Evening all
Not that ive been to many away games abroad, but i was in Athens in 2004 to see us play Panathiniokos. Those of you who have been to their stadium know how noisy it can be considering it only holds about 15000.
Anyway, i was lucky enough to know someone who managed to somehow get me on the same flight as the team, quality trip, more in later posts!
Going back to the game, after a couple of days in the greek sunshine the night of the game was upon us, the coach pulls up at the Athens Hilton, the coach we were on included the directors and sponsors, this was about a 30 min journey to the ground.
It suddendly dawned on me that only me and one other guy were wearing colours on the whole coach. Curious, i lean't over to my mate who invited me, to ask why nobody was wearing colours, to which he laughed and said it was because we are sitting in the mixed supportes section!!!
Could have fucking told me back in hotel the tosser!!!!
As we approached the ground with a police guard at the front and back of the coach, we pulled up right outside the turnstiles to where we were to enter the stadium, this is when it hit me as to how intimidating this place was. After dodging the usual gob and abuse i will never forget walking through one turnstile to see directly opposite us walking through was a load of Panathiniokos!!!
We took our seat with about 20 other people on the coach surrounded by greek police both sides of us, and the inevitable happended, Freddie scores, i forget where i am, start going bonkers, and then get told by the old bill to shut up as it will cause a riot!!
Once we had sat down, they equalised, and didnt we get some from all their pleasant fans around us!
1-1 half time, not too bad, 10 mins to go Thierry scores in the goal nearest to us, and once again, after most of the second half being reasonably quite due to shitting myself by all the abuse,i go proper mad giving it to the old bill, their fans, everyone nearby! By now some 6 foot, 20 stone local gets out of his seat and threatens all sorts along with about 6 rows of lunatics baying blood, the old bill jump in and defuse the situation. Then with about 2 minutes to go they scored again to make it 2-2, start the real venom aimed at me!!!
I must admit, i have never felt intimidated like this at a game, i can laugh about it now, but for about 2 hours that night back in October 04, this gooner was slightly worried!!!
Ever been in the 'away section' abroad?
- onemoreminute
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- Cesc is God
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- charliegeorgewhocanhitem
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A couple of times at west am in the mid 70s, once in the north bank and once on the west side terrace, very unpleasant experiences I can assure you. The one in the north bank we were with a couple of west am mates who kindly did'nt let on
and I remember Johnny Radford scoring an offside "goal" which I very nearly reacted to, I think I'd have been lynched if I had
The other time we won 2-0 and they were not the happiest of people, I remember having to put on a very pissed off look to escape the close scrutiny of a few ammers near me 


