A wall of aggression. A barrier of taxpayers’ money. One single channel holding 2,000 fans in complete anarchy. Glassware continued to rain down indiscriminately. A middle-aged woman behind me shook with fear. Two men burst through the crowd, one supporting the other, blood rolling down his face. It wasn’t a fight because it wasn’t fair. Our travelling support suffered greatly; it was more than humiliation Continue reading
You take your son down the Gunners. You wrap him up in 4 layers and the same red and yellow scarf you wore as a boy to protect him from the -10 degrees. Boris at the kiosk hands over the sunflower seeds, yesterday’s newspaper to sit on and vodka to suppress the bitter cold. Teenage gopniks catch your eye opposite the underpass, grimy faces squatting by a burnt out car. They spit in your direction, your hand tightens around your son’s.
This is Arsenal, but not as you know it Continue reading
One of the hardest bunch of thugs we’ve come across. Check out our post ‘A Balkan Adventure‘ for the full story of our trip to Bulgaria to see CSKA Sofia play in the Balgarska Armia Stadium.
Eastern European Football fans are very much feared in the West, something I’m certain they take great pride in. And few come scarier or harder than the Poles. We picked a game, took out some Złoty, called up fellow blogger Between Distances and hopped the border to watch Pogon Szczecin take on Ruch Chorzów to see just how scary they get.
Right now in 2016, Polish fans have an awful reputation abroad. Be it the story of player Dominik Koszowski Continue reading
Pogon Szczecin vs Ruch Chorzów. We travelled down with fellow blogger Between Distances to the Stadion Miejski im. Floriana Krygiera for the match and were not disappointed. Epic choreo, epic people, epic prices, epic day.
A more detailed post to follow.
Chemie Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt fans celebrating their friendship. This is quite a cool piece by the two sets of fans, amazing choreos!
SUMMARY: a Capo ensures in-game fan organisation to optimise how impressive the support sounds and looks, as all fans have clear instructions what to sing and do. But having a single person leading all chants and songs sacrifices the wit and humour often associated with terrace life, something that has characterised English Football support for generations.
From Boothferry To Germany is a blog that explores and celebrates Football culture Continue reading
It was a group of Hertha-mad friends that steered me toward the Blau-Weiße Alte Dame, and an Away Day was something of an eventuality. Down the pub you’re always chatting about terrace life, and these boys had criticism for the atmosphere at English stadia, or rather, lack of it. Naturally that was something I disputed quickly. But the story of my second Hertha BSC Away Day made me understand just what exactly they were talking about. This is that story. Continue reading
From Boothferry To Germany 