Well, we’ve made it by the skin of
our teeth this time! Nonetheless, this update brings a veritable
feast of photos, some new travel info and the long-awaited
part 2 of the Japan Diary. I can also promise to have the
Lithuania and Ukraine diaries online between now and the end
of February, so by the time Italy comes around we’ll
have been fully up to date for at least, oh, 4 weeks!
Speaking of Italy, they have to confirm
the venue by 27th January. Some speculation in the Italian
press has been pointing towards Bari (an isolated city on
the tip of the heel), but as always, NATA encourages patience
and nerves of steel to avoid rushing into non-cancellable
bookings before things are confirmed. There’s always
the package operators…
We will back in the next few weeks with
January’s thrilling instalment; expect some more pictures,
the Lithuania Diary and maybe even a new Lookalikes gallery.
The Loony Alba St Andrews Night was a happy hunting ground:
we spotted Cruella de Ville, Harry Hill and Frodo; see for
yourself in the gallery.
Not to mention a brief trip to Ahlen, via
Dortmund, for yet another match ...more
MINI-UPDATE: Sunday 26th November 2006
Well, as warned there's
been a hiatus in service caused by the house move (and more
pertinently, by the complete ineptitude of Tiscali to move
my broadband connection). Living out in the wilds of East
Surrey means even a simple dial-up connection can take half-an-hour
to get connected! If you're reading this, then at least it's
worked this time!
Anyway, enough moaning. What I can bring you is a very brief
update with a clutch of new quotes and a few new bars on the
Hamburg mini-guide. What I can't (and will hopefully follow
in December once a reputable broadband provider has stepped
into the fray) is photos from Hamburg, Düsseldorf and
the Loony Alba St Andrews Night, along with the pick of Ally's
Ukraine photos.
So, for now, why not see what else the site has to offer?
Normal service will hopefully be resumed shortly.
Just the eight this time, from a recent Düsseldorf trip
and the Loony Alba St Andrews night (photos to follow...)
...more
EDITORIAL:
Sunday 29th October 2006
Yet another photo-centric update for now,
as I'm still commuting to and from my new job (20 hours a
week!). I'm also about to move, meaning NATA's media HQ is
moving even further from Netley and setting up shop in East
Surrey. Several anticpated weeks of PC downtime will have
a knock-on effect to next month's update as well.
Anyway, aside from all the excuses, we can
bring you the photos from the famous win against France and
the 2-0 defeat in Ukraine. Kiev was a fertile ground for quotes,
and a bumper number have been added to the Quotes page. The
Toilets of the World page has also continued to expand, and
will need to be split into two pages for the next update,
particularly in light of the sheer volume of Ukrainian toilet
photos I took (and have been sent).
On the football front, there's a B game
in Dublin in mid-November (that we won't be at), and another
one rumoured for February. We probably won't hear about a
venue for Italy until January, however France have been good
enough to confirm for the Parc des Princes.
A couple of cheeky numbers from Arran and
a Japan special have been added to the TOTW page- Ukraine
is still to come, when I can stomach looking at some of the
photos! ...more
EDITORIAL:
Sunday 24th September 2006
Just like the Tremeloes, words don't come
easy to me at the moment, which is why you've got another
photo-tastic update to be getting on with. In all seriousness,
having just started a new job, being in the process of buying
a house and arranging a wedding are all factors likely to
inhibit my ability to update the site as fully as I'd like
over the coming months.
What we can bring you in this update is
even more photos from the Lithuania trip (thanks to Ally M
for sending these through and filling in some of the gaps
I missed!). The critically-acclaimed (by the Scottish Sun,
no less) Toilets Of The World section has had a bumper update
thanks to the festering trenches of Lithuania, as well as
some quirkiness from neighbours Austria and Slovakia.
On the travel front, there's a German vibe
to the rest of the update. My last week of freedom before
starting my new job was spent following Fortuna Düsseldorf
to the outpost of Emden and taking in a few other sights.
You can see the photos, and read the Travel Tips for four
more German cities.
The next update should hopefully see at
least one diary account making it online - once I settle into
the commute, I might even be able to write these things whilst
on the train! For now, keep well.
