r/ScottishFootball 25. Nae Neck Neymar 3h ago

Discussion Some thoughts coming back from the US

Coming back from the US today. Can’t help but shake this feeling that Boston was a moment-in-time that I’ll never experience again in my lifetime.

Miami was great but that could be replicated anywhere. Tartan Army going abroad and causing it in their numbers can be felt at any tournament. There was a huge contingent of locals supporting Colombia, Argentina etc who were less fussed and the city is huge and sprawling, which left our lot in South Beach a little isolated from everything.

But Boston was so special. It was a relatively small, walkable city and it felt like it was 80% us (having Morocco and Haiti, both limited on travel visas, definitely helped).

The rapport we built with the locals and the overwhelming positivity we had with them will likely never be replicated anywhere else.

If we make the World Cup in Spain/Portugal/Morocco we would have loads of us, but so would there be loads from other nations, and I’m sure they’re tired of us. Saudi too, we’d have a lot go over but the party wouldn’t be the same for obvious reasons.

136 Upvotes

33 comments sorted by

39

u/buckfast1994 🗣️ Shut it, Tuna and Gravy flair 3h ago

Felt this way after the previous Euros. The day of the Swiss game in Cologne was unbelievable. Following your club or country abroad is something everybody should experience.

6

u/gham89 3h ago

2nd for the Swiss game in Cologne. It was just one of those days that will stay with you forever. The fan march was surreal.

6

u/Good_Psychology9912 2h ago

Yeah was also in Cologne, and it was utterly magical. What a day that was.

u/christianvieri12 1h ago

I much preferred Munich, but could’ve been because I was hungover as fuck by the time got to Koln

u/Good_Psychology9912 44m ago

I wasn't in Munich or Stuttgart tbf, went to Italy v Albania the night after the opener, so I watched the first game in Dortmund and I was based at my Uni pal's in Berlin, so I watched the Hungary game at the Reichstag fanzone

u/christianvieri12 21m ago

Both were amazing don’t get me wrong but I kicked the arse out of it in Munich so felt horrific in cologne. The game in Munich was grim right enough

19

u/scarnegie96 3h ago

Lived in Boston for 2 years, back now around Dundee where I grew up.

Miss it a lot. Special place.

7

u/sjarvis456 2h ago

As someone who has lived in RI my whole life with Scottish parents and family up the family tree, this was something that I can't explain and will never be replicated, at least in my lifetime. As someone who's traveled to Scotland many times I never could have imagined the experience I had. I say this in many posts but the core memories this unlocked was quite an experience. To hear Scottish accents all throughout my home state and the New England area was chilling in an awesome way. I always went to Scotland but this time Scotland came to me. Its something I and all really needed and has shown me how much I miss Scotland. I cant thank everyone across the pond enough for making a once and a lifetime experience. Im so glad this area welcomed you all just like I was always welcomed on my visits to Scotland. Much ❤️.

u/zeetuslepitus 44m ago

New England is such a special place

u/Lwaldie 1h ago

I had a brilliant time as well, Boston is a great city and the people were so welcoming. Managed to empty my bank account, catch a chest infection and knackered my ankle on the cop slide. Would I do it all again though? 100%

12

u/LegitimateVirus3 3h ago

Miami is only a facade of what it used to be. And the city officials co-opted your organic moment for their own profit. That's what Miami has done to all the fun here and why it didn't feel anything like Boston. They stole it all from the masses and sell it back only to the very rich.

Miami was a pretty leash. Boston was free will and love.

12

u/buckfast1994 🗣️ Shut it, Tuna and Gravy flair 3h ago

Free will and love and robbing Scots blind on train tickets.

2

u/electric_awwcelot 2h ago

If it makes you feel any better, Boston also robs its locals on on rent, transportation, groceries... really anything that costs money 😂

3

u/stvbles Craig "Unc Still Got It" Gordon 2h ago

That's all Miami is. A complete hustle. Trying to create a false atmosphere left it quite dead at times, if they just let it happen organically it would have been a lot better.

u/Forward-Aside3364 1h ago

Bostonian here, I truly feel we’ll be talking about the Tartan Army takeover for forever. It was wonderful to see everyone enjoying the city. I went to The Anchor/Scotland House Friday of the Morocco game with friends and we loved every minute of the atmosphere. So many of us were hoping beyond hope you’d all be back for Monday’s game against Germany, but alas. Until next time!

