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EDITORIAL: Sunday 18th December 2005

Sometimes things happen completely out of the blue and out of one's contril that change all plans beyond all recognition. December has been one of those months, and has seen all bets off, all Christmas market travel plans change, and ultimately, the website update shrink from what had been planned.

Rest assured, the Austria Diary has been half-written and WILL be ready in January, to be followed quickly by the Slovenia trip account! For now, it's more of a graphic and beer-flavoured update to get your festive chops around.

A recent visit to the winter wonderland of Brussels has resulted in a personal photo gallery and a juicy update to our pretty comprehensive mini-guide. This was followed a few weeks later by a flying visit to Osnabrück to watch Fortuna's demise.

Finally, people often ask how I always manage to track down weird and wonderful places to drink - I'm now sharing my best-kept secrets by adding all my beer websites to the Travel Links page.

So that's your lot for now. Enjoy the bunting and frolics, and hopefully see you next year!

Have a great Christmas! Paul

NEW: Brussels Photos

A snow-covered accident waiting to happen! Savour the atmosphere of ungritted, ice-clad sloping cobbled streets with these 20 photos from my birthday trip ...more

NEW: Beer Travel Links

At last, the truth is out. Learn all about the joys of "scooping" and find out where all those pesky foreign micro-breweries are hiding! The rest of the Travel Links have also been reviewed ...more

UPDATED: Brussels Mini Guide

Unable to safely walk the streets for fear of taking a header, we had no choice but to seek shelter from the blizzards in a number of local hostelries, purely for the sake of keeping intrepid NATA travellers genned up! ...more

NEW: Osnabrück Photos

Finally, here's 32 photos from one day in Osnabrück, with a little bit of Christmas Market and a lot of humiliation for Fortuna, who went down 5-0. But hey, we got to see someone burn a scarf! ...more


EDITORIAL: Monday 21st November 2005

See, I promised that the last one was just a quick update, and I was right! Yet again there's more eye-candy and less to read, but that's just representative of the shortening attention spans of today's discerning internet user. Or possibly because I'm still suffering writer's block! Anyway, put all thoughts of Austria and Slovenia diaries from your minds for now and focus on...

A bumper gallery of photos from our credible draw with the USA, as well as a real Look-alikes frenzy - marvel as Campbell "Ming" Burton makes a bid to become the most photographed man in the Tartan Army as he grooms his Lenin beard! Finishing off this update's quartet of tidbits is a brief description of Warsaw in the travel section.

December promises to be a hectic month with lots of travel lined up, so any update is likely to be brief again, but please do stay tuned!

Cheers, Paul

NEW: USA Home Photos

Sixty photos of the trip to Glasgow (by car, for a change) have been added to our ever expanding gallery ...more

NEW: Lookalikes #9

Seventeen new faces meet their match on the latest Look-alike gallery, including several well kent faces from the Tartan Army at large ...more

NEW: Campbell Special

And a normal Look-alike Gallery is not enough to hold the man of many faces (and no forenames), Campbell Burton ...more

UPDATED: Eastern Europe Travel Guide

And last, and at last, here's a wee update to the Eastern European Travel Guide following a short trip through Warsaw in June this year ...more


EDITORIAL: Tuesday 8th November 2005

Just a quick update to keep things ticking over, with over 250 photos from Slovenia (and a separate trip to Berlin) now online.

Coming soon (maybe even later this month, maybe not...) will be the diary accounts of Slovenia and Austria (remember that?). There's also loads of new and updated travel info that I'll be adding to over the bleak winter months, so keep coming back for more!

In the meantime, there's rather a lot of travel planned (I blame Helen's addiction to Christmas markets), so planning a full update is proving tricky. Fear not though, we will still keep coming up with the goods!

