GLASGOW, June 29 — The hangover has begun. Scotland’s Tartan Army foot soldiers, fresh off a World Cup rollercoaster that ended in bitter defeat and the resignation of their commander in chief, were touching down on home soil Monday, swapping party heads for the grim reality of work and laundry. The technical reality of reintegration hit student Rowan Stevenson, 19, before his brother Rory had even cleared customs.
Stevenson thoughtfully met the flight back from New York with a tray of Tennent’s Lager and Irn Bru, a tactical resupply for troops complaining about the quality of American beer. “The boys had been complaining about the beer in America so I thought I’d give them a nice Scottish welcome,” he said.
“They’ve had the time of their lives but I thought they might need a bit of help to re-integrate themselves.” Rory Stevenson, 21, and his pal Callum Hand, also 21, have just graduated from Edinburgh University with degrees in finance and economics. Their three-week World Cup odyssey cost a pretty penny — saved cash they believe was well spent. “This trip has been unbelievable, just one long party to be honest, but it has been an incredible experience,” Rory said.
“We did moan a bit about the beer out there so it was nice of Rowan to think of us like that.” The detail that matters: this was not just a football trip but a graduation blow-out. Callum framed it as such.
“This was a bit of a blow-out but we decided to treat it as one big graduation party,” he said. The timing — leaving university and heading straight for the World Cup — suggests a generation marking a transition before the job market beckons. Under the hood of the celebration, however, lies the sting of defeat.
Scotland lost their commander in chief — manager Steve Clarke — who resigned after the team’s performances on the field fell short. Rory acknowledged the mixed emotions. “We’d have loved to have been out for longer but the performances on the field weren’t the best.
I feel a bit sad that Steve Clarke has resigned but he did well to get us there and we should be grateful for that.” As ever with the Tartan Army, the focus is already shifting forward. Despite the disappointment, fans were looking forward to the next World Cup.
Rory captured the sentiment: “Who knows how long it will be before we get a chance to do this again. I’d love to think we’ll be back sooner rather than later.” The battered Scotland strips and kilts are heading for a much needed laundering. The party is over.
The foot soldiers are back, nursing sore heads and lighter wallets, but already eyeing the next campaign. For the graduates among them, the real world — and the job applications — now beckon.
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