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City in Europe , 27 years ago.


1960maaan

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Yes it was only the Anglo Italian cup, but I'll take it. I saw City in Europe.
One of my favourite trips ever, and one with a touch of luck. Spoke to the club , Beryl I think , to find the name of the hotel the supporters club were using. My theory was they would be sensible enough to stay close the centre, apparently not, as I remember it they had to get taxis into Pisa and run the risk of being ripped off, which a few were. Some how I got a hotel five minutes from that dodgy tower, which itself was just around the corner from the ground. I remember the beer ran out on the flight over, well before the trolly got to us, and that when we landed the local Police ( Carabinieri ?), all armed , we're asking for something which as none of us ( I think there were 150 on the flight maybe) spoke Italian we didn't understand , until a lady said they wanted our Passports. As I said , armed so they took them all. Little confusing, but we got them back ok obviously.
Met a few lads on the evening and had a wander, only heard rumours of being shot at later, air rifles, apparently not everyone enjoyed our company. We were going to go to Florence and do all sorts of sightseeing things, and ended up doing nothing but wander, drink and go to the game. We did nip to the ground the day before, and security being lax we wandered round and had photos taken on the pitch with their plastic mascot. Don't remember too much of the game, only another Reffing decision cost us. The English ref decided Matt Bryant tackle was a pass back and they scored from the free kick. All in all a good trip, which we can look forward to in a couple of years time, according to LJ's timetable ?

 

Anyone else have any photos of the trip, I'd love to see them.

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Blimey, was it that long ago? Must be as I'm in one of your photos - with HAIR!

The supporters club may have been out of town but the players were in Pisa's finest next to the tower, as that's where I stayed. Denis Smith and the players were first class throughout and the day before the match he got us into the stadium and also handed free tickets to those who hadn't already sourced them.

There was a 'cigarette strike' on and some fans attempted to sell duty free fags on the black market, not always with successful consequence.

First time I'd ever seen City emerge from UNDER the pitch, old fella next to me in tears at half time as his son explained in all his years watching Pisa he's never witnessed such open and expansive football. Also recall on the end not shown in the photos a huge (and I mean HUGE) flag that had been laid out on the terrace.

There were a few Italian thugs looking for trouble afterwards and the Carabinnieri helpfully forced us INTO a bar outside the ground, protected the front and told us to enjoy ourselves for a few hours until the fuss died down.

Great memories.

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29 minutes ago, BTRFTG said:

Blimey, was it that long ago? Must be as I'm in one of your photos - with HAIR!

The supporters club may have been out of town but the players were in Pisa's finest next to the tower, as that's where I stayed. Denis Smith and the players were first class throughout and the day before the match he got us into the stadium and also handed free tickets to those who hadn't already sourced them.

There was a 'cigarette strike' on and some fans attempted to sell duty free fags on the black market, not always with successful consequence.

First time I'd ever seen City emerge from UNDER the pitch, old fella next to me in tears at half time as his son explained in all his years watching Pisa he's never witnessed such open and expansive football. Also recall on the end not shown in the photos a huge (and I mean HUGE) flag that had been laid out on the terrace.

There were a few Italian thugs looking for trouble afterwards and the Carabinnieri helpfully forced us INTO a bar outside the ground, protected the front and told us to enjoy ourselves for a few hours until the fuss died down.

Great memories.

I remember the cigarette ban, a couple of mates sent some back over when we got back.
I was too slow to get a photo of the flag, just that one where it is half put away :whistle:

Agree , great memories.

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Brilliant pics. 
I was there. May well have been on the same flight as you - Monday morning from Gatwick on Monarch. 
Had 3 nights over there and it was pure brilliance. 
You’re right about the police at the airport arrivals. Me and my mate were the only 2 who had our bags intensely searched (in fairness, my mate had long hair and I had a ridiculous ‘front-ponytail’ so we looked like a pair of druggies!)

We hadn’t booked anywhere so just got the bus to the town centre and a few of us walked up a main street and gradually booked into places. Me and my mate were the last 2 and we ended up at the top of the street thinking we wouldn’t get anything. Then, a hotel directly opposite the Leaning Tower, was available for £10 a night. Absolute bargain.  Was a total s-hole but we had no complaints with that. 
 