Cheers, Paul

NEW: Slovenia Photos

Here they are - 181 photos from an incredible week in Slovenia (and a stop-over in Munich). The diary will follow soon, but for now, feast your eyes on these ...more

NEW: Berlin Photos

And from a weekend watching Fortuna in Berlin (my first ever visit), there are now 85 photos on my own website ...more

REMEMBER: The Joy of Talc

Okay, so there's not an away trip for a loooonnnnggg while, but why not cast your eye over the NATA Guide on what to take on tour? ...more

ELSEWHERE: WESTA 's new look

And in other Tartan Army website news, the West of Scotland Tartan Army have relaunched their website with a rather fetching tartan trim ...WESTA's site


EDITORIAL: Thursday 27th October 2005

I know I said early October, but... I've been very busy, and not just gallavanting around Europe. I've been helping several pals with a number of other web projects and that's meant less time for NATA Online, but only for a while!

What we can bring you now is a bevvy of new quotes, a decent helping of home game pictures and some new t-shirt designs in the NATA Shop. On a non-Tartan Army tip, we've got some extra travel gen on Düsseldorf and Munich as well as some new photos of the former (on my personal site).

There's a lot still to come online in the near future, not least of which are the Austria and Slovenia diaries and Slovenia photos (and there's a lot of those!). Travel-wise, there's new or revised guides on the way for Graz, Brno, Vilnius, Ljubljana and Berlin. So, with all this still to come, why not sign up for our Newsletter to make sure you don't miss a thing!

And finally, look out for our adverts on the Tartan Army Message Board. There may only be the one right now (and that's on here as well), but there's more to come soon!

Cheers, Paul

NEW: Belarus Home Gallery

Forty photos from the debacle at home to Belarus have been added to the NATA Gallery ...more

UPDATED: TA Quotes

A storming 17 new quotes from the Belarus/Slovenia double header have found their way onto the quotes page ...more

UPDATED: Germany Guide

Lot's more info on Düsseldorf, and a wee bit on Munich, have been added to the Germany mini-guide ...more

UPDATED: NATA Shop

Two new designs ("Here for the Beer" and the "No Pants" picture) have been added to the NATA Shop ...more

NEW: Düsseldorf Photos

Added to my personal website, 22 new photos from my recent Düsseldorf trip, with an emphasis on the Mediahafen's architecture ...more

NEW: Sussex Beer Festival 2006

One of the many websites that's been keeping me busy is the Sussex Beer Festival site, a CAMRA festival due to be held in March next year ...visit


EDITORIAL: Sunday 11th September 2005

A mere fortnight after the last update, and here's our biggest one of the year! The Norway Diary and Photos are online already - the Austria Diary will follow, but seeing as that trip was four times longer, so shall the diary be longer.

We've also got a bumper gallery of snaps from the Italy home game and associated festivities - if you were in The Iron Horse, The Shed, Baby Blue or The Sports Cafe, you may even be able to pick yourself out. And the photos don't end here either - check out Bruce's snaps on his own Fotopix site.

Both trips have been rich in humour, and 12 more quotes have been added to the ever-expanding Quotes page. The T-Shirts and Travel pages have also been updated, giving you plenty more to chew over.

Still to come are the Austria Diary, which we hope to bring you with the next update (either late September or early October, before the Belarus home game) - remember to sign up for the Newsletter to get notified of when we update the site.

So in the meantime, enjoy the fact that we're not out of the World Cup yet, and remember to check back soon.

Cheers, Paul

NEW: Norway Diary

It's only days since the historic victory (which was 1,061 days since the last one!), and the NATA Diary is already online. Read all about it ...more

NEW: Norway Photos

Not the avalanche of photos you may be used to, but 50 photos from the historic win are now online. Still not bad for less than 48 hours in the country! ...more

NEW: Italy Home Photos

Don't fear, 17 hours of hardened Tartan Army partying has kept up the photo average, bringing another 44 from our encouraging Italian job ...more

UPDATED: Quotes

Another twelve pearls of wisdom have made their way onto the Quotes Page ...more

EXTRA: Graz & Oslo Photos

Check out NATA's member Bruce's Graz and Oslo photos on his Fotopix Gallery (opens new window) ...more

UPDATED: T-Shirts & Travel

And to round off this bumper update, the Travel Details page has been updated with the 2006 international dates, and the T-Shirt Gallery has been updated with the Italy and Graz t-shirts.


EDITORIAL: Tuesday 30th August 2005

A photo-tastic update with all the evidence from Austria (and surrounding countries) and even a few from Vilnius. The Austria diary is "in production" but may be an update or two away from seeing the light of day.

