Scotland’s World Cup qualification leads to calls for fan parks and late pub licences to show games amid national joy after the team made it to the finals for the first time since 1998<\/a><\/p>\nWith Group C showdowns with Brazil, Morocco and Haiti now awaiting his national team at next year\u2019s competition, he will be hoping Steve Clarke\u2019s men do not suffer the similar fate when they travel to stadiums in the United States.<\/p>\n
Life as a Tartan Army supporter is about to come full circle for Dale as he looks at how the fixtures and his offshore work rota might align, and how that shapes his chances of joining the rest of the Tartan Army next year.<\/p>\n
His ties to the national team stretch back nearly three decades, first travelling to Ibrox in 1996 to watch Scotland beat Sweden 1-0 in a qualifier for the 1998 World Cup.<\/p>\n
Since then he has become a longstanding Scotland Supporters Club member and part of the Sweaty Hoop Tartan Army, a group of fans from Tain, Golspie and Inverness who follow the team home and abroad.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been in the supporters club for approximately the last 20 years,\u201d he explains. \u201cWe mainly go to home games, but I\u2019ve been abroad a couple of times.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy most memorable trip would be in Paris when James McFadden scored his wonder-strike to beat France. Unfortunately it never came to much and we never qualified, but beating France home and away both rank among the most memorable games I\u2019ve been to.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dale works offshore as a chief officer on a wind turbine installation vessel, spending five weeks away at a time.<\/p>\n
A schedule change meant travelling on the day of Scotland\u2019s decisive qualifier against Denmark at Hampden in November.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had to travel to Denmark the day we were playing them in Glasgow,\u201d he said. \u201cThis meant I was in Schiphol Airport waiting to catch my flight and I managed to watch the first half on my phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen (Scott) McTominay scored his wonder strike, I had to apologise to everyone at the gate because of the noise I made!\u201d<\/p>\n
Once airborne, he was offline. But after landing in Denmark, he switched his phone back on to discover the match was level at 2-2.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy the time we got into the terminal building, I managed to get the game on my phone. I was then sat waiting at the baggage handling area and I heard a cheer from the other side of the hall.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt turns out there were three Scots in the area. All three of us were sat on our phones watching the game, surrounded by Danish people.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Kenny McLean scored the fourth one, it was quite emotional to watch.\u201d<\/p>\n
A customs officer joked that the group might be in for \u201can extreme search\u201d, but the humour stayed good-natured.<\/p>\n
His last stint abroad with Scotland was in Germany for the Euros last year, after securing tickets for all three group matches. The results were disappointing, but the trip itself was not.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had the best time of my life over there,\u201d he said. \u201cThe atmosphere in Munich was unbelievable. One of the funniest things was the Americans in the beer halls not knowing what was going on.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey thought they were going to see German culture and instead were surrounded by thousands of Scots having a fabulous time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dale\u2019s earliest and only World Cup memories include watching Scotland crash out of both Italia \u201990 and France \u201998.<\/p>\n
So, quite understandably, the thought of following Scotland on their historic return to the World Cup in person is now driving him to explore every avenue to make it happen.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy work schedule means I\u2019m meant to be working for most of the group games next year,\u201d he said. \u201cBut hopefully when the tickets go on sale in a few weeks I\u2019ll be lucky enough to get some in the ballot.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sure I\u2019ll manage to figure something out and get over to see one or two games.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Scotland\u2019s chances, Dale said: \u201cOne of the troops is already planning their trips as we wait till tomorrow to get the dates confirmed and venues.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was almost a repeat of 1998, Brazil and Morocco. Two tough games – but Brazil at a World Cup, it don’t get much bigger than that.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think our last game is against Brazil. Who knows, if we’re still in contention to beat them, no problem. Grant Hanley up against Vinicius Junior. Easy, in his back pocket all match long!<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd Haiti? Well, hopefully they don’t turn into another Costa Rica, but yeah, I’m quite happy with the draw.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt could have been worse, could have been better, but hopefully we can make some progress and Steve Clarke will have the boys up for it, well prepared and hopefully they stay injury free before we head over.\u201d<\/p>\n
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