Met up with some guys from Thornbury on the evening and we had a mint night. Fortunately we’d bought loads of duty free Marlboro’s on the flight, and we had a good deal of success in buying beers using the fags as currency. I also managed to buy a Pisa replica shirt from a stall near the ground for the princely sum of 4 packets of fags. 
Spent a few hours in one bar with a German professor from the local uni, and he had a big box of Cuban cigars, which we helped him enjoy. And he entertained us with loads of stories.  
 

As the fags were going down so well as currency, my mate went back to the hotel to grab a few more packs. He returned 10 minutes later, out of breath and somewhat startled. “They’re shooting at me”, he exclaimed!! 
He’d encountered a group of locals up near a square on the way back to the hotel and they’d recognised him as a City fan and started firing at him. We weren’t sure what they were using but we assumed it was an air rifle. 
 

Anyway, we were on our guard walking home that night but all was ok. But then, on the Wednesday morning, the day of the game, we came out of the hotel at about 10:30am, a car drove past us, we heard a loud bang, and the window behind us went through!! They were doing a bloody drive-by on us!!! We then saw the Thornbury lads come round the corner and they said they’d just been targeted as welll! “Stick together today lads” was the shout. 
 

We were walking near the Tower at lunchtime and got chatting to an Italian lad. He had a Genoa scarf on and I asked him what he was doing here. Turns out he was at uni and we got chatting, went to a bar, and he ended up staying with us all afternoon and skipping his lessons! He gave me a pin-badge. ‘Pisa Sconvolts’ it said. Pisa Skinheads. He knew the local gang, gave me their badge and said it was probably them who were doing the shooting - “they know the English hooligans are here” he said! 
 

On the way to the ground for the match, we’d met up with quite a few City. A good group - some ‘proper’ lads from the past. We made our way to the ground and there was a group of locals hanging around on the side of the street ahead. It looked like “their lads” and so we decided to steam into them. Turned out there were a few undercover old bill there, as batons came out and a few city got pinched. 

There were 2 separate groups of City - as you can see from the pics above. The ‘official’ supporters club party were up in the top tier of the main stand (pic 11 above). We were with a group who had bought tickets the day before, and were in the corner behind one of the goals (in pics 16&22 above). 
I got into the ground, sat down, went to light a fag, and Little Ronnie suddenly appeared and sat next to me. “Got a fag” he asked. I turned and saw he’d had a bit of a shoeing, so I handed him the fag I was about to light. “What happened to you” I asked. Ronnie told me that he was one of those that had been nicked outside in the fight. He said it was old bill and they took him below the stadium to the cells, gave him a hiding, and then let him in. He was delighted, as he hadn’t bought a ticket so had got in for free, ha ha. 
 

The game ended in a 4-3 defeat. At full time the Pisa fans all came round toward our end and we thought “ok, here we go”. Turns out they just came down to applaud us. 
After the game we made our way to a bar. Now, in Italy, as in much of Europe, you order your drinks and then pay on your way out. Well, we all got some drinks. About 10 mins later the police turned up and told us we all had to leave the bar now. So everyone drank up and left, under police instruction, and so no-one had paid for their drink. 
Some bright spark cottoned onto this and promptly led us to the next bar, ordered a load of bottles and then 10 mins later the police came in again and told us to move on. The memory is hazy nowadays but I’m certain we did this in 3 bars and so didn’t pay for a drink in any of them. The police just kept on moving us on, and in the end me and my mate were told we had to go back to the hotel and they said they’d take us. I was very hesitant at getting in the police car, after what Ronnie had told me, I thought they were gonna arrest us and give us a beating. Was all ok though and they gave us a lift back to the hotel. To this day I don’t know why they did this - I can only assume the locals with the guns were hanging around so it was for our own protection. 
Next morning we heard that a city fan had been shot in a park. I have never since heard this as being confirmed so it may have just been a rumour. We walked around the town and bumped into the players who were also having a guided tour. Had a chat with a few of them. Then headed back to a bar with the Thornbury lads and had another quality evening before the flight home. 
 

Pisa away. An absolutely superb trip. 

