A Scots groom-to-be has told how he planned his stag do at the Euros before he even popped the question – after winning an epic race to Germany.
Euan McLelland, 36, got down on one knee at the end of December 2023 on the bonnie banks of Loch Lommond, when he proposed to sweetheart Joanna Thomas, 31.
But weeks before that magical moment, Euan from Paisley, had already planned his epic Stuttgart stag when the draw was made for Euro 2024.
Since then he’s added to a whirlwind year by winning a dash from Hampden to Munich with one of his groomsmen, Paul Mullan, for Tennent’s Race to Germany.
The Scottish lager giant pitted three teams against each other in the competitive jaunt, which saw them visit, London, Paris and Italty’s Barga on route to the Bavarian capital.
And Euan has told how the race was the “adventure of a lifetime” as he says he’s about to realise his dream of seeing Scotland at a major tournament.
He told the Record: “This year is going to be a once of a lifetime experience, just seeing Scotland at the Euros is my dream but to do it with one of my best pals in a race across Europe, has been unreal.
“Me and Paul are both huge Scotland fans and we love travelling with the Tartan Army. But it’s so easy to just get to games now, you jump on a plane and your there.
“We’ve done it in the old school way, it’s the kind of stuff you used to hear about in a bygone era of World Cups in far afield places, guys travelling by bus to Spain, or making their way over to Argentina.
“We wanted to experience that, and we managed it taking trains, camping and running through city’s and towns. It was epic."
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The former journalist who worked at titles including Wishaw Press and the Record, will take in all three games in Germany, but it’s Scotland’s final Group A game against Hungary in Stuttgart that could be a night for the ages.
And he’s revealed his master plan was fully laid out just weeks before Joanna said yes.
Euan, who now works for a Sports PR agency said: “I actually organised my stag do before getting engaged. I proposed at the end of December.
“When the draw took place at the start of December I snuck out from a Christmas party and just booked rooms for 24 of my mates in Stuttgart.
“Three weeks later she said yes which was a green light for the wedding and a green light for the stag.
“There’s now 22 of us going to Stuttgart and 18 of us have tickets for the game.
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“If we won that we could be qualifying for the knock out stages, it’s all set up.
“I don’t know what I’ll wearing to the game. I’ve told the lads I’ll go along with anything, just not an England top!”
Euan and Paul swept aside rivals, Aberdeen dad and daughter, William and Beth Wallace and Peterhead Tartan Army duo Chris ‘Gibbo’ Gibson and Ewan Oman from Peterhead.
The final of the race concludes on YouTube today.
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