[Albion] AEK Athens FC vs Brighton & Hove Albion *** Official Match Thread ***

[studio150]

Glad you mentioned that too. You’ve got stewards trying to calm things down and probably a dozen idiots giving it back and thinking they’re heroes. Very lucky the police turned the other cheek. If they come in to get them, as arguably they should, the whole dynamic can turn and get very ugly for everyone. We’ve seen it happen to other clubs enough times. When there are thousands of people clamouring for these tickets, I’ve got no tolerance for anyone whose instinct is to try to cause or encourage trouble. Won’t be a popular view here but there are at least 3 who don’t deserve to go in future. Let someone else. Overall, thought our fans’ reaction was bloody magnificent.

The usual problem, if everyone had ignored the AEK fans beating on the dividing screens and gesturing, they would have soon got bored and left the ground.
Unfortunately common sense is lacking in a few.

At least this time when we scored the drink wasn't flying everywhere, so one step forward.

 

[Man of Harveys]

Unpleasant though it was - I’m still coughing this morning - can’t deny that getting tear-gassed in Europe is obviously a pretty big badge of honour for even the biggest of wusses like me. I’m well up for a t shirt saying “Athens was a gas”.

 

[Justice]

My report is first hand. I went down to the concourses after the final whistle to get a beer and found a Dad comforting his son who had been hit by a projectile over the wire fence in the lower tier. While talking

Hit by a missile and then tear gassed all in one evening. Something to tell his school mates.

 

[Stat Brother]

And finally.

Through the passport control booth staffed by a plus size Sandra Bullock.

My god Athens I might have only been here for 19 hours but wowsers what a magnificent time.

Thank you.

 

[Redinpeace]

I've lived in Leicester and with people from Nottingham and Lincoln. I speako the lingo.

Derby can f*** right off, obviously.

You sir will always find a welcome waiting at City Ground

 

[Willie]

 

[Bozza]

Am I the only one who thought the shirts looked far too short?

I thought exactly the same when Dunk was going through formalities before kick-off.

His shirt was gaping and billowing at the back - it just didn't fit him properly at all

 

[ROSM]

I thought exactly the same when Dunk was going through formalities before kick-off.

His shirt was gaping and billowing at the back - it just didn't fit him properly at all

At least the replicas are the same then. They are kind of square and players looked quite 'squat' in them last night..shorter and wider

 

[dazzer6666]

 

[Vatican Citys No.2 Keeper]

We were in block 8, along with approximately 30/40 others. It was an incredible, if slightly intimidating atmosphere. It would have been fine but there were a few idiotic/naive/p1ssed/unempathetic Brighton fans you obliviously cheered and chanted much to the increasing anger from the many AEK fans. I really can't understand why you would take such time and effort and spend so much money to attend such a momentous and memorable match just to turn up so intoxicated that you had no idea what you were doing. One (Brighton) lady who sat near us could easily have ended up in hospital when she stumbled down the steps, but luckily she saved herself so she could spend the majority of the match checking out Facebook/Instagram...... Honestly!

We had a chat to a very friendly AEK fan after the game and exited the stadium 5 minutes after the whistle, put our heads down and left the immediate area to get an Uber.


On an aside, Fatboy was rocking, haven't jumped about so much in years (many years) and great to see Mr Bloom joining in the celebrations, I doff my hat to you sir, time to liquidate assets for January I'm afraid.

Fantastic experience, Athens surpassed any expectations.

Must not have been too far from you as was at the back but half a dozen seats or so away from those who weren't exactly quiet about who they were supporting. Was not shocked at the reaction when we scored and they got lucky the most they got was a shouting at from the AEK fans and being asked to tone it down essentially. More idiotic was that one or two tried to sing while we were still in the home end while those ultras were attacking/trying to clamber round the perspex glass, until advised to pipe down by some friendly AEK fans.

Same experience with their fans, every one I spoke to in the ground was friendly and either congratulated us, helped some others with ordering food and kept those of us panicking because of the tear gas calm.

Also ended up at FBS. An amazing end to one of the best evenings I've had supporting this club. If this was my one trip following us in Europe, I'm so glad I picked this one.

 

[ROSM]

I was in the lower tier concourse when it went off and the air was thick with it. I can still taste it this morning. I can’t believe that just blew in from outside, they must have fired it in the concourse somewhere.

A number of families had gone into the concourse to avoid the stuff being thrown by aek fans. Then there were some flash bangs outside and aek fans running at the riot police further along the home concourse. I think the tear gas was let off outside and it came in through the barred metal gates. People were trying to stream back up the stairs into the open lower tier.

It was almost entirely aek fans kicking off but some of ours (maybe 12 to 20) who just couldnt walk away and were goading amd gesturing which aggravated it. It wont have caused the scenes outside but maybe caused a few more things thrown inside

Some of that same group were trying to push down the stairs while people from the councourse were trying to get back up into the open air from the gas. Heard a couple on phones after telling their mates how it all got proper nawty and they were tear gassed!

Shout out to the stadium staff in the bar/kiosk who were trying to help despite being gassed themselves. Giving water to kids and families etc. My 11 y/o was badly affected but has woken up this morning saying she would go away to europe again. After ajax and now aek i think i will let her. My oldest 2 boys (14 and 16) have done all 3 away in europe and only a nuclear war would stop them!