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13 minutes ago, Harry said:

Brilliant pics. 
I was there. May well have been on the same flight as you - Monday morning from Gatwick on Monarch. 
Had 3 nights over there and it was pure brilliance. 
You’re right about the police at the airport arrivals. Me and my mate were the only 2 who had our bags intensely searched (in fairness, my mate had long hair and I had a ridiculous ‘front-ponytail’ so we looked like a pair of druggies!)

We hadn’t booked anywhere so just got the bus to the town centre and a few of us walked up a main street and gradually booked into places. Me and my mate were the last 2 and we ended up at the top of the street thinking we wouldn’t get anything. Then, a hotel directly opposite the Leaning Tower, was available for £10 a night. Absolute bargain.  Was a total s-hole but we had no complaints with that. 
 

Met up with some guys from Thornbury on the evening and we had a mint night. Fortunately we’d bought loads of duty free Marlboro’s on the flight, and we had a good deal of success in buying beers using the fags as currency. I also managed to buy a Pisa replica shirt from a stall near the ground for the princely sum of 4 packets of fags. 
Spent a few hours in one bar with a German professor from the local uni, and he had a big box of Cuban cigars, which we helped him enjoy. And he entertained us with loads of stories.  
 

As the fags were going down so well as currency, my mate went back to the hotel to grab a few more packs. He returned 10 minutes later, out of breath and somewhat startled. “They’re shooting at me”, he exclaimed!! 
He’d encountered a group of locals up near a square on the way back to the hotel and they’d recognised him as a City fan and started firing at him. We weren’t sure what they were using but we assumed it was an air rifle. 
 

Anyway, we were on our guard walking home that night but all was ok. But then, on the Wednesday morning, the day of the game, we came out of the hotel at about 10:30am, a car drove past us, we heard a loud bang, and the window behind us went through!! They were doing a bloody drive-by on us!!! We then saw the Thornbury lads come round the corner and they said they’d just been targeted as welll! “Stick together today lads” was the shout. 
 

We were walking near the Tower at lunchtime and got chatting to an Italian lad. He had a Genoa scarf on and I asked him what he was doing here. Turns out he was at uni and we got chatting, went to a bar, and he ended up staying with us all afternoon and skipping his lessons! He gave me a pin-badge. ‘Pisa Sconvolts’ it said. Pisa Skinheads. He knew the local gang, gave me their badge and said it was probably them who were doing the shooting - “they know the English hooligans are here” he said! 
 

On the way to the ground for the match, we’d met up with quite a few City. A good group - some ‘proper’ lads from the past. We made our way to the ground and there was a group of locals hanging around on the side of the street ahead. It looked like “their lads” and so we decided to steam into them. Turned out there were a few undercover old bill there, as batons came out and a few city got pinched. 

There were 2 separate groups of City - as you can see from the pics above. The ‘official’ supporters club party were up in the top tier of the main stand (pic 11 above). We were with a group who had bought tickets the day before, and were in the corner behind one of the goals (in pics 16&22 above). 
I got into the ground, sat down, went to light a fag, and Little Ronnie suddenly appeared and sat next to me. “Got a fag” he asked. I turned and saw he’d had a bit of a shoeing, so I handed him the fag I was about to light. “What happened to you” I asked. Ronnie told me that he was one of those that had been nicked outside in the fight. He said it was old bill and they took him below the stadium to the cells, gave him a hiding, and then let him in. He was delighted, as he hadn’t bought a ticket so had got in for free, ha ha. 
 

The game ended in a 4-3 defeat. At full time the Pisa fans all came round toward our end and we thought “ok, here we go”. Turns out they just came down to applaud us. 
After the game we made our way to a bar. Now, in Italy, as in much of Europe, you order your drinks and then pay on your way out. Well, we all got some drinks. About 10 mins later the police turned up and told us we all had to leave the bar now. So everyone drank up and left, under police instruction, and so no-one had paid for their drink. 
Some bright spark cottoned onto this and promptly led us to the next bar, ordered a load of bottles and then 10 mins later the police came in again and told us to move on. The memory is hazy nowadays but I’m certain we did this in 3 bars and so didn’t pay for a drink in any of them. The police just kept on moving us on, and in the end me and my mate were told we had to go back to the hotel and they said they’d take us. I was very hesitant at getting in the police car, after what Ronnie had told me, I thought they were gonna arrest us and give us a beating. Was all ok though and they gave us a lift back to the hotel. To this day I don’t know why they did this - I can only assume the locals with the guns were hanging around so it was for our own protection. 
Next morning we heard that a city fan had been shot in a park. I have never since heard this as being confirmed so it may have just been a rumour. We walked around the town and bumped into the players who were also having a guided tour. Had a chat with a few of them. Then headed back to a bar with the Thornbury lads and had another quality evening before the flight home. 
 