Thanks to Ally, we can now bring you an
extra set of Lithuanuia photos, including shots from downtown
Kaunas and the trip to the Statue Museum at Grutas Park, as
well as some excellent action shots from the game ...more
The world-famous Toilets of the World section
(as featured in the national press!) has been expanded. Austria,
Slovakia and a job(by) lot from Lithuania now line up with
the other latrines ...more
All of my gallavanting around Germany does
have some benefit - the NATA Mini Guide has now been supplemented
with some tidbits on Emden, Essen and Leipzig. The less said
about Dresden, the better ...more
And speaking of Germany, photos from Helen
and Paul's most recent trip, taking in Emden, Essen and Düsseldorf
(and 3 matches, featuring 13 goals, in 4 days!) ...more
EDITORIAL:
Tuesday 12th September 2006
A bit of a rushed update, as following a
week in Lithuania I now found myself with just one week of
freedom before starting a new job in a new town. This will
also mean a new home for NATA's multimedia empire, and will
no doubt mean less time for web updates, but in the meantime,
we bring you...
Photo's galore, with over 350 from our recent
victorious double header (and more to come too - watch this
space!). There's also a large photo gallery on my own site
from my trip to the former GDR to see Fortuna take on fallen
giants Dynamo Dresden (and also grab a 4th Division game in
the Leipzig World Cup stadium).
The Quotes page has also taken a battering,
with no less than 17 new gems making the cut. However, the
big news this month has to be NATA making national news -
The Scottish Sun ran an article on our Toilets, Drunks and
Women of the World sections.
Speaking of which, you can expect updates
on these sections in the coming months, along with the Lithuania
Diary and Part Two of the Japan trip. We'll also be bringing
you some extra pics of the Lithuania trip and an updated Vilnius
guide. And that's not even mentioing our next double header
that's just a few weeks away! Remember, the best way to make
sure you don't miss any updates is to sign up for our free
Newsletter below.
In record time too! A total of 303 photos, charting dodgy
Vilnius pubs (and their toilets!), the game, a trip to Trakai,
the TV tower AND the Vilnius derby on the Sunday after the
game. It's all here (well, it's not, but Ally's photos will
shed light on the bits I missed) ...more
No sooner was the Toilets of the World
section on the site last month, than the press had picked
up on it! See a scan of the article of here.
EDITORIAL:
Friday 18th August 2006
As we stand on the brink of another qualifying
campaign, 10 years on from the start of last successful one,
it's a time for hope, faith and a little trepidation. What's
certain is that this is the toughest test Scotland has faced
in a long time, however with confidence at a high following
the Kirin Cup win and the U19's sterling performance at the
European Championships (not to mention the U20 World Cup to
look forward to in Canada next year), can we really scrape
it?
Following Walter's successful rebuilding,
NATA are also on the campaign trail with a stronger squad.
Membership is up to 10 (with a strong WAG contingent), and
you can view our ugly mugs in our brand new "sticker
album".
The first part of the Japan diary is now
online, and it's already bulging at the seams. Trust me, it's
a good 'un! There's also the long-awaited, tongue firmly in
cheek guide to Toilets of the World, to go with similarly
offensive sections on Women and Drunks.
Finally, we've also taken the opportunity
to overhaul some of the older pages of the site to make some
more room in the navigation menu. Postcards and the Joy of
Talc have been pensioned off for now, but don't worry: you
can still find them in the Web Archive section.
So for now, have a great time if you're
heading for the Faroes home match or planning for the Lithuania
trip, and we'll be back next month.
As the Tartan Army counts down to the start of a new campaign,
it's time for that long-awaited new. NATA announces the squad
to take us down the long path to qualification. Swapsies?...more
It's been a long time coming, and it'll take a long time
reading! The first installment of the Japan diary, covering
the 5-1 mauling of Bulgaria, is now online ...more
It's the one you've all been waiting for: you've gasped over
our Women of the World pages, you've
chuckled over our Drunks of the World
section, now writhe with discomfort at... Toilets of the World.
Carefully selected examples of the world's WC's for your viewing
pleasure. And what's more, there's plenty where they came
from ...more
Lithuania Resources
If you're heading over to Lithuania next month, why not cast
your eye over what we have to offer:
Here's a bumper July update to keep you
going for another few weeks. There's a little of everything,
from pictures to comedy to travel tips to diary accounts to
pictures again.
