stories from 1 st leg.

[thornabyred 0]

this is a copy of a mail sent to the Romanian embassy in England from a happy boro fan.

 

Just e-mailed the Romanian Embassy

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Thought I'd do a little bit of P.R. I'll post any reply I receive.

 

"I travelled to Bucharest with 2000 other Middlesbrough fans for yesterday's Steaua Bucharest v Middlesbrough UEFA Cup semi-final.

 

Before I left, I had read many stories about pickpockets, muggers, gangs of gypsies and packs of wild dogs. I am also aware that Romanian people were reading stories about the impending invasion of drunken, violent English hooligans.

 

Hopefully, today we all realise how ridiculous all of these stories were.

 

I found Bucharest to be a fascinating city, full of friendly, sociable people. I was made to feel welcome from the moment I arrived to the moment I left and I saw no sign of any of the horror stories I had heard about before I travelled.

 

Everywhere I looked, I saw Middlesbrough fans and local people mixing together and having a good time. I sincerely hope that the impression the people of Bucharest have of our fans is now totally different to what they had expected? We came for friendship, not violence, and I think we proved that.

 

I hope the Steaua fans who make the trip to Middlesbrough for next week's game enjoy their trip as much as we did, they will certainly be well looked after during their time here. However, I hope they travel home with a heavy heart after watching their side lose 2-0 and be eliminated from the competition!

 

A final word regarding the Bucharest police yesterday. Although they were represented in large numbers, they did their jobs with smiles on their faces and treated the Middlesbrough fans as human beings, not cattle. After the disgraceful behaviour of the Italian police when we were in Rome a few months ago, it was a pleasant change and we thank you.

 

I would be grateful if you could forward this e-mail on to the relevant people in Bucharest to let them know what a superb time the Middlesbrough fans had in their city.

 

Thank you."

 

That seems to be the sentiment from all that travelled as reported on TV and local papers.

he got a reply from the embassy as well.

well done to all concerned,more friends made through football.

[Vladivostok 0]

On one hand I'm happy to hear that our countrye's image embritened after the match and I respect all the english fans ho camed here. :lol:

On the second hand I'm sad to here that we still are concidered in most of the countryes uncivilised people with huligan behaviour and packs of wild doggs run free along with the gypsies.

[Guest]

On one hand I'm happy to hear that our countrye's image embritened after the match and I respect all the english fans ho camed here. :lol:  

On the second hand I'm sad to here that we still are concidered in most of the countryes uncivilised people with huligan behaviour and packs of wild doggs run free along with the gypsies.

 

I agree with you this is sad. I have to admit here in Friesland (ahum Holland )the same idea was present. That is one of the main reasons supporters decided not to go, including me

We have been in Newcastle and had a great time. Couldnt imagine this would be in Bucuresti the same, cause of the "stories".

I am glad I kept contact with you through the forum, so now i can say my opinion about you has changed.

Oke, there always will be a small group, as they are here aswell, but you proved to me the majority is oke.

Above letter proves it and stories from Heerenveen fans who have been there confirm it too.

I think we let us be influenced by the forum of Dinamo who warned us about you guys. We know now why! Just cause they are your "enemies".

 

Well, I certainly will not hesitate to come to your country next time. However I am affraid this will not be next year, cause I don't see Heerenveen win tonight at Roda, and again on Wednesday next to earn a UEFA ticket. :?

And then for the draw, you never know if we have to play in Romania again! Althoug history learnes we always have to go to Eastern of Europe, so you never know 8)

[waste 0]

There are of course many pre-conceived ideas about the countries in the Eastern Europe. This is not entirely true and Boro fans who came to Bucharest could saw that with their own eyes.

 

Romania is definetely not the the heaven on Earth , however the people are known as friendly (even if many of them are rather poor), and quite educated and intelligent.

 

About the gypsy minority... what can I say? They came from India a thousand year ago and settled in Europe. Many of them are now in Romania, others in Hungary or Serbia, and they are indead causing trouble to our country's image in the Western Europe.

 

@feanfan:

 

Heerenveen and Betis fans were seen as a curiosity in Bucharest (there were so few of them ).

 

Foreign supporters will not have any football-related problems in Bucharest, if they act friendly or are women, old persons or children. You said yourself that there are problems even in Holland with Ultra' factions of the Ajax and Feyenoord supporters.

 

I find it strange the play-off system in Holland for getting in the CL. Groningen could be there, even if they classified 5th at the end of the season 8O

[Guest]

Yes, we have group of supporters aswell which are known by police cause of their behaviour. Heerenveen has not that kind of supporters.

abt Playoff, Groningen won home with 3-1 against AZ and has a good chance to win away. Ajax won with 3-0 from Feyenoord, so it is possible Ajax meets Groningen in final for CL place.

I agree with you it is strange there are such games, therefore i am not going, but I don't think it will help to stop this competition next time. Cause of the money which is involved.

