European Cup Finals

[Carradona]

I'm sick of talking about the current situation at the club so I'm starting a different type of thread.

 

How many of the 7 European Cup finals have you been to?

 

What stories do you have to tell about them? How did you get there? Any funny sotires of what you got up to on your travels? What was your favourite one? etc. etc.

 

Hopefully this can lighten up the forum a bit!

[Carradona]

I'm only 20 so the only finals I have been alive for are Istanbul and Athens. My brother was doing his exams during Istanbul so we didn't get to go to that. Luckily enough, Dad promised us that he would take us to the next final we got to. Luckily enough, we only had two years to wait!

 

I had an exam the day before the final and as soon as I got out of that me, my dad and my older brother made our way down to Dublin. Waited in the airport for many hours. Finally boarded our flight and arrived in Athens at around 10am on the morning of the match. Made our way straight to Syntagma Square and got a crate in. I'll never forget the atmosphere and buzz around that Square.

 

Left there and got a train up to the ground about 3 hours before kick off. Tried to find somewhere to get a bite to eat and ended up in Hooters!

 

Left there and walked to the ground and watched some of the other lads from the forum getting their asses kicked at the 5-a-side pitch in the Fan Park.

 

When we started to see people jumping fences and hearing reports of tickets being snatched, we hurried around to our gate and made our way into the ground.

 

Think it's best leaving out what happened for the next 90 minutes!

 

Had to make our way to the airport straight after as we thought our flight was meant to be at around 3am (local Greek time) or something like that. Turned out we had to wait for around 10 hours on some shite airport floor waiting to get the last chartered flight out of Athens.

 

Hopefully there will be more finals to come!

[Durango]

I'm only 20 so the only finals I have been alive for are Istanbul and Athens. My brother was doing his exams during Istanbul so we didn't get to go to that. Luckily enough, Dad promised us that he would take us to the next final we got to. Luckily enough, we only had two years to wait!

 

I had an exam the day before the final and as soon as I got out of that me, my dad and my older brother made our way down to Dublin. Waited in the airport for many hours. Finally boarded our flight and arrived in Athens at around 10am on the morning of the match. Made our way straight to Syntagma Square and got a crate in. I'll never forget the atmosphere and buzz around that Square.

 

Left there and got a train up to the ground about 3 hours before kick off. Tried to find somewhere to get a bite to eat and ended up in Hooters!

 

Left there and walked to the ground and watched some of the other lads from the forum getting their asses kicked at the 5-a-side pitch in the Fan Park.

 

When we started to see people jumping fences and hearing reports of tickets being snatched, we hurried around to our gate and made our way into the ground.

 

Think it's best leaving out what happened for the next 90 minutes!

 

Had to make our way to the airport straight after as we thought our flight was meant to be at around 3am (local Greek time) or something like that. Turned out we had to wait for around 10 hours on some shite airport floor waiting to get the last chartered flight out of Athens.

 

Hopefully there will be more finals to come!

All 7

[Carradona]

Nice one. Sure you have plenty of stories to tell. I like reading these type of stories, so add a few. I'm doing coursework all day today so coming on here for a few breaks and reading some stories will make my day go a bit easier!

[coachpotato]

Hadn't long been married in 77, couldn't afford it.

Mrs CP went in 78 and 84.

I went in 81 and 85.

Had 2 kids by end of June 1985.

All 4 of us went in 2005 (Far too long a story).

Me and the lad went in 2007.

[Juan Galonso]

All 7

 

Arl fart ;-)

[Antynwa]

Not been to any, couldn't afford Istanbul and I was only about 14 at the time.

 

I do have many memories though from that day, watching it at a friends house, going balistic, singing YNWA and getting smashed off cheap ale, going into school the next day with the biggest smile in the world.

[23_Carra_Gold]

None. Never could afford it. I'll be going to Hamburg in May though, if...actually no, never mind.

 

I'm going to do as many European Aways next season as I can. Give Anfield a miss.

[Total Longo]

Cain, if you haven't already read it, i'd recommend this...