The first weekend of July saw the hugely
successful inaugural Tartan Army "Gathering of the Clans"
in Aviemore. NATA were proudly represented by Ally, Susan,
James and Lynne, and you can now see the photos (including
James' brave stint as WESTA's goalkeeper).
There's also another episode of our popular
Look-alike Gallery, with a Loony Alba theme. If you have any
more suggestions for look-alikes, please keep 'em coming!
Travel-wise, there's a spanking new Stockholm
mini-guide, to go with photos from Helen and my recent weekend
there, and the latest In Your Sporran Guide covering Slovenia.
Finally, flush from being featured in the
Sunday Times' Ecosse supplement, read the full story of NATA's
visit to the World Cup last month.
We'll be back in a few weeks; I'm not exactly
sure when or what with, so as Shaw Taylor usedto say, "Keep
'em peeled!"
A definite Loony Alba theme to our latest gallery, with almost
half of our fifteen victims belonging to the English capital's
very own Tartan Army ...more
I know you're still waiting for the Japan diary (it is being
worked on, honest!), but to keep you going here's a wee update
on what Helen and Paul got up to in Germany over the first
two weekends...more
And finally, more photographs to keep you amused! A full
gallery of midsummer Stockholm from Paul and Helen's romantic
(and non-football) weekend away is now on Paul's own site
...more
EDITORIAL:
Saturday 24th June 2006
Adding to our Stop Press update of two weeks
ago, we can now bring you the full World Cup galleries from
our two weekends over in Germany. Whilst it's heart-breaking
for us to be there without Scotland, I can confirm it's a
superbly hosted tournament, and every German we met is playing
their part.
We met a number of fellow Scots on our travels,
and did our utmost to remember names, so if you're one of
the guys we met and I've messed up, please let me know.
And never mind that mickey mouse Jules Rimet
Trophy, re-live Scotland's victory in the Only Cup That Matters
(to us, anyway!) with Ally's Japan Extra Gallery, as well
as links to another couple of Loony Alba members' sites.
Continuing with the rolling out of our In
Your Sporran guides, it's the turn of that beer drinker's
paradise, Brussels, to get the NATA treatment. Ljubljana is
next up in July.
Until then, keep well, and finally, a very
happy 50th birthday to Singing Phil, a true gentleman of the
Tartan Army!
The second weekend of our World Cup adventure saw us take
in Ghana's stunning win over the fancied Czechs. Why not Czech
out these 89 photos to get a taste of Germany ...more
So you've heard Brussels is boring? After five beer-fuelled
trips over the years, putting in extensive research into the
best places to sample the best beers, here's the long awaited
NATA In Your Sporran Guide to Brussels ...more
STOP
PRESS: Monday 12th June 2006
Just pictures, no words, but with this festival
of football upon us (and unfortunately without Scotland's
involvement), we can at least bring you two new galleries:
NATA @ WC2006 (well, for a few days at least!) and, courtesy
of Ally and his big camera, a Japan Extra Gallery.
Helen and Paul were lucky enough to get two pairs of tickets
to the World Cup. First up was Poland v Ecuador in Gelsenkirchen
on Friday 9th June, followed by matchdays (without tickets)
in Dortmund and Cologne. View the photos here
And that's not all on the photo front - thanks to Ally &
Susan we've got another 160-plus photos of the victorious
Kirin Cup trip to Japan ...more
EDITORIAL:
Sunday 4th June 2006
Usually, we struggle to get NATA Online
updated for when we say we will. Sometimes, very rarely, we
surprise ourselves and manage a bumper update in double-quick
time. And that's not all... we're already planning for another
one before June's up.
But for now, feast your eyes on what we
have in store for you. Having lived on the South Coast for
19 years, I had never held out much hope for Scotland playing
an international just 5 minutes walk from my front door at
my home team's ground. So it might have been non league, but
it happened in May when Worthing FC hosted Scotland's victory
against Ireland. We have the photos, along with those from
the defeat to eventual winners Wales and my very camp photo-shoot
in between, for your viewing pleasure.
We didn't make the final game (a narrow
defeat to England in Eastbourne) as we were celebrating Fortuna
Düsseldorf's 3-0 end of season romp - you can see the
photos on my own website.
