Column Treated like animals Lee Molton 08/03/2008 34comments | Jump to last I hope the Blues never get to draw another Italian side after my experience in Florence this week. We left Liverpool in high spirits just after 7:30 for our flight to Bologna and transfer to Florence. The flight went ok and we landed in Bologna at just after 11am (Italian time). We then got a police escort all the way from the airport to Florence; this was just the start of being treated shabbily. As we got near Florence, the Florence police told us that we had to be back at our coaches by 5pm later that afternoon, it was just after 1 now and we were still on the coach. This did not go down well with the coachloads of Evertonians; our original iternary said that we had till 7 in Florence city centre. Why were we going to be taken to the ground so early when the game did not kick off till 8:45pm in Florence? The police obviously wanted us out of the city centre as early as possible, why I?ll never know as Evertonians have no history of causing trouble in Europe. Our Italian tour guide pleaded with the police to let us only board the coaches at 7; eventually they relented so well done to our tour guide! When we got to the city centre, we found out that there was an alcohol ban in all bars until 6pm. Why was this ridiculous decision made? We walked round for ages and eventually found a small restaurant which was selling beer. An hour later, this was full of Evertonians singing songs and enjoying the afternoon. Note to the police, there was absolutely no trouble at all! After a joyous afternoon of singing Everton songs, we then made our way to the coaches for the short drive to the ground were worse treatment was to follow! We got off the coaches just after 8pm, only 45 minutes before kick off. As we got off the coach, we all made our way to the entrance to the ground. What I seen then was just unbelievable and how there were no Evertonians killed is a miracle! There were about 2,500 Evertonians trying to be herded one-by-one through a small gate in the fence with the police just looking on at the other side of the fence. Why were there no stewards outside, directing people into the ground in a more orderly manner? Another sign of us being treated like animals! As kick-off was fast approaching, there were people pushing trying to get into the ground, so people near the front were getting crushed against the fence. I managed to get in just for kick-off, but people were still outside up to 25 minutes into the 1st half with the gates being closed and the riot police coming out to push the Evertonians back. Why was this, we were only trying to get into the ground to watch Everton play football? When we got into the ground, the view from the away end was shambolic! We were held in a cage (again like animals) and it was very hard to see either end of the pitch. Would we treat away fans like this? Maybe we should build a cage for next Wednesday and see how Fiorentina like it!! The game itself was disappointing; to lose 2-0 and not really trouble their goalkeeper. It is not very often this season that so many of our players have off nights. However, there is still a 2nd leg, it is only half-time and a capacity crowd at Goodison all roaring the Blues on can intimidate the Italians and keep our European tour alive. Never stop believing boys, it isn?t over yet! Let?s knock the Italians out to make up for the way they treated us Evertonians, it certainly wasn?t a very good experience for me! Reader Comments Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer Lee Molton 1 Posted 08/03/2008 at 18:07:36 Report abuse I?ve never tried the organised voilence at football thing before Lee but after your story I am thinking what the hell, you can count me in to your attempt to ?knock the Italians out?. Meet you on the corner of Bullens and Gwladys 5 minutes before the end OK?? Lee Spargo 2 Posted 08/03/2008 at 19:51:21 Report abuse To be honest, I?m still in two minds about this. The majority of the local people that I met in Florence were very freindly before the game. The alcohol ban didn?t bother me because I dont drink much anyway, but the game didn?t kick-off until 8.45 and the ban was only up until 6 so still a good couple of hours for a few pints before the game in my eyes. However, the ticket situation was disgusting. Simply refusing tickets, and there were many on sale, on the basis that we were British borders on racism. I witnessed Americans and Irish citizens being sold tickets - but simply no British. How can this be allowed? Also, I wasn?t too happy with the hoardes of armed police that ?welcomed? me at Florence train station, took my passport from me and made me explain why I was in the city without a ticket for the match. "where your ticket?" "why you here?" Again - disgusting. Will we have the armed response unit at Lime Street on Wednesday quizzing any