Away End Entertainment

Sitting up in the Kingsland last night, whilst Saints were purring through the match, there was the side show in the away end which appeared totally out of context with the mood around the stadium.

The Czech away support seemed to be constantly moved around , videoed and invaded by stewards and the police with those black caps on.

What was going on - were there suspected neo Nazis, known hooligans, or folk planning annexing the Sudetenland - very bizarre ?

I hope this is not what we can expect in Prague / Milan / Israel.

Spoke to a steward outside the Northam after the game who was helping block off the north car park ready to move the Prague fans out. He said some their fans had started to 'kick off' and the police were fearful that some of them had knives or other weapons on them.

You'd like to think any weapons would have been confiscated on entrance to the stadium?!

The steward also said their fans weren't happy that they were being 'locked in' after the game which they (Sparta fans) weren't aware of until mid way through the game when the announcement came over the tannoy.

There were at least 3 occasions when they seemed to be fighting among themselves which took a bit of sorting out. A very small "hardcore group" - about 5 of them lol - in black t-shirts (with the leader being signified by an additional black baseball cap) spent the whole game staring into the Itchen North, flexing muscles and making gestures. They looked like a rough gay club version of a Full Monty type dance troupe (but conversely weren't among the ones that took their shirts off). They were well watched but never seemed to be involved in the incidents that kicked off.

A small group around 10/20 of their 'ultra's' where intent in causing trouble, and when they released they couldn't get at the home section they started fighting each other. Just like all any other eastern European team, I expected nothing less. It'll certainly be entertaining out there....

European fans looks like fun - that Russian World Cup will be a bundle of laughs.

I look forward to FIFA dressing it up as the family game that unites the people of the world.

There were at least 3 occasions when they seemed to be fighting among themselves which took a bit of sorting out. A very small "hardcore group" - about 5 of them lol - in black t-shirts (with the leader being signified by an additional black baseball cap) spent the whole game staring into the Itchen North, flexing muscles and making gestures. They looked like a rough gay club version of a Full Monty type dance troupe (but conversely weren't among the ones that took their shirts off). They were well watched but never seemed to be involved in the incidents that kicked off.

The big lump with the cap and the black t-shirt with orange writing on it (one of the group of 4/ 5 doing that weird muscle flexing thing at us in the Itchen) was well involved, he suddenly went up about 10 rows and starting filling in one of their own (which started the stewards/ OB pilling in which made it look even worse), completely bizarre. His pals were funny as ****, especially the fella with the glasses on, one of the least intimidating spectacles I've ever seen! This mini mob went bat**** crazy when blocks 1-3 starting doing the classic "In Ger Land.." song at them, they clearly have a hard on for the English.

Prague should be lively.

Thank you all. All a bit too far away from the whimsical world of the Kingsland where we just sat waiting for Yoshi to have his one moment . Fortunately he survived it with Big Frazer, like us , expecting it.

European fans looks like fun - that Russian World Cup will be a bundle of laughs.

I look forward to FIFA dressing it up as the family game that unites the people of the world.

In Russia it is going to be a Mansun Family game.

The big lump with the cap and the black t-shirt with orange writing on it (one of the group of 4/ 5 doing that weird muscle flexing thing at us in the Itchen) was well involved, he suddenly went up about 10 rows and starting filling in one of their own (which started the stewards/ OB pilling in which made it look even worse), completely bizarre. His pals were funny as ****, especially the fella with the glasses on, one of the least intimidating spectacles I've ever seen! This mini mob went bat**** crazy when blocks 1-3 starting doing the classic "In Ger Land.." song at them, they clearly have a hard on for the English.

 

Prague should be lively.

I didn't realise Big Lump (appropriate name ) was the one involved further up. I must have missed his "attack", it was a bit like watching tennis at that stage, head turn left to watch our attacks, back to the right to see what they were up to. Very strange group, far more comical than intimidating.

