The uniform is a dark blue Scotland shirt, a kilt worn just on the knee, and a pair of Iraqi-style desert boots or Timberlands with light coloured socks. This is the uniform of the Tartan Army – although there is room for personal modification, such as a Glengary festooned with badges or a Lion Rampant cape.

The singing is hoarse and often ironic but the synchronised handclapping and arms spread-eagled in the air at the end of a “Scawlan” chant can be ear-shattering. This week In The Winning Zone salutes the Tartan Army. A legion of 50,000 troops turned out at Hampden Park on Saturday to cheer, shout and yell for Scotland during the game against Ukraine. They were undoubtedly the “12th man” who gave the Scotland team a huge lift.

While some of the pre-match atmosphere is manufactured by the SFA’s events people, the authentic voice of the Tartan Army took over just before kick-off. The rendition of Flower of Scotland, led by white-haired Ronnie Browne of The Corries, was as powerful and moving as you will hear at any Scotland rugby game. Indeed, it seems to be sung with a different kind of earthy passion.

The noise and din just prior to kick-off helped created the kind of excitement and tension which allowed a pumped-up Scotland to go two goals ahead in the first ten minutes. This kind of electric intensity cannot be underplayed in the team’s 3-1 victory.

The Tartan Army, a non-violent force of often mad-cap Scottish football fanatics, have done a huge amount to help make Scotland winners.

But why are the Tartan Army so important?

A core of Tartan Army fans has supported Scotland through thick and thin over many years. And it has to be admitted that there has been a lot of thin. Yet, this has not unduly affected the Tartan Army’s demeanour. Their good behaviour – even after an over-indulgence in alcohol - and a wry sense of humour – has given them a hallowed status in Scotland. When Scotland’s football team were not doing well in their overseas travails, the Tartan Army still followed them in blind hope.

The Tartan Army fans have been around the globe; a regiment even turned out in full regalia for the football World Cup in 2006 even though Scotland didn’t make the finals. Imagine now if Scotland did indeed make it to the European Championship finals in Austria and Switzerland. The singing fans would have to learn the whole Sound of Music songbook, not just Doe A Deer!

The Tartan Army also represent something of the wayward and ingenious Scot. Even back in 1978, when Scotland were playing in the World Cup in Argentina, there were tales of Scots trying to hire submarines to follow their heroes. This is all part of the legend and mythology of the Army.

But there is also a closer socio-economic connection between the players and the Tartan Army. If you examine each of the players taking part against Ukraine, they might all be Tartan Army members were it not for their obvious footballing abilities. The players are all lads who share the same kind of passion as the Tartan Army. The Tartan Army is made up of football fans from all the airts and pairts of Scotland. This is not an exclusive club of Old Firm fans - indeed the proportion of Celtic and Rangers fans within the Tartan Army is much less than from places such as Dundee, Aberdeen and Dumfries.

And here lies some of the truth about Scotland’s sense of team-work - and its lack of outstanding stars, although James McFadden has now achieved cult status in Scotland for his sensational exploits in a Scotland shirt. Alex McLeish is a stereotypical Tartan Army member. So too is Barry Ferguson and many of the other players. They embody all the virtues of passion, hard work, battling through adversity and a keen Scottish sense of humour that is so prevalent among Tartan Army members.

The team indeed mirror the Tartan Army and this means the players love playing for such a committed and passionate group of people.

So, well done, to the Tartan Army – winners for Scotland. Lang may yer lum reek.

KK

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