Scotland fan sneaked to Euro 2024 in Germany as his wife was shopping

By Tom Cotterill

12:37 14 Jun 2024, updated 12:50 14 Jun 2024

• Are YOU the wife of the Scot scamperer? E-mail tom.cotterill@mailonline.co.uk 

A cheeky Scotland fan has revealed how he sneaked off to Euro 2024 while his wife was shopping to join the Tartan Army’s raucous partying in Germany. 

The football fanatic made the dash into Munich to join thousands of his fellow countryman while his other half was picking up the weekly shop at Marks & Spencer. 

His great escape came just in time, with Scotland braced to take on Euros hosts Germany in the opening game of the tournament tonight.

Speaking to the BBC about his sneaky trip to the continent, the white-haired Scottish scamperer said: ‘My wife doesn’t care I’m here.’

‘So how have you managed to get here without your wife knowing,’ the reporter asks the Tartan Army fanatic.  ‘She went out shopping – she went to Marks & Spencer and I sneaked out,’ replies the man, before bursting out laughing. 

Are YOU the wife of the Scot scamperer? E-mail tom.cotterill@mailonline.co.uk

The husband’s hilarious antics come as the Tartan Army continues its takeover of Munich ahead of their opening clash against the Euros tournament hosts Germany, tonight. 

Thousands of boozed-up Scots – some armed with bag pipes – partied into the night in Munich as they danced and sang through the streets.

The army of fans took over the city’s Marienplatz as kilt-clad fans headed to bars to down steins of the local larger as they enjoyed and all-day bender. 

By nightfall chants were still ringing around Bavaria with empty beer cans and rubbish littering the historic square. 

Drunken Scots surrounded by beer bottles stood on chairs and wrapped their arms around each other as they swayed and fist-pumped the air while they chanted.

Others wearing kilts, Scotland tops, and flags draped over their shoulders could be seen bouncing along the German streets as they joyfully sang about Diego Maradona knocking England out of the 1986 World Cup. 

Earlier yesterday a bagpiper stood on a plinth to lead the boisterous crowd into a rendition of Flower of Scotland.

Steve Clarke’s men face the host nation Germany in the opening game of the tournament tonight, but kilt-clad Scots supporters are already in party mood.

Scotland fans brought their usual raucousness as they downed lager and waved Scottish flags and scarves as they were full of hope that they would see Scotland go through the opening round for the first time at a major tournament. 

They have been drawn in Group A alongside Switzerland and Hungary.

Scotland are taking part in only their second major tournament since the 1998 World Cup in France, having previously competed in the Covid-delayed Euro 2020 finals.

Hilarious footage also emerged of a bagpiper falling off a table while serenading a packed bar of Scotland supporters in Munich as the Tartan Army’s invasion of the city continues. 

Scotland have the honour of opening the tournament by facing Germany in the first match tonight, with kick-off at 8pm – and supporters have already made their presence felt in the Bavarian capital. 

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But things haven’t always gone smoothly, with footage showing a piper standing on a table to serenade fans in a beer hall before toppling backwards onto the floor. 

Tens of thousands of Scotland supporters are expected to make the journey this summer to support their side during their historic Euros campaign.  

And the effort appears to have already been thirsty work for the Scots, with the Tartan Army already drinking airport bars dry on their way to Germany. 

Paul Malik was in Glasgow Airport yesterday and tweeted the terminal’s Tennent’s bar had run out of the lager by 9am. And X user Chris McCall added: ‘I’m told it was the same at Edinburgh airport last night. An angry pal was left drinking Stella.’ 

While the atmosphere has been overwhelming good natured, things briefly turned ugly last night when a fight broke out on the main square – with footage showing thugs throwing chairs. Two Scottish supporters were arrested. 

Friends Adam Shepherd, 31, Josh Mcclelland, 30, Mark Paterson, 30, and Mark Keye, 32, are among those who have made the journey to Munich. 

As he soaked up the atmosphere, Mr Shepherd, a joiner, told the Daily Record: ‘It feels amazing to be here. We’ve dreamed about it for ages and now we are finally here. It’s incredible.’

Keith Work, 45, and his wife Julie were posing for photos on Marienplatz with their nine-year-old son, Adam. 

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Mr Work said: ‘It’s been amazing to see so many Scotland fans here already. The first people we saw at the hotel were Scots. We’ve really taken over.’

Adam – who had to miss his last few days of school to make the trip – said he thinks Scotland could win tomorrow night’s game if they are ‘lucky’.

More than 150 Tartan Army fans flew out from Inverness after an enterprising publican hired a plane and told the carrier to double their beer stock for the thirsty Scots!

Don Lawson teamed up with local firm SJ Travel to charter the private jet for £90,000.

They then put together Tartan Army hotel and ticket deals for Scotland football fans living locally.

Such has been the popularity of the venture, Mr Lawson, 62, who owns Johnny Foxes and Jimmy Badgers in Inverness, said he could have filled ‘two or three planes’ given enough notice.

National coach Stevie Clarke’s team head for the finals in buoyant mood after beating Spain and Erling Haaland’s Norway en-route to their second consecutive Euro finals.

But with prices soaring on all exit routes from the UK to Germany, Mr Lawson was keen to ensure local Tartan Army foot soldiers could have their heads up in the clouds as well.

A veteran of a great many Scotland football travel adventures over the years, Mr Lawson, knew there would be high demand for in-flight refreshments as the chartered Polish plane departed Inverness airport for Munich.

‘So I suggested that they stock up with four cans per passenger – otherwise they would run out by row three or four,’ he said.

‘Unfortunately, aviation rules mean our Tartan Army guests would not be able to bring their own carry-outs on board.

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‘We knew there would be a bit of a party mood among our Highland Tartan Army travellers so we put in a request that the airline stocks up on double its usual amount of beer for the trip.’

Packages for a one-way flight to the Bavarian capital started at £399, return flights at £795, with full match ticket, flight and hotel deals costing up to £4,200.

For those who have booked a return flight, it will leave on June 24 from Stuttgart Airport.

And there was a surprise for one ticketless fan on the flight.

‘I had a last minute cancellation from a guy who was ill, so I will pick a deserving fan on the flight. The ticket will be sold at face value. They are category one tickets costing Euros 600,’ said Mr Lawson.

‘I think this will be the first Scottish team to qualify from the group stages and I think we will beat Germany 2-1. The Highland Roar will be heard in Germany for sure. If we reach the last four we will try and charter another plane.’

One Tartan Army supporter who is travelling to Germany for Scotland’s first game in Munich has a particularly personal reason for doing so. 

Ally Brown, 41, who lives in Haddington, East Lothian, was given a bone marrow transplant by a German donor 25 years ago when he was aged 16.

Prior to that, he had four years of treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia – a type of blood cancer – which had reoccurred three times.

He said: ‘It’s dead exciting we are playing against Germany in the tournament opener and I’m so lucky to have a ticket, I can’t wait.

‘My blood is 100% German so the country will always be close to my heart. But I’ll be shouting and singing for Scotland on Friday night.’

Mr Brown received a bone marrow transplant from a German woman through stem cell charity Anthony Nolan, which was founded in 1974.

It matches donors and patients and was set up by Shirley Nolan to find a match for her son, Anthony, who had a rare blood disorder.

Scotland kicks-off against Germany from 8pm tonight.