Article by Tessa Guthrie
With his bright smile and wild purple hair, Clyde the thistle captured the hearts of the fans during the 2014 Commonwealth Games. The iconic mascot was featured throughout the Games, with 25 Clyde statues placed throughout Glasgow, creating the Clyde trail, and over 50,000 cuddly toys of Clyde sold.
Everyone came to know and love Clyde, but what people didn’t see were the faces behind the mask, the group of volunteers who trained to take on the persona of the cheeky Games mascot. One of the men who became Clyde for the Glasgow 2014 Games was Stuart McPhail. It was a role he gladly continued on numerous other occasions, including the Gold Coast Games in 2018, and remembered as some of the best opportunities of his life.
I asked Stuart what his favourite moment was from the 2014 Games. He replied,
“Being able to see the enjoyment that it [Clyde] brought to people, not just recently, but over the past 10 years since the Games took place. And the friendships I was able to build with everyone that was involved.”
The design for the Clyde mascot was dreamt up by 12-year-old Beth Gilmour, whose idea beat 4,000 other entries in BBC’s Blue Peter competition. Named after the River Clyde in Glasgow and based on the iconic flower emblem of Scotland, the judges decided on the Clyde design based on his “Scottish symbolism and Glaswegian charm and likeability.”
Most will remember the 2014 Games as an amazing moment in Scottish history. From the incredible atmosphere in Glasgow to the electric energy of the games, McPhail witnessed it all through Clyde’s eyes.
“I think Glasgow 2014, for me, will always blow a lot of other events out of the water. Seeing stadiums full of people celebrating their team reaching a final would probably match what was felt at the Commonwealth Games,” McPhail said.
While being Clyde, or as he would put it, “being friends with Clyde,” McPhail was able to have incredible opportunities. From representing at two Commonwealth games, being a part of the Queen’s Baton Relay, to filming for global TV channels in New Zealand, Australia, Canada and throughout the UK, McPhail loved every minute of the experience.
“He was essentially, and still is, a seven-foot-tall three-year-old,” McPhail said, “Whenever you put that head on, you instantly become more mischievous. All the mischief he could get up to, the same as any other mascot does, they’ll try to be cheeky, they’ll try to be charming. I think Clyde’s grin adds to that and helps promote that positivity, whereas some mascots, they don’t have a strong facial expression.”
But being Clyde isn’t just about putting on the costume and goofing around, it takes physical strength and training to wear the 25-pound foam and Lycra costume. This was especially true during the 2014 Games, where Glasgow experienced one of its hottest summers, some days reaching 31 degrees.
“The only way you could essentially get fresh air was to run, but if you think about running in size 17 trainers (the size of Clyde’s feet because that was the number of sports that were competed in), that was the only way we could get air into Clyde sometimes,” McPhail said.
McPhail wasn’t alone as Clyde during the Games and was always accompanied by a team of two to six people, depending on the event. To communicate with the team, Clyde had to use a series of hand signals, which McPhail learned during his training.
“Clyde couldn’t speak, because he was so young, he hadn’t developed his thistle vocal cords yet, and found it a challenge to make noise, apart from when he was drumming, or knocking things over,” McPhail said jokingly.
The things McPhail has experienced as Clyde have stayed with him ever since. He spoke fondly about visiting the stunning Outer Hebrides on tour and being in Hampden Stadium to see Usain Bolt win his only Commonwealth gold medal. McPhail hopes Clyde can return to the public eye, whether that’s at the 2026 Commonwealth Games or other events with Team Scotland.
“It would be good to see him out and about a bit more with Team Scotland again. We don’t know what will happen with the 2026 Commonwealth Games. It’s not just the Clyde programme, but also things like the volunteer programme that have been essential to developing Scotland and what it’s able to deliver,” McPhail said, “The amount of engagement it’s built and the opportunities that it’s continued to provide has been essential, not just for day to day life, but for Glasgow and Scotland to show what it can offer to the world.”
Clyde has made a huge impact during the Glasgow 2014 Games and beyond. His adoring audience eagerly awaits the return of his familiar grin and welcoming embrace.