With 5,000 campervans, motorhomes and caravans expected to hit the road to the Euros, finding your wheels in a crowd could be a problem.
But not for John Murray and his mates: their van has been given an extreme Scotland team makeover, complete with Braveheart William Wallace – or, Mel Gibson’s version, at least – coming along for the ride.
The motorhome, bought specially for the Euros in December, also features the faces of Scotland’s key players: John Robertson, Billy Gilmour, Scott McTominay and John McGinn are emblazoned on the side alongside the man leading the entire country’s hopes, Steve Clarke.
The top to toe makeover – complete with ‘No Scotland, no party’ rallying cry, Nessie and every fans’ must-have travel essential for the journey, pints of Tennent's lager on the front – is just the start.
John says before he, his brother and pals set off from West Lothian on June 12, they’ll be giving the van’s interior a full Scotland team revamp as well.
“It’s incredible how many campervans and motorhomes are going over,” says John. “I’ve heard figures like 5,000 vehicles are going, which is crazy.
“It’s going to be something else.”
There’s been a boom in interest in campervans, mobile homes and caravans in the wake of the pandemic, while the ease of travelling to the Continent and the buzz around Scotland’s first international tournament for years has fuelled a mass Tartan Army exodus.
For John, 52, the Braveheart and Scotland wrap on his van is likely to attract plenty of attention – the issue, however, might be as he crosses the border into England for the long journey to Calais and the Eurotunnel.
“I’m a bit apprehensive about that bit,” he admits. “Put it this way, I won’t be driving through the suburbs in case the van ends up getting egged.”
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Scotland Euros 2024: Tartan Army hits the road in a campervan convoy
He began planning his road trip with brother James straight after the final whistle that confirmed Scotland had qualified.
He’d never owned a motorhome before, but when he spotted a 2004 Citroen mobile home for sale in Arbroath in December, it was too tempting not to go for it.
“The van cost £13,000 and it’s 20 years old, but it looked almost like new.
“I told the guy that does the wraps on the vehicles I use for business that we were going to Germany, and we worked on the design together.”
Sean Lamb at Kirkliston-based Sign it Rite, worked on the digital images and fitted the wrap, which includes saltires, Wallace’s cry of ‘Freedom’ and the famous Braveheart battle scene.
John says he’s working out a rota for driving, with everyone on board taking five hours stints at a time – carefully worked out so that they all get the chance to enjoy the party on the way.
And once it’s over, he plans to make full use of his motorhome travelling the NC500, with the distinctive decals still in place.
“My daughter has been freaking out, she says ‘please tell me you will take that off when you get back’.
“I said, ‘will I hell! It’s staying’.
“This is a pretty expensive venture for one week in Germany but it’s going to be worth it. I don’t think the Germans know what’s going to hit them when the Tartan Army arrives.”
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