lady-isobel-barnett Posted October 12, 2015 Report Share Posted October 12, 2015 If I discount the 80s the parallels of supporting Scotland and Thistle for me are remarkably similar. My first ever international was the 2-0 win over England in '62. This was at a time when altho' we didn't qualify for the World Cup we were matching the eventual finalists (Czechoslovakia) taking them to a play off. Beating England with 10 men at Wembley wasn't considered unbelievable. The Jags were more than just considered a "top six" club back then. Despite some memorable wins things went slowly downhill for both club and country during the rest of that decade. The seventies saw us qualifying for World Cups and the Jags established back in the top league. Supporting Scotland was most certainly a lot easier in the 80s than following Thistle but both club and country had a resurgence in the nineties both taking a dip in fortune along the way (Tannadice and USA World Cup). Scotland had there last high a few years before our double league winning campaigns. Since then it's been much the same re following the Jags or Scotland now even down to the same formation and tactics coupled with the daft goals. We even both do the better performances against the trickier sides and the daft games against the teams we should beat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norgethistle Posted October 12, 2015 Report Share Posted October 12, 2015 The constant failure of the Scotland side just sanitises me to any disappointment! NINE tournaments in a row without qualification?? We now expect failure! Not only do we expect it but we accept it, the Tartan army plan on having a party regardless of the result, makes defeat a lot easier on the players and management 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Jukebox Rebel Posted October 12, 2015 Report Share Posted October 12, 2015 Not only do we expect it but we accept it, the Tartan army plan on having a party regardless of the result, makes defeat a lot easier on the players and management I think that's unfair. Contrary to the guff spouted by out-of-touch ill-informed tweed-jacketed talking heads like Graham Spiers, the Tartan Army don’t spend the entirety of their foreign adventures larking about in fountains baring their a*se at passing grannies with shopping bags. Apart from that one t*t from Chapelhall that naebd'y likes. You’ll find 99% of them in boozers, talking about the players, the line ups, the tactics – all in between the sing songs and the banter of course. Sure, they like a drink and have a laugh - but they’re serious about their fitba’ and incredibly passionate about their country. I speak as a veteran of many an expedition and I can assure you, they would not be - and have never been - slow in venting their fury if it was required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted October 12, 2015 Report Share Posted October 12, 2015 (edited) I think that's unfair. Contrary to the guff spouted by out-of-touch ill-informed tweed-jacketed talking heads like Graham Spiers, the Tartan Army don’t spend the entirety of their foreign adventures larking about in fountains baring their a*se at passing grannies with shopping bags. Apart from that one t*t from Chapelhall that naebd'y likes. You’ll find 99% of them in boozers, talking about the players, the line ups, the tactics – all in between the sing songs and the banter of course. Sure, they like a drink and have a laugh - but they’re serious about their fitba’ and incredibly passionate about their country. I speak as a veteran of many an expedition and I can assure you, they would not be - and have never been - slow in venting their fury if it was required. Not doubting you for a moment, TJR. In fact the folk I know who follow Scotland would by and large fit your description. I think tho' it's long overdue for the supporters to kick the Tartan Army references into touch. It's OK for the press to use that collective name. It's descriptive and thus normal press talk. But when you hear or see the punters using that terminology it somehow propagates the kilt lifting, jiggin' in the fountain image. A pet hate of mine is Scotland supporters referring to themselves as "members of the Tartan Army" or worse still some jumped up clown claiming to be "a spokesman for the Tartan Army". At best it's laughable. At worst both patronising and cringeworthy. Edited October 12, 2015 by lady-isobel-barnett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyprusjag Posted October 12, 2015 Report Share Posted October 12, 2015 At least Septic supporters will be pleased that their country made the playoffs.Oh wait,don't they play in Glasgow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Jukebox Rebel Posted October 13, 2015 Report Share Posted October 13, 2015 I think tho' it's long overdue for the supporters to kick the Tartan Army references into touch. It's OK for the press to use that collective name. It's descriptive and thus normal press talk. But when you hear or see the punters using that terminology it somehow propagates the kilt lifting, jiggin' in the fountain image. A pet hate of mine is Scotland supporters referring to themselves as "members of the Tartan Army" or worse still some jumped up clown claiming to be "a spokesman for the Tartan Army". At best it's laughable. At worst both patronising and cringeworthy. Ooft! Spokesman clown I'll give you. Thumbs down for the rest. Identifying ourselves as Tartan Army boys is ingrained into the songbook, I don't think that'll be changing anytime soon, nor should it. It's those who would cultivate the negative image who need to be doing the changing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sunnylaw Jag Posted October 13, 2015 Report Share Posted October 13, 2015 I think that's unfair. Contrary to the guff spouted by out-of-touch ill-informed tweed-jacketed talking heads like Graham Spiers, the Tartan Army don’t spend the entirety of their foreign adventures larking about in fountains baring their a*se at passing grannies with shopping bags. Apart from that one t*t from Chapelhall that naebd'y likes. You’ll find 99% of them in boozers, talking about the players, the line ups, the tactics – all in between the sing songs and the banter of course. Sure, they like a drink and have a laugh - but they’re serious about their fitba’ and incredibly passionate about their country. I speak as a veteran of many an expedition and I can assure you, they would not be - and have never been - slow in venting their fury if it was required. Aye but try selling them a magazine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Jukebox Rebel Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 Aye but try selling them a magazine! As the great 20th century philosopher Stan Laurel once famously said... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnn-AVexPvQ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Jukebox Rebel Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 Picked up on this press snippet the other day, it comes from the Sunday Post on 17th October 1943: “Biggest cheer of the afternoon came at Broomfield from Celtic supporters when the half-time score from the Scotland game was put up” Celtic fans were responding to the news that England were beating Scotland five nil at half-time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 Picked up on this press snippet the other day, it comes from the Sunday Post on 17th October 1943: “Biggest cheer of the afternoon came at Broomfield from Celtic supporters when the half-time score from the Scotland game was put up” Celtic fans were responding to the news that England were beating Scotland five nil at half-time. Celtic fans in 1943. No doubt draft dodging as well as soap dodging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.