MattRGF
Well-Known Member
I wasn't going to come on here at all, tbh. Just wanted to keep my distance, so appeared as a guest and started browsing. But then saw this thread with the "pleasure having you here" and was pleased to see the comments made, by the OP and those that followed, so I thought I'd give my two cents on my trip to your gaff, so to speak.
It's a long read, so apologies in advance...
Beforehand, we were concerned about was the blockade at Calais, what with the fisherman being arseholes or something. But that was only the ferry port, as we got on the tunnel with no probs.
Then I got blamed for the weather as we came out of Folkstone :-D, as we had left 20 odd degrees and sunshine in Germany for clouds and rain on the other side. A simple two word response was neccessary, ending with "off"
Got lost on the way to the stadium, as I'm sure the Sat Nav gave us directions to the old Maine Road - I recognised some of the streets near the plot from some before and after pics on here. Asked for directions from three different people - one wasn't even English and didn't understand me, of all people. If it was the driver and his broken English, then yeah. Second was a group of "ethnics" who just waved at us to stop at the shop down the road to ask. The third was a City fan, who volunteered to get on the bus and show us the way directly, to which we thanked him with a beer! He wished us luck and we did the same to him. So if he's a member on here, then thanks alot mate. Would have really been lost without your help :-)
30 of us plundered into the 216 bus into town, taking over the top deck. I think there were the odd City fans on there but they didn't give us any looks or anything, seemed happy to see so many away fans just singing and not being abusive to the hosts. In the town itself didn't get any hassle whatsoever. Plenty of City fans with mates shouting "come on City!" at other City fans and City/HSV fans talking with each other, good to see. Saw the blokes with the scarves too, knocking down prices from £10 to £8. One stopped me to say "schal fuer acht pfund" in a decent accent, only for me to shout "no thanks!" in return, haha
I organised to meet a friend (who lives in Swinton, she told me off for not giving her enough notice!) near the Big Wheel and stumbled across large clump of City fans singing away outside a pub with flocks of people around either watching them or getting into the atmosphere. I presume this was Shambles that de niro and others on here have mentioned. It wasn't until I heard some German singing that I realised some HSV fans were there as well :-) Only one copper (or maybe two) present, so it was a good atmosphere. If that was over here, you'd have the riot gear coppers out and presenting a troublesome atmosphere between the fans (both sides) and the cops. Singing/chanting stand-off happened, with "what the fucking hell was that?" being noticable after the smaller HSV fan crowd finished a song, haha.
For me personally, I'll never forget the help that three stewards gave me on Level 3 - between blocks 323 and 325, I think. I was meant to be in the press box but only got told minutes after the game started, that only journalists were allowed to be in the press box and photographers were only allowed around the pitch. I could stay there, but not take pics. Well I wasnt coming all this way to sit and watch, I needed to take pics. So I dashed upstairs to level 3 hoping for a spare seat of any kind. First asking a blonde lass at block 325 (I think), I explained that I was from the HSV Supporters Club, my dilema in the press box and that I need to take pics of the away block/HSV fans. She took me to her supervisor called Jill in the dark blue jacket and explained to her as well. After both saying that there were no spare seats, she then phoned up the different sections on her block, asking if there were any spare seats - to which there wasn't. So I went back down to the press area, stuck with an idea. As I was passing a monitor, I noticed that Hamburg had scored and that City had a penalty. I didn't even stick around to watch, knowing that the crowd reaction would tell me. So I missed about 20minutes of the game and both goals, fannying about between the press box and the lower tier. So I went back down to the press box and attempted to take the odd pic, sneakily, and hope that matey didn't see me. Well, he did and warned me that I would have my camera taken off me if he caught me taking a pic again. So I sat and racked my brains for 10mins. Then wondered about Tier 3 again, hoping that I could stand right at the back of it. To my dismay (and missing another 5 minutes of the game), the gap at the top of the aisleway is filled with seats, so no way to stand there. I just happened to ask the nearest steward if he knew Tripper from here, to see if he could help me