The comments were made on the Scotcast podcast, and have led to accusations of "lazy" and "diminishing" journalism.

The Tartan Army left a lasting impressing on Boston during Scotland's campaign in the World Cup.

Members of the Tartan Army march from Back Bay Fens to Fenway Park for Scottish Celebration Night on June 14 (Image: Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Boston is set to be officially twinned with Glasgow as a result, while locals, newspapers, baseball teams and celebrities all praised fans for the legacy they left across the pond.

Speaking on Scotcast, BBC Scotland presenter said Laura Miller said: "We saw those scenes in the summer at the World Cup with the Tartan Army, who were celebrated for drinking the bars dry in Boston."

Elinor Jayne, director of Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP), responded: "So, I guess part of that is potentially the fact, I don't want to rub it in, Scotland didn't do too great in the World Cup.

"So we've got to try and grasp at straws of what Scotland is good at.

"And it did seem to be consuming alcohol, when we were in Boston, and not causing lots of anti-social behaviour, as far as we know."

The exchange was shared on BBC Scotland's social media channels and has sparked backlash from football fans and campaigners.

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Craig Ferguson, the viral Tartan Army fan who walked across the length of the US for charity, branded the comments "another lazy attempt at knocking Scotland's achievements".

First Minister John Swinney (right) with Craig Ferguson in Boston (Image: Andrew Milligan / PA)

"This whole idea of trying to diminish what Scotland done at the World Cup to just 'drinking bars dry' is just a narrative being pushed by lazy journalists who weren't even there," he said.

"Name me one other nation who went to the World Cup and was able to raise over £5 million across all charity efforts, for different causes from mental health, to local charities, to feeding children that need it, in the places that they were playing.

"It just doesn't happen, and that in and of itself is completely abhorrent to push that aside – you know, 'I know they done all that charity work, but they drank the bars dry'.

"[It's] so, so lazy to kind of neglect and not talk about that."

Ferguson added that Scotland did "more for its national reputation in what, 12 days, far better than what any national marketing campaign could have ever done".

"That was all thanks to the Tartan Army," he added.

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Ferguson continued: "God forbid some people go out there and have good fun, bear in mind the people who went out to the World Cup spent tens of thousands of pounds.

"Yes, we go out there, we have fun and we have a laugh, because we know we're not guaranteed another tournament and we don't know how long we're actually gonna be in it."

He concluded: "This was extremely lazy, I hope that it was clipped up out of context, but the BBC Scotland posted it themselves.

"If it was, it was extremely lazy and diminishing of what actually happened at the World Cup."

At the time of writing, the video remains up on BBC Scotland's social media channels.

The Haven, Boston's only dedicated Scottish bar which became the centre of much media attention during the summer, commented: "Boston was transformed by Scottish people being on holiday/attending the World Cup at a time that was in sore need of harmony and nations comingling.

"Let’s remember THAT."

BBC Scotland has been approached for comment.