See how this compares with Ally's previous
stab at it in October
2001
1. First
home and away matches?
Home:
Scotland 2 East Germany 0, 1982. Scorers Paul Sturrock and John
Wark (Euro Championship qualifier). The memory of walking into the
West Stand and seeing the floodlit pitch for the very first time
is still very vivid. In those days it was all terracing and crush
barriers, and it was still just railway sleepers and dirt as well.
The north stand had recently been partially closed and the east
stand was uncovered. A great game and the melee of celebration of
each goal was an adventure in itself.
Away: Holland 0 Scotland 0, Euro 96 at Villa
Park, Birmingham. Dour nil nil which was better for us than for
holland. First time at a championship finals for me having watched
everything from Argentina 78 on the telly at home. It was magic
to finally be there and experience things first hand for a change.
2. Best away trip?
Kirin Cup 2006, Tokyo and Kobe.
Total culture shock! If one race could rule the world then I'd vote
for the Japanese. They put the "civil" in civilisation.
Bullet trains, metros, politeness, innovation, superb food. One
of the few places that I would consider emigrating to.
3. Best foreign stadium visited?
Millenium Stadium,
Cardiff. I'm not a fan of new grounds, but if you're going to do
it then it should be city centre - part of the city, accessible,
and in your face. Five minutes from pub to seat and no stress about
getting there, or back.
I don't really think
too much about which pub we're in and rarely remember the name of
the pub afterwards. But I did really like the Ganse Markt in Dortmund
though. Very friendly, small pub, right off the square.
5. Describe your usual match-day attire
Ditched the pipers jacket
and hairy sporran some time back now and really just stick with the
more sedate kilt, boots and t-shirt. Got a Balmoral and a Glengarry,
but more likely to leave both at home these days. There is a fine
line between die-hard and try-hard...
6. Is there anywhere you have seen Scotland play that you would like
to go back to?
7. Where have you have seen Scotland play that you would NOT like
to return to?
Faroes, Ireland, England,
Wales, Holland, Norway, Belgium, Lithuania - for a combination of
reasons ranging from hated the place to been there too many times
already. Nothing against Ireland, England or Wales, but they're just
not foreign enough. And I love the Faeroes, but a rock in the north
atlantic isn't the best place for a football trip - and they are tricky
buggers to take three points off!
8. And where do you want to go to (but haven't yet)?
South America! And Hungary,
Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Bosnia,
Croatia
9. Who's the best Scottish player that you have actually seen?
John Robertson, Nottingham
Forest winger and coaching sidekick to Martin O Neill. He used to
turn people inside out every game. He also won the European Cup twice
setting up the winner in one and scoring the winner in the other.
(There can't be many clubs that have won the European Cup more times
than they've won their domestic league championship).
13. What is your favourite and least favourite Scotland chant/song?
I can't think of anything
that is currently inspirational. We seem to have lost the spontaneity
we used to have for new songs and seem to rely entirely on "Doe
a Deer" or "We'll be coming" to generate any kind
of atmosphere. Both are fit for purpose but we could do with something
fresh.
Can't be arsed with the old Stand up/Sit down routine any more,
or anything else anti english.
14. Which have been the highest and lowest points of supporting Scotland?
High
- the home win against France. The away one was too surreal for
me and I just walked away in a daze without really believing what
I'd just seen. The home win was when we really got it right up Trezeguet
and put ourselves top of the qualifying group.
Low - Euro 96 v Switzerland. I've never felt
quite as low as that any time in my life.
15. What's the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you
on tour (that you're prepared to tell us about)?
Friendly in Norway, I
walked in to the ground, checked the seat and row then went right
along an entire row filled with u21s players and back room staff getting
them to stand up and let us past so we could get to our seats. Sat
down a few seats the other side of them in the correct seats and looked
about wondering why we were away in the corner by ourselves. Then
realised we were in the wrong section. The really embarrassing bit
was getting them all to stand up again to let us back out.
Best
toilets in the world are Japanese. Neither Jimmy Saville's seat
nor Captain Kirk's has got more buttons to play with, and I could
spend hours pressing the flush just to watch the water swirling
round the bowl.
Worst - see the photos in Toilets of the World.
Portaloo at FC Dacia, Chisinau.
17. Favourite domestic stadium?
Anything traditional
with terracing and crush barriers. I don't know enough of the lower
divisions to pick out one that fits the bill.
19. Favourite chant/song heard at a domestic match?
Flower of Scotland being
sung to Rangers fans.
20. Best domestic pub/club?
The Bayview in Brora
circa 1982 when George Rapson had it.
21. What are your pet hates?
Too many to list,
but top of the list are glory hunting triumphalist and/or armchair
fans who think that because their (arbitrarily chosen) team has
an occasional chance of winning something that it somehow adds something
to their boring self centred miserable existence.
Phoning Bruce from Japan
on someone else's mobile!
23. Best night out ever on a TA trip? (aka the "Tuesday Night
in Graz Award")
Tuesday night in Graz.
24. You're stranded on a remote island in the Hebrides. Before the
ship went down you managed to salvage some belongings (to help you
pass the time until you're rescued) including...
1
book? 1 magazine? 1 album?1
film? Not sure, I'd just grab something in the duty free shop
on my way to the lifeboats.
1 beer? Innes and Gunn.
1 spirit? Clynelish
And 1 famous member of the opposite sex?
Kiera Knightly. Can she also be dressed up
in her Pirates of the Caribbean gear as well please? Just for authenticity
you understand.