Looking through old images there was bunch of them showing in the crowd during the world cups or euros and even against home nations like England when lion rampant was common despite being a monarchy flag. Any reason why now today it’s filled with Scottish flags now.

by mjdjdksk

25 comments

  2. Think its because the rampant lion is closely associated with the monarchy and with a swell of opinion of Us moving to independence you’ve seen its significance drop

  3. Prior to Chinese manufacturing and internet shopping, flags would have been relatively expensive and difficult to get hold of.

    See also: England fans at 1966 World Cup with union flags.

  4. Same with weddings, people rarley wore kilts at a wedding from 80s onwards it started to happen more till the last 15 years it is near the norm. All of a sudden there was a kind of awakening of Scottish nationalism. Scottish parlament could well have helpped but think likes of the Thatcher years helpped too.

  5. I started going to Scotland games in the 80s, and I can’t recall seeing a UJ at games.
    Was this picture taken at an away game in Europe during the 60s or 70s, could have it been squaddies from the German bases?
    Anyway, I loved seeing the lion rampants in the old days and have always despised the monarchy. It’s one of Scotland’s flags.

  6. Lion rampant flags must’ve been cheaper and in abundance being sold outside the old lady.

  7. Union jacks weren’t common at all. Other than that picture I’ve never seen another one, in picture or video.

    Lion rampants just fell out of habit. Plenty of them still get taken into Hampden tied around shoulders but there’s hardly any waving flags at all now, again just down to habit.

    There’s lots of saltire flags around the pitch with the lion rampant coat of arms. If you’re getting a flag made with a place name on it you’re just generally going to choose the saltire, to fit in and the team’s colours.

  8. Always preferred the Lion Rampant at football because it’s thistle colours, so dual use for me.

    Interesting that a lot of people think the decline is to do with nationalism or less sentiment towards the monarchy. While it’s on the royal standard I always mentally associated the lion rampant with Jacobitism rather than the current monarchy, not sure why.

  10. I don’t have the data to back up, but my immediate impression, both from my own experiences and that of people older than me, is that there were more Rangers fans following Scotland, and comparatively less Celtic fans. As far as I’m aware, older generations of Celtic fans were not always supportive of Scotland in football. Obviously Rangers fans are more likely to be waving the Royal Standard and the Union Jack. Plus, fans, like other people generally, were comparatively more unionist and pro-monarchy back then than Scottish people may be today.

    Rangers fans will still make up the majority of fans supporting Scotland alongside Celtic fans because of how much of both there are, but a lot of Rangers fans don’t support the national team as passionately, and fans of other clubs now seem to make up a greater percentage of the Tartan Army than they did before. Hence, less union jacks and lion rampants, more Saltires. The culture of fans following the national team has changed over the years.

  11. Can’t say I’ve ever seen a UJ at a Scottish Football match in my lifetime and I’ve been going to most of them since I married my husband over 40 years ago. They are pretty rare at Scottish Rugby matches also..

    Have to agree, that most folk I’ve seen using the Lion Rampant with pride have been Unionist / Royalist, but the barrel end of those, mostly.

  14. Not a chance this post is based in any sort of reality 😂🙈
    Falls apart as soon as OP mentioned the Euros. First time Scotland qualified for Euros was 1992, in Sweden.
    I was there.
    Not a single Union Flag was on display in any of the crowds. Not a chance.

  15. Fun fact those flags (lion rampant) are still illegal (technically) for private citizens to fly without permission from the King.

  16. 1st pic is AI, just look at the lion rampant flags

  18. Quite simply we were pished, Hampden, Wembley. I took a Lion Rampant but each to their own.

  20. Health and safety ? “ haw watch ye’ll tak sumdies eye eye oot wi that!” 🤣🤣🤣

  21. Historically a large % of Scotlands home support were locals and majority were Rangers fans. Anti Celtic/Catholic patter was common, look up some of Celtics best players to caps ratio, single figure appearances for some of the best players Scotland has produced, granted the talent pool was much stronger then.

  23. That first picture makes me want to pour bleach into my eyes

  24. Lion Rampants and Saltire not union flag. My recollection 55 years old Tartan Army

  25. I think people don’t have them because you’re not allowed the stick that used to be in them which allowed them to be waved

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