The nephew of a Scotland supporter who died after travelling to watch the team at the World Cup has asked the Tartan Army to join in with a tribute during tomorrow night's game against Morocco.
Donny Strathie, 76, travelled from Falkirk to the United States in the hope of watching the national team perform at the finals for the first time in 28 years. Feeling unwell in his Boston hotel, Mr Strathie passed on Sunday, just hours after the 1-0 win over Haiti in the opening game.
Nephew Alex Strathie, 63, has also travelled to the World Cup and has now encouraged the Tartan Army to pay their respects to one of their own by joining in with a minute of applause in the 76th minute of the Morocco game. “The reaction has been amazing,” he said. “I didn’t think it would take off as much.
“It would be fantastic for the family and Donny’s daughters Cheryl and Denice to hear the Tartan Army pay tribute to a great man at the game. It would mean the world, and it will be emotional for all the family.
“My uncle was not feeling well, and he told the boys who were in the Boston hotel with him to go out and enjoy themselves. He planned to take it easy at the hotel, and when they checked up on him later he said, ‘I’m starting to feel a bit better, but I’ll stay in the hotel.
“After that his friends received a call saying that he was not right and they hurried back to the hotel. Medics were working on him by that time, but unfortunately they could not bring him back.”
The Strathie family are taking steps to have Mr Strathie transported back to Scotland, with the process expected to take three weeks. “My cousins Denise and Cheryl, his daughters, are going through the process now,” said Alex.
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“Donny was involved with teams in the Falkirk amateur leagues, and he was my youngest uncle if you like. He was 13 years older than me, and we actually played football together. We were really close when I was younger until we got on with our own families.
“He was at my son's wedding last year, and I would see him back and forward at Falkirk games, and it was his dream to watch Scotland in the World Cup over here. Once he got booked up, it was all he talked about.
“It was all, ‘where are we going?’ He was going with a friend who said that he had to ignore his calls at times because he called nearly every day. He was the kind of man who would come on the phone and blether away for half an hour.
“He was a kind, outgoing man who would start a conversation with anybody and made friends everywhere he went.
"It would mean the world to the family if the Tartan Army helped us honour his memory.”
Scotland manager Steve Clarke offered his condolences to the Strathie family ahead of the game with Morocco, saying: “In amongst all the good news that has come out of the World Cup for Scotland, this news is obviously very sad for his family and his daughters and grandchildren.
“I think Donny’s ambition was to see Scotland at a World Cup again and thankfully he managed to do that before he passed, but thoughts and condolences with his family.”