We can also bring you a whole 11 new quotes, which at least gives you something to read! Seriously, if it's meaty morsels of text that you're after, you could do a lot worse than cast your eyes over the Norway 2003 Diary. Would you settle for 0-0 this time around?

Thanks to many people for the kind comments on the travel information and the "In Your Sporran" phenomenon - I know they're not all-encompassing, but I will be working on them throughout the autumn. Updates are already planned for the Czech (Brno), Bratislava, Austria (Vienna & Graz) and Vilnius guides - I just need to find the time!

And speaking of finding time, I have several other commitments that will be keeping me busy, so expect the next update in mid to late September (sign up for the Newsletter to make sure you don't miss out).

In the meantime, why not check out the new NATA Shop?

Cheers, Paul

NEW: Austria Photos

Over 230 (two-hundred and thirty!) photos from the epic trip across three countries, with a superb Scotland performance (for 75 minutes at least!) in the middle of it ...more

UPDATED: Quotes

Bruce Cairns is trying hard to be a one-man quote machine - see the evidence as he contributes 4 of the 11 new quotes added to the legendary Quotes Page ...more

NEW: Vilnius Photos

A handful of photos from a swift Bank Holiday break to Vilnius (booked before we knew about the Austria game!). What a transformation - highly recommended and expect an updated guide in the near future ...more

Remember: Oslo 2003?

A sound Scotland performance saw us secure a very respectable 0-0 draw. Relive the trip, the crowded bars and the £7 pints ...more


EDITORIAL: Sunday 6th August 2005

Hot on the heels of our last update, we can now bring you another of our trademark Look-alike galleries (our biggest yet!), as well as some timely travel info for Austria and Germany.

The links page has had a few new sites added, and we welcome our fellow Tartan Army webmasters to the expanding network of TA sites - good luck with them, and the more the merrier!

And the fun never ends... we're already preparing the next update, but it may be a good few weeks until it sees the light of day! Our route to Graz takes us in via Brno and out from Bratislava on an 8-day extravaganza, and factor in the English bank holiday weekend the following weekend before the September double-header, and you can see how it's going to be a push to get anything online in the meantime!

Anyways, enjoy our latest update for now, and remember to let us know if there's anything else you'd like to see on NATA online!

Cheers, Paul

NEW: Look-alikes 8

18 more innocent bystanders get the look-alike treatment in our biggest Look-alikes gallery to date, from the sublime to the ridiculous. Remember to send us your suggestions (with photos)! ...more

NEW: Vienna In Your Sporran

Just in time for the Austria friendly, here's a comprehensive NATA Mini Guide to Vienna. Make sure you try the Heuriger wine taverns in the suburbs! And because we're nice, we're even going to get an In Your Sporran guide online for you in a week or two! ...more

UPDATED: Germany Guide

Our most comprehensive "Mini Guide" has just got bigger. Some brief details on Hannover have been added from scratch, Düssefdorf has some improved pub information and the Munich section has been updated to include the Allianz Arena and the excellent Unionsbrau. The real jewel in the crown of this update is the Cologne info - grab your cheap Easyjet flight and away you go! ...more

UPDATED: Links Page

Our comprehensive Links page has been brought up-to-date with a few new Tartan Army sites, and new addresses for a few old ones. Check out: Saltire Fashions, Castlemilk TA, KELTA, Longforgan TA, Monkton TA, Rampant Lions, SADTA and Vancouver TA for starters.

If you want your own TA Club website listed, please drop me a line. Reciprocal links are always appreciated! ...more


EDITORIAL: Tuesday 26th July 2005

This update brings together almost all the popular elements of NATA Online - stories, photos and travel tips. "Where's the irreverent yet entertaining humour?", I hear you ask... Fear not, a new Lookalikes page is just around the corner.

The Belarus diary account is a monster - almost 5,000 words covering an epic five-country trip. And they're not all short words either! There's also a raft of more recent photos on my own "scrapbook" site from a surreal trip to Liechtenstein to cheer on Moldova's FC Dacia in the UEFA Cup.