out - he didn't know him, as it turned out. But I noticed the disabled area and that there was a small area that I could stand, without blocking any exits or anybodys view. I explained the same story to the guy, about the press box malarky and coming from HSV, and he said that if it was up to him, then he'd let me stay there but he hasnt got the authority, so he directed me back to supervisor Jill, who said that there were a couple of spare seats just down from the disabled area. Luckily I found one, and plonked myself next to a Scottish bloke. Now for those stewards to help me was one thing, but for them to help an away fan in the home fan section was just fantastic and I couldn't thank them enough. For them to go out of their way to help was unbeleibably helpful and a great gesture. Even the lad didn't sneer at me or give me a funny look when I told him I was from HSV. Just fantastic. In fact, it would be great if anybody knows them from here, so I could contact them and thank them again, especially the blonde lass with the pink pigtails in block 325 and the lad with the black skinhead in block 323. Before anybody asks, I was wearing a plain black jacket and nothing to disquinish me from being a HSV fan. I made the wise decision to swap jackets with a mate beforehand. Very wise, as I obviously couldn't predict that I would be wandering around a City block like I did. So I tried not to act like an away fan and I think I succeed, even standing when you got your second so I didn't get any funny looks. Likewise with Dunne and Elano got standing ovations when they left the pitch.
The game itself - what an atmosphere. I have to hand it to you guys, you really got behind your team. All four sides bellowing out Blue Moon actually gave me goosebumps, especially the first time and the inflatable bananas were well and truely present in either side of the away block. The roar was just deafening, even with a minute to go and Olic/Guerrero were pissing about in the corner wasting time. You were by far the better team but that was expected really, apart from Shay saving from Olic in the second half, nothing was seen by us. Hitting the frame of the goal was terribly unlucky and on any other night, they would have gone in - but unfortunately, that's football. Just like Shay making those hat-trick of saves in 10minutes in the first leg. We were the better team last week and you were the better team last night, just the frame of the goal (and Frank Rost on a few occassions too) made the difference.
I stayed to take pics of the team celebrating with the fans, which actually happens after every victory - home or away. It's the fans saying thank you to the team for the win and its the team to say thanks to the fans for the support. So celebrations from both sides. So anyway, I was taking pictures and noticed two guys to my left clapping the players as they came off. I just presumed they were HSV fans but they weren't, they were City fans. In fact I saw a handful of fans in the 2nd level scattered around doing it as well. The guys just said they wanted to applaud the team off the pitch to show respect. Now that was just class taken to a new level. Their words were really full of praise, also for the fans as well, and again, I didn't get a funny look or a sneer when I told them who I was and what I was doing. One even took my number down cos he wanted pictures of the Hamburg fans, for me to send via email. The fact that they said they hope HSV go on to win the competition was great too. Really friendly and really polite which, starting from the bloke who showed us the way to COMS earlier, was the tone of the relationship between the two sets of fans. Even when we were in McDonalds after the game, outnumbered by Sky-Blue shirts - we didn't get any hassle at all.
Obviously, I'm delighted at advancing, but for City fans to take elimination on the chin and congratulate us was just an expected surprise and a fantastic gesture of class. Of course, there will be some who won't think the same and will curse us and our team, but obviously that's understandable. But to those that have congratulated us and shown us respect and class, thank you so much - you made our day out in your City that much more enjoyable, before and after the game :-) Its always interesting to see what opposing fans make of our support, especially in away game so to see so much praise is just great to see. I've even recieved a few PM's in the last 20mins or so, to congratulate us and the team. Thanks alot, its much appreciated!
Oh and I think someone asked if that "RGF" flag in the away block was me. Well it wasnt me personally, as I wasn't in the block - but yes, that's my fan club and that's our flag :-)
So now I've got over 250 pictures to sort out from the trip, the city and the game. If anybody is interested, I'll post the link up later.