But shouldnt detract from a great game last night. Not a great performance..but how great to not play well and get the result

 

[Perfidious Albion]

Brilliant result last night and now we wait to see what the draw gives us. I just hope they have got something in the tank left for Sunday.

 

[peterward]

Not sure if it needs own thread? Roland's AEK vlog is out.

Little disappointed tbh, as he was on our flight from Stansted, and half the aircraft singing the last 30 minutes, was nuts. I thought he might include it. He didn't.

 

[Man of Harveys]

Were you outside caught up in the riot? (Sorry if I missed an earlier post)

I understood only the AEK fans were directly teargassed but that the Brighton fans in the Stadium got some mild collateral inhalation (unpleasant as that was obviously) - were any Brighton fans targeted by the tear gassing?

The only rioting i was going to get involved in would have been me starting it if the lovely restaurant had run out of that exquisite saganaki fried cheese. Otherwise of course not.

 

[Triggaaar]

The only rioting i was going to get involved in would have been me starting it if the lovely restaurant had run out of that exquisite saganaki fried cheese. Otherwise of course not.

And they'd have had it coming

 

[Victor Chandler]

Were you outside caught up in the riot? (Sorry if I missed an earlier post)

I understood only the AEK fans were directly teargassed but that the Brighton fans in the Stadium got some mild collateral inhalation (unpleasant as that was obviously) - were any Brighton fans targeted by the tear gassing?

From what I saw the Police did not directly tear gas the Brighton fans.
I foolishly tried to sneak out of the away end while we were being held. I got to ground level just as the Police opened fire to disperse the AEK fans.
Unfortunately the tear gas wafted towards us. I then went back up to wait with the rest of us.
To be fair I saw the riot police chief act quickly to get us out. Otherwise I think we would have been held longer.

 

[dazzer6666]

Were you outside caught up in the riot? (Sorry if I missed an earlier post)

I understood only the AEK fans were directly teargassed but that the Brighton fans in the Stadium got some mild collateral inhalation (unpleasant as that was obviously) - were any Brighton fans targeted by the tear gassing?

That’s what happened…..we were ‘collateral damage’, just the fumes drifted our way. We weren’t targeted by the police at all.

 

[dazzer6666]

A number of families had gone into the concourse to avoid the stuff being thrown by aek fans. Then there were some flash bangs outside and aek fans running at the riot police further along the home concourse. I think the tear gas was let off outside and it came in through the barred metal gates. People were trying to stream back up the stairs into the open lower tier.

It was almost entirely aek fans kicking off but some of ours (maybe 12 to 20) who just couldnt walk away and were goading amd gesturing which aggravated it. It wont have caused the scenes outside but maybe caused a few more things thrown inside

Some of that same group were trying to push down the stairs while people from the councourse were trying to get back up into the open air from the gas. Heard a couple on phones after telling their mates how it all got proper nawty and they were tear gassed!

Shout out to the stadium staff in the bar/kiosk who were trying to help despite being gassed themselves. Giving water to kids and families etc. My 11 y/o was badly affected but has woken up this morning saying she would go away to europe again. After ajax and now aek i think i will let her. My oldest 2 boys (14 and 16) have done all 3 away in europe and only a nuclear war would stop them!

But shouldnt detract from a great game last night. Not a great performance..but how great to not play well and get the result

Good shout re the kiosk guys….in the upper tier they were handing out bottles as fast as they could, despite being badly affected by the fumes themselves - one of the guys eyes were red and absolutely streaming.

 

[huzzah]

100% drifted in from the outside. Was one of the Block 8 Albion fans who hung around after FT for a bit before trying to leave.

Could see outside in a gap from midway up the concourse that riot police were having bottles etc chucked at them by the Ultras in an area near the away end. Heard massive bangs let off then next thing we knew the Tear Gas affects hit us.

Legged it back out into the stands to get away from where the gas was. After that could see it had wafted into the away end by the reactions from everyone. My group all managed to make it into the away end after that and safely out on the buses. Hope everyone else reading this from Block 8 also got back okay.

Me too. The bangs were AEK fireworks (if you can call them that, just big bangs). there were a few of them bangs and some barriers and drinks being thrown. Then the police came charging gas masked up with tear gas canisters in hand.
I don't think it was to do with AEK and us, I think it's more AEK and the police. There was a massive graffiti "fvck the police" where this was kicking off, and I noticed that their ultras had a black flag flag (yep a flag with a picture of a flag on it) which is an anarchy thing.
I have been gassed four times in my youth (wrong time, wrong place ... Mostly). I don't remember it being as bad as it felt last night... I was standing just outside when the gas was released (commenting to a couple of other Block 8ers on how nice it is to not have the police charging at me, for once), so I got it fresh outta the can.

 

[huzzah]

If they wanted to be twats they could have got heavier handed with the tiny number of the Albion crowd intent on stirring things up by the plexiglass and netting.

I had a chat with the British police (who seemed lovely) as they were filming this on their little cameras. I imagine there may be consequences.