feejer222
Well-known member
Took my lad (15) to see an international footy game last night. Manchester United V Roma in the European Champions league quater final at Old Trafford. The game was exhibition stuff from Man U who won 7-1. An un-heard of score at that level. United had played the first leg at Roma 2 weeks ago and got beat 2-1. That meant that they had to win by 2 goals.
The news after the Italian leg was full of images of Italian police beating United fans, who had started trouble with the Roma fans. The beatings with sticks were shown on TV and appeared very excessive.
There are stories here that the Italian press financed some thugs to come here and make things right for what the United fans did there. Also to make some bad press for football here as well as Italy. How true that was I don't know but there certainly were TV cameras everywhere.
We were due to be at the ground at 5.45 for a meal as guests of Yellow Pages. the game was due to start at 7.45 We didn't make the meal as we had been traveling all day from Brands Hatch. When we eventually reached the suite, we were told that the rest of our party were stood outside the pre-arranged door at 5.45 and had to run for their lives as 100 or more Roma fans charged them. Had we been on time we would have been with them.
We got there just in time for the start of the game and were directed right around the stadium to avoid a huge mass of Roma fans contained by horse police at the front of the ground. After the game we waited for an hour to let the place empty, little did we know that the police had locked the Roma fans in after the game finished to let the Utd. fans disperse. They started to let them out at exactly the same time that we left. They were funneled down a gauntlet of police dogs, riot police and mounted police to their busses. We had to cut through them to get out. Whilst stood amidst the Roma fans we then had to make it plain to the dog handlers that we were English to be able to get through. It was then a 40 minute walk back to the car at 11pm. A nerve wracking evening. We won't be going again.
On the news this morning it is headlines. 22 Arrests, and scores of United fans cut but Roma fans who had torn alluminium beer cans in half and used them as slashing weapons. After we left it apparantly all started again and another riot ensued.
We were so lucky.
The news after the Italian leg was full of images of Italian police beating United fans, who had started trouble with the Roma fans. The beatings with sticks were shown on TV and appeared very excessive.
There are stories here that the Italian press financed some thugs to come here and make things right for what the United fans did there. Also to make some bad press for football here as well as Italy. How true that was I don't know but there certainly were TV cameras everywhere.
We were due to be at the ground at 5.45 for a meal as guests of Yellow Pages. the game was due to start at 7.45 We didn't make the meal as we had been traveling all day from Brands Hatch. When we eventually reached the suite, we were told that the rest of our party were stood outside the pre-arranged door at 5.45 and had to run for their lives as 100 or more Roma fans charged them. Had we been on time we would have been with them.
We got there just in time for the start of the game and were directed right around the stadium to avoid a huge mass of Roma fans contained by horse police at the front of the ground. After the game we waited for an hour to let the place empty, little did we know that the police had locked the Roma fans in after the game finished to let the Utd. fans disperse. They started to let them out at exactly the same time that we left. They were funneled down a gauntlet of police dogs, riot police and mounted police to their busses. We had to cut through them to get out. Whilst stood amidst the Roma fans we then had to make it plain to the dog handlers that we were English to be able to get through. It was then a 40 minute walk back to the car at 11pm. A nerve wracking evening. We won't be going again.
On the news this morning it is headlines. 22 Arrests, and scores of United fans cut but Roma fans who had torn alluminium beer cans in half and used them as slashing weapons. After we left it apparantly all started again and another riot ensued.
We were so lucky.
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