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Sydney_Iron 10:05 Sat Mar 16
Big Ange sticking up for overseas fans

He maybe Spurs but he has a point.


https://www.espn.com.au/football/story/_/id/39738217/tottenham-postecoglou-blaming-tourists-ticket-price-rise-harsh

Asked whether Premier League clubs are prioritising attracting "tourists" or "plastic fans" who are willing to pay the most to attend a game, the Australian coach told a news conference: "See that's really harsh.

"I'll tell you why: Because I'm probably plastic and tourist because I was coming from the other side of the world really passionate about football and if I could get access to see a Premier League game, that was the world to me.

"So, to label people plastic or tourist, I don't think that's fair just because people live on the other side of the world. This football club has supporters all over the world, has supporters all over the UK that don't always get access to the games of people who live here.

Chairman Alf 2:23 Sun Mar 17
Re: Big Ange sticking up for overseas fans

Back in the late 90’s, early 00’s, I used to visit Florida quite regularly and would pop in to watch Tampa Bay Mutiny. This was during the days of Carlos Valderrama playing for them.

Their gates were smaller than those of Dagenham and Redbridge and the standard was even lower. The fans consisted mainly of Hispanics and tourists, like me. I remember thinking at the time that English football could end up like this, when football has become too Americanised and had eaten itself.

One visual plus was the huge galleon at one end of the stadium, as they shared it with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

southbankbornnbred 11:14 Sun Mar 17
Re: Big Ange sticking up for overseas fans

Yes, we must get behind the wealthy soccerball fans who fly around the world at the drop of a hat, drive up ticket prices for all fans in the UK, load themselves up with plastic merchandise and talk ceaseless bollocks throughout games while loudly explaining to their fat, privileged children why two of the men are allowed to pick up the ball.

For my sins, I was at Chelsea v Newcastle last week (with a Geordie mate, and it was work-related). With the exception of the barcodes, the stadium was absolutely full of these types - paying £300 per ticket or £3,500 for season tickets while sipping chenin blanc and barely paying attention to anything happening on the pitch.

It was my idea of hell.

Chelsea, a once-proud club (much as we hated them), is the living and breathing example of what many Premier League clubs will become unless more is done to make the game more affordable for normal fans. It was worse than being at Twickenham with the chinos-and-red-socks wearing rugby twonks.

Haz 10:07 Sun Mar 17
Re: Big Ange sticking up for overseas fans

Best match that I went to as a tourist, was going to see Cracovia, in Krakow. There was a full on fight with the local riot police, tear gas, flares etc. The sausage sandwich at half time was also memorable! Oh, and Cracovia won 2-0,

Later on this year, when I'm visiting D.C. I've got tickets for the Nationals v NY Yankees for the baseball. Looking forward to that, although I'm not expecting the riots that I got in Krakow.

Matthew Holmes 2:59 Sun Mar 17
Re: Big Ange sticking up for overseas fans

Best tourist game was series c1 playoff, me and a mate got invited out there for the week by out Italian MATE. About 1998 or.9. In Preugia.

Livorno (about 15000fans)
Lost to Cremonese (brought about 300)
1 0
Gutted we were.

Train went though Pisa the hated rivals. Police out at the station to stop trouble rocks getting chucked at the train and back at random windows.
Bunch of lunatics broke the gates open to the stadium and we all bombed.in.
Police teargassed the stands and made us wait a good hour after final whistle.
It was a mental day, baking hot, warm beer out-of plastic cola bottles as no beer bottles allowed in the game
Oh and first ever meal in Italy was a 5.00am McDonald's after sleeping in firenze station as we missed last train.
Good times

Leonard Hatred 5:59 Sat Mar 16
Re: Big Ange sticking up for overseas fans

Mex

Rol Trader is a regular in there but wasn't around that night for some reason.

Me and my monkey is/was involved ax well.

Mex Martillo 5:47 Sat Mar 16
Re: Big Ange sticking up for overseas fans

Thanks Joe, I'll try that.

WHU(Exeter) 5:36 Sat Mar 16
Re: Big Ange sticking up for overseas fans

My favourite game being a tourist was Fiorentina vs Roma in 1980, Antognoni scored two pearlers from free kicks. Non stop fighting behind one of the goals for half an hour or more.

Also Beyoğlu Yeni Carsi vs the Mighty ZONGULDAKSPOR in the away end. My girlfriend didn’t enjoy that one quite so much, in a cage, sat next to their drummer and no ladies toilets.

bruuuno 5:06 Sat Mar 16
Re: Big Ange sticking up for overseas fans

I think it’s great that foreigners get to experience West Ham, and no doubt many go on to follow us as a result. The more hammers the better in my eyes don’t matter where they’re from.

