Photos are here!!!
Say
Standard Liege
away 2nd
October.
The ESSCA party
(Land Division) left
my house in
Waterlooville at 4am
on the Thursday,
after just 3 hours
kip and a drive to
Dover for the ferry
to look forward to,
I was feeling tired
already...
However if you are
travelling to an
away match with a
bunch of Evertonians
there is no time to
be tired, be
prepared for loads
of jokes and Mickey
taking (it's the
law!).
I had picked up a 7
seater Ford Galaxy
from Southampton
Airport the night
before so we had a
decent motor to
travel in. This was
the first ESSCA trip
to Europe by car and
something to look
forward to!
The travel party
included my lad Sam
Harbour (aka hollow
legs – have you seen
him put food away?)
Disco Do (aka Grey
Dave – who also
arranged the car and
provided the music),
Pirate Pete (aka
Pompey Pete – the
Pirate bit seemed
more appropriate
travelling by Ferry
– and he’s also the
provider of 4* Hi
Viv jackets - more
later) and Carlos (aka
The Jackal – already
worrying if he’d get
back in to the
country being named
after an
International
terrorist).
We picked Paul Walsh
(aka Comedy Paul –
he’s got more joke
texts on his phone
than anyone else I
know) at the A3/M25
junction – Pauls
looking very chic in
his high Viz jacket
standing in the lay
by waiting for us.
It was now the law
to travel in France
and Belgium with Hi
Viz jackets
available in the car
in case of emergency
– when will this
daft rule become law
in the UK?
The ESSCA party (Air
Division) left
Southampton Airport
circa 7.20 am the
same morning – their
mission was to
rendezvous with the
Land Division in a
pincer movement at
City Centre Liege
later that day.
Reporting for this
mission was Steve (Robbo)
Robinson, Ian (still
aint seen the blues
win one this season)
Welch, Stef, and
Andy Lewis (no one
had high Viz
jackets).
On to Dover were we
picked up the 6.40am
ferry – in the bar
by 6.50 having the
first pint of the
day! The sea journey
wasn’t too bad –
which was a plus for
Sam as earlier this
year he was very ill
on a Dover ferry and
he wasn’t looking
forward too much to
this part of the
journey.
At Calais, we
started the second
leg of our journey –
the roads in
Northern Europe were
an eye opener, so
much quieter and
straighter than our
motorways.
An added advantage
for the drive was
our driver for this
leg Paul, he’s a
lorry driver by
trade and used to
travelling through
Europe, brought his
Sat Nav with him –
which proved
invaluable.
We made Liege in
good time passing a
fair few Everton
coaches on the
motorways – and made
our hotel just
outside Liege by 1pm
(local time). Our
rooms weren’t ready
for us so after
leaving our bags at
reception – we made
our way into town to
enjoy the rest of
the day and have a
beer – or 2.
All I can say about
Belgium beer is
don’t be put off by
the smaller glasses
– the beer has a
terrific punch and
comes in 100s of
different varieties
– I think we tried
most of them!
Liege was full of
1000s of blues –
every city centre
pub was full inside
and out with
Evertonians –
luckily most of them
in good friendly
spirits (it was only
after I learnt that
there were a few
ready to act daft
and spoil it for
others).
We met up with the
other ESSCA who like
ourselves had no
problems in getting
to Liege and
generally had a good
time enjoying
ourselves for the
rest of the
afternoon making the
most of the party
like atmosphere in
town.
The bus drive to the
ground from the
centre was very
eventful, we packed
into a bus crammed
with blues – singing
the whole way – one
blue spent most of
the time banging his
head on the ceiling
and then sticking
his head out of the
open window on the
top of the bus
shouting at
passersby! (well the
beer was strong!)
The traffic was so
bad we jumped off
the bus and walked
the last half mile
to the ground –
which was down the
end of what can only
be described as a
long Coronation
Street type terrace!
Testimony to the
fact that Liege is a
working class city
and still home to
the Belgium steel
industry (one such
factory was just
behind the ground).
We had another quick
drink in one of the
many small supporter
club bars down this
road it had about 5
Liege and 30
Evertonians in it! –
we were everywhere.
The ground from the
outside was very non
descript, like a
cross between a very
large B&Q Depot and
a warehouse. (see
photo below)
The match itself
it’s been covered by
loads of other
outlets so won’t go
into it too much –
however I can say
the lower away fans
enclosure were we
stood was sh**e.
The support the
Liege fans created
was very loud – it
fact it was so loud
I had the suspicion
it was “artificially
improved” (boosted
by loudspeakers??).
Does anyone remember
Derby County away at
the old Baseball
ground in the 70s
when they did this??
All I can say about
the result was what
a disappointment –
out of Europe, beat
in the League Cup
and turned over by
the RS in a little
over a week – ah the
joys of being an
Evertonian!
But do you know
what? I wouldn’t
change it for the
world! Once a blue
etc....
Did anyone see the
ESSCA flag at the
front of the Everton
section on the
telly?
After the match we
made our way back
into town waiting
nearly an hour to
get a special bus,
Liege centre was
again full of
Evertonians, we had
a few more beers in
a couple of bars –
but decided to make
it back to our hotel
around mid night
after hearing the
police sirens in the
not too far distance
and the stories of
chairs been thrown
through windows
after clashes
between Evertonians
and Moroccans/Liege
fans.
Next day a reverse
of the first – only
thing of note was
we stopped in a
small village on the
Belgium/French
border, this town
should have been
called Tobacco town
– there must have
been 30 shops
totally devoted to
selling Ciggies (and
booze) and rather
bizarrely one shop
also sold very big
boxes of Persil!
Typically the French
fishermen were on
strike blockading
the port and delayed
our departure from
Calais by 2 hours.
But all in all a
terrific 2 days away
with a great bunch
of lads shame about
the footy (again)!
Here’s to next year
and the next leg of
ESSCA away in
Europe.
COYB
Photos are here!!!
s it all