Itialian getting off a train? - of course not. The worse thing of all though was that even the previously friendly locals seemed to change after the game. I was lost in the city centre at about 12 that night trying to find my hotel. I had my key card with the hotel address on it and asked the police to help me. They simply walked away. I also asked a doorman on a nightclub if he could help - no. I did manage to find a kind bloke ater about 20 mins who walked me all the way back to my hotel. Thanks Salvatore!! craig tideswell 3 Posted 08/03/2008 at 20:04:51 Report abuse awhhhh poochey poo Jack Calvert 4 Posted 08/03/2008 at 20:44:19 Report abuse I did not go to the game and after reading your article I have a lot of sympathy for the way you were treated. Yes the Italian authorities are notoriously innefficient especially when dealing with English fans, in this case there may have been an overeaction to the charge brought against the club earlier that week.My point that I really wanted to make was about the scheduled itinery you seemed adamant to adhere to. The company running the trip obviously knew that entrance to the ground would take a while which is why they wanted you at the ground in plenty of time. Yes Italian authorities are unproffesional and incompetent but your tour company was showing inititive to try and reduce the problems of crushing, and rushing to the ground. Had the tour company stuck to the 5pm rule then this would have been avoided as the need for rushing would have been avoided.This is not to say the tour companies were at fault, they tried to find a soloution around incompetent stewarding and policing to benefit us fans and you ignored it causing rushing, crushing and fans waiting 25 minutes to enter the ground after kick off. Jimmy Milner 5 Posted 08/03/2008 at 21:20:32 Report abuse I went on the Offical Thomas Cook 1-day tour. The police, from when we landed, were totally over-zealous before the game and I was lucky to get into the game without getting the shit kicked out of me by the police. Before the game, the city was ok but the game and police wrecked my view of Italy. I will not be going back at any time in the future. Mick Dempsey 6 Posted 08/03/2008 at 21:51:58 Report abuse Facist mentality, bottom line. Most Italians I met, especially the scruffy bastard in our hotel, were Ignorant and unhelpful. I will never step foot in that hole again, I seen things over there that reminded me of one of these fascist countries in Central Americia and people slag Liverpool off. First time and last time for me, they can stick all them old buildings and statues up their arse. Lynn Thorne 7 Posted 08/03/2008 at 22:11:28 Report abuse FAO Jack - It wouldn?t have mattered if the coaches had picked us up at 5 - the gates of the fences surrounding the stadium were not opened until after 8. There was no rushing - it was impossible as they would only let 2-3 people through at a time. Me and about a couple of hundred other Evertonians were completely misdirected and after surmounting at least 5 security checks missed KO by 15 minutes. It was fortunate that nothing kicked off with their attitude - fortunately the good name of Everton was upheld. Paul Niklas 8 Posted 09/03/2008 at 11:29:39 Report abuse admittedly the cage the fdans were put in was a disgrace. No to sure they will be to happy with lower bullens but at least it has a roof. Official travel if thats what you were on gives the police the opportunity to be officious. They have to do something. As far as I am concerned spent the afternoon in florence, restaurants and bars and had a drink in them all. Was in the main stand so no problems there. What I did see was just after kick off,the stewards let Everton supporters into the space dividing the fans, within seconds Everton supporters started to entice the home support only for all let into that space , about 200 to be taken out. It is never a one way street,its just standard for away teams in Europe inthe main,The Italians are just more cautious. Unfortunately in my opinion trouble finds trouble. Paul Joy 9 Posted 09/03/2008 at 11:28:18 Report abuse The italian welcome began at Florence Airport on Wed afternoon. All English were pushed off to 1 side and had passports taken away by security whilst everyone else walked straight through. Kept for 45 mins with no explanation then asked to provide match tickets and hotel reservations. Others with no tickets were still allowed in eventually. All in the presence of carabinieri with dogs and guns. Absolutely great night in city bars no signs of trouble or heavy policing at all. Thursday alcohol ban but restaurants were serving drink all day if you wanted it that badly. Some obviously did and in the afternoon there were signs of potential trouble - lads pissing on a shop window in full city centre view - no police around - plenty of "fans" bellowing about Steve Gerrards