Lokeren Away 2003

[East Level 2]

Could hardly see the near half at Lokwren due to banners on the fence.
Dud the day trip from Manchester to Ostend then coach to ground. There was a rumour we wouldn't be allowed in the town but in the end the local bar owners had a lot to thank us for.

 

[gloryhuntersince85]

‘Lo Lo Lo loooah Lo Lo Lo loooah’

as iconic as the poznan that Lokeren chant IMO

 

[GSW Blue]

Got train from Brussels on the day. Blues spilling out of Pubs in Lokeren that were struggling to cope. Started serving ourselves to help. No tickets required. McManaman’s muppet show song went on for a bit behind the goal. After the match a few casualties lying in the street. Back to the pub by the station until kicking out. Free the Droylsden Two! Minibus back to Brussels. Next morning throwing up in a cleaners bucket at the airport. Happy days!

 

[jrb]

Could hardly see the near half at Lokwren due to banners on the fence.
Dud the day trip from Manchester to Ostend then coach to ground. There was a rumour we wouldn't be allowed in the town but in the end the local bar owners had a lot to thank us for.

Why don’t we take our City flags to European aways as much as we used to anymore?

Sign into X to read the replies from City fans who went.

 

[cptaidan88]

Was at high school at the time so didn't go, but I'm trying to get to every team/ground city have played a competitive fixture against if I didn't go at the time (eg I've been to see a game at Groclin and Santander this year).

On the way to the Brugge away game I went to see a game with the reformed Lokeren who were in the 4th tier at the time but have made it up to the 2nd tier now.

The stand I sat in was built in place of where the City fans were, and was largely funded by the European run.

 

[east2]

Without doubt one of the best, if not the best ever!
Overcrowded train from Brussels, local police were pretty game, inside & outside the ground! for some bizarre reason before the game we were encouraging a guy to scale the netting behind the goal.
Nicked a bike outside a pub, fell off pissed and broke my wrist,
Slept the night in a bath at the only hotel in town, woke up still pissed, spewed in the taxi to the airport, spewed on landing at Man airport. Been sober ever since!

 

[surrounded by idiots]

I made my way over there with a few mates, if I remember correctly, one of them is on here.
We stayed in a B&B just outside that was run by nuns !!, really surreal getting served hard boiled eggs and ham in the morning by these runs in full gear, with a hangover.
Met some lads from Feyenoord who had come to see Paul Bosvelt, they had the strongest industrial strength weed known to man - plenty of throwing up, by the few that joined in.
One of the lads found a loaded police issue Glock in the bushes in that wasteland behind the City end, just told him to put it back, as the way he was waving it around he was probably about to get shot.
Just a magic trip, City everywhere, top couple of days.

 

[Mad Eyed Screamer]

There was a rumour we wouldn't be allowed in the town but in the end the local bar owners had a lot to thank us for.

It was more than a rumour - it was a big fat lie from our very own ''Mr Manchester City'' Bernard Halford and he got caught out.

I was Secretary for the Centenary Supporters' Association at the time and Halford came out in the local media announcing that the Lokeren plod had decided the town would be a no go area on the day of the game for City fans and all fans had to meet at some kind of service station on a highway outside of town and would be bussed in.

Prior to this, I had been involved with a run in with Sara Billington who had announced that tickets would only be given to fans travelling on official travel - which was only available via the clubs very own shirt sponsor (Thomas Cook) which was a 175 quid flight for a day trip. I told her this was illegal and anti competitive. She told me that 175 quid was a fair price and then picked her jaw off the ground when I said I had booked flights from Stansted for 11 quid each way including tax! Eventually the club dropped their stance on the ticket sales for official travel only. At one point I had told her we were producing a banner saying ''Thomas Cook - We Don’t Give A Fuck" which particularly got her back up lol

Then enter the arena one Bernard Halford......
As above Halford stated City fans would be escorted out of the town if found before 5pm and had to meet at this pre-arranged site to be bussed into to town. I went on BBC Radio Manchester or GMR as it was then, stating I have a European passport that allowed me to travel anywhere in Europe and unless I was committing a crime, I was free to walk around anywhere in a public place I wished too. Halford, in the local media, continued to insist City's hands were tied as this was instructions from the Lokeren police that they had received.

The following evening I received a call from a news producer at GMR saying they had the Chief of Lokeren Police coming on in the morning to state that no such order has been issued. The producer added that he was having Halford in too, by phone and would I like to come in to the studio. The catch for Halford was he didn't know the Chief was coming on.......

I arrived just after 8am and into the studio. This was going to be fucking good......
The presenter (can't recall who it was to be honest) outlined the story and got me to talk first. I repeated the mantra about having a European passport and as a law abiding citizen I was free to visit any public place in the Union.
Next came on Halford, who went straight on the defensive, solely blaming the police whose decision it was and that the club were simply passing on instructions to fans.
The presenter now introduced the Chief of Police for Lokeren......
''Good morning, we welcome all Manchester City fans to come to our town, enjoy what we have to offer and have a good time - as long as everyone behaves themselves, then everyone is welcome''.
Presenter: ''Mr Halford, can you comment on that?
Halford: ''Well, er, I...
(Me and the presenter pissing ourselves as silently as we could)
Halford: ''Well we as a club have been in discussion with the authorities in Lokeren and that is what they have been saying''.
The Chief of police came back on again to refute such instructions had been made. He was thanked for his time as was Halford and myself as the topic was wrapped up. Classic moment as Bernard Halford was caught with his trousers down.
And yet he was awarded a Sainthood a few years later and lauded by fans.......

 

[East Level 2]

It was more than a rumour - it was a big fat lie from our very own ''Mr Manchester City'' Bernard Halford and he got caught out.