That said it definitely dilutes the experience for the regular supporter. It is what it is though, may as well appreciate the positives factors cos it ain’t gonna change

Leonard Hatred 4:50 Sat Mar 16
Re: Big Ange sticking up for overseas fans

My best football tourism experience was Boca Juniors v Colon (snigger) at the Bombanera.

Amazing stadium.

But weird having no away fans though.

Panathanaikos vas quite lively as well.

RBshorty 3:57 Sat Mar 16
Re: Big Ange sticking up for overseas fans

Old Man yell’s. “GET OFF MY LAWN.!”

Swiss. 3:48 Sat Mar 16
Re: Big Ange sticking up for overseas fans

If I was a plastic I had great memories of 2 instances. Firstly when I was living and working in Lyon 2000-2001. Loved watching them in in the CL at their old Stadium De Gerland. Great atmosphere. I still regard them asa my 3rd team.


Secondly when I was living in Stockholm 2004-2007 right next to Stadion the home of Djurgårdens FC. Summer evening football was great there. Their fans had a hard core reputation even if the ground was in the richest part of Sweden. Will always be my 2nd team.

J.Riddle 3:24 Sat Mar 16
Re: Big Ange sticking up for overseas fans

Flaminco v Sao Paulo and Brazil v someone? at the Maracana was the only time, tbh I was dragged along by others who would one day post it on a football forum, had no interest and didn't really enjoy it. I don't watch any football other than us, only if England gets into knockout stages of WC or Euros.

arsene york-hunt 3:17 Sat Mar 16
Re: Big Ange sticking up for overseas fans

Nothing wrong with being a tourist and going to a game. Done it myself in various countries. What is wrong are all these cunts who say they are Liverpool, or Man Utd fans that have never been near the place. Plastic is not nearly offensive enough a word for these scum.

joe royal 2:47 Sat Mar 16
Re: Big Ange sticking up for overseas fans

https://michaelcollinspubs.com/

joe royal 2:45 Sat Mar 16
Re: Big Ange sticking up for overseas fans

Mex, the pub is called Michael Collins, it’s spitting distance from the big spiky cathedral thing..

nychammer 2:42 Sat Mar 16
Re: Big Ange sticking up for overseas fans

English football over here now becoming very popular and our PL games are accessible on cable at no or very low cost.

With Foreign travel much more frequent than in the 70s / 80s I hear of a lot of people are going to the UK and taking in games while they are there.

Mex Martillo 2:39 Sat Mar 16
Re: Big Ange sticking up for overseas fans

Leonard Hatred 12:45 Sat Mar 16, what pub is that for the Barcelona Hammers? I've watched a few West Ham games in Barcelona and would like to try to meet up with them.

Very true Nerd, I travel quite a bit and if there is a game on I go along. Weirdest game I've seen was Gothenburg v Singapore, Gothenburg lost and a lot of Singaporeans misstook me as a Gothemburg supporter and wanted to chat about the game. Vasco de Gama was the best, crowd and atmosphere reminded me of watching West Ham in the 70s-80s. Really enjoyed that.

violator 2:14 Sat Mar 16
Re: Big Ange sticking up for overseas fans

Football Weekends is a cracking magazine

El Scorchio 2:02 Sat Mar 16
Re: Big Ange sticking up for overseas fans

I will often seek out if there’s a game on anywhere convenient when I go on holiday - not necessarily football- which I suspect a lot of us do. Which I guess makes a lot of us day trippers.

I actually very rarely or even ever see day trippers in the area in which I am- always the same people week in week out.

brundal 1:40 Sat Mar 16
Re: Big Ange sticking up for overseas fans

In the BML against Burnley there were a large number of tourists even one wearing flip flops, at the old ground the BML was always the hard core of our fan base doesn’t seem like that now.

WHU(Exeter) 1:26 Sat Mar 16
Re: Big Ange sticking up for overseas fans

I go to a couple games with my girlfriend when we stay in Istanbul.

Third division and below games, as to watch games in the top 2 tiers, you need a Pasolig membership thing, which I can’t be bothered with.

Friend of ours over there has a son who plays for one of the Beşiktaş 17-18 teams. Went along with him to watch them play last Saturday. Only about 70 people watching, but they had flares going off throughout the game and firecrackers scaring the shit out of the linesman. Opposition player got sent off, their management went so mental that the officials refused to leave the pitch and 3 police cars turned up. All for a youth game…

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