missus and baby. In short Everton had a percentage of gobshites in the city who do our club and region no favours at all. To the match and more over zealous policing and stewarding - access was like a cattle market but again the gobshites have got to push and shove and try and get in with no tickets - people like that should support the RS those stunts are what they do. People could have been seriously hurt. Oh and don’t forget men who could not even stand up because they were so drunk. To end up being shoved into a caged animal pen in the pissing rain to stand for the match was’nt the best either. When they scored their goals the italian stewards let their brave boys come charging at the barriers to try to provoke our fans - thankfully our fans resisted the temptation to do something or it would have been riot police for us not them. After the game penned in for another half hour to finally be allowed to leave and walk past the riot police who were all fully kitted up. All very provocative. The city center was very subdued and I only saw a few restaurants open - topped up with a few beers and back to hotel. Woken up at 0230 by 4 oafs walking along an empty street shouting that steve gerrard song!! What is that all about?. Boy I hate that song. Friday uneventful and back home in 1 piece. What a contrast to Nuremburg Paul Niklas 10 Posted 09/03/2008 at 12:20:10 Report abuse Agree with all above. They have guns at Manchester airport also. The Steve Gerard song by the way is a disgrace. Tom Harris 11 Posted 09/03/2008 at 12:19:31 Report abuse "As kick-off was fast approaching, there were people pushing trying to get into the ground, so people near the front were getting crushed against the fence."So maybe if you had gotten there earlier it would have been ok? I was there at the start of the crush and do you know why it started? Because dozens of our mutant fans tried to storm in without tickets. So the police and stewards rightly closed the gate and then opened it slightly so only one or two could get in a time. Correct move. Remember Athens? REMEMBER HILLSBOROUGH? Jesus wept.As the for the away end, what more did you expect? Did you even have a look at the stadium before you went? I was on the back row of OS2 and the view wasn?t that bad to be honest. Sure it could have been better.And I drank pretty much all afternoon in Florence with no problems at all. At about 7.45 we were chatting to a load of Viola fans outside the ground and they were sound people. And then same again after the match.We have some degenerate fans who go there for trouble and the sooner they get arrested and banned, the better.I think Lee, you really need to reassess your expectations in future. Eddie Yates 12 Posted 09/03/2008 at 13:08:26 Report abuse Sad to hear about the treatment of my fellow toffs but i was there from Tuesday and there wasnt no bevvy ban in the boozer we went into (just at the side of the big mad cathederal) the lads in there where giving us all kinds of free shots!We were singing having a laugh fronting all the yankee student birds and causing no bother @ all there were young blue scallies and old blues but still no trouble if anyone wants to ask the locals about us Evertonians they just need to go to that bar and ask them how good we really were. Peter Corcoran 13 Posted 09/03/2008 at 13:27:12 Report abuse I made my own way to Florence and had absolutely no problems with any of the Italians I met and spoke to.In view of the trouble that Italy has had with their own football fans I could perfectly understand the action that the Italians took to try to avoid any trouble between the two sets of fans. Alot of unrest came from Evertonians who found it impossible to obtain a ticket for the match. The only time I saw the police getting a bit heavy handed was in response to yobbish Everton fans trying to rush a gate because they didn’t have the patience to wait their turn and even then the police were very reasonable in the way they treated the fans.Unfortunately the biggest gripe I have (apart from the match itself) is about some Evertonians (not all but enough to ruin our reputation). In my hotel Everton fans on an official Everton trip were thieving from the bar when the barman was not looking. I wonder why we get all the abuse about being scallies from opposing football fans?I hope that you thieving bastards get your hands chopped off.Then there was the drunken Everton fan trying to gather a bit of support to go and fight with the Italians because he believed that some Everton fans had been stabbed the night before, it didn’t seem to matter whether it was true or not.Then of course there is Everton Football Club itself for failing to secure more tickets for Everton fans (and I don’t recall any warinings not to travel for this match if you didn’t have a ticket). Inside the ground there were thousands of empty seats, even in the Everton