I was Secretary for the Centenary Supporters' Association at the time and Halford came out in the local media announcing that the Lokeren plod had decided the town would be a no go area on the day of the game for City fans and all fans had to meet at some kind of service station on a highway outside of town and would be bussed in.

Prior to this, I had been involved with a run in with Sara Billington who had announced that tickets would only be given to fans travelling on official travel - which was only available via the clubs very own shirt sponsor (Thomas Cook) which was a 175 quid flight for a day trip. I told her this was illegal and anti competitive. She told me that 175 quid was a fair price and then picked her jaw off the ground when I said I had booked flights from Stansted for 11 quid each way including tax! Eventually the club dropped their stance on the ticket sales for official travel only. At one point I had told her we were producing a banner saying ''Thomas Cook - We Dont give A Fuck" which particularly got her back up lol

Then enter the arena one Bernard Halford......
As above Halford stated City fans would be escorted out of the town if found before 5pm and had to meet at this pre-arranged site to be bussed into to town. I went on BBC Radio Manchester or GMR as it was then, stating I have a European passport that allowed me to travel anywhere in Europe and unless I was committing a crime, I was free to walk around anywhere in a public place I wished too. Halford, in the local media, continued to insist City's hands were tied as this was instructions from the Lokeren police that they had received.

The following evening I received a call from a news producer at GMR saying they had the Chief of Lokeren Police coming on in the morning to state that no such order has been issued. The producer added that he was having Halford in too, by phone and would I like to come in to the studio. The catch for Halford was he didn't know the Chief was coming on.......

I arrived just after 8am and into the studio. This was going to be fucking good......
The presenter (can't recall who it was to be honest) outlined the story and got me to talk first. I repeated the mantra about having a European passport and as a law abiding citizen I was free to visit any public place in the Union.
Next came on Halford, who went straight on the defensive, solely blaming the police whose decision it was and that the club were simply passing on instructions to fans.
The presenter now introduced the Chief of Police for Lokeren......
''Good morning, we welcome all Manchester City fans to come to our town, enjoy what we have to offer and have a good time - as long as everyone behaves themselves, then everyone is welcome''.
Presenter: ''Mr Halford, can you comment on that?
Halford: ''Well, er, I...
(Me and the presenter pissing ourselves as silently as we could)
Halford: ''Well we as a club have been in discussion with the authorities in Lokeren and that is what they have been saying''.
The Chief of police came back on again to refute such instructions had been made. He was thanked for his time as was Halford and myself as the topic was wrapped up. Classis moment as Bernard Halford was caught with his trousers down.
And yet he was awarded a Sainthood a few years later and lauded by fans.......

Bernard could be quite the c u next Tuesday when he put his mind to it. Other evidence is available.

 

[surrounded by idiots]

It was more than a rumour - it was a big fat lie from our very own ''Mr Manchester City'' Bernard Halford and he got caught out.

I was Secretary for the Centenary Supporters' Association at the time and Halford came out in the local media announcing that the Lokeren plod had decided the town would be a no go area on the day of the game for City fans and all fans had to meet at some kind of service station on a highway outside of town and would be bussed in.

Prior to this, I had been involved with a run in with Sara Billington who had announced that tickets would only be given to fans travelling on official travel - which was only available via the clubs very own shirt sponsor (Thomas Cook) which was a 175 quid flight for a day trip. I told her this was illegal and anti competitive. She told me that 175 quid was a fair price and then picked her jaw off the ground when I said I had booked flights from Stansted for 11 quid each way including tax! Eventually the club dropped their stance on the ticket sales for official travel only. At one point I had told her we were producing a banner saying ''Thomas Cook - We Dont give A Fuck" which particularly got her back up lol

Then enter the arena one Bernard Halford......
As above Halford stated City fans would be escorted out of the town if found before 5pm and had to meet at this pre-arranged site to be bussed into to town. I went on BBC Radio Manchester or GMR as it was then, stating I have a European passport that allowed me to travel anywhere in Europe and unless I was committing a crime, I was free to walk around anywhere in a public place I wished too. Halford, in the local media, continued to insist City's hands were tied as this was instructions from the Lokeren police that they had received.

The following evening I received a call from a news producer at GMR saying they had the Chief of Lokeren Police coming on in the morning to state that no such order has been issued. The producer added that he was having Halford in too, by phone and would I like to come in to the studio. The catch for Halford was he didn't know the Chief was coming on.......

I arrived just after 8am and into the studio. This was going to be fucking good......
The presenter (can't recall who it was to be honest) outlined the story and got me to talk first. I repeated the mantra about having a European passport and as a law abiding citizen I was free to visit any public place in the Union.
Next came on Halford, who went straight on the defensive, solely blaming the police whose decision it was and that the club were simply passing on instructions to fans.
The presenter now introduced the Chief of Police for Lokeren......
''Good morning, we welcome all Manchester City fans to come to our town, enjoy what we have to offer and have a good time - as long as everyone behaves themselves, then everyone is welcome''.
Presenter: ''Mr Halford, can you comment on that?
Halford: ''Well, er, I...
(Me and the presenter pissing ourselves as silently as we could)
Halford: ''Well we as a club have been in discussion with the authorities in Lokeren and that is what they have been saying''.
The Chief of police came back on again to refute such instructions had been made. He was thanked for his time as was Halford and myself as the topic was wrapped up. Classis moment as Bernard Halford was caught with his trousers down.
And yet he was awarded a Sainthood a few years later and lauded by fans.......

Interesting read, funny, and much appreciated, but I just wanted to add for no apparent reason, that I had a bit of a crush on Sara Billington (like a schoolboy, except as a fully grown adult)