Some fantastic stories here, particularly from @LX1 !
My most random match was going to Malta v Germany at the Ta' Qali stadium in 1998 a few years before its renovation. Minibus trips there had been advertised at the hotels near where my family was staying which were mainly Germans, though the bus we were on was full of Sheffield Wednesday fans randomly.
Our tickets were a bargain £5 or so in the cheap seats in a stand I later found out was soon afterwards condemned as being structurally unsound.
The Maltese fans were outnumbered by the organised German fan groups in the posh main stand, but also by German and English tourists tagging along too.
Although the English were cheering on the home side, there was a great atmosphere with the tourists doing a decent sized conga together. Given that English fans on tour on the continent at the time still had a terrible reputation I was pleasantly surprised.
Malta gave the Germans a good run for their money, pegging them back at 1-1 for most of the game before losing 2-1.
This remains the only full international that I've attended.
Real Mallorca vs West Ham pre-season friendly on holiday when 16 in 1977.
Don't remember too much due to amount of San Miguel consumed and joy of escaping parents for the whole night.
West Ham won comfortably though
As a groundhopper, I go to many such games a season.
Biggest surprise was Havant & Waterlooville v Real Betis in August 2011.
The Spaniards were originally down to play Portsmouth (then Premier League) but their plane got damaged and they were stranded in America.
Up stepped Havant for a 6.30PM kick off on a Saturday, meaning I got two games in one day after watching Godalming Town v AFC Wimbledon. Real Betis were much the stronger side and won 7-0 on the night.
Comments
Some fantastic stories here, particularly from @LX1 !
My most random match was going to Malta v Germany at the Ta' Qali stadium in 1998 a few years before its renovation. Minibus trips there had been advertised at the hotels near where my family was staying which were mainly Germans, though the bus we were on was full of Sheffield Wednesday fans randomly.
Our tickets were a bargain £5 or so in the cheap seats in a stand I later found out was soon afterwards condemned as being structurally unsound.
The Maltese fans were outnumbered by the organised German fan groups in the posh main stand, but also by German and English tourists tagging along too.
Although the English were cheering on the home side, there was a great atmosphere with the tourists doing a decent sized conga together. Given that English fans on tour on the continent at the time still had a terrible reputation I was pleasantly surprised.
Malta gave the Germans a good run for their money, pegging them back at 1-1 for most of the game before losing 2-1.
This remains the only full international that I've attended.
Real Mallorca vs West Ham pre-season friendly on holiday when 16 in 1977.
Don't remember too much due to amount of San Miguel consumed and joy of escaping parents for the whole night.
West Ham won comfortably though
As a groundhopper, I go to many such games a season.
Biggest surprise was Havant & Waterlooville v Real Betis in August 2011.
The Spaniards were originally down to play Portsmouth (then Premier League) but their plane got damaged and they were stranded in America.
Up stepped Havant for a 6.30PM kick off on a Saturday, meaning I got two games in one day after watching Godalming Town v AFC Wimbledon. Real Betis were much the stronger side and won 7-0 on the night.
‘Real Betis were much the stronger side’...like that.
So do I. ??