Fenway Park became a sea of tartan on Sunday after more than 5,000 Scotland supporters rocked up to watch the Boston Red Sox's clash with the Texas Rangers. Scottish fans have been making the most of their time in Boston, where they beat Haiti 1-0 on Saturday and will face Morocco in their second World Cup group stage match on Friday.
Vibrant March to the Stadium
Still revelling in Saturday's victory, fans belted out songs and clapped along to the sound of bagpipes before a vibrant march to Fenway Park commenced at 4:45pm. Escorted by local police, surrounding streets were shut down as supporters brandished flags while heading towards the legendary baseball stadium.
Some even sported customised Red Sox jerseys displaying the names of Scotland footballing legends. Hundreds of others wore specially modified Scotland shirts with the words 'Red Sox' emblazoned across the front.
Locals paused to capture photos and videos as the kilted procession wound through the park. Even Red Sox fans oblivious to the 'tartan takeover' watched in astonishment as their visitors started flooding into the stadium.
Electric Atmosphere Inside the Park
Before the first pitch was even delivered, nearby bars outside the ground started running dry of beer as travelling supporters descended in numbers. Season ticket holders quickly struck up conversations with the Tartan Army, with fans teaching them traditional Scottish songs.
At one of the game's early intervals, both groups were chanting 'no Scotland, no party', with locals swiftly adapting the refrain to 'no Red Sox, no party'. Scottish supporters educated fellow fans on the significance of 'super John McGinn', who scored the all-important goal for Steve Clarke's side against Haiti. At every break in play, the stadium DJ maintained the electric atmosphere with tracks including Gala's Freed From Desire and The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond.
Memorable Moments Despite the Loss
Despite the Red Sox falling 6-4, many of the visiting Scots confessed they had scant understanding of what was unfolding on the pitch, opting instead to savour the experience, much to the delight of home supporters.
One standout moment arrived late in the match when a fan, sporting a See You Jimmy Hat, repeatedly attempted to spark a Mexican wave. His determination ultimately succeeded, with the entire ground participating.
Fans Share Their Excitement
Among those who had gone to the trouble of printing Red Sox shirts bearing the names of Scottish footballers was Richard Laidlaw. The 50-year-old from Newton Mearns sported a jersey displaying Billy Gilmour's name.
He told the Record: "We're here for just over a week so we thought we'd make the most of it and go to the Red Sox. We just thought we'd get the strips and put Scotland players on the back, just for a bit of a laugh. My friend organised the whole thing. It took a lot of organising - but it's just about making the most of this amazing trip."
