[Football] So, knowing what you know now…

[Bozza]

Interesting question!

It was an amazing night and the atmosphere unparalleled by any other game I’ve ever been to. I’m very glad I went.

And we got lucky with the buses in both directions - on a bus to the ground around 3:30, it left at 3:50 and we got there just after 4:30. We still weren’t actually in the ground until nearly 5.

It sounds like many of those who weren’t on our batch of buses missed the kickoff and the first two goals.

Heading away, after a time in the stand we decided to head down and see what was going on. We got held on a stairwell for quite a time but eventually let down and I think we were amongst the lucky ones on the first cycle of buses back to town.

A slightly sketchy moment as we returned to the car - maybe one for another thread - was the worst that we saw.

Anyway, file me under “depends”. I wouldn’t rule out going back but not at the expense of a new experience on another Albion Euro away day.

 

[BN41Albion]

Best ever away game for me . Possibly the best atmosphere I've ever heard at a football game or any game tbf. Buzzing

Fvck the premier League

Thing with the French league is that only a few teams produce atmospheres like that. Mostly its very tame - pretty poor attendances too bar a few. france is overall nowhere near as football mad a country as others such as here.

Marseille though is as hostile as it gets, but flip side of that though is that its mainly because so many of their fans are pretty scummy people. Same with most ultra groups who produce the atmosphere on the continent though really. Made me think would I trade the atmosphere at the Amex for the kind of atmosphere we saw last night but a north stand filled with absolute headmental nutcases? Not sure I would tbh

 

[Bozza]

Thing with the French league is that only a few teams produce atmospheres like that. Mostly its very tame - pretty poor attendances too bar a few. france is overall nowhere near as football mad a country as others such as here.

Marseille though is as hostile as it gets, but flip side of that though is that its mainly because so many of their fans are pretty scummy people

I really didn’t think it was hostile towards us, the visiting fans, in any way at all.

Towards our team, undoubtedly.

Largely, the OM ultras just got on with creating that incredible sound pretty much regardless of what’s happening on the pitch.

When we scored our first they didn’t break stride at all and just kept going as if nothing had happened.

 

[Vin]

Interesting question!

It was an amazing night and the atmosphere unparalleled by any other game I’ve ever been to. I’m very glad I went.

And we got lucky with the buses in both directions - on a bus to the ground around 3:30, it left at 3:50 and we got there just after 4:30. We still weren’t actually in the ground until nearly 5.

It sounds like many of those who weren’t on our batch of buses missed the kickoff and the first two goals.

Heading away, after a time in the stand we decided to head down and see what was going on. We got held on a stairwell for quite a time but eventually let down and I think we were amongst the lucky ones on the first cycle of buses back to town.

A slightly sketchy moment as we returned to the car - maybe one for another thread - was the worst that we saw.

Anyway, file me under “depends”. I wouldn’t rule out going back but not at the expense of a new experience on another Albion Euro away day.

Was it better than Sheffield Wednesday in the play offs

 

[BN41Albion]

I really didn’t think it was hostile towards us, the visiting fans, in any way at all.

Towards our team, undoubtedly.

Largely, the OM ultras just got on with creating that incredible sound pretty much regardless of what’s happening on the pitch.

When we scored our first they didn’t break stride at all and just kept going as if nothing had happened.

Yeah I guess during the game, and we have no 'beef' with Marseille obviously, but marseille fans (and ultra groups in general) have a pretty awful reputation for a reason! Louder atmospheres on the continent, but also a much bigger threat of violence with it either during or before/after the game.

Having said that I would've loved to have been there last night!

 

[Albion_Dave]

I would come back in a heartbeat. Absolutely mental place full of nutters but my god it's been a fantastic 3 days. Never heard noise like that in a stadium. Immense.

 

[Titanic]

Yes, despite the chaotic and tiresome parts, it was an incredible experience in so many ways - I would do it again in a heartbeat - but be a bit more savvy about some of the arrangements.

Epic.

 

[Right Back]

Best 3 days and definitely best away ever. Even have a claim to fame as found the broom!
Marseilles is also a brilliant city and I would do a city break here.

 

[Arthur]

f*** that. Loved it, great experience but the absolute ball ache of getting to and from the ground makes it an absolute no..Bollocks to that. Looking forward to a day in Montpellier and getting away from Birmingham on sea. Marseille is about as welcoming as the horse's head scene in the godfather

Listening to my naked mate snoring his tits off as I type probably doesn't help. Neither did the late flight and train. Equally the coaches to and from the ground couldn't have been worse. Sat with the BNP wing of bhafc on the way there and squished in on the way back on the scenic tour of Marseille's greatest shitholes after a 3 hour wait.

Makes Millwall away look like Disney.

Glad I’m not alone in thinking the place is a pit.

