During the course of compiling his enormously entertaining World Cup video diaries for The Terrace podcast over in the United States, Craig Telfer has been struck by the extraordinary lengths Tartan Army footsoldiers have gone to so they can cheer on Scotland at their first finals in 28 long years.
“I was in Germany for Euro 2024 a couple of years ago and really enjoyed being in Munich, Cologne and Stuttgart for the matches,” said Telfer. “They were brilliant experiences, Cologne especially.
“When you came out of the train station in Cologne and turned into the square around the cathedral, there were thousands upon thousands of our supporters all enjoying themselves. It was incredible to see.
“I didn't think this World Cup would be able to match that before I came out given how expensive it is to travel over here, given the exorbitant price of flights, hotels and tickets. But the Scots have come in large numbers and really taken over.
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“Speaking to fans about their personal journeys has been amazing. People have saved up for a long time, for years in some cases. Everyone has done it differently and has spent different amounts of money. But everyone has had one common goal – to come and support Scotland.
“It has been amazing to hear about the sacrifices people have made to come to America and follow Scotland, whether they've got tickets for the games or not. For many of them, just to be here is enough. It's been really cool to see.”
Travelling to the United States to cover Scotland at the World Cup has been no imposition for the man who can often be found presenting The View From The Terrace programme on BBC Scotland during the domestic football season.
Seeing his beloved Stenhousemuir win League Two, the first title triumph in the Ochilview club’s entire 140 year history, a couple of seasons ago was a joyous moment for Telfer.
As was watching The Warriors clinch promotion to the Championship via the play-offs last month.
But being among the Scotland support at their first World Cup finals since France ’98 and attending the Group C matches against Haiti and Morocco has been extra special.
“Following Stenhousemuir is something you put your heart and soul into every week and is quite a personal experience,” he said. “But something like this doesn’t come around very often does it?
“One of the best things about being over here has been speaking to Scotland supporters. Everyone in the country is feeling the same thing you're feeling, everyone is wanting the same thing you're wanting. That's been the best thing, the people over here have been brilliant fun.
“I've been so impressed with the Scotland support. Obviously, you wouldn't expect anything else from them. But, as I said in one of the videos, they have a charming rambunctiousness about them. They want to have a good time and enjoy themselves, but they know how to be courteous and respectful of their hosts.
“It really felt like Boston embraced Scotland and Scotland embraced Boston. I think when we look back on this tournament, regardless of what happens, I can see the relationship between the Scottish supporters and Boston being quite similar to the relationship between the Scottish supporters and Cologne.
“They liked having us. I didn’t see a single spot of bother. Everybody hung out with each other, downed a few lagers, had a bit of singsong, was really friendly and got on with the locals.”
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The positive impression that the Tartan Army have made at these World Cup finals has been extensively covered by the media both in Scotland and around the globe.
But Telfer is the only reporter who has been in amongst his countrymen and women on a daily basis and he has provided The Terrace viewers with a unique insight into the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and emotions of the tournament.
One of his videos has been viewed over 100,000 times on You Tube and his updates from the United States are firmly on course to be watched by over a million people.
“I have had quite a broad remit,” he said. “But I have basically been tasked with showing the World Cup from the fans’ perspective. I wanted to show the mood on the ground. I have been in Boston, New York, Provincetown in Cape Cod and now Miami doing that.
“I have tried to go slightly off the beaten track a wee bit because Scotland fans have not just gone to the football here. I suppose I have been half sports journalist, half Michael Portillo's Railway Journeys.
“The march to Fenway Stadium to see the Boston Red Sox baseball game the day after the Haiti match was great. Everyone was in such a good mood after the result the night before. Everyone was really happy, dead chuffed, and looking forward to the games against Morocco and against Brazil.
“The Haiti game was amazing. I was in the stadium about two hours before kick-off and watched the sun set, the players come out to warm-up and then the match. It was incredible. These are guys we've followed for years and it was nice to see all their hard work pay off with a win.
“The food, especially the seafood, has been something else as well. I have had lobster rolls and oysters and clam chowder. The oysters had been pulled out of the sea a couple of hours before and were delicious. I went to a deli in New York one day and this big pastrami, cheese and piccalilli sandwich. I'm worried the size I'm going to come back!”
He is not, however, hoping to come back any time soon. If Scotland draw with or beat Brazil in their final Group C match in Miami on Wednesday night they will reach the last 32. They might even progress as one of the eight best third-placed national teams if they lose. Hope springs eternal.
“Everyone is optimistic that we've got a good shot at making history by getting through to the knockout stages for the first time ever,” he said.
But Telfer has also sensed the discontent there has been among the Tartan Army about the Scotland performances against Haiti and Morocco and been cognisant of the unhappiness about the inadequate match day arrangements.
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“The folk I spoke to for the video diary were feeling two simultaneous emotions after Haiti,” he said. “Everyone was delighted to see Scotland win a game at the World Cup and put themselves in with a chance of getting through to the knockout rounds.
“But once they put that to one side and analysed the performance they had to admit we didn't look very good against one of the lowest ranked teams at the tournament. A few players weren’t at their best, the game passed a couple of players by, the formation didn't suit us. It was quite strange. They expected better.”
Telfer continued, “The only time the organisation has been a bit shambolic has been on trains went out to Foxborough. That was a bit tricky. Loads of people were shunted into pens and then put on really slow-moving trains.
“I had paid $80 for my ticket and took the train out to the Haiti game. But I am an accredited member of the media on the way back I took the media shuttle bus. It sounds bad, but the thought of standing and waiting until three in the morning was not an appealing one.
“But I talked to supporters. It was nine at night, they had maybe had a wee bit too much to drink, the performance hadn’t been that good and folk were getting a wee bit crabbit despite the result.
“So the trains haven't been great. The stadium was so far away, they had to get a lot of people onto an ageing train system and the price was disgraceful. The logistics weren’t great.”
If Scotland do get the result they need against Brazil and make it through to the knockout rounds you can be sure the Tartan Army will manage to find their way to the venue for their last 32 game in their tens of thousands – and Craig Telfer will be there among them to chronicle their exploits for The Terrace podcast.