What was going or near the end with the giant with the weird haircut seemingly consoling what looked like an old couple with weird hats? I was only in block 3 but my eyesight is **** nowadays

I think i spent more time watching the prague fans and laughing at that bloke flexing his muscles all game, and his mate with the glasses:lol: from what I saw it looked like an old boy (prague fan) wanted to watch the game but the 'Ultras' were getting in his way so he slapped one round the head, then he turned and went up to the old boy with about 6 of his mates following suit, then tempers just flared and couple swings went in and then OB turned up. If that was England fans about 10 of them would of been chucked out and nicked and all over the papers, yet the OB just let them stay in the ground and watch them. Should be fun in Prague!

Siting up in the Kingsland last night, whilst Saints were purring through the match, there was the side show in the away end which appeared totally out of context with the mood around the stadium.

The Czech away support seemed to be constantly moved around , videoed and invaded by stewards and the police with those black caps on.

What was going on - were there suspected neo Nazis, known hooligans, or folk planning annexing the Sudetenland - very bizarre ?

 

I hope this is not what we can expect in Prague / Milan / Israel.

Naive to think otherwise to be honest!

People may laugh at these guys but I got the impression they were pretty nasty blokes, similar to the russians at the Euros, Eastern Europeans seem to take pride in their violence and are pretty tough to boot. They all seemed to have the respect/fear of the Sparta fans. Whilst we probably have a few nutters I would imagine that if there wasn't a barrier between us and them some of the lads in the Itchen would have come a cropper last night

Looked like a proper nasty bunch, saw plenty of kicks and punches being thrown at police officers after our first goal. If they had come in bigger numbers Im sure it would have kicked off a lot more, but in the end they had to settle with fighting each other.

There was a group of Sparta fans in the Itchen.

No problems

However they were 'guarded' by what looked like a few schoolboy/girl stewards who would have required protection if the away fans group had kicked off

The big lump with the cap and the black t-shirt with orange writing on it (one of the group of 4/ 5 doing that weird muscle flexing thing at us in the Itchen) was well involved, he suddenly went up about 10 rows and starting filling in one of their own (which started the stewards/ OB pilling in which made it look even worse), completely bizarre. His pals were funny as ****, especially the fella with the glasses on, one of the least intimidating spectacles I've ever seen! This mini mob went bat**** crazy when blocks 1-3 starting doing the classic "In Ger Land.." song at them, they clearly have a hard on for the English.

 

Prague should be lively.

Presumably you didn't intend this as a pun.

On the way down Brittania Road before the game we saw some massive old thug looking bloke, bald, tatooed on the shoulder, beer gut overhanging his shorts looking the worse for wear but still clutching a can of lager. It struck me that he could easily be an 'Inglander' in Mareseille or anywhere, every nation seems to have them.

After the match he was sat on the wall, probably asleep, but looking comatose with his mate watching over him. You have to question why anyone would travel across a continent to get into that state.

Any photos or videos of said fans?

It struck me that he could easily be an 'Inglander' in Mareseille or anywhere, every nation seems to have them.

The big giveaway that he was not an 'Inglander' was the fact he wasn't arrested. If that was an English fan (and what the other Czechs got away with inside the stadium) it would have been all over the media and long, possibly lifetime bans, handed out all over. And if that was home fans attacking the Police, there'd be mug shots and CCTV images everywhere to send them off to the Scrubs. I'm sure he was a lovable old rogue tho.

They were on it all day. 3 were arrested in the top of town at 11am and it carried on from there.

You've got to remember, they're not used to having any kind of vocal support next to them, normally the home ultras would be the other end of the ground. About 5 mins into the game they clocked the Itchen North and a few of them made their way over and couldn't focus on anything but excitedly flexing their muscles at Stone Island wearing kids in our end

Half way through the 2nd half they went up to bully a pretty harmless looking Sparta fan.

Generally they were a lot more entertaining than the 2nd half.

Only annoying thing, if that was English fans playing up like that, there'd be plenty of nickings/bans all over the place. Wasn't like there wasn't enough police on duty for it!

