[Albion] AEK Athens - ticketing process, tiers and all that jazz

[zfleas]

Whilst still on the Athens high... I'd also like to send out a massive Guy Butters sized thank you to the two BHA legends at the James Joyce pub about 3 hours before AEK KO, who saved my iphone from instant death. Some of you may have seen the social media posts about "Scenes.. as some numpty drops his phone down a drain cover..."
...Well that numpty was me and the story is probably worth telling on here:

Keen to take a team shot outside the pub during high-sprited pre-match build up drinks, I catch my iphone on my pocket getting it out. It falls, hits the pavement and inexplicably takes a wicked deflection off an ancient paving slab – straight into and down a 4th century BC drain cover!!! My heart sinks as I see my phone (unbacked up for about 8 months, with all my life on it etc..) sinking slowly into a pile of leaves, pi*s and sh*t and overflow. Head in hands, screams and yelps from the BHA faithful boozing outside.. I can tell you it was a truly horrible moment. There was literally no way I could reach it and the drain cover looked like it had been set in place since the building of the Temple of Zeus.

"Grab a litter-picker from the bar quick!" they said, and so instead I ran off into the market area like a wild-man desperately looking for a solution. I found a weird bric-a-brac antiquities place by the flea market – run by some Greek fellas well into their 80s and through sign language alone, explained the crisis to some local gent. Within minutes, this legend got out his own walking stick and started gaffer-taping a set of pliers to the end! Genius I thought (although f*ck knows how it would have actually worked or pinched the phone out the drain). I thought we were onto a winner though.. but in between me hugging him and telling him he was a genius and that I loved him.. over my shoulder I could hear chanting.. celebrations and errr... the Joel Veltman song at full volume?

I look over and can see a mass of Albion bouncing up and down at the James Joyce pub – and my son with my phone in his hand! I sprint over with sh*t contraption in hand and it turns out two BHA lads from Littehampton (who happened to be drainage experts – miracle No.1) were there and standing next to them by chance was an old, knackered Greek odd job van – which happened to have some rope in the back (miracle No.2). By the time I'd finished creating the world's worst litter picker with Kristos, these legends had looped the rope around the drain cover, yanked it up and retrieved my phone! By the time I got there the girls were cleaning it up with anti-bac wipes and it worked... it bloody worked. Scenes of joy and wild abandon..and yes mighty relief.

So.. if you guys are on here.. thank you so so much again. Phone still works... hugely grateful/relieved.
It helped kind of set the tone for the fun and madness of the whole weekend.

This was my brother, message passed on! Pleased your phone is still working, the contraption you had to retrieve it did put a smile on my face

 

[Kuipers Supporters Club]

I did all three.

Athens was my favourite as it had everything. The Fat Boy Slim gig afterwards helped make it a near perfect 10/10 as did the fantastic weather. Being able to wear just a shorts and t-shirt in December was just incredible.

Athens is also an amazing city. To be able to have a beer, overlooking the acropolis before watching an Albion game. Unbelievable.

Marseille was brilliant as it was the first and the atmosphere was just incredible. You could hardly hear yourself. It’s almost hard to describe if you weren’t there. The sound just went through you.

Also to come back from 2-0 down at half time, tops offs, in that stadium. Unforgettable.

Ajax was also brilliant, but loses a point for the weather and that it just felt all a bit easy. However, to beat the four time European champions so convincingly is the stuff of dreams.

All the away ends were amazing, from the scenes when we equalised in the last minute, to the final whistle (and beyond in Athens).

-

Athens (9.5/10) - loses 0.5 due to mate having his wallet stolen.
Marseille (8.5/10) - loses points for the bus debacle.
Ajax (8/10)

 

[Doug-ees-evil]

This was my brother, message passed on! Pleased your phone is still working, the contraption you had to retrieve it did put a smile on my face

Fantastic.. I knew someone on here would know these chaps. Haha..yes I believe I would have got there in the end with the DIY contraption but by the time I'd have solved it.. someone would have flushed the chain and my phone would have been swept away for ever