Headline News1000 fans turned away in Skopje By Ron Scott in Skopje AROUND 1000 Tartan Army fans were barred from Scotland’s opening World Cup match in Macedonia yesterday — because their tickets were for the wrong end. Fuming fans were turned away by police and forced to watch their team’s 1-0 defeat in nearby bars and restaurants. This was despite an appeal by SFA chief executive Gordon Smith — and the fact the Scots fans had donated £15,000 to homeless children in Macedonia. Smith revealed, “I had a meeting with police chiefs just hours before kick-off but they refused to allow Scotland fans in, irrespective of them having genuine passes. “Unfortunately, although legally bought, the tickets were for the Macedonia end. I stressed to the police that our fans are renowned for not causing trouble. “However, I was told it wasn’t the Tartan Army they were worried about but their own fans.” Scotland only received 900 tickets for the game because the ground is under reconstruction with a capacity of 15,000. Colin Adams, from South Queensferry, said, “We’re all angry and words were said to the police but there was no trouble and no real bad attitude from the Scottish fans.” Mafia Colin Adams continued, “Policemen told us the local mafia had bought the unsold tickets for the Macedonia end and flooded them into hotels and restaurants. So in the days before the game it was easy to pick up tickets for about 40 euros, which is £32.” Blair Wilson, who was in the same party, added, “The Macedonians released a limited number of tickets so the Scotland Travel Club increased the points people needed to be eligible to buy a ticket. A lot of us didn’t have enough points so we took a chance on picking tickets up locally. “Flights to Macedonia were really expensive so most guys flew into Sofia in Bulgaria or Thessalonica in Greece then travelled for three or four hours into Macedonia. It has cost us almost £700 — a lot to watch a game on the telly!” Ronnie McLarty, from Greenock, was raging. “The Tartan Army donated all that money to local kids so you’d think we’d shown what sort of people we are. “The police said they were stopping us because they feared the reaction of local fans. But when England played here in 2006 their fans were allowed in the Macedonia end. The police have been a joke,” he fumed. “This is no way to treat supporters everyone knows are the best in the world.” The Tartan Army donated the £15,000 for homeless children before the game. Gordon Smith said, “The SFA also contributed. We always support the fans when they make these gestures.” Malcolm Magnay, retired former police commander for Northumbria Police, is a freelance consultant on security matters. He was in Macedonia as an advisor to the British Embassy. He said, “We tried to negotiate with the football association and local police about letting the Scottish fans in to the stadium but this was turned down. “I have to praise the Scottish fans for being so understanding. They were very, very well behaved and those that got in, as they left, were even shaking hands with the police. There were smiles all round, despite the score-line.”
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