The torrential rain is not dampening the mood at TRNSMT, where tonight Scotland’s biggest music festival is being transformed into the country’s biggest football fan zone.
Saltire flags are doubling up as ponchos and drenched fans are drinking pints to stave away the dreich conditions. The mushy ground underfoot is not muddying spirits as revellers prepare for the big night ahead.
Fans descended on Glasgow Green from midday, with Scotland bucket hats a popular choice alongside saltire-painted faces, and both home and away strips.
See-through ponchos showed off the Tartan Army gear as soaking wet fans trawled through the muddied grass.
Among them were Beth Kelly, 17, a nursery apprentice from Thornliebank, and her pals Summer Steedman and Sophie Whitelaw, both 18, from Pollock, and Karis Sweeney, 17, from Thornliebank.
Beth, who admitted she was soaked all the way through from the incessant rain, said: “Oh, I'm buzzing for the game, but the weather's not really great here, so I'm kind of upset about that. I'm not too bad. I'm only wet. I'm not cold or anything, so I think I'll be fine. I'll make it through. Kieran Tierney is my favourite so I’m hoping he’ll score tonight.”
Her pal Karis added: “It's a bit miserable, but I'm excited for the game and I'm excited for our Dylan John Thomas. The atmosphere is brilliant, mad and cool to be honest. This is the best place to watch the game.”
Summer, who works at a Glasgow smoothie bar, said of the evening ahead: “I think it'll be more enjoyable than right now, even if it's still raining, we'll have fun even though it’s a bit soggy. I’m looking forward to the football once we get past this rain,” while Sophie added: “We’ve got ponchos and hats on and it’s still wet.”
Nicola Muirhead, 43, from Moddiesburn, who had ten other friends and family members with her and as they took shelter under some of the branches on the Green, admitted she’d come to TRNSMT purely for the fan zone.
The stay-at-home mum said: “I’ve just come actually for the Scotland game, just to watch it. There’s nowhere else to go. It's good banter and you get a bit of music added. And we could get my younger kids who are 16 in too. It’s going to be absolute madness if we win tonight.”
Molly Williamson, 26, from Newcastle who works in a call centre, was with her friend Lewis Yeoman, 25, from South Shields, who watches a lot of football. Despite coming from down south, they were still behind the Scotland team.
Molly, who sheltered under her novelty umbrella hat, said: “I think the score will be 3-1 Scotland.” Lewis added: “I love it. I think the score will be 1-1. I spend my day watching football and the people in Scotland are the friendliest people. We are adopted Scots for the day.”
Dinky, 20, from Ayrshire, who is a big music and footie fan, was dressed head to toe in a saltire and Scotland team football flags.
Dinky, who was definitely up for the party, said: “TRNSMT turning into a football fanzone offered the best of both worlds, because you got your music and then you got your game. The atmosphere is absolutely mental. I like Dylan John Thomas, and Cammie Barnes, but I’m a massive Scotland fan. I live here and I think the score will be 2-0. I am ringing wet but my saltire came in handy. I’ve got a T-shirt a jumper and a flag on to try and keep the rain away.”
Kiera McGinley, 18 from Armadale, who works in a sunbed shop, said: “The football is a hundred per cent so important and winning tonight would be brilliant. There’s about fifteen of us here today from Armadale and Bathgate. Kieran Tierney is brilliant and is stunning and should be scoring. We don’t care about the rain. I feel like, honestly, because of the game, the atmosphere is going to be great. I feel like it's going to be brilliant through the night. I've got three layers on - my outfit from Shein, my poncho and then my Scotland flag on the top.”
Cooper Tait, 18, from Cumbernauld said: “It’ll be great atmosphere and as long as we have a draw it’ll be a great atmosphere. We can get over the line.”
Oscar McKay, 18, also from Cumbernauld, a barbering student, added: “It's great they showed the game at TRNSMT and such a good atmosphere. As long as I have a draw I’ll be happy. There’s Celtic and Rangers fans here but we are all in it together. Everyone is here. I’ll be watching all the way from the national anthem to the end of the game, and it'll be bouncing. This is one of the best fan zones cause there’s thousands here and Scotland have the best fans in the world. The whole of Scotland is going to be bouncing.”