And that's not all - the big news is the
return of our ever-popular Look-alikes gallery, with 17 victims
in our 11th gallery. If you're suffering from wanderlust,
check out the In Your Sporran guide to Bratislava.
Back by popular demand, it's our legendary Look-alikes Gallery.
Oft imitated, never bettered; check out the latest 17 look-alikes
in our eleventh gallery ...more
The Sussex coast hosted the 2006 Semi Pro International Home
Nations trophy. Check out our gallery from the games at Bognor
and Worthing, along with Paul's photo-shoot (there was a free
T&T shirt at stake!) ...more
Moving on with our In Your Sporran versions of our popular
mini-guides, we can now bring you one for Bratislava. Emerging
stag party destination and possibly the 19th or 20th city
to be labelled the "new Prague" ... more
I know there's loads of Düsseldorf photos already, but
there's a reason I keep going back! Anyway, our latest visit
was for Fortuna's last game of the season and co-incided with
a group of Ipswich Town fans. See the photographic evidence
on Paul's own site ...more
EDITORIAL:
Sunday 21st May 2006
What a trip Japan was! Aside from two fantastic
performances (a swashbuckling, and well-deserved 5-1 mauling
of Bulgaria, and a determined 0-0 draw against the hosts,
and the odds) and a rare chance to see Scotland lift a trophy,
those of us lucky enough to go were treated to fantastic hospitality,
great beer, weird food and plenty of culture shocks. There's
a wee taste of what we got up to in the Japan Gallery, but
you'll have to wait a few weeks for the diary guide.
And for anyone not able to make it but looking
forward to the next Tartan Army trip, we've updated our downloadable
Vilnius guide.
I'm off to the World Cup for the first two
weekends, complete with tickets to see Poland v Ecuador and
Czech Republic v Ghana, so that will severely curtail update
opportunities until the end of June. But fear not, aside from
(yet more) galleries of Düsseldorf we have plenty lined
up to let those boring summer months fly by! Remember, the
best way to keep abreast of updates is through signing up
for our Mailing List.
Our second largest gallery ever (219 photos) has now been
uploaded in record time. In case you're wondering, the mammoth
Graz (plus Brno, Vienna and Bratislava) gallery holds first
place by a mere 10 photos... more
Japan proved a fertile hunting ground for classic Tartan
Army quotes, especially with Chris Houston and Tam Coyle jousting
for quote supremacy. Check out no less than 22 new jems from
the mouths of jakies... more
Keeping our feet on the ground, and looking to our next real
competitive game, we've taken the chance to update our downloadable
Vilnius In Your Sporran guide in light of the August 2005
updates. Not a patch on the In Your Pocket guides, but still
worth a look... more
And here's a new In Your Sporran guide, just in case anyone
fancies a trip to romantic Romania... more
EDITORIAL:
Sunday 7th May 2006
As ever, things have been hectic here at
NATA HQ, but as promised here's a mini update to keep you
going for the next few weeks. We will be back with at least
one more update before the World Cup kicks off on 9th June
(and 2 members of NATA will be at one of the games that day
- Poland v Ecuador in Gelsenkirchen).
The online Tartan Army community continues
to grow with some excellent sites out there in terms of both
content and design. Our links page tries to capture everything
out there in cyberspace, so why not check out the latest additions?
We've also been revisiting our Mini Travel
Guides and converting them for the In Your Sporran series.
The latest to get the treatment is Belarus, but look our for
a few more over the coming months, including both Slovenia
and Brussels.
Finally, only the pictures front, there's
yet another set of Düsseldorf photos - if you haven't
sampled the delights of that fine city's Altstadt, I really
do recommend taking it in.
We're off to Japan for a flying trip for
the Kirin Cup (as shown on BBC Scotland!), so keep well in
the meantime, and sayonara!
After a wee hiatus, we're now back on track with "Sporran-ifying"
our web travel guides to make them easier to print off and
take with you on your travels. First up is Belarus ...more
I know there seems to be a lot of Düsseldorf galleries,
but that's because it's such a fantastic place! Our latest
trip was at Easter with NATA founding member The Wee Man (and
Liz) - see the photos on my own website ...more
Our links page has seen a flurry of activity, with new websites
from the 1320 TA, the Tartan Army in Norway, Tartan Army Travels,
and McMaradona, as well as the recently revamped and fast-growing
Geez The Bounce site ...more
EDITORIAL:
Sunday 9th April 2006
A wee bit later than planned, but blame
the Japanese FA for knocking off schedule! After over three
months or rumour-mongering, gossip and false start confirmations,
and much to the relief of several dozen early birds who had
already booked, Scotland's participation in the Kirin Cup
was confirmed early last week. This is the second time we
will have competed in Japan's triangular tournament (we played
Ecuador and the hosts in 1995), and NATA's travel plans are
now in place.