Pisa away. An absolutely superb trip. 

Brilliant read mate and priceless memories 

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1 hour ago, Harry said:

I was there. May well have been on the same flight as you - Monday morning from Gatwick on Monarch.

Sounds like the same flight mate, we got a lift up to Gatwick the night before and stayed over. Brilliant few days.

1 hour ago, Rossi the Robin said:

Is that Phil Tottle? 

Yep, the one and only.

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1 hour ago, Harry said:

There were 2 separate groups of City - as you can see from the pics above. The ‘official’ supporters club party were up in the top tier of the main stand (pic 11 above). We were with a group who had bought tickets the day before, and were in the corner behind one of the goals (in pics 16&22 above). 

We got tickets when we did the unofficial tour of the ground, thought it was just us in the stand until we saw you lot coming out on the terracing.

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Pisa-113.jpgWell, well, that's me just above the M. I was taking photos working as a a freelance.I still have the pictures as slides . Must try and get them digitized.Traveled up on the players coach to the airport, with my cousin. Remember going around the bars with a load of City fans. On the day i seem to remember one of our female fans had her foot run over by a car. The day after, as in one of the other pictures meet up with the players by the tower. Flew back with them, most of them came back to have a chat with us on the plane. Remember Jackie and Andy Cole. Yes a great trip, thanks for all the memorys.

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This match is probably the reason City avoided playing foreign friendlies close to England. Went on a coach full of characters who returned with more money and better clothes than they left with. There was one incident leading to City fan from the coach being held hostage. He wasn't shot but money had to be exchanged to get him back. People had upset the types you shouldn't. Different times. Different life. 

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18 minutes ago, Three Lions said:

This match is probably the reason City avoided playing foreign friendlies close to England. Went on a coach full of characters who returned with more money and better clothes than they left with. There was one incident leading to City fan from the coach being held hostage. He wasn't shot but money had to be exchanged to get him back. People had upset the types you shouldn't. Different times. Different life. 

Sounds like a book could be written about this trip !!

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Not clear from the photo taken looking at the stand but I remember freezing in a home Thorn Security shirt stood at the front. For some reason thought it would be warm but how wrong I was!!  Was with Dave Fudge and roomed with a Welsh chap called Eddie. 

City paid for the girl who broke her leg to fly home with the team. Better than sitting on a coach for 22 hours!

Great trip though.

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8 hours ago, 1960maaan said:

Yes it was only the Anglo Italian cup, but I'll take it. I saw City in Europe.
One of my favourite trips ever, and one with a touch of luck. Spoke to the club , Beryl I think , to find the name of the hotel the supporters club were using. My theory was they would be sensible enough to stay close the centre, apparently not, as I remember it they had to get taxis into Pisa and run the risk of being ripped off, which a few were. Some how I got a hotel five minutes from that dodgy tower, which itself was just around the corner from the ground. I remember the beer ran out on the flight over, well before the trolly got to us, and that when we landed the local Police ( Carabinieri ?), all armed , we're asking for something which as none of us ( I think there were 150 on the flight maybe) spoke Italian we didn't understand , until a lady said they wanted our Passports. As I said , armed so they took them all. Little confusing, but we got them back ok obviously.
Met a few lads on the evening and had a wander, only heard rumours of being shot at later, air rifles, apparently not everyone enjoyed our company. We were going to go to Florence and do all sorts of sightseeing things, and ended up doing nothing but wander, drink and go to the game. We did nip to the ground the day before, and security being lax we wandered round and had photos taken on the pitch with their plastic mascot. Don't remember too much of the game, only another Reffing decision cost us. The English ref decided Matt Bryant tackle was a pass back and they scored from the free kick. All in all a good trip, which we can look forward to in a couple of years time, according to LJ's timetable ?

 

Anyone else have any photos of the trip, I'd love to see them.

