LockdownLife
Vital Squad Member
Intrigued to see what crazy/funny/historic non-Gills experiences you've all had over the years.
Mine definitely has to be the El Clasico Paisa 2016, which is the Medellin Derby between Independiente Medellin and Athletico Nacional. Nacional are the must successful and most supported team in the country, think Man U, Medellin are the crap one like Man City before the money. I think you can guess which one I was supporting,
I managed to get hold of someone who had some tickets for sale but on the day he was already in the stadium complex that needed a ticket to get into when we got there. I thought our chances of going were scuppered but managed to use my limited Spanish to blag my way in to go meet him. The problem was I had to use my limited Spanish again to get back out, and then turn around give the other tickets to my friends and go back in. Definitely a lot of confusion among the security but making few jokes about me being a stupid gringo goes a long way!
We got inside the stadium (approx 45k) about 30 mins before kick off and were in the top tier in the home ultras end (much to the shock of my local friends). Only the posh seats on the sides had seating. The atmosphere was already pretty mental and not long after the riot police had to enter the stands to break up fights where fans had broken through the segregation. The fixture is incredibly highly charged to say the least. I think the preceding year or two was fan-free due to too much violence and some deaths. Only one set of fans is allowed to go to the stadium via public transport. There really is not much watching of the football going on it's just about making noise and coordinating all the endless tifos.
Medellin took the lead early in the first half which created a pretty intense celebration and a sketchy terracing surge. Being too young for the old Rainham End it's good to be part of. Very glad I wasn't at the front of the top tier though! Unfortunately the scum equalised and it finished 1-1.
At half time they pretty much empty the terracing to start preparing for the start of the second half. This includes getting new tifos ready and leaving various things to throw when you're allowed back in. Turns out the start of second half is when they put on their 'show'. Which is just incredible to witness and be part of. See the link below for a video I took.
https://streamable.com/2e60cq
I had a friend in the posh seats and he took this. We were below the sign near where the flag was being waved.
He also took this just after the video was taken. The tifos they were bringing in covered our view for a solid 5+ mins.
Prematch stadium shot:
After the game a huge fight kicked off outside. Thankfully we hadn't left the ground and watched unfold looking over the back of the stand. It didn't last too long as the riot police tear gased etc. and to be fair to the locals still in the stand they were very quick to reassure us everything as alright! I went to another 3/4 games since that one and the atmosphere is always good but never as mental as that day.
Experiences that are also up their for me:
Mine definitely has to be the El Clasico Paisa 2016, which is the Medellin Derby between Independiente Medellin and Athletico Nacional. Nacional are the must successful and most supported team in the country, think Man U, Medellin are the crap one like Man City before the money. I think you can guess which one I was supporting,
I managed to get hold of someone who had some tickets for sale but on the day he was already in the stadium complex that needed a ticket to get into when we got there. I thought our chances of going were scuppered but managed to use my limited Spanish to blag my way in to go meet him. The problem was I had to use my limited Spanish again to get back out, and then turn around give the other tickets to my friends and go back in. Definitely a lot of confusion among the security but making few jokes about me being a stupid gringo goes a long way!
We got inside the stadium (approx 45k) about 30 mins before kick off and were in the top tier in the home ultras end (much to the shock of my local friends). Only the posh seats on the sides had seating. The atmosphere was already pretty mental and not long after the riot police had to enter the stands to break up fights where fans had broken through the segregation. The fixture is incredibly highly charged to say the least. I think the preceding year or two was fan-free due to too much violence and some deaths. Only one set of fans is allowed to go to the stadium via public transport. There really is not much watching of the football going on it's just about making noise and coordinating all the endless tifos.
Medellin took the lead early in the first half which created a pretty intense celebration and a sketchy terracing surge. Being too young for the old Rainham End it's good to be part of. Very glad I wasn't at the front of the top tier though! Unfortunately the scum equalised and it finished 1-1.
At half time they pretty much empty the terracing to start preparing for the start of the second half. This includes getting new tifos ready and leaving various things to throw when you're allowed back in. Turns out the start of second half is when they put on their 'show'. Which is just incredible to witness and be part of. See the link below for a video I took.
https://streamable.com/2e60cq
I had a friend in the posh seats and he took this. We were below the sign near where the flag was being waved.
He also took this just after the video was taken. The tifos they were bringing in covered our view for a solid 5+ mins.
Prematch stadium shot:
After the game a huge fight kicked off outside. Thankfully we hadn't left the ground and watched unfold looking over the back of the stand. It didn't last too long as the riot police tear gased etc. and to be fair to the locals still in the stand they were very quick to reassure us everything as alright! I went to another 3/4 games since that one and the atmosphere is always good but never as mental as that day.
Experiences that are also up their for me:
- Galatasaray vs Fenebahce 2017. Was in Turkey for work and managed to delay my flight back so I could go to the game. It's a shame it wasn't the old 'hell' stadium as it's impossible to get a lot of the crazy stuff into the stadium now. It did just mean that the fans were setting off flares on the underground on the way to the stadium... Because of the roof it was by far the noisiest game I've ever been too. The whistling whenever Fener had the ball was deafening.
- Man United v Portsmouth 2008. A cracking away day (as a teen) in the FA Cup, the Pompey fans are very good. 'We' won with a late penalty that saw Rio Ferdinand go in goal. My Uncle was a ST holder so I also got to go to the semis at Wembley.
- Hanoi v ???? 2015. I was in Hanoi and thought I would go to a local game and it was quite frankly hilarious. The quality is terrible, unsurprisingly, but they're allowed 3/4 foreign players in each team and the general consensus is to get massive/rapid African players in those slots. They absolutely tear through the considerably smaller and slower local players. I believe the game finished 4-4.