Tartan Fortress: The Hampden where Scotland never lost

Scotland will be desperate to make the most of home advantage during the Euros by turning Hampden into the second ‘Tartan Fortress’.

That was the nickname given to the original home of Scottish football – one of three Hampdens used by the national team throughout their history.

Steve Clarke’s side have Hampden dates with Czech Republic and Croatia at Euro 2020, knowing that just one win might be enough to reach the knockout rounds.

Sadly, however, the Scots of the modern ages don’t boast quite the same home record as their predecessors of 1873-1883.

For that decade at the first Hampden in Glasgow’s Crosshill, the team went unbeaten, earning the stadium its intimidating moniker, with the standout result a crushing 5-1 defeat of England in 1882.

Graeme Brown, from the Hampden Collection, visited the original ground – now a bowling club – as part of the programme Scotland: We Can Boogie, which is streaming on the STV Player.

“The first Hampden was the world’s first enclosed, purposely-built football ground,” he said.

“Scotland played here from 1873-1883. It was coined the Tartan Fortress because Scotland were unbeaten on this ground.