Cheers and thanks again for your praise, congratulations and support :-)
Matt
It's a long read, so apologies in advance...
Beforehand, we were concerned about was the blockade at Calais, what with the fisherman being arseholes or something. But that was only the ferry port, as we got on the tunnel with no probs.
Then I got blamed for the weather as we came out of Folkstone :-D, as we had left 20 odd degrees and sunshine in Germany for clouds and rain on the other side. A simple two word response was neccessary, ending with "off"
Got lost on the way to the stadium, as I'm sure the Sat Nav gave us directions to the old Maine Road - I recognised some of the streets near the plot from some before and after pics on here. Asked for directions from three different people - one wasn't even English and didn't understand me, of all people. If it was the driver and his broken English, then yeah. Second was a group of "ethnics" who just waved at us to stop at the shop down the road to ask. The third was a City fan, who volunteered to get on the bus and show us the way directly, to which we thanked him with a beer! He wished us luck and we did the same to him. So if he's a member on here, then thanks alot mate. Would have really been lost without your help :-)
30 of us plundered into the 216 bus into town, taking over the top deck. I think there were the odd City fans on there but they didn't give us any looks or anything, seemed happy to see so many away fans just singing and not being abusive to the hosts. In the town itself didn't get any hassle whatsoever. Plenty of City fans with mates shouting "come on City!" at other City fans and City/HSV fans talking with each other, good to see. Saw the blokes with the scarves too, knocking down prices from £10 to £8. One stopped me to say "schal fuer acht pfund" in a decent accent, only for me to shout "no thanks!" in return, haha
I organised to meet a friend (who lives in Swinton, she told me off for not giving her enough notice!) near the Big Wheel and stumbled across large clump of City fans singing away outside a pub with flocks of people around either watching them or getting into the atmosphere. I presume this was Shambles that de niro and others on here have mentioned. It wasn't until I heard some German singing that I realised some HSV fans were there as well :-) Only one copper (or maybe two) present, so it was a good atmosphere. If that was over here, you'd have the riot gear coppers out and presenting a troublesome atmosphere between the fans (both sides) and the cops. Singing/chanting stand-off happened, with "what the fucking hell was that?" being noticable after the smaller HSV fan crowd finished a song, haha.
For me personally, I'll never forget the help that three stewards gave me on Level 3 - between blocks 323 and 325, I think. I was meant to be in the press box but only got told minutes after the game started, that only journalists were allowed to be in the press box and photographers were only allowed around the pitch. I could stay there, but not take pics. Well I wasnt coming all this way to sit and watch, I needed to take pics. So I dashed upstairs to level 3 hoping for a spare seat of any kind. First asking a blonde lass at block 325 (I think), I explained that I was from the HSV Supporters Club, my dilema in the press box and that I need to take pics of the away block/HSV fans. She took me to her supervisor called Jill in the dark blue jacket and explained to her as well. After both saying that there were no spare seats, she then phoned up the different sections on her block, asking if there were any spare seats - to which there wasn't. So I went back down to the press area, stuck with an idea. As I was passing a monitor, I noticed that Hamburg had scored and that City had a penalty. I didn't even stick around to watch, knowing that the crowd reaction would tell me. So I missed about 20minutes of the game and both goals, fannying about between the press box and the lower tier. So I went back down to the press box and attempted to take the odd pic, sneakily, and hope that matey didn't see me. Well, he did and warned me that I would have my camera taken off me if he caught me taking a pic again. So I sat and racked my brains for 10mins. Then wondered about Tier 3 again, hoping that I could stand right at the back of it. To my dismay (and missing another 5 minutes of the game), the gap at the top of the aisleway is filled with seats, so no way to stand there. I just happened to ask the nearest steward if he knew Tripper from here, to see if he could help me out - he didn't know him, as it turned out. But I noticed the disabled area and that there was a small area that I could stand, without blocking any exits or anybodys view. I