 2005 - my birthday! The venue for the ‘Nicht Afore Party’ was sourced by local-based Tartan Army footsoldier Mark Dickson and it was particularly memorable as it was a basement venue which stayed on till 6am. Scotland fans mingled with the locals and it was a very happy and lubricated Tartan Army that left in the daylight hours. Kenny Miller scores against Austria in the 2005 friendly As for the game, my memory is of a very positive first half with very welltaken goals by Kenny Miller and Garry O’Connor. Walter Smith made four changes at half-time, including Rab Douglas for a young Craig Gordon in between the sticks, and things were petering out for a fine Scotland away win when Austria scored a cracker with seven minutes to go. Then Douglas fumbled a late shot which meant Austria earned an undeserved draw, with the Tartan Army telling the locals in the Arnold Schwarzenegger Stadium that, “I’ll be back”. Vienna two years later was very similar. By then the parties were beginning to take shape, playing party favourites as well as Tartan Army classics with always a nod to the city/country we were playing in, which always meant some dreadful Europop becoming the favourite of the trip (aye, I am talking about Ultravox). This time, at the Ernst Happel Stadium, home of Rapid Vienna and under Alex McLeish, we won 1-0 thanks to another goal by O’Connor. I recall that the stunning architecture of Vienna impressed many of the Tartan Army but ‘it meant nothing to me’... 49 HAMPDEN PARK / THURSDAY, 25 MARCH 2021
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Scotland v Austria

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