 

Here We Go Gathering Cups In May: Liverpool In Europe, The Fans' Story: Amazon.co.uk: Nicky Allt, Tony Barrett, Jegsy Dodd, Peter Hooton, Dave Kirby, John Maguire, Kevin Sampson: Books

 

as it covers all seven finals from a different fans perspective. Excellent read.

[Carradona]

Read it last year. Was indeed a very good read.

[Brownie]

I went to Athens. I couldn't afford Istanbul (couldn't afford Athens really, either!).

 

Athens was a brilliant trip though. We went on a package holiday to Malia and got the ferry over. I spent shit loads of money and obviously the result was poor, but I wouldn't change any of it for the world.

 

Brilliant time.

[Juan Galonso]

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk157/jrewing1977/CIMG1852.jpg

 

Just for you Brownie.

[Red_or_Dead]

I went to Athens. I couldn't afford Istanbul (couldn't afford Athens really, either!).

 

Athens was a brilliant trip though. We went on a package holiday to Malia and got the ferry over. I spent shit loads of money and obviously the result was poor, but I wouldn't change any of it for the world.

 

Brilliant time.

 

Not even the result?

 

:)

[aws]

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk157/jrewing1977/CIMG1852.jpg

 

Just for you Brownie.

 

What a team. Champions to a man.

[Juan Galonso]

What a team. Champions to a man.

 

And a Champion photographer behind the lens in your good self Andrew. David Bailey...pah.

[JohnnyH]

Two. 2005 and 2007. 2005 was excellant. 2007 was terrible in every way.

 

Was also in Dortmund in 2001 so I suppose it's 3 really.

[WaltonRed]

Couldnt afford Istanbul or Athens and it will haunt me for the rest of my days.

 

I did do the Dortmund Dash though and although not the Champions League it was still a very special night in the life of WaltonRed.

[RedKnight]

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk157/jrewing1977/CIMG1852.jpg

 

Just for you Brownie.

 

Superb shot that is.

[Carradona]

You need to get down on a Thursday night and show us your 'skills', Jules!

[RedKnight]

If you're willing to pay the £40 in petrol it costs then I'm in.

[PaulMcC]

Biggest regret of my life is not going to Istanbul.

 

I missed out on a ticket cos i bought someone's ticket for Monaco off him instead of buying my own. Missed out by 1 credit, then was too skint to go.

 

If i had a ticket i'd have found the money from somewhere.

 

Went to Athens. Stayed in some shitty wee town on one of the islands, little England shithole. Got a boat to somewhere called Patra then bus to Athens.

 

Had to spend 3 days in the shithole island town after the final. Just wanted to leave the day afer the game.

[3637]

I went to Wembley 78 and my proof is when King Kenny scored he ran towards the fans and there I am going mental at the front of the fence at the side by the corner flag, shite game but great night

 

Went to Forest away in 79 - gutted then the return game shilton had the best game I have ever seen a goalie have and i'm coming up to my 1000th game, We got knocked out 2-0 on aggregate, the chant at the time was "fuck em all fuck em all at Anfield the Forest will fall coz we wont be mastered by Cloughies red bastards coz we are the cream of them all"

 

Paris 81 - Went by coach from Lime street and stayed at the holiday inn in Paris, I found a ticket on the floor in a pub by the ground and after walking through the baricades with coppers checking the tickets about 10 times we got to the Parc de Prince nice ground great atmosphere shite game again, remember Camacho taking Souness out in the early minutes and the chant of Barney Barney echoing around the stadium at the end, with Thommo showin the cup to his Kirkby mates in the stands. Gettin lost ion the way back to the hotel and ending up in an Abbatiore singing with these french fellas "gay Paris Gay Paris" it was fuckin brilliant. Got home just in time for the parade of the cup

 

Rome 84- went by coach again for a week, Barnes Travel, left limey on Monday mornin went to Austria first and stayed in the hotel Alpenblink in Saltzburg on Monday night, what a trip then travelled onto Rome on Tuesday through the Brenner Pass through Turin and down to Rome, the horrible twats were stoning us then, we got to our shite "hotel" which was by the river Tiber , we were bombarded by "Ities" on mopeds drivin at us slashin at us with knives. Our coach was wrecked outside the hotel, the police came and said they wouldnt escrt us to the stadium becasue it was kickin off at the "Ottaviano" the metro station. We got on the coach and everyone had to sit on the floor with broken windows, we pulled the curtains over but they threw whatever they could at us it was a lovely welocming committee. In the ground we had Lazio fans in with us who were throwin all kinds at the Roma fans so we had to move around on the terraces coz the police came in. We won it was brilliant but it was terrifying outside the coach was fucked up again, we went back the hotel hours after the game and they were all Lazio fans so we had a fuckin ball singin Lazio songs and liverpool songs, they are facist bastards though ! Then left next morning for Ausdtria again to stay and the coach was fucked and broke down so we had to stay an extra night for a new coach to come and get us, it was brilliant, just didnt see them bring the cup home !

 

Hysel -85 - Flew to Brussels from Speke airport on morning of the game, had brilliant day lovely sunny day mixing sitting on the beautiful manicured lawns outside the "stadium" couldnt help noticing all the England shirts about which was so unusuall coz we didnt give a fuck about England abroad, left that ther Chavs and West Ham, then we got into the ground fuckin elllllll we all know what happened next. I have never been so scared when the Juventus fans charged us. RIP 39 x

When we went back the airport they just threw us on coached and drove us to the hanger, we didnt even go in the airport, there was TV everywhere, but we didnt really know how many had tragically lost their lives, it was only when we came out the airport on the Thursday morning that we knew the terrible loss of life that had happeneded.

 

With Maggie Thatcher just waiting to pounce, we pulled ourselves out of Europe and that was that for us and rightly so in my opinion.

 

But for all the brilliant nights winning the European Cups and being English Champions I have to say that the following May in 86 was THE BEST when we beat Everton 3-1 in thr FA cup final. I had never been to an FA Cup Final the last one was in 74, we'd got close with the 5 games against Arsenal in the Semi fianls a few years earlier. but the 100 a side footy match in the car park, the programme huts getting raided people swinging form the tower widows to get in and the massive steps behind the goal woweee it was great radio city in the car park scousers everywhere it was fuckin great, yeah im an arl arse but if I die today Ive seen it all, and I saw every game King Kenny played at Anfield and most of his away games too. I am blessed !

[Brownie]

That picture brings back memories! Boss.

[Iantn]

Being less than 1 at the time of the '85 final, I've managed the recent 2.

 

Istanbul was great. From start to finish the whole trip was superb. Got the hotel on the 24th around 6 bells and was only 200 yards from Taksim Square. Even though the soft twat at reception said we'd have to dive a taxi up there. Must have looked like some proper lazy bastards.

 

Had a quick mooch around the square and straight into one of them little side streets with the shops that you had to go down them steps to get to. A crate of Efes' and back out to join the party.

 

It was class just standing there and reading all the banners and having a bevvy. As normal the drinking lasted till the early hours but as we got off we went over to the Maccies for something to eat. Some big bastard of a fella at the front stopped us getting in. As we turned we heard someone shout us back. Some fella in there was just passing food out to any who walked past. Bizarre but boss.

 

Next day was gloriously sunny, as per for a cup final day, and as usual gloriously rough!! The day past meeting up with people and having a look around. When we goes to get a taxi down the ground some Turk stops and goes "I get you good price, wait here". He fucks off 2 taxis after a brief comment and finally turns round on the 3rd and says "this one good price!".

 

As am getting in the thing he wishes us luck even though he's not sure he should as he's an Everton fan. A Turkish bluenose, who'd have thought it!!

 

Anyone who was there remembers them fuckin' crazy taxi drivers. Ours was no different. He even created another lane when stuck at lights cos someone else was stopped to far over. Absolute crazy cunt. The traffic was as bad getting there as the locals reaction was boss. Little kids lining the streets chanting "Liverpool" at us.

 

We got out the taxi and did the same walk over the rubbled fields that everyone else seems to have done and after a bit of time in the fan area we was straight in and nothing more needs saying.

 

Superbly boss trip, that was just utterly crazy and unreal at every point.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Due to many various circumstances i've never managed to get to one. But rest assured i managed to watch them all on TV. Not the same i know, but a great experience none the less. I managed to get a ticket for the UEFA cup final in Dortmund in 2001. Not in your poll, but fuck yer, i had a great time.