explained the same story to the guy, about the press box malarky and coming from HSV, and he said that if it was up to him, then he'd let me stay there but he hasnt got the authority, so he directed me back to supervisor Jill, who said that there were a couple of spare seats just down from the disabled area. Luckily I found one, and plonked myself next to a Scottish bloke. Now for those stewards to help me was one thing, but for them to help an away fan in the home fan section was just fantastic and I couldn't thank them enough. For them to go out of their way to help was unbeleibably helpful and a great gesture. Even the lad didn't sneer at me or give me a funny look when I told him I was from HSV. Just fantastic. In fact, it would be great if anybody knows them from here, so I could contact them and thank them again, especially the blonde lass with the pink pigtails in block 325 and the lad with the black skinhead in block 323. Before anybody asks, I was wearing a plain black jacket and nothing to disquinish me from being a HSV fan. I made the wise decision to swap jackets with a mate beforehand. Very wise, as I obviously couldn't predict that I would be wandering around a City block like I did. So I tried not to act like an away fan and I think I succeed, even standing when you got your second so I didn't get any funny looks. Likewise with Dunne and Elano got standing ovations when they left the pitch.
The game itself - what an atmosphere. I have to hand it to you guys, you really got behind your team. All four sides bellowing out Blue Moon actually gave me goosebumps, especially the first time and the inflatable bananas were well and truely present in either side of the away block. The roar was just deafening, even with a minute to go and Olic/Guerrero were pissing about in the corner wasting time. You were by far the better team but that was expected really, apart from Shay saving from Olic in the second half, nothing was seen by us. Hitting the frame of the goal was terribly unlucky and on any other night, they would have gone in - but unfortunately, that's football. Just like Shay making those hat-trick of saves in 10minutes in the first leg. We were the better team last week and you were the better team last night, just the frame of the goal (and Frank Rost on a few occassions too) made the difference.
I stayed to take pics of the team celebrating with the fans, which actually happens after every victory - home or away. It's the fans saying thank you to the team for the win and its the team to say thanks to the fans for the support. So celebrations from both sides. So anyway, I was taking pictures and noticed two guys to my left clapping the players as they came off. I just presumed they were HSV fans but they weren't, they were City fans. In fact I saw a handful of fans in the 2nd level scattered around doing it as well. The guys just said they wanted to applaud the team off the pitch to show respect. Now that was just class taken to a new level. Their words were really full of praise, also for the fans as well, and again, I didn't get a funny look or a sneer when I told them who I was and what I was doing. One even took my number down cos he wanted pictures of the Hamburg fans, for me to send via email. The fact that they said they hope HSV go on to win the competition was great too. Really friendly and really polite which, starting from the bloke who showed us the way to COMS earlier, was the tone of the relationship between the two sets of fans. Even when we were in McDonalds after the game, outnumbered by Sky-Blue shirts - we didn't get any hassle at all.
Obviously, I'm delighted at advancing, but for City fans to take elimination on the chin and congratulate us was just an expected surprise and a fantastic gesture of class. Of course, there will be some who won't think the same and will curse us and our team, but obviously that's understandable. But to those that have congratulated us and shown us respect and class, thank you so much - you made our day out in your City that much more enjoyable, before and after the game :-) Its always interesting to see what opposing fans make of our support, especially in away game so to see so much praise is just great to see. I've even recieved a few PM's in the last 20mins or so, to congratulate us and the team. Thanks alot, its much appreciated!
Oh and I think someone asked if that "RGF" flag in the away block was me. Well it wasnt me personally, as I wasn't in the block - but yes, that's my fan club and that's our flag :-)
So now I've got over 250 pictures to sort out from the trip, the city and the game. If anybody is interested, I'll post the link up later.
Cheers and thanks again for your praise, congratulations and support :-)
Matt