FC Twente launch tartan shirt honouring two-decade friendship with Stranraer fans

FC Twente have launched a tartan-inspired shirt to celebrate their long-standing connection with supporters in Stranraer, BBC Scotland News reports. The Dutch club’s new kit recognises a friendship that began when two Scottish fans helped a terminally ill Twente supporter attend an Old Firm match in 2006. The shirt is due to make its first appearance against AZ Alkmaar this weekend.

The connection started at Twente’s De Grolsch Veste stadium in Enschede, where Dennis Van Unen met Stranraer supporters Jim McKie and James Hilton. Van Unen, who had skin cancer, told them he wanted to watch Celtic play Rangers. McKie, a Rangers supporter, and Hilton, a Celtic fan, arranged tickets and joined him on a trip that also took in Ibrox, Celtic Park and Hampden.

McKie and Hilton later travelled to the Netherlands to see Van Unen before his death in 2007, aged 34. The friendship continued through regular visits between supporters in Enschede and Stranraer. In 2017, Twente travelled to the Scottish town for a pre-season match marking the tenth anniversary of his death, giving the relationship a connection on the pitch as well as in the stands.

The new shirt’s promotional campaign features Billy Hodge, the 70-year-old landlord of The Grapes pub in Stranraer. Filming took place around the town two weeks before the kit went on sale, according to the BBC. Hodge remains a Twente season-ticket holder and travels to see the club a couple of times each season. His pub is home to the Stranraer Tukkers supporters’ group, whose name comes from the nickname for people from the Twente region.

Twente’s marketing manager, Leon Molenkamp, told the BBC the shirt had already proved popular with supporters. He said the project was intended to preserve awareness of the relationship among future generations, with fans continuing to travel in both directions several times a year. The Grapes reflects that connection through Twente’s red and white colours inside and the horse from the club badge displayed outside.

Tartan also has an earlier place in Twente’s kit history. The club wore a similar away shirt during the 1994-95 season, which supporters later voted their best ever. Other Scottish links include former Motherwell defender Rob McKinnon’s spell from 1996 to 1998 and striker Scott Booth’s involvement in Twente’s Dutch Cup success in 2001.