European fans looks like fun - that Russian World Cup will be a bundle of laughs.

I look forward to FIFA dressing it up as the family game that unites the people of the world.

lol its going to be a disaster

On the way down Brittania Road before the game we saw some massive old thug looking bloke, bald, tatooed on the shoulder, beer gut overhanging his shorts looking the worse for wear but still clutching a can of lager. It struck me that he could easily be an 'Inglander' in Mareseille or anywhere, every nation seems to have them.

 

After the match he was sat on the wall, probably asleep, but looking comatose with his mate watching over him. You have to question why anyone would travel across a continent to get into that state.

My mate did exactly the same in Cardiff 2003

I think i spent more time watching the prague fans and laughing at that bloke flexing his muscles all game, and his mate with the glasses:lol: from what I saw it looked like an old boy (prague fan) wanted to watch the game but the 'Ultras' were getting in his way so he slapped one round the head, then he turned and went up to the old boy with about 6 of his mates following suit, then tempers just flared and couple swings went in and then OB turned up. If that was England fans about 10 of them would of been chucked out and nicked and all over the papers, yet the OB just let them stay in the ground and watch them. Should be fun in Prague!

Pretty much spot on, along who Sour Mash.

Their support was in sort of three groups (although of course they blurred a bit). The singers over by the Northam segregation who got involved with the pushing and shoving when the penalty was given, another group of 20+ in their shorts, black t shirts, bumbags etc down by the Itchen segregation (& to be fair they looked as if they could handle themselves) and then the rest up from these two groups.

The trouble in the second half started when one of the younger leaders of the singing crew (also in a black t shirt) was going up and down the aisle trying to get others to join in. Most did, but an old fella in a green parka and a where's wally lookalike in a Sparta tea cosy were giving him some sh*t. The older bloke eventually had enough and planted one on the lad and pushed him away. Cue some pushing and then the 20 "lads" smelling a ruck came steaming up.

The young lad started taking pictures/filming the blokes he had had a run in with (difficult journey home for them, or retribution back home methinks) whilst the others the others then chased Where's Wally across the empty seats to the OB & stewards.

And others are right, when the OB got involved they were on the other end of a few digs and if this had been a League game then loads would have been kicked out & probably given banning orders (plus). Think the OBs brief for the night had been containment and just get them out of town ASAP. Agree about the away leg, I think the 20+ will have grown by then!

From what I saw from the Itchen it was hardly anything. All verbal but with some pushing and shoving. The were some frightened women / kids in the Prague end though, which was a shame to see. The Prague fans were very good at bundling in when the stewards got hold of one and ushering him away through their ranks in the confusion. Quite effective to get their mates out of a spot of bother. Obviously used to it!

It does set the tone for the reception we can expect in Prague, a bit of a pain really. To some of these Eastern European ultra's, provocation is like a day job and they'll be chomping at the bit for a row. Then we all know what'll happen if there's any reaction from us ..... next day, all the headlines will be about english hooligans rioting ... again.

It'll all be good though, just need to keep our heads and look out for each other. It's SFC's European party time, no one's gonna spoil that !! ... the boys can do our butt kicking for us, on the pitch ... again.

A thread like this is going to help.

yep, I suppose you're right there ....... a bit of an oxymoron, my trying to point out to people not to get involved, got me involved

On the way down Brittania Road before the game we saw some massive old thug looking bloke, bald, tatooed on the shoulder, beer gut overhanging his shorts looking the worse for wear but still clutching a can of lager. It struck me that he could easily be an 'Inglander' in Mareseille or anywhere, every nation seems to have them.

 

After the match he was sat on the wall, probably asleep, but looking comatose with his mate watching over him. You have to question why anyone would travel across a continent to get into that state.

Saw him after the game too - being consoled like a teenager who'd just been dumped. He was wrecked! lol

Been said a few times but if they were English it would be a different story.

Can see what will happen over there now. They'll kick off, some Saints fans will get involved and it'll be all the English fans' fault.