The travel front sees updates to the Brussels guide, with some cracking pubs to play chess in, and a timely update to the Austria guide giving the low-down on Vienna. Let me guess - it means nothing to you!?

A mini update is planned in early August with a Sporran guide for Vienna, and we will try to get the Graz photos online by the end of the month, although I'm sure by now it will shock few of you to hear that due to a lot of upcoming travel things may get a little tight once more!

Take care, Paul

NEW: Belarus Diary

Are you sitting comfortably? You better be - this is a mammoth account of a mammoth trip. Rest assured though, it will take you less time to read it than it did for me to write it ...more

NEW: Vienna Guide

Just in time for the Austria friendly, here's a comprehensive NATA Mini Guide to Vienna. Make sure you try the Heuriger wine taverns in the suburbs! And because we're nice, we're even going to get an In Your Sporran guide online for you in a week or two! ...more

UPDATED: Brussels Guide

Brussels is one of Europe's top drinking cities, yet still relatively free of the stag party crowds. Newly added to the Brussels section of the Low Countries mini guide are details on the excellent Cantillon brewery and some superb bars in which to enjoy the local brews ...more

NEW: FC Dacia in UEFA Cup

Yes, I know I get too much holiday! Anyway, keeping a promise to Andrew (Dacia's press officer and friend to the Tartan Army) following our visit to a league match in October, Helen and I represented the Tartan Army on tour in Liechtenstein with Dacia. We even went to Switzerland, for 5 minutes ...more


EDITORIAL: Tuesday 28th June 2005

Well, we've managed to keep up our run of an update each calendar month, but only just! What we do bring you is a photo-tastic extravanganza, with over 340 photos in this update alone, all from one incredible two-week period!

Starting slowly with a score of snaps from the Moldova home match, we have over 200 from the Eastern European leg, followed up by 100+ from the Confederations Cup. Why the Confed Cup? Well, I have to take a 2-week break from work once a year, and with cheap flights to Germany...

Anyways, another hectic month awaits in July, but we will be back, and with more words this time - expect to see a Minsk Diary and Guide, and a Vienna Guide appearing in the next update or two.

Cheers, Paul

NEW: Belarus Gallery

A staggering 217 (two-hundred-and-seventeen) photos from Riga, Minsk, Brest and Warsaw are crammed onto 8 gallery pages. None of the legendary 50p border crossing exist, as it really wasn't the time or the place to brandish the camera, but the rest are all here ...more

NEW: Moldova Home Gallery

Paling into insignificance are the 20 photos I managed to take at the Moldova home game the weekend before the Belaris trip. See if you can spot Christian Dailly making a guest appearance in The Shed! ...more

UPDATED: TA Quotes

11 sparkling new quotes have been added to the legendary TA Quotes page, including a healthy smattering from Belarus ...more

NEW: NATA at the Confederations Cup

And finally, 105 photos from Paul's trip to the Confederations Cup to see three games in Cologne and Hanover ...more


EDITORIAL: Sunday 15th May 2005

First things first, after a whole rush of complaints (well, moaning from Rich really), I've changed the page header font to a more business-like one. Please let me know if you don't like it!

This is going to be the last full update for a wee while, as I've got lots and lots of travelling in the next few weeks - right through to the end of June, in fact. There's an off-chance I may be able to stick a quick update on in the meantime, but don't wait up. (In fact, sign up for the newsletter to make sure you don't miss out!)

In the meantime, however, this update mixes a diary account with some German photos, and travel advice for Nuremberg and Belarus.

Finally, and on a personally sad note, many commiserations to Netley's local team, Southampton FC, who were relegated this weekend after 27 years in the top division. Less than 2 years ago I was cheering them on to the pitch in the FA Cup Final! Here's hoping for a quick return to the top flight for the Saints.

