Paul was attacked in Turin and was walking but in a pretty bad for a while afterwards. A few of us got together with donations to get him a new flag. Highlights the good and bad of football fans.
Went to Italy v England in '98 in Rome.
Will never go to Italy for football again. The place is a hell hole when there is a game on. No away fan is safe. Locals on mopeds slashing peoples arses as they rode past.
The police were nearly as bad as the fans, with indiscriminate batterings dished out to anyone wearing an England shirt. A middle aged guy stood in front of me in the queue got his wrist broken by a baton strike with zero justification.
Yes there were England nobheads, but as usual they were in the minority.
When England fans go on the rampage they are animals and action is taken. When Italians or Turks do it, they are just being high spirited.
Went to Italy v England in '98 in Rome.
Will never go to Italy for football again. The place is a hell hole when there is a game on. No away fan is safe. Locals on mopeds slashing peoples arses as they rode past.
The police were nearly as bad as the fans, with indiscriminate batterings dished out to anyone wearing an England shirt. A middle aged guy stood in front of me in the queue got his wrist broken by a baton strike with zero justification.
Yes there were England nobheads, but as usual they were in the minority.
When England fans go on the rampage they are animals and action is taken. When Italians or Turks do it, they are just being high spirited.
I've experienced similar things when I used to travel abroad following England (Gave my ticket up for that Rome 98 game owing to work commitments) The one thing I won't miss is rubbing shoulders with some of my 'fellow countrymen', of the ilk you briefly mentioned. It's a strange irony, after what I've just said but when you're on the receiving end of shit treatment from either police or locals, you feel like lashing out and going on the rampage yourself.