Tartan Army 'brought new life' to America's smallest state

Rhode Island, America's smallest state, is not hosting any World Cup matches, but thousands of Scotland fans have descended on its capital, Providence, over the past week. Around 5,000 members of the Tartan Army are staying in the city during the tournament, drawn by lower costs and a warm welcome.

Why Providence?

Providence is located about 25 miles from Boston Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, where Scotland will play their second match against Morocco on Friday. Many fans chose Providence for financial reasons. Robert Copland from Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, said: "The price was a lot less in Rhode Island and even the beers are a lot cheaper." He added: "The community has welcomed us with open arms - the other night a local man stuck my drinks on his tab and we got chatting. We're now going to keep in contact and I've told him to come to Scotland."

The Providence Tartan Army

The community feel is partly due to the Providence Tartan Army, a social media group created in response to the number of football fans seeking cheaper accommodation. Two key organizers are David Hood from Balloch and Mike MacGregor, originally from Dundee but now living in Rhode Island. David told BBC Scotland News that after the draw, he started looking at hotels in Boston and found them "extortionate." He said: "We saw people on social media saying about staying in Providence, but there was only a dozen or so people on the page. I thought it was going to be dead here."

The group started as a Facebook page to create buzz in the city but quickly expanded. Mike MacGregor suggested chartering two dozen yellow school buses to ferry fans from Providence to the stadium on game day. The group managed to fill 300 hotel rooms, made a deal with Irn-Bru maker AG Barr to ship a pallet of the drink over, and organized boat parties, block parties, and a large gathering of fans on Thursday.

Charity and Community Impact

Through sales of tickets for the yellow buses, Providence Tartan Army merchandise, and fan donations, the group has raised around $23,500 (£17,670) for charity. Fans were still donating on Tuesday. The money will be split between Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence, SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health), and the Rhode Island Highlanders to fund bagpipe tuition in local schools. "That's our legacy," David said.

Local businesses have also benefited. The Providence Tartan Army chose G Bar as their hub, and manager John Ioven reported that sales over the past few days were "three times as big as any Super Bowl." He said: "On Saturday alone we saw around 2,000-3,000 people and on Monday we did another 200-300. You guys got stamina. They've brought life back to New England. Tourism has been hot and cold here over the past few years, so it feels like you've brought us back to life." He added: "We're Scottish for five weeks, so of course we're cheering you all on. We are officially endorsing Team Scotland."

Nearby, Moonshine Alley, a Nashville-inspired country bar, has also embraced the Scottish visitors, with saltires hanging outside. The Tartan Army's presence has turned Providence into an unexpected hub of World Cup activity, leaving a lasting impression on the local community.