[Albion] Would you want to go to Marseille away?

[BN41Albion]

I'd love to go to Marseille and imagine I'd have the loyalty points too.

The problem is, they're in Pot 2, and there are some much better weekends away we could get instead.

Give me Rennes, Betis, Slavia Prague or PSV ahead of Marseille.

Marseille is a brilliant city to visit as a tourist. Love the place. Also just down the coast you've got the Calanques and town of Cassis. Stunning part of the world. I'd choose marseille and surrounding area over those you've mentioned for a weekend away personally.

 

[BrightonCottager]

'We' won't need to start anything.... their loons will hunt out any location hosting Brighton fans,.. it's a very very feisty city, even when football isn't involved.

Well I spent a very pleasant weekend there earlier this year. The old port area is a bit naff (it's where the English and Irish pubs are) and never felt threatened. For France (Paris excepted), it's a very multicultural city. If going for the football, I wouldn't wear colours and stay away from central areas. I saw the stadium when I visited one of Le Corbusier 's buildings and it looks incredible.

 

[Is it PotG?]

I would, on reflection, probably avoid this one.

Should we draw them, I shall be fascinated to read about the whole experience. The vision of sampling great fish soup with a museum guide in one hand and a decent glass of wine in the other enjoying the vista is somewhat different to how I envisage the whole trip.

Still, proof of the pudding and all that!

 

[Commander]

I think there is a certain amount of naivety about what is waiting in some European cities

It doesn't matter if you are keeping yourself to yourself, behaving well or not looking for trouble. If certain locals clock you as being a foreign football fan, they see you as fair game. So too certain police forces

Marseille is very much one of those based on experience

Definitely. I think there is a lot of 'Well I've never looked for trouble so I've never found any' type fans planning to go abroad. But getting off the supporters coach in your Brighton scarf and drinking in the designated away fans pub and walking to the ground with a few other Brighton fans is not the same as going to Marseille / Napoli etc.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

. The vision of sampling great fish soup with a museum guide in one hand and a decent glass of wine in the other

With both hands full, I presume you lower your face into your bowl of soup and slurp away like a hungry dog? You sound like the sort of tourist that gives Brits a bad name…

 

[Is it PotG?]

With both hands full, I presume you lower your face into your bowl of soup and slurp away like a hungry dog? You sound like the sort of tourist that gives Brits a bad name…

2 straws, one for the wine and one for the soup.

 

[Simonf93]

Are they probably one of the worst set of fans in europe? lots of ultras, love a good fight, fireworks galore in the stadium…..

was going to take my 10 year old till was informed probably not safe….

what are ppls thoughts?

 

[Live by the sea]

It’s rough - madness to take young children. Makes palace look very tame

 

[highflyer]

fireworks galore in the stadium…..

I'm in.

 

[Kuipers Supporters Club]

Well then, here we go.

 

[Napper]

100%

 

[Billy the Fish]

All 3 games are rough if people aren't careful. It certainly won't be hard to find trouble for anyone taking the piss!

2 Burnley fans got stabbed in Athens because they didn't get on the official stadium coach. The cabbie called it in to their ultras and they were ambushed when they left the cab.

I suspect there will be in and out travel options available though, that's what I'd be looking to do if taking young kids.

 

[Live by the sea]

Marseille have the worst reputation of all of the French clubs for ultras and violence.

 

[Deleted member 37369]

I’m hoping Marseille is our first match and away from home as I’ll be away on hols

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

It’s rough - madness to take young children. Makes palace look very tame

Blimey, it makes 50 virgins dressed like tk max milk tray men who write stern letters to their club look tame? I can't imagine that that could ever be true. The palace always ultras are the first last and every word in fanatical devotion and intimidation.

 

[Napper]

will be trouble at all 3 but avoidable as always.

would prob say with a young kid you would be safer as less of a target

 

[Commander]

will be trouble at all 3 but avoidable as always.

I still find it mad that people genuinely think this.

 

[Gwylan]

Definitely. I think there is a lot of 'Well I've never looked for trouble so I've never found any' type fans planning to go abroad. But getting off the supporters coach in your Brighton scarf and drinking in the designated away fans pub and walking to the ground with a few other Brighton fans is not the same as going to Marseille / Napoli etc.

Would you say that would be the case for fans in their late 60s/early 70s? Are they likely to be targeted the same way?

 

[Austrian Gull]

I went to Marseille v Bordeaux a few years ago (when Poyet was Bordeaux's boss) and took my two young sons. We sat in the stand along the pitch opposite the main stand and the guy next to us smoke a joint for most of the first-half. Five minutes before the end a group of Ultras started climbing over the fence to get at another fan group who were in our stand. These were Marseille fans going for other Marseille fans...

I know France very well and am disappointed that we have them. Toulouse and Rennes would have been far more pleasant and welcoming. Think carefully about your behaviour in Marseille.

 

[Eeyore]

Are they probably one of the worst set of fans in europe? lots of ultras, love a good fight, fireworks galore in the stadium…..

was going to take my 10 year old till was informed probably not safe….

what are ppls thoughts?

When I saw you mention you were taking your son, it did cross my mind that it may not be a good idea if he was a child. You don't want to go anywhere constantly thinking about safety over and above what you might usually do.