Train times add to Tartan Army’s woe

Furious Tartan Army footsoldiers have accused rail operators of leaving them stranded after Scotland matches at Hampden.

Inconsiderate international football authorities insist qualifiers are played on Friday nights rather than Saturday afternoons.

They made the decision after coming under pressure from clubs including Manchester United, Chelsea and Real Madrid who moaned about players coming back late for domestic fixtures.

But the last trains to cities such as Aberdeen and Inverness leave Glasgow well before the final whistle leaving fans from the north with little choice but to get a bus, stay overnight or drive.

Supporters travelling to Dundee and Fife fare a little better but still have to leave before full time to guarantee catching a train home.

Alan Duncan, chairman of the north of Scotland Tartan Army, hit out at the treatment.

He said: “This has been a problem for years but it is made worse by the number of night-time international games we have now.

“Anyone trying to get back to the north East of Scotland doesn’t have a hope in hell unless they have a bus or car. Many have to leave the game early to get home.

“It’s about time Scotrail started running later trains.

“I would say the vast majority of fans come from the north of Scotland and yet there aren’t trains to get them home after many games. It’s an absolute disgrace.

“Fans are curtailed by a lack of public transport. It costs a lot of money for Tartan Army groups to run a coach and not everyone can be guaranteed a seat.”

Tens of thousands of fans from the north and east of Scotland are thought to have attended Scotland’s match against Belgium at Hampden on Friday.

The game kicked off at 8pm and the final whistle was at 9.50pm, with most fans not getting out of the stadium until after 10pm.

But the last train from Glasgow to Aberdeen left at 9.42pm while the last train to Inverness departed at 7.41pm. Those travelling to Dundee and Fife faced a mad dash to make the last trains.

The shortest distance between Hampden and Queen Street station is 2.6 miles about a 50 minute walk. But the last train to Fife is 10.30pm while to Dundee it’s 10.48pm.

Les Andrews, a member of the Tartan Army in Aberdeen, said: “It’s about time Scotrail started looking at when international games are finishing and put on trains to get fans home.”

Fans are also calling for an integrated transport system to make it easier for supporters from more remote regions, such as Scotland’s islands, to travel to Hampden by public transport.

Hamish Husband, spokesman for the Association of Tartan Army Clubs, said: “The Netherlands has an integrated transport system.

“If you have a ticket for an international game you can use it to travel for free on the train. The situation here isn’t good enough.”

Scotrail said it had provided longer trains on the Cathcart Circle and from Glasgow to Neilston, Edinburgh and Perth.

A spokeswoman said: “We regularly run extra services and longer trains for supporters.

“We work hard to balance demand for trains with the industry’s need to maintain tracks, signals and trains for the next day.”