I took my boy to Red Bull Salzburg vs Rapid Vienna in the summer. We sat in what would have been the equivalent of the West Stand Lower at the Salzburg Arena. I grabbed a beer and we headed for our seats. Sat drinking the beer in my seat and chatted to a few Salzburg fans.
Then I noticed that around me in our end of the stand were also Vienna fans. Wearing colours. Drinking beer.
The game started. There was lots of atmosphere (the football was dire) and there was lots of aggression from the fans - but not towards each other. It was all directed towards the pitch and the players. Fans tended to self-segregate - so those wanting to get a bit more cheeky were deeper inside the Vienna block.
It was interesting, because we all know there is shed loads of trouble at European games, but here it seemed to work. They had police presence etc. but it felt 100% safe - I was with my 11 year old so staying safe was essential. I never felt the need to move.
It wouldn't happen here. It couldn't. et we can every now and then manage to create conditions where it happens - Fans United for example.
I'm not suggesting it can happen for deep rivalry games. I don't see Celtic and Rangers have an experimental love-in anytime yet, but we may get to a point one day where we're prepared to let the aggression out at the game and not at each other and show some respect towards other fans (unlike the accounts of the Palace fan in question on here). At the end of the day, perhaps it's football we should be interested in above all else.
Then I noticed that around me in our end of the stand were also Vienna fans. Wearing colours. Drinking beer.
The game started. There was lots of atmosphere (the football was dire) and there was lots of aggression from the fans - but not towards each other. It was all directed towards the pitch and the players. Fans tended to self-segregate - so those wanting to get a bit more cheeky were deeper inside the Vienna block.
It was interesting, because we all know there is shed loads of trouble at European games, but here it seemed to work. They had police presence etc. but it felt 100% safe - I was with my 11 year old so staying safe was essential. I never felt the need to move.
It wouldn't happen here. It couldn't. et we can every now and then manage to create conditions where it happens - Fans United for example.
I'm not suggesting it can happen for deep rivalry games. I don't see Celtic and Rangers have an experimental love-in anytime yet, but we may get to a point one day where we're prepared to let the aggression out at the game and not at each other and show some respect towards other fans (unlike the accounts of the Palace fan in question on here). At the end of the day, perhaps it's football we should be interested in above all else.