enclosure (why was this?). I am sure that the ticketing arrangements could have been better handled, with more tickets made available and the location of the fans in the ground changed to one end of the stadium with a big gap either side for security, after all the Fiorentina fans didn’t appear to want to go to the game did they?Overall I enjoyed the trip and the behaviour of the majority of Everton fans is to be applauded (but not you thieving unwashed scally bastards who can rot in hell as far as I am concerned). seamy 14 Posted 09/03/2008 at 18:01:26 Report abuse read all the above, and then re evaluate the reaction foreign nations have when english fans come to their country, stealing drink from the bar when the barman wasnt looking ffs !! and you wonder why they treat you like the stereotypical english fans... Stephen Kidd 15 Posted 07/03/2008 at 22:57:46 Report abuse Due to Financial constraints and some stupidity on my behalf, this was the first away game that I had successfully attended this season. After having heard about the great previous away games, I began to get excited in anticipation of the game and the general athmosphere both pre- and post-match. However when we arrived we were informed that there was an alcohol ban in the city (the only places you could drink were restaurants), and upon arriving at the ground being filtered through a bottleneck system by riot police, 3 separate times, which resulted in crushing, high tension amongst Everton fans, and a growing anomosity towards the Italian police. After having watched the game, we then were filtered back through a bottleneck and ferried into the nearby waiting buses (the best idea they had). It got me thinking that: 1. I am sick and tired of ALL English supporters being treated the same, this is simply RACISM. 2. That for all the abuse the English police recieve, they manage the situation in the English game far better than any of our European counterparts. (Can you imagine the Italians being told there is no Skol available next week???) gary kelly 16 Posted 09/03/2008 at 20:36:47 Report abuse we had a ball in italy.we arrived in forli weds morning,and got the bus to bologna and the train to florence.great night in the michael collins pub,then a trattoria owner kept the place open till 2am to serve us some food and more ale. thursday we went to montevarchi done some shopping and had a few beers,then headed back to florence,where we had no trouble getting served ale. we missed the first couple of minutes of the game,no hassle getting in the everton end.the only hassle was a bit of a crush coming out at the end. the locals we encountered were friendly enough,and helpful.i would have no problem going back there again. the only gobshite i had the misfortune to meet,was an irish fiorentina fan who was on our flight and bus,the man talked constant shite for the whole journey,whilst wearing a beret.he was like frank spencer but dumber.god help the irish toffees,who were travelling with him.three days listening to this fella would drive you to suicide, Terry Lloyd 17 Posted 09/03/2008 at 20:55:20 Report abuse We was in that bar by the cathedral, the Astor bar, the manager Johny the Albanian was superb, free shots, champagne and like someone said before if you want a true reflection of good Evertonians and people from the city contact him @ the astor bar, no trouble, loads of singing and yes Gerard songs but come on lads this is football fans full of ale, few days aways and having a laugh, no crime is it to sing a few songs, no dead Italians or violence, shit hole of a city, ground like something from the 70s, police like the SS, but it was a laugh, besides the result. If people are insulted and offended by football songs and rowdy fans, why dont they stay away and follow another sport like fucking tennis. Mick Mc 18 Posted 09/03/2008 at 21:08:35 Report abuse Fuck me reading some of these posts, you would think we had murdered and caused havoc in that dump, fucking load of self righteous pricks get a grip THIS IS A FOOTBALL MATCH NOT A MORMON CONVENTION, GET A GRIP, NEXT TIME WE GO AWAY MAYBE WE SHOULD BRING OUR MAMS WITH US Paul Joy 19 Posted 09/03/2008 at 23:05:37 Report abuse Mick Mc - yes it was an away footy match in europe and I am up for a good time as much as anyone. But to me some things were out of order - so I have said so.Question - what has the Gerrard songs got to do with supporting Everton. Answer - fuck all mate.Question - what has some pisshead emptying his bladder on a shop window in broad daylight got to do with supporting everton?Do you get my drift?If thinking the above does no credit to everton or scousers then as you said then that makes me a self righteous prick. Guilty as charged. I just happen to think I am a reasonable bloke and a good proud blue.Another question for you - if you think all of the above is ok then what does that make you ???? M Perry 20 Posted 09/03/2008 at 23:59:12 Report abuse It makes him:TotalyWithoutAnyTasteFans like that give us a bad name and make it doubaly hard the next time we have to go there. If Mic Mack and his ilk want to embarris us wityh their behavour why dont they just buy 24 cans of ACE and embarras themselves at home. Barry Kingham 21 Posted 10/03/2008 at 00:48:46 Report abuse I was dreading drawing an Italian team - and I’m not talking about dreading their high standard of football. Football in Italy is horrible for fans, its about 20 years behind us - hooliganism rife, grounds with fences and pens - attendances are very poor. The game is corrupt with the football authorities, government, police, fans refs all involved. Women and children don’t go to the game and there is literally mob rule.Despite the actions of a few of our nutty fans, we can’t hold ourselves responsible for the actions of the Italians towards Evertonians. Its just not a nice place to go, even if places like Florence are beautiful. Other English teams don’t really take any fans over there to be honest - they know the score, its just our innocent naivety and willingness to travel for our beloved club that this has happened. Lets just hope we don’t draw the Italians again for all our sakes. John Murphy 22 Posted 10/03/2008 at 01:57:26 Report abuse Is there a new song about Stevie G that I haven’t heard yet? Paul Niklas said that the Steven Gerrard song is a disgrace. Paul Niklas 23 Posted 10/03/2008 at 10:28:52 Report abuse John Murphy, not sure what you mean but if the comment portrays your support ofsongs like this then you really need to look at your self.Everton supporters (true ones) dont need to sing songs like this and what relevance is it even if it was ok to sing it to a game in Italy.If you want a new song then make one up sure by the sound of it you can come up with one equally as bad.Its the type of song that unfortunately Gerard loves to slam down our throats every time we play them.Focus on Everton not someone else. Chris Lawlor 24 Posted 10/03/2008 at 11:23:50 Report abuse So Terry Lloyd, Florence is a shithole is it? One of Europes most beautiful cities, designed by the artisans of the renaissance period, does not match up to Liverpool’s city centre? Get a grip pal. I have seen first hand how certain ’fans’ behave when they’re away from their wives, girlfriends etc, like knucke dragging scum. I am aware that its only a small minority but its still a stain on our reputation. Fans that come over here very rarely get absoluetly pissed out of their heads and behave like animals, it seems its always clowns from these shores. Away days can be great events but there are certain elements that should not be allowed outside their front door not to mind the country. Tony Waverleas 25 Posted 10/03/2008 at 11:45:04 Report abuse Erm, so when our loveable pals across the park decide to carry on like they did last summer in Athens we as Evertonians are supposed to be outraged and horrified.Yet when some of the plums who follow us show their true colours (in one of Europe’s most beautiful cities, natch) we’re supposed to turn a blind eye to it or simply pass it off as just the lads having a few ales at the match?Jesus wept. si ord 26 Posted 10/03/2008 at 12:24:57 Report abuse because we?re treated like animals doesn?t mean to say we have to act like animals...we have a choice...that?s what determines that we aren?t animals...getting drunk and singing songs about your team is surely part of what it?s all about...getting so mortal you can hardly stand and fighting with your own supporters before the match as some idiot was outside the station....i tell you what ignore my earlier line!....i have to agree all the italians i met were really friendly...most of the coppers were jumped up mussolinis...nothing new there...except in nuremburg!...felt there was a different atmosphere to all the others...wether it was the high number of blues without tickets, the stories circulating of knife weilding italian fans, the sometimes heavy handed police, the partial alcohol ban, the cultural difference between england and italy or a combination...it didn?t have the same feel as previous trips...and of course the result! Dave Lynch 27 Posted 10/03/2008 at 13:02:54 Report abuse Mick Mac.I would rather go the match with me mam than a fucking idiot like you.Stay at home next time, so we won’t have to apologise for clowns like you and their behaviour.Grow up mate and act your age not your shoe size. Peter Roberts 28 Posted 10/03/2008 at 13:34:43 Report abuse I didn?t go to the game on Thursday but spent 4 months in Tuscany in 2006 as part of my university degree. During that time, I had the (dis)pleasure of going away with fans of the now Serie B team Pisa. There was an official train to the ground, where we were greeted by carabinieri in full riot gear, where we were then herded