Scotland fans descend on Boston for World Cup

Thousands of Scotland fans are descending on Boston after making the long journey to the US for the World Cup.

Anticipation is building as the men's team prepare to play in the tournament for the first time in almost 30 years.

Members of the Tartan Army have been arriving in the east coast of the US ahead of the opening fixture with Haiti, which will be played at 21:00 local time on Saturday - 02:00 BST on Sunday for those watching back home.

While dozens of fans have reported issues with travel permits being revoked at the last minute, thousands have already completed the journey.

The World Cup kicks off on Thursday night with the opening ceremony and the first game between Mexico and and South Africa.

Edinburgh Airport was awash with kilts and Scotland tops on Wednesday as fans headed to the States via different flight routes.

Some going direct to Massachusetts, where Scotland play their first two group games in Boston, with others travelling to neighbouring states.

The Delta direct flight to Boston was special for one family, who managed to secure match tickets mid-flight.

Christopher Currie from Ayr told BBC Scotland he used the airline's wi-fi to buy four tickets to see Scotland v Haiti for a "decent" price.

He said: "We managed to buy tickets at 34,000ft (10363m) so it's been a great flight. We're absolutely buzzing now."

It will be his son Hudson's first big international game.

Fans who have already travelled to the US include 69-year-old Jim Stewart from Edinburgh.

He has been following Scotland since he saw his first game at Hampden as a 15-year-old schoolboy in 1972.

That match ended in a 1-0 defeat to England – but Jim was hooked.

One of his most memorable moments came in 1977 at Wembley, where he saw the 2-1 victory over England. The match is still remembered for the post-match pitch invasion, where fans stole parts of the turf and broke the crossbar on one of the goals.

"I was on the pitch that day. My dad's got a bit of Wembley turf in his garden somewhere still - but no goalposts," said Jim.

His first World Cup was Spain in 1982, when he and eight friends bought a campervan, covered it in tartan wallpaper and drove to Malaga.

Jim Stewart

Jim Stewart

Football matches took a back seat when Jim moved to England to pursue a career as a financial advisor, but his interest was rekindled in the early 2000s.

Jim says he hasn't missed a Scotland game – home or away – since the 2018 game against Peru.

He describes it as a great way to see the world.

"I enjoy meeting up with people and seeing different places I never in my life would have thought I'd have gone to – Peru, Kazakhstan, Albania, Armenia, Russia and Moldova.

"You meet up with all sorts of people when you go to these places. There's a big group of us that always seem to find each other.

"On match days there can be 50 or 60 of us and we'll have a few beers and go to the games."

Jim, who's now retired, was able to secure $60 tickets for all three of Scotland's group stage fixtures – but admits that he didn't think he would see the men's team play at another World Cup.

"I'd been to Spain in 82, France in 98 and the Euros in 24, but it just seemed to be the World Cup was never going to happen for us."

Scotland have never progressed beyond the group stages at a World Cup.

Jim thinks the current squad is the strongest he's seen and is optimistic about the team's chances.

"I think we could get out of the group, but then again I've thought that in every World Cup since 1974," he added.

Keeping his options open, Jim has decided not to book a return flight home so he can continue to follow the team as far as they go.

Those in the Shetland branch of the Tartan Army believe they are among the most dedicated members because of the extra travel involved from the far north of Scotland.

About 30 are travelling from Shetland to the US for the World Cup, including brothers James and Stuart Milne, from Brae in the north of the mainland.

They started their journey by travelling to the central belt of Scotland to join a group of friends, before flying from Edinburgh to Frankfurt, then on to New York City before taking a party bus to Boston.

The brothers have each spent about £6,500 on match tickets, accommodation, flights, internal flights and transfers during the trip.

"And we've not even bought a pint yet!" jokes 41-year-old James, who planned the trip.

While James is a long-time member of the Tartan Army, his 40-year-old brother is a more recent recruit.

Ryan progressed from Caley Thistle's youth system to play for the club, before moves took him to Celtic, Aberdeen and now Bournemouth - while earning 68 caps for Scotland.

Charlie said the World Cup would be the "pinnacle" of Ryan's career and that he had encouraged his son to savour every moment.

"I'm not one to go overboard, but it will be emotional. There will be tears," he added.