Pisa-101.jpg

Pisa-109.jpg

Pisa-110.jpg

Pisa-113.jpg

Pisa-114.jpg

Pisa-115.jpg

Pisa-117.jpg

Pisa-118.jpg

Pisa-120.jpg

Pisa-121.jpg

scan102.jpg

scan106.jpg

scan108.jpg

scan126.jpg

scan127.jpg

scan128.jpg

scan129.jpg

scan131.jpg

scan132.jpg

scan139.jpg

scan140.jpg

scan141.jpg

scan150.jpg

Thanks for posting, love stuff like this.

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1 hour ago, 1960maaan said:

We got tickets when we did the unofficial tour of the ground, thought it was just us in the stand until we saw you lot coming out on the terracing.

Yeah, I was quite surprised how there were 2 groups of us. I couldn’t work out why they didn’t put us all together? 
Anyway, I referenced the chap who gave me the Pisa Sconvolts badge in my earlier post (Pisa Skinheads). I’ve just taken a closer look a your pics and I notice there’s a Sconvolts flag behind the goal. 
That’s the b’stards who were shooting at us ?

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45 minutes ago, Three Lions said:

This match is probably the reason City avoided playing foreign friendlies close to England. Went on a coach full of characters who returned with more money and better clothes than they left with. There was one incident leading to City fan from the coach being held hostage. He wasn't shot but money had to be exchanged to get him back. People had upset the types you shouldn't. Different times. Different life. 

I certainly witnessed a bit of ‘jibbing’ as they used to say. 
I wasn’t in your group but certain I must’ve met up with you all - on the Tuesday evening I think was, me and my mate were walking near a bridge, saw a few city lads and went over to join them. Then noticed when we got closer that they were in the process of robbing the shop they were all coming out from and legging it across the bridge. ??

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1 hour ago, RedReynard said:

Not clear from the photo taken looking at the stand but I remember freezing in a home Thorn Security shirt stood at the front. For some reason thought it would be warm but how wrong I was!!  Was with Dave Fudge and roomed with a Welsh chap called Eddie. 

City paid for the girl who broke her leg to fly home with the team. Better than sitting on a coach for 22 hours!

Great trip though.

Looks like a couple on here, could be you. Not the sharpest of photos though.

 

 

Screenshot 2019-11-24 at 20.32.41.png

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Jibbing was travelling for free or close to it harry. paying a fare to Bath and travelling to London. One ticket or two between five six seven. changing compartments to confuse the Hector (ticket collector). getting on in big groups at minor stations and instantly filling the sprinters so the Hectors just went we are not checking that lot. it was low level criminality. victimless crime. come lads got to Sweden 92 for free and one amateur James Bond got into France nil and didnt even have a passport!!! to be honest it didn't feel wrong it was just a game seeing how far you could push it.   Grafting was a different thing. but as stated different lives and times!!  

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Here's some notes I made at the time.

The Anglo Italian Cup was resurrected in the 92-93 season and City won 1-0 at home to Watford in front of less than 4,000. Watford would now host Luton and City would then visit Luton at the end of the month. City drew 1-1 at Luton and progressed to the next stage where they would play two Italian clubs at home and another pair away. The first three of these games were defeats and the fourth was drawn. This was at Cremenese on a wet, windswept midweek afternoon. Despite a contingent going from Bristol, the attendance was a mere 535 spectators! Cremenese went on to win the competition and brought over 1,000 fans to England for the final.

The season before,  League Division 2 (as The Championship was then known) played against their Italian counter parts. For that game, Steve Bull of Wolves had had partnered City's Dziekanowski in attack. Three days later City were home to Wolves and Jacki came on as a substitute and scored two late goals winning the game for City.

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5 hours ago, Three Lions said:

Jibbing was travelling for free or close to it harry

One abiding memory was emerging from the stadium to see the late, great 'BRD' (British Rail Dave) rushing off toward the station.

"What's the rush BRD - not coming for a beer?"

"Got 15 minutes to make a freight train headed for Ventimiglia as I'm on the overnight to Barcelona and can just make the 5am out of Nimes for Paris connectin...…."

The fella went everywhere (and I mean everywhere) for now't courtesy of his British Rail Workers pass. Anywhere up North and no train back, why pay for an hotel when you've a seat all night shuttling between Wolverhampton & Holyhead on the 'ferry' service? 

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