Journalist reveals fans’ reaction as he walks around Naples with McTominay Scotland shirt | OneFootball

The Herald Scotland Chief Football Writer, Matthew Lindsay, spent a day in Naples wearing a Scott McTominay shirt and described the exciting reaction from Napoli fans.

Former Manchester United midfielder McTominay is playing a key role in the Partenopei’s race for the Serie A title with 11 goals and four assists in 31 league appearances.

He has quickly become one of the fans’ idols at the Stadio Maradona, and The Herald Scotland writer Matthew Lindsay experienced the love for the 28-year-old in the first person.

Lindsay spent a day in the city centre wearing a McTominay Scotland shirt, and the reaction he witnessed was overwhelming.

“The reaction to my striking attire was instantaneous as I nipped into a café for a sfogliatelle and an espresso before I caught my train from the Leopardi station into the Piazza Garibaldi,” Lindsay wrote.

“Straight away, the customers and staff erupted and started babbling excitedly to me in their pidgin English. Scotland! Scotland! Scott Mac-Tom-Inee! Scott Mac-Tom-Inee! Napoli! Great play-er! Great play-er! I was immediately surrounded by beaming locals who were eager to speak to me about their latest idol. That experience very much set the tone for what proved to be an enormously enjoyable day.”

NAPLES, ITALY – APRIL 27: Scott McTominay celebrates with Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Amir Rrahmani after scoring his side second goal during the Serie A match between Napoli and Torino at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on April 27, 2025 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)

His trip around Naples’ city centre continued on the underground through the iconic Quartieri Spagnoli, the Spanish Quarter.

“As I studied the underground map amid the mayhem, I became aware of three small children standing directly behind me. As I turned around, they pointed and spoke in unison like the Little Green Men from Pizza Planet in Toy Story 2. ‘Oooh!’ they exclaimed. ‘Scotland! Scott Mac-Tom-Inee!’

‘Where are you from?’ said one of them excitedly. ‘Are you from Scotland? The home of Scott Mac-Tom-Inee? He is such a beautiful, beautiful play-er for Napoli. And strong as well. He is so, so strong. Such a great goal that he scored against Monza! Such a leap!’

“As I drank my beer and waited for the torrential rain to go off, I got chatting to the lads at the table next to mine,” Lindsay continued.

“It transpired they were three old friends from Glasgow who were on their annual boys’ weekend away together, Andy Dick, Alan Doherty and Tommy Samuelson.

“Talk turned to the Football Italia show which was broadcast by Channel 4 back in the 1990s after a while. The iconic programme was a smash hit among Scottish football fans, Andy, Alan and Tommy among them, at the time and is remembered fondly to this day.”

Napoli will host Genoa at the Stadio Maradona on Sunday, looking to keep a three-point lead over second-placed Inter. The Nerazzurri will visit Torino without the likes of Lautaro Martinez, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Benjamin Pavard.

With just three games remaining, the Partenopei dream of winning their second Scudetto in thr