THE AULD FRENEMY

Scotland fans party with rivals in Cologne as build-up to vital clash v Swiss begins

- RYAN CARROLL

SCOTLAND and England fans partied together in Cologne as the Tartan Army came to town ahead of the crunch match with Switzerland.

Groups of supporters from several countries mingled happily in the German city's Alter Markt yesterday afternoon.

The area had been buzzing with football fans after Switzerland beat Hungary 3-1 at the home of FC Köln on Saturday.

England fans also gathered in the square ahead of last night's match against Serbia, 60 miles away in Gelsenkirchen.

But the biggest contingent was the Tartan Army as an estimated 200,000 fans began arriving yesterday after the 400-mile trip from Munich.

Supporters from Scotland and England were getting along famously yesterday despite trouble between England and Serbia fans in Gelsenkirchen.

Glasgow lads Alan Thomson, John O'Neil and his brother Steven met Londoners Barney Trent, 26, Jack Blunt-Bigwood, 26, and his brother Harry, 24, in a beer garden at Alter Markt.

They sang their teams' chants before laughing, shaking hands and posing for photos together.

John, 44, a mechanic for Glasgow City Council, told the Record: "We met them on the bus in. It's all been good craic.