onto buses where the windows were thankfully open in the middle of May. Police escorts to the ground and herded into a cage for the away supporters (which was also standing only!) Post-match was the same.So I?m reading these stories and thinking, this is how football is policed as standard in Italy, but you don?t hear them moaning about it. FWIW Italian football support is 20 years behind us, hooliganism is rife. But listening to some bleeding hearts on here, you?d think we?d been transported back to the 1850s. If any of you had done your research you?d have known what to expect. Florence is a beautiful city - don?t let the actions of some mindless Italians cloud your judgement otherwise.And also, shame on the braindead idiots who tried to storm the gates. Have we not learnt from the misfortunes of our neighbours? I trust we can behave ourselves on our own patch, and that Merseyside police can show the Italians that we are above such animalistic behaviour. Lee Spargo 29 Posted 10/03/2008 at 13:48:30 Report abuse Sorry Tom, but I don’t particularly think I should re-assess my expectations at all. When I visit another European City, I expect to be allowed in without being interrogated why I am there. I also dont expect to be refused a ticket simply because I am English. Had they made a decision to not sell tickets at all on the day of the game, then no problem. But when you see Americans, Irish and Australians getting tickets and then you are refused simply because you produce a British passport, then I’m sorry but I find it unaccpetable, bordering on racism. That wont happen at the Park End Box Office this week will it? I also expect a police officer to at least try to help a foreign tourist who is lost in their city.The reason for all of the above was simple - there was a football match going on. But why should that change matters at all? Simply because there was a match does not mean we should accept being pre-supposed as all hooligans. If I was going to a theatre or a concert in Florence, would the same happen? Of course not.However, if you disagree and think we should be treated like shite, then that’s your prerogative. Personally, I think you’re soft. John Murray 30 Posted 10/03/2008 at 16:37:01 Report abuse I was disgusted at Florence to see an array of so called Evertonians queing up to have there photos taken with Andy Nichols, a conicted cat C football hooligan! The night before the game he was seen in a bar handing tickets out to people who had booked on ?his? travel tour.You have to question why Good law abiding season ticket holders were told there ballot was un-successful for a ticket and he still gets one. As for the Gerrard song i?m in minds, is it out of order.. yes i think it is and to replace it with Joey Yobo the baby is yours is even more out of order. I was dissapointed to bump into a fan giving people stick about not having a ticket and bigging himdelf up for not misiing a game for 4 years! If 4 years is how long he has been supporting Everton then he needs to wind his neck in a bit and some people have other commitments. Don?t get me wrong if all 2340 tickets had gone to us all travelling to all games there could be no argument but that wasn?t the case. I met people in fiorentina who had never been to a European away game!? I would also like to question the club wht 1stfortickets.com where selling tickets in the everton end for £260! Some of the lads we were with had dubai driving licences but were scousers and got in. The police were question on the day about extra ticket allocation and a club rep even came out to the lads and said Everto were offered 9000 tickets but would not supply there own police and stewarding how true this is i don?t know.At the end of the day lads the trouble in Italy was minimal, the police were brutal but they are 20 years behind us. At the derby the gerrard song was being sang for over 60 mins of the game, they were calling Joeleon Lescott the elephant man, we sing 39 italains can?t be wrong, they bring tesco bags to the game and call us KFC. Its football it happens, is handing Nick Barmbys address out at pre season games fair? Were all guilty of one thing we love Everton, if you don?t agree with songs like i don?t its simple... don?t sing them. ejruane 31 Posted 10/03/2008 at 17:10:24 Report abuse The Policing and booze ban, if I’m honest, I did find a bit of a shocker, especially having been to Nuremberg and Alkmaar,Both of those towns seemed to embrace the games and their attitude and organization, seemed to have a really calming effect on the travelling Blues.It is sadly true however that we have an element ’supporting’ us who can only be described as emotionally retarded. While waiting to leave the stadium after the game, these narked, pissed-up bell-ends started pushing (even though we’d been told we were being held back!).Then as they started to let us go, a group at a