Cheers, Paul

NEW: Austria Future Team Diary

The much-awaited (well, by the 19 that were there anyway!) diary account of the trip to Mattersburg for what could be Scotland's final ever Future Cup away game... more

NEW: Nuremberg Photos

The early May Bank Holiday allowed for a relaxing break to World Cup venue Nuremberg. The photos, including some taken from the running track of the WC Stadium, are now on my personal website... more

UPDATED: Germany Mini Guide

A whole load of information about Nuremburg has gone on to the Germany Mini Guide page, so you'll now know where to go for some brewery pub action in Bavaria's second city... more

UPDATED: Belarus Visa Info

In response to public demand, the information I originally posted on the TAMB has been added to the WC2006 Qualifiers Travel page... more


EDITORIAL: Sunday 25th April 2005

It's a very pictorial update for you this time around, with lots to look at and not so much to read (unless you want to go back to Chisinau in a hurry?), but the Austria photos do bring things bang up to date again - expect the diary account, and maybe even the Vienna guide, to follow within a month.

We can also bring you the next installment of Tartan Army Look-alikes, our seventh to date, and even if I say so myself, one of the best yet.

With an incredibly busy six weeks ahead of us (right through until after the Belarus trip), it's going to be tight to get the next update out in time, so please do be patient with us. In the meantime, enjoy!

Cheers, Paul

NEW: Austria B Game Photos

A grand total of 149 photos from the recent Austrian trip, and one hilarious video (courtesy of Tartan Par) of Ludo bugling away on the pitch at half-time... more

NEW: Italy Extra

By public demand, here's another 15 photos (courtesy of Ally & Susan, Bruce and Irene) and 10 video clips... more

NEW: Look-alikes Gallery

Sixteen new additions to our ever-popular look-alikes gallery, with a total of 46 new photos in our 7th Look-alikes Gallery. And keep 'em coming - we've already started putting Gallery 8 together! ...more

NEW: Moldova In Your Sporran

The In Your Sporran series contiunes apace with the addition of Moldova, in case you're in a rush to go back... more


EDITORIAL: Sunday 3rd April 2005

This is now a danger of becoming a habit! In what must be a new NATA Online record, we can bring you not only photos but the diary account of the most recent trip at the same time! And not only that, but barely a week after the event! People will start taking this for granted...

And we're not finished either - as the ink is drying on this update, we're already starting to receive a few extra photos and video clips that will grace the next update. An update you can expect before the month is up to boot! Just don't get too used to this level of service!

Anyway, for the time being (ahead of reality kicking in again in early June), lets all bask in the shared optimism that Walter Smith has steered around a corner towards a new era of Scottish international football.

Take care, Paul

NEW: Italy Diary

A shorter trip should have made for a shorter diary, right? Well, the two nights we spent in Milan still runs to over 3,000 words! See for yourself here with our first blow-by-blow account of 2005 ...more

NEW: Italy Photos

The photos from Paul's camera are now available for your persual in the Italy Gallery. A more comprehensive collection can be found on Bruce's Fotopic pages, and we will bring you some video clips with our next update ...more

NEW: Torshavn In Your Sporran

Our series of downloadable "In Your Sporran" guides continues with a Faroes Guide - feel free to pass this on to any Ireland fans you know who may be heading there in the summer ...more

UPDATED: TA Quotes

Six new quotes have found their way into Tartan Army folklore through being captured for eternity on the TA Quotes page ...more


EDITORIAL: Sunday 20th March 2005

It is a rare and monumental occasion, and it gives me a warm glow when it happens, but for only the second time in the 4+ years the website has been running it is completely up-to-date! The inclusion of the Germany diary (and believe me, it was touch and go!) means that every single trip now has a diary account and photo gallery online. How long will it last? Well, six days I suppose...

So here we are on the advent of a new era in Scottish football. Can Walter Smith turn things around and do what Herr Vogts proved in no uncertain terms was beyond him - namely to take a middling bunch of Scotland players and make the sum of the whole greater than the constituent parts. Well, only time will tell and it's unlikely we'll be any the wiser this time next week, but we can hope.

Anyway, we're off again to Austria in April (for the Future Cup - see the Travel Details page for, ahem, travel details) so it's anyone's guess as to whether I'll be able to fit in another update. Make sure you don't miss out - sign up for the Newsletter at the foot of the front page.

