FANS STORIES
THE FINAL CHAPTER OF POMPEY’S EUROPEAN VENTURE
Following the (off-field) success of our 2 previous excursions into the UEFA Badlands it was a racing certainty that I would want to go when Hanksy and long-suffering wife Marrah said that they were prepared to spend even more hours and hours on various telephones and their computer to organise a trip to Wolfsburg for their fellow supporters.
The pattern established by Portugal 2 was followed – let’s all go down to meet Hairgel in his pub – but this time Hairgel’s long-suffering missus catered for everybody who wanted food.
Eventually the departure time arrived and we reluctantly made our way on foot towards the waiting coach which was to speed us through the dark, cold night to Stansted Airport. I am very happy to report that the protestors whose actions caused the closure of the whole airport chose the week after our trip to Germany otherwise there may well have been other things to report!
Unlike London Gatwick, Stansted has little charm and even less attractions and this reporter (having refused Italian lager) had to resort to drinking red wine at 0430 in the morning! Still there were some stout-hearted travellers accompanying me - they drank the Italian lager. Nevertheless we eventually boarded our Ryanair flight to Bremen. What that airline does for passengers during December when there aren’t UEFA adventurers travelling – I’m not sure. Still within an hour or so we had arrived on German soil.
I must admit that when the hydraulics operated and the undercarriage was lowered I did get some idea of the thrill other English folk may have had 60 odd years earlier when their bomb doors opened.
Anyway safe and sound and on German soil would Hanksy’s arrangements be put to the test? Worry not, young Sir – the coach driver and his splendidly comfortable vehicle (You’re right – it wasn’t Vision Travel) was waiting for us and soon we were speeding away from Bremen and on towards our hotel in Hannover.
The hotel check-in time was supposed to be around 3pm but we were there before lunchtime – not to worry, some of our party had to wait a while (in the hotel bar naturally) and others went straight to their allocated rooms. I must confess that I thought it right and proper to be the guinea pig and sample the liquid refreshment on sale. Thankfully it was OK.
After a beer or 2 our 40-odd strong party did their impression of the Red Arrows “bomb burst”. People went every which way. I learned later than 2 of our group actually blagged their way into the dining room with a delegation of businessmen and quickly scoffed as much of the free buffet food as they could. They ate very quickly through fear of being caught and being told to pay!
After a few phone calls Hanksy and I strolled along to a big restaurant/bar and partook of further liquid refreshments before heading for the town centre to locate friends. Eventually we gave up. After numerous phone calls like, “Well can you see the Christmas tree? We’re in a bar just by it”. See a Christmas tree? There was a Christmas Market taking place. I could see about 120 trees in one street!
Eventuallyl, Hanksy and I retired to the nearest bar. It was called “The Jack the Ripper” and, according to the fans we spoke to had been the scene of an altercation involving young men from the SE Hampshire area the previous night. They were supposed to have wrecked it. From where I stood you wouldn’t have noticed if the Mumbai bombing had just happened! Well we sampled the drinks there they had F**sters lager – yuk, I was soon regretting it and wishing for some more of the German stuff. Better still, Super Bock!
We continued our stroll and – wait for it – actually ate. I sampled the German Curry Wurst and chips and it was marvellous. Old Hanksy stuck to steak with new potatoes and salad. A quick glance at the watch and we decided to make tracks back to the hotel to prepare for the journey to Wolfsburg. It’s a strange thing but everytime I watched Pompey in that UEFA European Tour thing it seemed that I couldn’t walk for much more than 5 minutes without wanting to go and try another bar! Eventually we arrived back at the hotel and noticed that its bar was thriving. Funny old thing - not a barman in sight only very attractive Frauleins – well dear reader, by this time following the example of others, I had swapped my Specsavers best for beer goggles.
Off we went to Wolfsburg. They had beer there too! But when I arrived at the ground I was surprised by the sheer volume of Pompey fans queuing to get in. Fortunately I’d elected to arrive there about ¾ hour before the kick off. I got in with minutes to spare and immediately noticed that there were more Pompey outside the ground than in it. Some Pompey fans never got in until it was 2 – 1. Still, I won’t dwell on the game.