The port is quiet pretty and there are few old churches but the rest of it is a dump! From the second I landed and saw the runway with massive weeds growing out of it I thought what a crap hole.

Everything is covered in graffiti. Dog shit everywhere. The bar we were in had one bloke serving and ran out of glasses first, then draft beer, then bottled beer. Was reduced to buying warm beer from a greengrocers and drinking it in that square like a tramp!

And as for food….I thought the French were meant to be known for their cuisine?!? Only thing you can get here is kebabs or pizza. There is a big street just behind the port that is pretty much only kebab shops!!

Glad I experienced the noise in the ground and what a great come back but everything else was shit so it’s a no from me.

 

[MattBackHome]

We were late to the ticket pickup, just made the last buses out of La Jol, arrived in time to see the first goal and on the way back only made it back to the square at midnight. All a total ballache, but as regular Amex attendees I think we've all been inoculated against shit like this to some degree.

As for the stadium and noise, I've never heard am atmosphere like that ever. Just beyond spectacular.

 

[jimhigham]

Haven’t had enough points to make an away match yet. Had hoped there might be an outside chance of getting a ticket for the Ajax match but alas! We’re in a real scrap in this group but I’m desperate to see us progress now so I can find a way to at least one away match.

 

[Sheebo]

So it wasn’t the knife crime violent duck out the way blood bath some bellends on here made out it would be? I for one am shocked!

 

[Jimmy Come Lately]

Yes, definitely. Would do a couple of things slightly differently: stay in Marseille for a couple of days so I could see a bit of the city & the old port; and get a ticket in block B so I could be on an earlier wave of buses out, rather than getting back to La Joliette at midnight. Those buses really were a monumental pain in the arse. Everything else was great.

 

[studio150]

Makes Millwall away look like Disney.

Is that Millwall at The Den or The New Den.

If at the original Den that's some going

 

[Gwylan]

It was a fantastic atmosphere but I wouldn't do it again. I was on my feet for eight and a half hours, nothing when I was younger, but at nearly 67, that was tough, still feeling it now. The thought of doing that again, when I'm even older, is enough to put me off

 

[dazzer6666]

f*** that. Loved it, great experience but the absolute ball ache of getting to and from the ground makes it an absolute no..Bollocks to that. Looking forward to a day in Montpellier and getting away from Birmingham on sea. Marseille is about as welcoming as the horse's head scene in the godfather

Listening to my naked mate snoring his tits off as I type probably doesn't help. Neither did the late flight and train. Equally the coaches to and from the ground couldn't have been worse. Sat with the BNP wing of bhafc on the way there and squished in on the way back on the scenic tour of Marseille's greatest shitholes after a 3 hour wait.

Makes Millwall away look like Disney.

Undecided then ?

 

[BN41Albion]

So it wasn’t the knife crime violent duck out the way blood bath some bellends on here made out it would be? I for one am shocked!

I didn't see many posters on here (maybe one I can think of) predicting that really, especially with all the measures in place.

But marseille fans have a reputation for a reason. Perhaps it was never going to be too bad with us, but a bit harsh to call others bellends for worrying for our fans safety in one of the most notorious cities for football violence there is? Fantastic atmosphere in the ground yes but mostly because their large ultra group are absolute nutters

 

[pb21]

Would absolutely come back to Marseille, really like the city, had some lovely food, albeit nothing that fancy.

Would also absolutely come back to watch us play, once in the stadium, it was a great experience.

However, I would seriously consider it due to the absolute ball ache of getting there and back from the City, and I think I had it relatively good.

 

[peterward]

I’d certainly do it again - pretty much the best football experience I’ve had. The atmosphere was incredible, and Marseille is a fascinating city - need to see more of it.

Feel the same. Knew Marseille was a big club with a reputation of some crowd trouble, but had no idea the atmosphere would be like that, the noise was deafening, the whistles intimidating to our players. I've never witnessed anything like that at a game.

Makes Palace attempts at ultras look totally pathetic, Marseille is proper ultras 100x more advanced!

The bit where they did a chant and both ends did it back/forth to each other was a fantastic spectacle.

Like others have said, getting out was a shambles, but as a football lover, you just don't get football experiences like that in UK grounds.

I loved it, made special that we got something from the game, and would do it again in a heartbeat.

 

[Sheebo]

I didn't see many posters on here (maybe one I can think of) predicting that really, especially with all the measures in place.

But marseille fans have a reputation for a reason. Perhaps it was never going to be too bad with us, but a bit harsh to call others bellends for worrying for our fans safety in one of the most notorious cities for football violence there is? Fantastic atmosphere in the ground yes but mostly because their large ultra group are absolute nutters

Sorry, it was tongue in cheek at a couple of posters

But as always, be a bit savvy and the chances are heavily that you’ll be fine…