time, I could hear the black stewards getting loads from a few brain-dead, racist, fuck-wits.You know what boys - when you’re screaming your racist bile, 99% those around you are NOT thinking "Yeah, you tell em lad’"In fact if they’re anything like me, they’re thinking "I hope you die of something staggeringly painful, really, REALLY soon!"The Italian police might dress and strut like cartoon fascists, but we’ve (still!) got plenty of the REAL McCoy ourselves. Billy Harper 32 Posted 10/03/2008 at 18:29:04 Report abuse We found all the Italian people we met warm and welcoming, in our hotel, bars and restaurants. We did not experience any alcohol bans but we don’t drink much anyway.Whilst we saw that 90% of Blues were great ambassadors for the club, judged against the benchmark of Nurnberg there were more knobheads on display than usual.On our flight out from Manchester to Frankfurt there were the Wallasey divs theiving from a FREE bar on the plane! They continued their retard behaviour in the airport irritating several people in the restaurant.On the flight from Frankfurt they continued to rob the FREE bar !!!! DOH! and went along the plane boasting about it, eventually to the amusement of the rest of us they were arrested on landing. We hoped we’d seen the last of them. The only divs I’ve ever known get nicked for stealing something that was free!MY experience was that the Police were intimidating but fair considering the behaviour of a small minority. Unfortunately just as we were waiting for the bus at the station to take us to the match some lad decided to urinate all over a bench that people were queuing up to sit down on. Why is it that some lads get away from the Mrs for a few days and just start to behave like animals. Do that in town on a Saturday night and you’ll get slapped. To the 3 lads at Frankfurt Airport who were not in control of their bodily functions, you were a disgrace.On the way home the Wallasey divs turned up again and seemed quite proud that they had let a fire extinguisher off in their hotel, you may not have noticed but the other 30 lads on the bus were so embarrassed by you we were all looking at you wondering who would slap you first. Stick to school trips you pricks!Hopefully if we beat Fiorentina you sad dickheads won’t be on the next trip, you are not welcome by the 90% who know how to behave. Lue Glover 33 Posted 10/03/2008 at 19:59:09 Report abuse Florence isn?t a shithole, if it is, what does that make some of our own glorious cities?Italian people are not all arrogant pricks in the same way that not all English people are drunken idiots who pee where they stand.Wherever I went in Florence last week, the bars and restaurants were serving drinks.Pubs as such, don?t really exist so a lot of the singing and shouting was being done in restaurants where families were out having a meal. The singing and shouting was fine for a pub but surely not for a restaurant? They wouldnt do it in the UK so why do it in Italy?The policing was very OTT by our standards but normal for Italian games.Most stadia in Italy have limited cover and the away fans are segregated into cages partly for their own protection.Only Ultras usually travel to away games and rarely would women and children travel away (wonder why?)English fans still have an unwelcome reputation for being ?hooligans?.As someone who has family in Italy and speaks Italian I was ear wiggin? a lot of what was being said by the locals in the street and in the restaurant as well as talking to stewards in the ground. The views I heard were, ?where on earth do they put all that beer?? What does ?who the fucking hell are you? mean?Why do all English men shave their heads?I could go on....but the general view was that locals were more bemused by the behaviour of most of us but a bit annoyed at the yobbish behaviour of others.To the prize idiot who drank a bottle of wine, more or less in one go, in the restaurant I was in and then emptied it by chucking up all over the floor together with the pizza etc. Thanks mate, that was a class act. My abiding memory of that meal was the smell of sick and the look on the face of a young kid sitting there trying to eat a meal. Thankfully, people like him are in a minority, at least I hope they are. Paul Mosses 34 Posted 10/03/2008 at 21:12:26 Report abuse Well, it seems every person who was over there witnessed Evertonians acting like tits apart from me.I only witnessed evertonians drinking quietly in bars and restaurants, behaving normally on the streets, giving all the street vendors around the duomo a huge pay day purchasing their tat and finally..... Evertonians being incrediby restrained under intense provocation outside the ground by the Italian police force.I was there for 2 and a half days and was obviously not looking hard enough for this scum element that were bringing our club into disrepute.I was proud of our