Ciao,
Paul

NEW: Germany Diary

Four months after the event, having been delicately matured in smoked oak casks, the sausage-by-sausage NATA guide to December's B game defeat is now available for your delight and delectation... more

NEW: Tallinn In Your Sporran

Joining the other two Baltic capitals, Tallinn can now boast its own In Your Sporran guide - right click here and "Save Target As" to download to your own PC... more

NEW: Prague In Your Sporran

And not wanting to be left out, the centre of the beer-drinking universe has also muscled into the In Your Sporran range - download the Prague area and detailed pub crawl guide here... more

NEW: Düsseldorf Photos (x2)

Not one, but two trips to Düsseldorf - one in February and one in March, including some cheeky video footage from Bruce's new phone... more


EDITORIAL: Tuesday 15th February 2005

Well, here we are again, bouncing back to cheer you all up again following the abject depression of Valentines Day that's no doubt afflicted most of us!

A bumper update brings you the long-awaited Moldova Diary, five new countries to both the updated Women and Drunks of the World section and a Travel Special. Not only is the Travel Details section updated with our plans for all five scheduled first team away games this year (the qualifying games and a friendly in Austria in August), but the Travel Top Fives have also had a long overdue revamp, with many more pubs for all the list fanatics out there.

However, the most exciting news is that we have branched out into downloadable "In Your Sporran" mini guides, making our popular Mini Guides even more portable. To get you started, and to help with anyone planning the Belarus trip, we've got both Riga and Vilnius covered.

So, with all this to keep you going, what can you expect from us in March? Well, there's the Germany Diary for one, as well as another couple of downloadable guides (expect Prague and one other). Until then, keep well!

Cheers,
Paul

NEW: Moldova Diary

Okay, so it's been a long time coming, but at least it's finally here! Read all about our Moldovan misadventures, and the trip back via Budapest ...more

UPDATED: Travel Details

The Travel Details page has been overhauled to show our plans for Italy, Belarus, Austria, Norway and Slovenia ...more

NEW: "In Your Sporran" Travel Guides

After the runaway success of our popular Mini-Guides, we've decided to give the established competition a run for their money with our new downloadable "In Your Sporran" guides ...more

UPDATED: Travel Top Fives

A fully re-vamped look at Paul's Top 5 travel recommendations, with lots of additional pubs coming highly recommended ....more

UPDATED: Women of the World

Five new entries have been added to NATA's essential guide to where the burdz are, taking the total to 28. Denmark & Hungary have been added to WOTW 1, whilst Moldova, Romania and Spain go onto WOTW 2

UPDATED: Drunks of the World

And on a similar theme, the Drunks of the World section has also been updated with the same five countries - see DOTW 1 and DOTW 2 for details.


EDITORIAL: Sunday 9th January 2005

Well, I know I promised diary accounts, but they don't write themselves, and I have been suffering writers block... anyway, I will try and apply myself to the task in hand in time for our next update in around a month's time.

As well as our new look (well, different font style at least!), we can bring you a whole new load of Look-alikes (with the seventh gallery already in production! Keep the nominations coming!), a fully updated guide to Germany and a new load of Prague photos from yet another drinking binge.

In the meantime, good luck and have fun to anyone still going to Northern Ireland for the aborted friendly match.

Cheers,
Paul

NEW: Look-alikes 6

11 new reprobates get to seek fame and glory by basking in the vaguely similar reflection of others more fortunate than themselves ...more

UPDATED: Germany Guide

An update for the whole Germany guide, including brand new sections on Heidelberg, Köln and Mannheim ...more

NEW: Prague Photos

Another New Year, another drinking session to somewhere in Europe... Prague had the privilege of our patronage for the second year running, along with Bruce and Sharon (and their far better photographs). See Paul's photos here

UPDATED: New look site

Although not as far-reaching as previous re-vamps, we do bring you - brand new for 2005 - an updated menu bar (complete with natty NATA badge), a new font style (which should be easier to read), and bigger text on the "away" version (which is definitely easier to read).


 
 

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Copyright notice: All photographs on this site are the property of individual members of the Netley Abbey Tartan Army unless otherwise stated. The copyright of these images remains with the individual possessing the photographic negatives, and permission should ideally be sought before copying them. We are keen to prevent anyone from making financial gain from our copyrighted images, or bringing the reputation of the Netley Abbey Tartan Army into disrepute (as we are more than capable of doing this ourselves).
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