Tartan Army Race For Last Tickets

Nov 4 2007 By Grace Macaskill

Meltdown As Fans Phone For Last Big Match Tickets

THOUSANDS of Scotland fans jammed phone lines yesterday as the last tickets went on sale for the Euro showdown with Italy.

The final 8000 tickets for the Hampden decider went up for sale with 27,000 supporters trying to get hold of them.

Many fans complained it was almost impossible to get through to the 90 operators taking calls at Glasgow's SECC.

But the SFA yesterday insisted they had done everything to be fair to fans.

Marketing manager Colin Banks said the Tartan Army were not put through to a call-waiting facility to save them money. Fans were charged 7p a minute if they got through to book a ticket.

But Tom Smith, 54, who now lives in Cheshire, said he tried to get through for five hours.

He said: "I was by the phone all day and it was just mental. There was no message to let you know whether or not tickets were still available and the phone lines were constantly engaged."

By teatime, most of the tickets were sold. Nearly all of the Scotland Supporters Club members already hold tickets to the game on November 17.

The SFA decided to sell SSC fans the remaining 7700 tickets - the first time there has been no public sale for an international fixture.

But the move still left supporters disappointed.

Liam McHale, 54, of Brunstane, Edinburgh, said: "I started phoning first thing in the morning.

"The SFA should have arranged recorded messages to let fans know how many tickets were left during the day.

"It would have saved me a waste of my time."

g.macaskill@sundaymail.co.uk