support over there and honestly believe that if it had been the vast majority of any other clubs in the country we would have seen the all too familiar scenes of Southern European police leathering all and sundry. Mike Grundy 35 Posted 10/03/2008 at 23:27:16 Report abuse Paul Mosses - I agree totally mate!We were tested to the max over there, from the minute we landed till the minute we left, and I didn't see anyone lose their rag. Sure there were a few moans and groans, but I certainly didn't witness anyone ?Bring shame upon our club? as is being portrayed here!OK maybe there were things I didn't see, fair play, but I've been to 3 European away trips this season and haven't seen a spot of bother at any of them!Up The Toffees! Alex Pat 36 Posted 11/03/2008 at 03:10:39 Report abuse We were provoked by the policeWe do have a minority of morons who follow EFCWe do have the vast majority of well behaved supporters who folow EFCWe are no better and no worse than any British team's supporters abroad..So all you self righteous pieous bstards, get of your high horses..There was a small amount of bad behaviour, but none of the hooligan behaviour of fighting/running amok etc..Remember, there was over 3000 mainly blokes away for a match with no trouble reported in the English press.The Italian press were calling us hooligans for 3 days before the match.. the only article we saw after the game was the piece about trashing a hotel room...Well fuck me... that must make us all hooligans then!!Oh yeah...and to the pissheads / robbers, who read this, next time you go away, watch your backs, coz me and me mates will be right on ya, twatting ya if we have to and handing you over to the bizzies too!!Because we ain?t gonna suffer for you or protect you!! Paul Mosses 37 Posted 11/03/2008 at 10:41:29 Report abuse Just remembered another thing that happened on the trip which could have caused trouble...A few italian photographers coming into the bar that we were in on the afternoon of the game, taking photos of litter in the gutter 20 yards away that had been there for fuck knows how long, and then trying to get all the evertonians to shout aggressively at the camera whilst clenching fists.Luckily, everyone knew what they were doing and told them to do one, but again, if people would have bit, whatever paper these vermin worked for would have had pictures of blues looking like deranged lunatics all over them the following day. Tom Davies 38 Posted 11/03/2008 at 12:32:10 Report abuse Unfortunately I couldn’t afford to go to the game, but most of these comments don’t suprise me, the Italians have always hated football fans from over here especially since heysel (didn’t want to bring LFC up but it’s just a fact).I personally think we have very respectful and intelligenst fans for not taking the bait like United fans did in Rome. I’m now left with a dilema, do we treat them like scum if that many turn up by sticking up fences by them and opening the away gate 45 mins before kick off while they enter 1 by 1. Or do we show them that not all sides in this country are too quick to cause a riot, and treat them with respect and show them that we are not an "English" team, that we are different with friendly fans and helpful police and stewards (in comparison anyway) Stan Howard 39 Posted 11/03/2008 at 23:04:11 Report abuse If you only knew what lfc fans have had to endure in europe but especially italy and before you think it ,the worst treatment was well before Heysel. Inter are easilly the best team in italy 29 games unbeaten before they played lfc and the only person not suprised at the ease of the win was David Moyes as he expected Liverpool to do well this year! Mike Grundy 40 Posted 11/03/2008 at 23:51:27 Report abuse Stan...... Whats your point mate?This is a thread about the Fiorentina trip last week........ Stan Howard 41 Posted 13/03/2008 at 15:17:39 Report abuse Mike, my point was perhaps you might now have a very small insight into what Liverpool fans have had to endure in Europe in Italy they were stoned and stabbed but still got all the blame, In greece treated like dirt, battoned for having a legitimate ticket and still blamed by Uefa and I was only lying on the beach honest! stan howard 42 Posted 16/03/2008 at 18:40:33 Report abuse i see my posts have been deleted, have you got new moderators ? i considered this a great site, and although i am a red i have never abused your board or over used it - by the way what is the first consideration in moving to kirkby, the fans , the team, the city, the club, no its tesco why? i will tell you why a professional medical friend of mine was asked if he would like to work with efc youths when he asked about salary he was told oh there is no salary, and thats the answer they have the attitude that they should get everything free, as in the efc collection, these parasites will get what they deserve © ToffeeWeb