Since our last update in early March, UEFA
have stepped in and sorted out the qualifying game schedule.
Apart from the inconvenience of missing out on the last round
of fixtures, we've ended up with a more favourable fixture
list than before, with all of our home matches falling on
Saturdays. The other side of the coin means that every away
game is midweek, so a nuisance from a holiday perspective!
We hope to fit in a small update between
now and the Japan tour, but remember - the best way to keep
your ear to the ground is to sign up for our free newsletter.
NATA's Nippon adventure is all scoped out, and you can read
about here, along with a list
of very useful links. You can even download a useful list
of Japanese
Words (courtesy of Cammy The Ref) ...more
And now the dates are sorted, plans can be made. NATA are
already booked up for Lithuania and Ukraine. Read all about
our travel plans, as well as some general info that may help
...more
EDITORIAL:
Saturday 4th March 2006
First things first, the Euro 2008 Qualifiers
are still waiting to be set - UEFA have set Thursday 9th March
as the date for negotiating, else they will pull out a random
draw (and open up all kinds of Faroes/Georgia away double-header
scenarios!). Whilst not a fan of the original set of fixtures,
I'd now be over the moon if they were agreed. However, for
now, in the words of Sydney Youngblood, "all we can do
is sit is wait..."
The Kirin Cup rumours continue to gather
pace, with the BBC website suggesting that Bulgaria are confirmed
for games on 9th and 11th May, coupled with an article in
last Wednesday's programme suggesting Scotland may accept
an invite for games on 11th and 13th suggests an announcement
could be imminent. Personally, I'm not booking until this
is signed and sealed!
The reason for only one update in February,
despite the to-ing and fro-ing over Euro 2008 qualification
fixtures, was spending three of the four weekends (and one
of the weeks in between) in Germany
As a result, the NATA Mini Guide to
Germany has been updated (a little bit of Cologne and Dusseldorf,
and a lot of Hamburg), as well as two galleries (covering
North Rhine Westphalia and Hamburg) on my own website.
Fresh from a Fortuna trip to St Pauli, we've brought the
Hamburg guide up to date. There's now a bar list (including
a St Pauli fans' bar and a brewpub) to whet your appetite
...more
A mixed bag of photos on Paul's personal site featuring Essen
(Fortuna away game!), Cologne and Düsseldorf across a
10-day period in early February ...more
And a gallery devoted to a weekend in Hamburg (St Pauli 1,
Fortuna 1) - now do you see why there was only the one update
in February? ...more
EDITORIAL:
Wednesday 1st February 2006
Well, after much gnashing of teeth, we finally
know what stands in the way of qualifying for our first finals
in 10 years. There's two ways to look at a qualifying draw:
"can we qualify" from a football perspective, and
"have I got nice places to go on my holidays". Unfortunately,
in my opinion anyway, the answer is pretty much "unlikely"
on both counts.
On a personal level, Ukraine and Georgia
offer pastures new (and another chance to practice my basic
Russian!), whilst the others are familiar in one degree or
another.
In any case, there's nothing we can do about
it now... except plan for the trips if that's your bag, and
it certainly is ours. Our Euro 2008 Travel Preview should
give you a few early pointers, but the real fun planning fun
begins when the fixtures have been agreed (rumours suggest
this could be next week).
Unfortunately, this is very likely to be
our only update for the month, as I've another busy one ahead
of me. However, it's a beauty - there's loads of travel info
(Austria, Slovenia and Czech Republic) and some photos from
a recent trip to Prague to keep you busy.
We'll be back in early March with more info
on how the Euro 2008 fixture list is shaping up, along with
what travel plans NATA members are weighing up. Until then,
keep well.
