[Football] So, knowing what you know now…

[dazzer6666]

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.

You not seen the ‘Marseilles away gourmand and fine dining‘ thread and all it’s pictures ?

 

[Mr Bridger]

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.

Sure your not getting confused with Villa the week before

 

[raymondo]

It seems all seater stadia doesn’t kill atmosphere after all.

The noise during the penalty was deafening.

Well done, Pedro

 

[Iggle Piggle]

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.

I am currently taking in some urban landscapes and smells of Marseille it has that rare ability to look worse in the sun

 

[peterward]

I am currently taking in some urban landscapes and smells of Marseille it has that rare ability to look worse in the sun

Being candid, the city looks a complete dump. Drove past old port yesterday which looked nice, nothing else has at all.

 

[Skaville]

Are you kidding? Insane away day. The only thing I would change is I would have got an earlier bus in (missed the first 15 minutes).

That noise though. Wow

 

[Eric Youngs Contact Lens]

Like others, I wouldn’t have missed this for the world .. the spectacle and experience at the game surpasses everything before it for me . I would do it again , o think , but definitely plan it differently. The rules in place are big detractors and so I might consider earlier arrival to allow ticket collection day before , hence more relaxed match day and be tempted to take metro. The promises of a fan zone, or food drink option at the ground over promised and under delivered .

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Depends.

Last night was one of the most amazing Albion games I have witnessed. It had everything: hot weather, proper foreign city (as an Englishman hot weather and palm trees IS definitely foreign and exotic), huge iconic stadium, club with big European pedigree, ultras, fan flag display at the other end, noise, atmosphere, fireworks going off outside the stadium, police, a whiff of tear gas in the air (presumably to disperse the OM fans) AND it was our first away fixture and the unknown.

Going a second time will not be as special. I’ll go if something significant is resting on it, otherwise most likely no.

 

[Arthur]

I am currently taking in some urban landscapes and smells of Marseille it has that rare ability to look worse in the sun

Just had a wonder round for the last couple of hours and my opinions of the place have thawed a little but all the nice bits are in and around the port. Which is why I’m guessing the club chose to show pictures from the port on their instagram story despite telling fans not to go there.

The cathedral at the end of the port is very nice and the little side roads just off from there remind me of a very hill Laines.

There are some interesting shopping areas as well. I’ve just walked down a street that catered pretty much exclusively for African ladies who require a haircut or a wig….wasn’t a small street either.

Why the club chose to dump us in that shitty square with one bar so we had to behave like Jocks/Northerners and drink cans in the street I will never know. Loads of coach parking in the port so we could have easily drunk there where it is nothing but bars and restaurants all the way round.

 

[Jim in the West]

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

If you’re worried about the graffiti, wait until you get to Athens!

 

[Iggle Piggle]

Just had a wonder round for the last couple of hours and my opinions of the place have thawed a little but all the nice bits are in and around the port. Which is why I’m guessing the club chose to show pictures from the port on their instagram story despite telling fans not to go there.

The cathedral at the end of the port is very nice and the little side roads just off from there remind me of a very hill Laines.

There are some interesting shopping areas as well. I’ve just walked down a street that catered pretty much exclusively for African ladies who require a haircut or a wig….wasn’t a small street either.

Why the club chose to dump us in that shitty square with one bar so we had to behave like Jocks/Northerners and drink cans in the street I will never know. Loads of coach parking in the port so we could have easily drunk there where it is nothing but bars and restaurants all the way round.

We did walk the wrong way to the old port and ended up by the hospital - surprisingly unbusy - in some dodgy areas, some piss soaked trackie bottoms being the highlight ,before we found the old port. It was an improvement on what we'd seen before but if ever a comment is damning with faint praise it's that.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

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.

i think @Live by the sea has hacked your account.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

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.

The noise during the penalty was especially deafening.

 

[Arthur]

If you’re worried about the graffiti, wait until you get to Athens!

I’ve been to Athens albeit probably 20 years ago. It was a crap hole then and given their fiscal problems since I’m not expecting much improvement.

 

[BNthree]

their large ultra group are absolute nutters

Noticed 5 distinct different groups of ultras in the stadium, each with their own capo (conductor with back to the pitch) all doing their own thing, a lot of the time they seemed to be in competition with each other and it wasn’t about the football but about them and their groups. They didn’t react particularly when we scored. Soon as their capos stood down they were all quiet and didn’t know what to do so was funny when we started singing 2 nil and you f***ed it up at them.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

I didn’t go, and wouldn’t be tempted to go if there’s a next time. The experience in the ground sounds amazing, yes, but I already hate chaotic public transport and the problems with the late, overcrowded buses sound horrendous. If I was a young guy among a bunch of mates maybe I’d regard it as part of the experience but I’m at an age where I just can’t take being treated like a wild animal, penned in or shunted around in the middle of a jostling crowd. Kudos to all who went but Marseille isn’t for me. I’m hoping to get a ticket for Athens (travel already booked) and if I do I’ll be getting the subway to the ground.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Noticed 5 distinct different groups of ultras in the stadium, each with their own capo (conductor with back to the pitch) all doing their own thing, a lot of the time they seemed to be in competition with each other and it wasn’t about the football but about them and their groups. They didn’t react particularly when we scored. Soon as their capos stood down they were all quiet and didn’t know what to do so was funny when we started singing 2 nil and you f***ed it up at them.

That's my issue with all the ultra crap. They may create an atmosphere but it rarely has anything to do with the football being played. A bloke with a megaphone facing the crowd doesn't do it for me. All the flags may look good but how does anyone see the pitch from behind them?

 

[BN41Albion]

Noticed 5 distinct different groups of ultras in the stadium, each with their own capo (conductor with back to the pitch) all doing their own thing, a lot of the time they seemed to be in competition with each other and it wasn’t about the football but about them and their groups. They didn’t react particularly when we scored. Soon as their capos stood down they were all quiet and didn’t know what to do so was funny when we started singing 2 nil and you f***ed it up at them.

That's where I think people get carried away with the atmosphere ultras create. Yes it's loud, which itself is impressive. But they very rarely seem to be properly watch the football or respond to what's going on on the pitch. OK atmosphere overall could be better over here, but I love the way the atmosphere ebbs and flows with what's going on on the pitch. Most are invested in the actual game

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

I'm so, so jealous of all you lucky buggers that got to go. It sounds exactly like what you'd want form a European away day. Well, apart from the bus thing, that just sounds shit.

 

[The Fifth Column]

Do it again In a heartbeat, had the best away day trip ever in 45+ years following the Albion. All the scaremongering beforehand was a bit much in my opinion as all the locals I've encountered have been friendly and welcoming and at odds to explain tourists are welcome and safe in the city. It seems the Parisien centric press and media like to feed the narrative that Marseille is a lawless hellhole. There are no doubts some pretty rough areas but by all accounts any trouble is usually local groups fighting each other. I think the fact the Albion came with a good reputation and no history of violent confrontation helped a lot. By all accounts the French police were not the easiest to liaise with from Sussex plods point of view and took some convincing we would not cause any trouble. I made a point of saying hello and thank you to the French police which they were most definitely not used to and probably thought I was taking the piss but a few responded with luke warm reciprocation. Overall Marseille didn't feel any more dangerous than any other city I've ever visited and whilst it definitely had a gritty edge to it I kind of liked that and think it made it feel a bit more real and added to its appeal. I walked through it at night in a very multi cultural and diverse area and chatted with locals who universally were friendly and happy to have us there.

Loved every minute and the match and result were simply the loudest and most insane atmosphere I've ever experienced. Absolutely brilliant.