Tartan Army drank 265,000 pints in 3 days
The Italians may have imposed an alcohol ban before the invasion of the Tartan Army, but it did not stop the Scots eating, drinking and being extremely merry.
According to Bari authorities, the typical Scotland fan drank an incredible five gallons of beer during a three-day stay.
The figures, from the Bari Traders Association, showed nearly 7000 Scots fans got through almost 265,000 pints of beer while in the southern Italian city where they watched Scotland lose 2-0 to in a Euro 2008 qualifier.
While England fans were berating players and manager after beating Andorra 3-0, the Tartan Army, who have won numerous awards from Fifa and Uefa for friendliness, embellished their reputation for being in very good cheer despite losing.
The figures for beer consumption were all the more astonishing since Bari imposed an alcohol ban on the day of the game from 2pm.
Bari’s mayor ordered the city-wide ban on alcohol sales after crowd violence during an Italian league game in Sicily led to the death of a policeman.
Bari traders say Scotland fans, judged the world’s friendliest during the 1998 World Cup, spent some £2m in the city over three days - more than is normally collected over the entire winter.
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