Euro 2020: Scotland supporters head south for Friday's England game

Thousands of Scotland fans are heading south ahead of the team's game against England on Friday night.

Train operators said many services were sold out to fans travelling to London for the Euro 2020 match at Wembley.

With tickets limited due to Covid restrictions, fans have been urged not to travel unless they have organised a place to watch the game.

However, some supporters groups have criticised the tournament organisers for not setting up a fan zone.

• Ticketless Scotland fans asked not to visit London

• Fan zone ticket holders to be sent testing kits

Paul Goodwin, founder of the Scottish Football Supporters' Association told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "So many Scotland fans are just so excited about the prospect.

"All these other [Covid] considerations that we've got, I think they are mindful of it. Undoubtedly it's not going to be same as normal.

"But I'm really disappointed that there isn't going to be a fan zone there, in a city the size of London."

It's thirsty work just getting to the Euros for some fans

Loyal Tartan Army footsoldier Paul has chosen not to travel down for the match on this occasion - but he said it was inevitable that thousands of others would.

He said: "In some respects, this is the most important fixture in Scottish football because of the historical consequences and the fact that it doesn't come around all that often.

"I think it's just a unique part of the super-loyalty that football fans have. They feel they have to be part of it.

"We can't go out and kick a ball on the park, but we can be part of that unique aspect that the Tartan Army brings."

Singing fans set out on their way to London from Glasgow

By BBC Scotland's Steven Godden, in London

For Scotland fans games don't come bigger than England at Wembley. Tickets or no tickets, the thousands who've travelled weren't about to miss it.

The journey has been a mixture of planes, trains and automobiles. The London Mayor was among those asking fans not to travel unless they have somewhere safe to watch the game.

And so, behind their masks on the morning flight from Edinburgh, kilted supporters were working out their plans for bar bookings.

At Kings Cross station, meanwhile, the swollen crowds underneath the old clock signalled the arrival of another train from Scotland.

Every time it was the cue for a quick, enthusiastic rattle through the Tartan Army songbook - "Super John McGinn" a particular favourite - before fans started to spread out across the pubs and parks of London.

With the traditional gathering point Trafalgar Square off limits, Leicester Square seems like a popular alternative this evening.

Hundreds of fans have gathered there. They're loud, well oiled and it didn't take long for the first one to find his way into the fountain.

Scotland lost their first game 2-0 against the Czech Republic on Monday.

Wembley and Hampden are among 11 venues across Europe hosting the games in the tournament, which was delayed for a year because of the pandemic.

Scotland have never made it past the group stage before, but the top two - or possibly three - teams will go through to the knockout phase.

After the match at Wembley, Croatia will visit Hampden on Tuesday for Scotland's second match on home soil.

Iain Meiklejohn and his son Aleks, from Edinburgh, tweeted: "There are road trips, then there's a Wembley road trip!"

Ticketless fans have been urged not to travel to London unless they have organised somewhere to watch the match because space to congregate will be limited.

Wembley will be open at 25% capacity for the match, with supporters having to show either proof of vaccination or a negative lateral flow test before entry.

And Scotland fans will not be able to access their traditional Trafalgar Square meeting place as it will be reserved as a fan zone for key workers.

Pubs and bars in London are also expected to limit numbers allowed in.

Scotland fans were in full cry as they headed south

Hamish Husband, from the Association of Tartan Army Clubs, said it was "a bit late" to tell fans not to travel without a place to watch the match because the minute people knew Scotland were playing England, they had booked to go.

Mr Husband told BBC Scotland's the Nine there should have been more Covid-safe outdoor events offered for fans wanting to go to London. "It's a no win situation," he added.

He said his plea to football fans was that they must "follow the guidelines."

"If you're going to go down - and they are on their way - just, behave yourselves," he said.

The one fan in London not wearing a kilt will be easy to spot

Many supporters have chosen to travel down early for the match.

LNER, which operates the services from Edinburgh to London's Kings Cross, said its services were sold out for both Thursday and Friday.

It said its services were reservation only, and urged customers to only travel to the station if they already had a booking.

Avanti West Coast, which operates the Glasgow to London line, said capacity on services had been reduced to about 40% due to social distancing.

Liam McKechnie, from Edinburgh, boogied his way down to London on the train

A spokesman said: "We're monitoring demand closely and also looking at extra trains before and after the match.

"We're also reminding customers to travel safely by wearing a face covering unless they're exempt as well as strongly urging fans to plan ahead and only travel if they have a reservation."

On Thursday, a piper will play for queuing fans heading to London from Glasgow's Central Station.

Scotland fans from Falkirk were among the first to leave Glasgow on Thursday morning

British Transport Police said extra officers would be on duty.

BTP's Supt Ricky Twyford said: "Throughout Euro 2020, we'll have more officers at key stations and routes supporting fans, frontline rail staff and everyone else travelling during this busy time.

"In the lead up to and day of the England v Scotland game, there'll be an even further increase in officers, and we'll be working closely with Police Scotland and the Metropolitan Police to ensure people's journeys are safe and secure, and disruption is kept to a minimum."

LNER services are currently alcohol free, but customers will be able to drink onboard Avanti services.

'The biggest game we've had in a long time'

Kev Lynch was among a team of football fans from the north east who set off for London on Wednesday

On Wednesday night, one dedicated group of 25 or so football fans who managed to get tickets set off for Wembley from the north east.

They have hired a bus to - safely, and following social distancing rules - take them down to London.

Among them was Kev Lynch, 36, who told BBC Scotland he'd been away with the Tartan Army quite a few times - but this would be their first time since the pandemic began.

"Because of the restrictions, a lot of the boys didn't get tickets - we'd usually have had 50+ in normal times.

"It's the biggest game we've had in a long time."

A contingent of dedicated Tartan Army supporters from the north east are making their way to London by bus

He said the excitement on Friday night would be even more intense, after Scotland "slipped up" by being defeated by the Czech side on Monday.

"It will be the biggest game I have been to" since the early 2000s, he said. "The last time Scotland got to major finals I was still in secondary school.

"The fact it's England makes it a double bonus - the auld enemy," adding that it would make a victory "even sweeter".

The group will be joined later by more fans, who are flying down to join them.

Because the group of about 40 have been unable to book into the same pub, they have hired a boat on the Thames to watch earlier coverage, before heading to Wembley for the Scotland match.

Kev said the bus journey home would be brilliant if Scotland win - but added: "If there's a loss, it will be a long way home.".

Are you watching the Scotland-England game? Where will you be watching? Please share your stories and pictures with us.

You can now get in touch with BBC Scotland on the phone messaging service, WhatsApp.

To start using the app, simply download WhatsApp on to your smartphone free from the internet.

Then add our WhatsApp number [phone] to your phone's contact list.

Please make sure you read our terms of use and privacy policy.