After the match we boarded our coach and following a short wait started our journey back to Hannover, our hotel and our beds. Once there some went to bed but I got changed and, on leaving our shared room, encountered Hanksy in the corridor. He had wisely made the decision to go to bed. Unfortunately he couldn’t remember the room number!
Once Hanksy was sorted off I went, accompanied by Masher, Bandy Balshey (and his Carah) into the City centre. Some 10 – 15 minutes after trudging from the hotel into the cold, German air I was introduced to the Dublin Bar. (Hanksy and I had failed to locate it the previous afternoon) and there were other fans there. After a while Hairgel Teesider and more friends arrived followed by John APFCW plus Pimple and others.
At around 0200 I started getting weary – remember that I had got up for work at 0615 on Wednesday morning and now it was Friday morning and I hadn’t been to bed (and I’m no longer a young man)! More importantly there were very strange drinks being ordered and drunk. This is not the sort of publication where I could even mention the names of these Cocktails. After a couple more I made my excuses and left – hoping for a hotdog or something before bed.
It wasn’t to be. McDonalds had shut at 0200. I reached our hotel and headed for the bar. Some of my travelling companions were still there. Durnsie and his mate were sampling the cocktails and trying to spend all their Euros before bedtime.
Anyway, I got turned in and managed nearly 4 hours sleep before being woken up by the alarm. After an invigorating shower and quickly finishing my packing, off I went. OK, I know. I know. I was 2 minutes late boarding the coach. I needn’t have worried though, Hanksy had had to go back into the hotel in search of Johann and Adriana. Eventually, some 20 minutes later, our 2 missing companions rejoined us and we were on our way - speeding to Bremen Airport.
I’m unsure at what stage it became apparent that not everybody was on the coach but it turned out that we hadn’t been 2 people short, we’d been FOUR short! Although Hanksy had rounded up Johann and Adriana, Durnsie and his cocktail drinking companion were still in their hotel bed! After a dramatic chase (the taxi got flashed at by a speed camera) to the airport they (with Hanksy’s help) got the driver to settle for 150 euros and once again we were altogether!
Our Supporters Club party continued with their re-distribution of wealth scheme. The refreshment bar couldn’t match demand but eventually it was time for those with a Boarding Pass to show it, get on the aircraft and fly back to Stansted. The flight was uneventful although a good deal of snoring could be heard.
Safely back in dear old Blighty we were making our way through the airport buildings when a Passenger emergency was announced. The actions of the airport personnel meant that over 2/3 of our party was delayed. I arrived at the coach and quickly departed to Burger King. Having landed at 1145 we had waited over an hour for the remaining 2 of our group to rejoin us.
Chasing here, chasing there, Hanksy had searched everywhere in ans around Stansted and eventually contacted them by phone. It appears that, yes, they were still in the airport but no, it wasn’t Stansted it was Bremen in Germany! For further information on that particular episode please contact A.N. OTHER.
We left the airport and endured the Friday afternoon saga around the M25 and everywhere else but arrived safely in Pompey in plenty of time to eat, rest and shower before travelling to West Brom on the Sunday morning.
Before I go I have a number of people to thank.
Firstly, Milan Mandaric - without you I don’t think we’d have a club to support. Sacha – thank you for all you have done and continue to do. Next, HR – whatever you did and whichever way you did it I still thank you for getting my club to the Premiership and keeping them there and for the FA Cup Win, I also thank you. I have lived my dream these past few months.
To those fellow fans who travelled to Portugal and Germany, putting up with me and making my time so very enjoyable and so often very amusing I thank you.
To Rev Kyan thank you for sorting the tickets not just for the UEFA jaunts but everywhere else too.
Finally, to Hanksy, Marah and Krusty – thank you all so very much for all your hard work and personal effort in organising my Pompey adventures. It is greatly appreciated.
Bye folks
Nosmo King
P.S.
For the rest of this year, now without the prospect of the FA Cup 5th and 6th Round games plus 3 trips to Wembley, the 2 short holidays in Portugal and yet another in Germany I’m unsure what I can or can’t afford.
Somebody went so far to suggest I could afford to get a Mistress but my wife says that she already has enough to put up with the one I’ve already got - Pompey.
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