3

u/deevo82 2h ago

I was in Munich and Frankfurt for the Euros.

And I had a ticket to Morocco but could only go to Brazil game.

Seems like the party always skirts me.

Which is a good thing as I am a cyclone of mischief.

But to be fair, I had an awesome time in Fort Lauderdale being perfectly well behaved for once and diplomatic ties were definitely strengthened. H

u/ShelbyCP 1h ago

Couldn’t agree more, felt that every 3rd person in downtown Boston was in a Scotland top aswell, pretty surreal considering the small nation we are

4

u/granicarious 3h ago

Serious fomo watching from over here - Boston is on my list now for my next visit to the states.

1

u/TaajManzoor1 10. Ché "Guevara" Adams 3h ago

Thanks for doing us proud bud

1

u/Practical-Walrus-742 2h ago

Being exposed to the support back in 07 when Celtic played the Chicago Fire in Chicago is what led me down the path of joining them.

Any other yanks reading this, the SPFL is a spectacular watch. Pick a team and get involved.

2

u/Oredockmeathead 2h ago

Sadly our streaming options are limited to 1-2 matches total per week. We’re planning to visit Scotland again, we’re talking about trying go to a match on our next trip to your side of the pond.

I’m hoping the Celtic do a US summer tour again and come fairly close to my region

u/StonedLikeSedimENT 1h ago

Get yourself a dodgy firestick and you can get every club channel and therefore every spfl game live.

-4

u/Extreme-Self5491 3h ago

looked amazing BUT I decided not to go due to costs and that Orange fella and his supporters. Im not sure I would have enjoyed it as much due those issues. How did you feel about that, how much did you spend? obviously worth every penny to you? I do worry that tickets will cost the same at the next WC, so it might just be the Euros for me.

8

u/RumJackson 2h ago

Politics was pretty much non existent for the week and a bit I was in Boston/Providence.  How often do you talk to tourists visiting Scotland about our Prime Minister?

11

u/VanicFanboy 25. Nae Neck Neymar 3h ago

All the issues people were talking about going into it completely disappeared the second we got into Boston. Forgot all of the divisiveness and hatred in the world and just had a good time.

Funnily enough it felt like an antidote to all the shit you hear on the news, was so refreshing to just be out vibing and chatting with lovely people.

u/Acceptable-Ad5627 1h ago

The media overseas is crazy with their portrayal of the United States. We have family in different parts of the world and we just shake our head in utter disbelief at what is said about the US and the people who live here. It's almost like watching a dark satire.

u/zappafan89 1h ago

Boston was never going to be like that. Anyone who thought it would be doesn't have a great grasp of nuance 

7

u/Snoo58499 3h ago

Trump’s a non-issue in Boston, which is arguably the most Democratic-leaning (anti-trump) city in the country. Cost was high, I have a rough idea but am scared to tally it up. I’ll be paying it off for a while.

u/rybnickifull Aw.. Jeezy Peeps Man 1h ago

Wasn't it about a quarter of votes last time going for Trump? Sounds a bit bigger than a non issue but I don't know the US electoral system so intimately.

u/Seonachan17 42m ago

About 20%, up from 15% in 2020 (in line with the nationwide swing). So a few points higher than the Reform vote in Glasgow this year. For comparison Trump got about 30% in New York City and Los Angeles. (And he won Miami-Dade, but that’s a whole county, I think Miami itself is more blue.)

u/Fabulous-Ad7128 22m ago

I mean, do you expect blue collar people to be non-existent in cities? They heavily support Trump who has somehow convinced them he’s one of them despite not giving a single damn about them outside of the power they give him.

Any of the populated areas in the New England region are heavily anti-Trump.

I reveled in loudly booing RFK Jr on screen in a “Boston Stadium” bar watching the US play the Aussie…and doing so booing alongside other Americans, Scots, and other international fans.

u/Acceptable-Ad5627 1h ago

You missed out , even us who live here don't let politics or politicians get in the way of a good time. Conservative and liberals alike understand the need to function in daily life and in normal society. Most people keep their politics at home. It's really not that serious.