Euro 2020: Who will England's 'little Scotland' be supporting?

Scotland and England fans will be hoping for a victory at Wembley

As England take on Scotland in Euro 2020, one town might have split loyalties. Corby in Northamptonshire has been dubbed "little Scotland" ever since thousands of Scots migrated south to work in the steelworks in the 1930s. Will the game at Wembley divide the town, friends and even families?

'England v Scotland banter is great'

Craig Hadlane is a Scotland fan but says he'll be outnumbered by England fans in his pub for the match

Craig Hadlane, the landlord of the Cardigan Arms in Corby, says "business has really picked up" since the start of Euro 2020.

"Normally we'd be packed to the rafters but we've got a limit on numbers at the moment, but we're still extremely busy."

He says every table available is booked up for England v Scotland and he expects "a really good atmosphere".

According to the 2011 Census, about 12.7% of Corby's population was born in Scotland, but Mr Hadlane says when it comes to football it is more evenly split.

"Normally it would be 50-50, but a lot of Scotland fans are heading down to London so it'll be more 60-40 for England tomorrow, and I know virtually every person coming in the pub," he says.

"Lots of friends will be split and also some families. I know there are two kids coming where one supports England and one is supporting Scotland."

Fans gathered at the Cardigan Arms for England's opening game against Croatia

The landlord says the atmosphere will be friendly, with a piper also due to play the bagpipes. "Last time England played Scotland the banter was great, they all know each other one way or another."

Mr Hadlane says: "My father had me supporting Scotland from a young age and I went to Italy for the World Cup in 1990. But mainly I'm supporting the pub."

'Mum and dad watching in different rooms'

Melissa Albert (centre) and Year 6 pupils at Hazel Leys Academy who have been recreating Euro 2020 games

Melissa Albert, head of academy at Hazel Leys Academy, says the children in the school are "really excited" about Euro 2020 - especially having fans back in the stadiums.

She says there are some pupils supporting both Scotland and England, including one girl who describes herself as "half-Scottish" because her mother is Scottish, but her "homeland" is England.

"Her family have spoken about this already, and her dad is really competitive so her mum has to watch in a different room."

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Not all families are so divided, Mrs Albert says. "We have a member of staff who is Scottish, one of her children is Scottish but her grandson is English, and they'll be watching together, so she hopes Scotland and England draw."

The Year 1 pupils at Hazel Leys Academy have been designing posters and mascots for Euro 2020

She says the children still understand the town's Scottish links. "It's part of our curriculum, what's going on in the locality, how people from Scotland came down for the steelworks and how [Scottish heritage] is still very prevalent in Corby."

The school has also been recreating the day's Euro 2020 matches within class bubbles, played at lunchtime, which Mrs Albert says the pupils are "all really excited about, because they are all watching the Euros at home".

But before the Wembley match, whichever class draws England v Scotland will play at 14:30 - and that kickaround will be broadcast live to all classes "so the whole school can cheer them on".

'Nightmares about Gazza's goal'

John McGhee was one of thousands at Wembley for England v Scotland in Euro 96

Scotland supporter John McGhee moved to Corby from Glasgow in the early 80s and was at Wembley for the last time England played Scotland in a major tournament, Euro 96.

The Rangers fan says he remembers Paul Gascoigne's spectacular strike.

"I still have nightmares about that goal but once he came and played for my Glasgow team I sort of forgave him a bit."

His daughter Zoe will be supporting England, which John says he is disappointed about but "I still love her to bits of course".

She admits she was torn between England and Scotland. "I think there is a split, but I'm English, I'm loyal to where I come from," she says.

"He's loyal to where he comes from, so maybe he taught me that instead."

The father and daughter will not be watching the game together because he has another commitment, but he says "I'm sure we'll message each other".

Both predict 2-1 victories, Zoe for England and John for Scotland, and whatever the result "of course we will still be speaking to each other", he says.

Corby's Scottish links

• Glasgow-based Stewarts & Lloyds constructed one of the UK's largest steelworks in Corby in the 1930s

• By 1961, a third of Corby's population had been born in Scotland, according to the census

• In 1980 the steelworks closed, leading to more than 10,000 people being made redundant, with only steel tube works remaining - employing 500 people

• According to the 2011 census, 7,765 of the town's population of 61,255 was born in Scotland

• Corby's Highland Gathering was founded in 1968 but has been called off for a second year in a row due to the pandemic

• Earlier this year, 200 people gathered in a Corby park after Rangers won the Scottish Premiership - with the police issuing three fines for breaches of Covid-19 regulations

Source: Local council / BBC

Thousands of people usually attend the Corby Highland Gathering each year