Tartan Army brings Glasgow traffic cone tradition to Boston as World Cup party goes on | OneFootball

The Tartan Army have brought a distinctive Glasgow tradition to Boston, placing traffic cones on the heads of statues across the city.

The unusual sight has prompted local media in the Massachusetts capital to try and explain the phenomenon.

Thousands of Scotland supporters have descended upon Boston for the World Cup, as the men’s national team plays its initial two fixtures in Massachusetts.

Their high-spirited presence has injected a vibrant atmosphere into the city, with numerous bars and pubs reportedly experiencing beer shortages due to soaring demand.

Beyond vocal support, members of the Tartan Army have embraced the traffic cone as unofficial headwear, with some sporting novelty orange and white hats.

Scotland fans have been enjoying their time in Boston (Reuters)

This playful mischief is most famously associated with Glasgow’s Duke of Wellington statue outside the Gallery of Modern Art. Since the late 1980s, a cone has persistently topped the statue’s head, only to be replaced whenever removed.

The tradition has now been transplanted across the Atlantic. NBC Boston shared footage of a group of Scotland fans attempting to crown Samuel Adams, a US founding father whose statue stands on a tall pedestal.

After several attempts to throw the cone, one fan scaled the pedestal to successfully balance it on Adams’ head. A cone has also been spotted on the statue of basketball legend Bill Russell in Boston.

Lee Turnbull, a fan born in Scotland now residing in California, revealed that supporters had discussed bringing the cone tradition to Boston’s statues prior to the tournament.

He told the Boston Globe: "As soon as someone saw a cone and decided to put it on a statue, it just took over." He added: "It’s a little mark, it’s a little bit of fun. It now defines a culture, almost."

The US newspaper noted that Scotland fans possess "the occasional penchant for tomfoolery," a characteristic now vividly on display in Boston.

Scotland will return to action following their 1-0 win over Haiti when they face Morocco on Friday night.

Steve Clarke’s men are then due to play five-time champions Brazil, who could only draw 1-1 with Morocco in their opening match, in their final group game in Miami on 24 June.