The draw's been made, and it's not the kindest. Trips to
France, Italy, Ukraine, Lithuania, Georgia and the Faroes
await - get some advance information now with the NATA Travel
Preview... more
And on a related note, the NATA Mini Guide to Austria has
now been updated. Read about the sights and bars of Austria's
second city, Graz, along with Euro 2008 Finals venues Innsbruck
and Vienna... more
And if you'd rather think about the "old Prague"
before worrying about a new one, the travel guide to the Czech
Republic has been updated with some brand new, bang up-to-date
info... more
Still on a Prague tip, here's 84 photos of our latest visit
in January 2006. If you've not been, go now before it gets
even more westernised! ...more
EURO
2008 DRAW STOP PRESS: Friday 27th January 2006
Well, it could have been worse. But it could
have been much, much better...
Scotland have been drawn in Group B for
the European Championship 2008 Qualifiers. The fixtures will
be decided in the coming months, and are expected to start
in September 2006. The teams standing in our way (in seeding
order) are:
France
Italy
Ukraine
Lithuania
Georgia
Faroe Islands
Stay tuned to NATA Online for next week's
bumper update, including a preview for each of our opponents.
(This mini update also included a NATA "South
Park" spoof as a banner - see it here)
Cheers, Paul
EDITORIAL:
Sunday 15th January 2006
Happy Birthday to us! Five years after first
hitting the internet, NATA Online is still here and bigger
and better than ever before! I hope you liked our retro-style
homepage, but rest assured we'll not be going back to that
style. In fact, you can sneak an exclusive look at how we
almost redesigned in mid-2005 by looking through our Five
Years of NATA Online.
This update's not all about patting ourselves
on the back! The 2005 Diary has been brought bang up to date
with the inclusion of Slovenia, and a brand new Belarus Mini
Guide is now online, in case you fancy a quick return to Minsk?
Bringing up the rear is an amended Vilnuis Guide.
And there's lots more planned through the
Spring as wait for our first Scotland game of the year - there'll
be more Travel Guides, including some new In Your Sporran
guides, but most pressingly, we'll be bringing a review of
the Euro 2008 Qualifying Draw that is now only two weeks away.
Did you know NATA Online has been updated every 21 days on
average? Or that there's over 3,500 pages on the site? Here's
a look back at some of the quirks and curiosities of the past
five years... more
The missing link from last year has now been added - cast
your mind back to our impressive, but ultimately hollow, hammering
of the Slovenians in October. The NATA Diary covers a full
8 days, including probably the best brewery tour in the world...
more
Thinking of Minsk? Then check out our new Belarus Mini Guide,
complete with our Raving Reporter, Richard Ross, giving his
lowdown on the club scene... more
Vilnius is fast becoming stag central, however we braved
it in August last year and came away with four new pubs to
tell you about. These have been added to the Vilnius section
of the Baltic mini guide... more
EDITORIAL:
Sunday 1st January 2006
Welcome to 2006 - I hope you had a good
hogmanay and wish everyone a good New Year!
First things first, many apologies for the
unavailability of NATA Online for a few days over the Christmas
period. Unfortunately, our webhosting company was unable to
sort this out until after the bank holiday period. In case
you missed anything, I've left the links on the front page.
At long last, the blow-by-blow account of
our trip to Graz back in August (yes, it really was that long
ago) has finally been published. Which is just as well, as
Graz features in our list of 2005 Highlights. Recent visits
to Berlin (in October) and Osnabrück (in December) have
been reflected by updates to the ever-expanding Germany Mini
Guide.
Lined up for the very near future are the
Slovenia diary, new Travel Guides to Slovenia and Belarus,
plus amendments to the Austria, Czech and Lithuania guides.
Rest assured, if we're lucky enough to draw any of these countries
in the Euro 2008 Qualifiers, NATA Online is the place to come
for all your inside travel information!
In the meantime, enjoy the New Year, good
luck in keeping your resolutions and remember to check back
later in the month (or sign up for the NATA Newsletter) for
another update.
The Germany Mini Guide continues to grow
apace, with two new additions to the NATA Travel tome. An
autumnal visit to Berlin along with a brief winter trip to
the Weihnachtsmarkts of Osnabrück have taken the number
of German cities reviewed to fifteen... more
And just in case you missed it...
Seeing as NATA Onlone was offline for a
week, here's what you may have missed from our last update: