Paul B

Pretty much sums up my whole attitude as well, that. £1000 to be treated like dirt by UEFA, an element of our own fans, the Athens police, the airport and airline people! We'll all be queueing up for more of the same in the future. Can anyone imagine though what it would have been like had it not been Milan but Manchester United who were our opponents there?

All those who moaned at the fact they couldn't go should be pleased. You are going to receive numerous accounts of bad experiences and mine is certainly no exception. Too tired to write any great account now but last night at Athens airpoort was truly one of the most unpleasant of my life. There were groups of passengers on our plane fighting, I mean mad, rollignover each other 20-30 strong, punches and kicks flying at the check-in for the actual plane desk! Even the presence of the Greek police who arrived mob-handed didn't do much to calm them down. I know what the situation was over but FFS!

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UEFA do have a point. The sheer number of bad lads there last night who were determined to get in was shameful. Okay, the organisation was a shambles and the game should patently not have been held there but UEFA should have every right to expect people to behave. Not charge fences determined to break them down and get in at all costs. The bottle throwing by our fans also couldn't have done much to endear us to the Athenian police force.

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Complete shambles last night. The organisation was attrocious. Once you came out of that Metro station, the obvious way in was straight ahead but the queues there were shocking. I could see another potential Hillsborough and was afraid to get in the scrum there. That said, some of our fans DID behave appallingly and a lot without tickets were clearly fired up and didn't care how much mayhem they caused, they wanted in at any cost. As I had our Liam and my mate had his two lads, I asked a policewoman and the a policeman to confirm that you could get in at that bottom end. There was hardly anybody there but fans at the main gate would have seen swarms of people coming BACK from that direction and concluded there was no entry that way. These were mainly ticketless or holders of forgeries attempting to get in at the bigger Metro gate. The policing/stewarding at this easier gate though was terrible. They turned a mini queue into a big problem with their heavy-handed tactics demanding you hold your ticket high and threatening those who didn't/wouldn't/couldn't. I counted six barriers and we had our tickets scanned at 5 of them. Once in, you did not want to go out to the toilets or for food or drink as you had to then come back through the last barrier again. It's no wonder there were big problems at that metro gate, the speed they were allowing people in. There were also empty seats in abundance and other areas with three people to a seat! Again, I'd blame those who wrecked the hopes of the genuine with forgeries or no tickets for this. As ever though, UEFA have to bear the responsibility for that situation; they knew from previous finals how well behaved our fans were and yet still wanted to divert any of their blame onto us. I'm bored s***less here. We're waiting to be picked up from our hotel for our 9pm flight!

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Not me. I'm going to a different country to watch it for starters.

Oi, you'll do as you're telt pal. Ten hours? Nowt that!

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Yes, he must be a Manc, obviously . Actually, I know good, solid Liverpool supporting Mancs who will be in Athens next week who are far more knowledgeable about our team and club than you clearly are. I'm astounded you joined when you did. If you had been in Cardiff for the last cup final there, you would know that the atmosphere was pretty dire; easily the worst cup final I've ever been to. The fault of this lies with the governing body, as it will for next week's final. You can't score cheap points with such a pathetic rant lad. Give it up and try and have a bit more class.

The song is originally an Irish Republican song to commemorate the potato famine. It goes like this. By a lonely prison wall I heard a young girl calling Micheal they are taking you away For you stole Trevelyn's corn So the young might see the morn. Now a prison ship lies waiting in the bay. Chorus Low lie the Fields of Athenry Where once we watched the small free birds fly. Our love was on the wing we had dreams and songs to sing It's so lonely 'round the Fields of Athenry. -2- By a lonely prison wall I heard a young man calling Nothing matter Mary when your free, Against the Famine and the Crown I rebelled they ran me down Now you must raise our child with dignity. Chorus -3- By a lonely harbor wall She watched the last star falling As that prison ship sailed out against the sky Sure she'll wait and hope and pray For her love in Botany Bay It's so lonely 'round the Fields of Athenry.

How would walking in their shop threatening to break kneecaps with a baseball bat? Does that come somewhere in the middle ground there?

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Thanks for that info Mondavi. I will certainly be taking up the issue of compensation with them on Monday morning. As stated, I only booked on the assurance of a 7am flight (which I still think is too early) and a central Athens hotel. As it is now, we'll miss a full night's sleep and have to then get bussed to some resort miles from the city itself. What would ABTA think about this situation though, particularly with regard to the sky high price? The guy at Independent I spoke to told me the cost was ridiculous and he'd never pay anything like that. He then went on to say the travel industry was s***ty and full of backstabbers and in an appalling mess. I don't know how these people sleep, I really don't; promising one thing until you part with your cash and then delivering something you'd never have gone into had you known the reality in advance.

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Right, here's what they've done: We paid £719 for flights on the basis we'd get a 7am flight and 2 nights accommodation in central Athens. I called them on Wednesday as we hadn't had confirmation, tickets, an itinerary or anything. I was assured everything had "gone in the post last night" and that I would receive it all on Thursday "at the latest." Yesterday, still nothing had arrived but they called at 6pm to say the accommodation in Athens was double booked and they were moving us to a coastal resort! I told them in no uncertain terms I was far from happy. The reason we'd booked with them was to avoid just such an inconvenience. Furthermore, despite the promise of a 7am flight, we're now told our flight is at 3AM!!! Three in the f***ing morning! I lost it a bit and the guy offered me a full refund! It's far too late to book anything else so what choice do I have? He then told another lie by saying all details had been posted but this morning, still nothing. This leaves only Monday's post to bring the stuff as Tuesday will obviously be too late. They've taken the money though. My credit card statement this morning tells me I've paid out to a company called "Cuba Connections" and for that money, I'd be enjoying a top class hotel in Havana for a fortnight not two poxy nights in a country I'd never have otherwise thought of visiting. I know some will think "Stop moaning, at least you're going" but we are being severely ripped off for this and it must not be forgotten. We all need to act otherwise we'll all face the same situation again and again in the future. Has anyone else been messed about by these utter cowboys?

Did you get mine today you gout-ridden wool?

In AM, watching Secrets and Lies now. (How appropriate!)

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