4 Scotland fan mates have toasted their arrival into Germany with cans of Tennent’s and bottles of Buckfast – after an epic 1500 mile, two-day journey aboard a specifically modified camper van.
James Reddy, Tam Stevenson, Callum Armstrong, and Campbell Browne, all aged 25, left their residence in Paisley at 6am on Tuesday and at last rolled into Munich simply earlier than 10pm on Wednesday night.
They spent 40 hours travelling via Scotland, England, France, Belgium and Luxembourg earlier than crossing into Germany and heading to Bavaria for tonight’s Euro 2024 curtain-raiser towards the match hosts.
To maintain themselves occupied on their mammoth journey, they rang Glasgow radio station Clyde1 to share their views on Scotland’s probabilities, performed a soccer data quiz with completely different classes on World Cups, Euros and the Scottish league and loved a kickabout on the forecourt of Wetherby Companies off the A1.
The primary a part of their journey began when the 4 St Mirren followers drove from Paisley right down to Preston, Lancashire, to rent a Daylight A70 motorhome earlier than returning residence north of the border to proceed packing.
James Reddy, Tam Stevenson, Callum Armstrong, and Campbell Browne, all aged 25, left their residence in Paisley at 6am on Tuesday and at last rolled into Munich simply earlier than 10pm on Wednesday
They spent two days travelling via England, France , Belgium, and Luxembourg earlier than crossing into Germany and heading to Bavaria for tonight’s Euro 2024 curtain-raiser towards the match hosts
They continued their quest to achieve Munich on Wednesday morning, driving greater than nine-hours throughout Belgium and Luxembourg into Southern Germany
They then set off all the way in which right down to Dover – pausing alongside the way in which to prepare dinner pizzas – earlier than crossing the Channel to Calais and overnighting simply after midnight in a parking lot within the metropolis of Tournai, Belgium.
They continued their quest to achieve Munich on Wednesday, driving greater than 9 hours throughout Belgium and Luxembourg into Southern Germany.
The chums lastly made it to Riem on the outskirts of the town on Wednesday night time the place they’ve employed a one-bedroom house – as a result of it has a driveway for the campervan and so designated driver Tam has the posh of his personal bed room.
Their week-long journey is barely costing £300 per individual and their motorhome – which is bedecked with the Scottish flag – sleeps three of them and meets all their cooking necessities. Plus, it has a fridge for the beer.
James, who’s within the Royal Navy, stated: ‘It began out as a joke at first as a result of Tam is the one who all the time does the driving once we go away and watch St Mirren and we had been badgering him to drive us to the Euros.
‘However the extra we joked about it – the extra wise it appeared. We did the costings of what it could price doing it this manner in comparison with flying over and reserving a lodge and it labored out barely cheaper – however it’s far more enjoyable and way more of fun.
They then set off all the way in which right down to Dover – pausing alongside the way in which to prepare dinner pizzas – earlier than crossing the Channel to Calais and overnighting simply after midnight in a parking lot within the metropolis of Tournai, Belgium
Their week-long journey is barely costing £300 per individual and their motorhome – which is bedecked with the Scottish flag – sleeps three of them and meets all their cooking necessities
The lads employed the van from Preston however got here again to Scotland to fill it with provides earlier than heading off to Germany
‘It was cheaper to rent the van from Preston than wherever extra domestically, however we needed to head again to Scotland earlier than beginning the journey correct as we had an excessive amount of stuff to deliver with us so had to return and get it.
‘We have every thing we want within the motorhome, it sleeps as much as six folks and as there’s simply 4 of us and solely three are sleeping right here we have stuffed the obtainable area with beer and Buckfast, rolls and sq. sausage – it is just a little little bit of Scotland in Germany!’
Tam, an air visitors controller, stated: ‘It is all concerning the expertise.
‘How else may we get to Germany and cease off on the A1 providers at Wetherby to have a penalty shootout utilizing two electrical automobile charging stations as goalposts!
‘We have taken goalie gloves, two footballs and cones to cross the time and we cease to prepare dinner pizzas.
‘That is our first-time following Scotland overseas; we obtained the prepare right down to London for the England vs Scotland recreation on the final Euros, however that is our first actual style of match soccer and we will have an absolute blast’
They used the Channel tunnel at Dover to cross into Calais
Tens of hundreds of Scotland followers have flooded sun-kissed Munich with many extra anticipated earlier than the match tonight.
And the Tartan Military have proved so thirsty that a few of the metropolis’s bars and beer halls have reportedly run out of beer already.
Scots followers in kilts and Scotland tops have combined fortunately with locals, becoming a member of in with Oompah bands and singing songs with Germany supporters.
Callum, who works in advertising and marketing, stated: ‘We have been given a heat welcome thus far, there’s an actual occasion vibe in Munich. The place is awash with the Tartan Military.
‘We obtained a couple of humorous appears to be like once we pulled as much as the house final night time. It appears to be a quiet, pretty well-to-do space after which the 4 of us rock up in our camper van with a Scottish flag masking the again of it.
‘Tam will get to sleep within the house as he is doing all of the driving, however it makes it simpler to dress and exit. The issue is the driveway we booked the house for is simply too small for the motorhome, so we have needed to park down the road.
Scots followers in kilts and Scotland tops have combined fortunately with locals, becoming a member of in with Oompah bands and singing songs with Germany supporters
‘Nevertheless it’s all been good. A couple of of us have tried the native delicacies already like Schnitzel. That is what we have come for – to expertise the thrill of an enormous soccer match and create recollections that’ll final perpetually.’
Campbell, a police officer, added: ‘There’s nothing higher than hanging out along with your friends, absorbing the solar and watching Scotland.
‘How nicely we do towards the Germans – who is aware of? We have not had a fantastic run just lately, however we are inclined to fare higher towards the larger sides.
‘It is also a aggressive recreation now and the opening match so something can occur.’
