Football has gained world-wide importance since the very first International Football Match in the world was played at a Cricket Ground in Partick, Glasgow on 30 November 1872. The game between Scotland and England ended in a 0-0 draw. Now, more than a hundred years on, Scottish supporters, known as The Tartan Army, are a familiar sight world-wide. But as the Scottish International Football squad face up to two crucial Group Six World Cup Qualifying games - this Saturday ( 1 September 2001 ) against Croatia and Belgium away from home on Wednesday ( 5 September 2001 ) - a slur has been cast on the good name of the Scottish supporters. Sociologists at the University of Leicester, England, have sought to undermine the reputation of the Scottish Football Fans who are renowned throughout the world for their good behaviour, humour and friendliness. Their study purports to show that racism "collective anti-Englishness" is the basis of The Tartan Army behaviour. SNP MSP Kenny MacAskill, a well known member of The Tartan Army, firmly refuted the charge - "They are trying to intellectualise something that is just a hobby and a past-time that can sometimes be a little rough round the edges but nearly always good humoured. I do not think that The Tartan Army is anti-English. It is anti the English Football Team but that is a quite different thing." The Tartan Army, supports Scotland, first, foremost and last and perhaps it is the fact that they do not support England which really sticks in the craws of the English sociologists! The record of The Tartan Army speaks for itself. They are welcomed, with their Kilts, Saltires and Bagpipes, the world over and have been presented with an award for good behaviour from UEFA in 1992 and a  civic award from the Mayor of Bordeaux after the 1998 World cup in France.

 

On Saturday ( 1 September ) England are also playing a crucial International match away to Germany, and as friendship and bonhomie is at the core of The Tartan Army's behaviour ( certainly not racism ) this column would suggest slices of German Friendship Cake all round - and especially to the English sociologists!

 

German Friendship Cake

 

Do not use a mixer - Do not refrigerate

Use the same tea cup throughout and a very large bowl

 

Using the cup, make up a yeast mixture. When mixture is ready ie frothing, pour it into the bowl and proceed :-

 

Day 1 - Add 1 cup of granulated sugar + 1 cup of plain flour to the yeast mix. Do not stir
Day 2 - Stir well. Add 1 cup of milk

Day 3 & 4 - Do nothing!
Day 5 - As Day 1

Day 6 - As Day 2

Day 7, 8, & 9 - Do nothing!

Day 10 - Stir well. Remove 3 cupfuls and give to 2 friends with a copy of this recipe! Set one aside for your own use - this will be the base for your next Friendship Cake.

 

Add to the remaining mixture :- 1 cup sugar; 1/2 tsp salt; 2 tsps vanilla essence; 2 heaped tsps cinamon; 2 heaped tsps baking powder; 1 or 2 cooking apples ( peeled, cored and chopped ); 2 eggs; 2 cups plain flour; 2/3 cup corn oil ( or similiar ); 1/2 cup chopped walnuts; 1/2 cup sultanas; 1/2 cup glace cherries.

 

Mix well. Put mixture into large roasting tin. Sprinkle top with demerara sugar. Bake at 160 deg C ( Gas Mark 2 ) for one to one and half hours.

Bake and start again! Freezes well.