[Guest]

We arrived back in Middlesbrough last night and i must say i enjoyed my time in Bucharest.Your people were friendly,welcoming and very helpful.We were met at the airport,driven to our hotel and helped in every way.I hope you saw our fans in a good light we might drink quite a bit of alcohol but we try to have a good time mixing with your supporters,singing, swapping shirts and scarfes etc.The only thing that alarmed me were the roads and the taxi drivers 8O,coming back from the game we were involved in a collision with a coach full of Staua fans which hit our taxi and we had to get out in the middle of nowhere while the 2 drivers had a heated argument :lol: .All in all i enjoyed it and would certainly go back.For those of you who come over on Thursday enjoy it(apart from the result :wink: )

[Guest]

We arrived back in Middlesbrough last night and i must say i enjoyed my time in Bucharest.Your people were friendly,welcoming and very helpful.We were met at the airport,driven to our hotel and helped in every way.I hope you saw our fans in a good light we might drink quite a bit of alcohol but we try to have a good time mixing with your supporters,singing, swapping shirts and scarfes etc.The only thing that alarmed me were the roads and the taxi drivers 8O,coming back from the game we were involved in a collision with a coach full of Staua fans which hit our taxi and we had to get out in the middle of nowhere while the 2 drivers had a heated argument :lol: .All in all i enjoyed it and would certainly go back.For those of you who come over on Thursday enjoy it(apart from the result :wink: )

 

Nice to hear you had a good time!

When I read such postings I really regret I wasn't there. :? We could celebrate a 1-0 victory aswell :twisted:

But as you all no it didn't hurt Steaua :wink:

[Guest]

They should have won by 3 or 4,we didn"t perform.I dont think we can play that badly again.Tomorrow we have the FA cup semifinal so all our thoughts are on that one just now.

[Stryker 0]

I heard that boro fans were shouting someting like: "we should beat the gypsies tonight" for about 30 seconds!!...

First of all that romanians are NOT the same with the gypsies! Gypsies are just a minority.

Second of all that is obviously pure rasism, but UEFA doesn't care, they only make big deal when it's about eastern europeans...

 

And yes I am sure that you english people had a good time in bucharest, afterall, Romania was always a very good country for the wealty foreigners....

[Motanu D 0]

I heard that boro fans were shouting someting like: "we should beat the gypsies tonight" for about 30 seconds!!...

 

They probably thought that Boro was playing with Rapid ! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

[antonika 0]

I heard that boro fans were shouting someting like: "we should beat the gypsies tonight" for about 30 seconds!!...

First of all that romanians are NOT the same with the gypsies! Gypsies are just a minority.

Second of all that is obviously pure rasism, but UEFA doesn't care, they only make big deal when it's about eastern europeans...

 

And yes I am sure that you english people had a good time in bucharest, afterall, Romania was always a very good country for the wealty foreigners....

 

what happened on thursay is bilshit, you could clearly see that the ref was given a task, give as much yellow cards as posssible to Steaua, thats why 2 of our best players arnt cominf to Boro, it is clear that UEFA is trying to get Steaua out of the competition for financial reasons. they are the ones that complain about rigged games and they are the ones who rig the games.... **** UEFA and theyr refs!

 

hope we get a decent ref in Boro

[Alextds 0]

Come on don't start this conspiration theory like that wanna be Mircea Lucescu (how could UEFA stop Estern Europe team at the semi finals half of them were from there two Romanian, one Rusian and one from Bulgaria)

And if you will be a fair you should admit that Radoi (the capitan and the best player) maked a stupid talking at the end of the game that 80% of the ref's will had give him a yellow but the luxemburgese didn't because he's a weake ref.

[Triphat 0]

I'm glad Boro fans had a nice time in Romania, and I hope I'll have a nice time up north on Thursday.

 

Did they really sing that.. "we should beat the gypsies tonight" or what ever ? If yes... they deserve a good f******g smack. It'll turn ugly if someone chants that at me next week... :x

[Katau 0]

@Triphat I`m with you man . :x

[harryboy 0]

@Triphat I`m with you man . :x

 

I was at the game and no a song about gypsys was not sung, infact we did not sing very much because we were to busy with our hands in our mouths, if your team had stopped taking shots at our goal we might have been able to sing.

[Vladivostok 0]

I don't know what to say...but if they are right you really do deserv a smaking! :?

[michael 0]

Well, I certainly will not hesitate to come to your country next time. However I am affraid this will not be next year, cause I don't see Heerenveen win tonight at Roda, and again on Wednesday next to earn a UEFA ticket. :?  

And then for the draw, you never know if we have to play in Romania again! Althoug history learnes we always have to go to Eastern of Europe, so you never know 8)

 

IF you will come in Romania, you won't be able to come and visit Steaua because Steaua will play in the Champions League

 

However, if you will visit Dinamo or Rapid, we wish you all he luck from now! :lol:

[michael 0]

hope we get a decent ref in Boro

 

Hahaha, the fate is so ironic! Guess who's our ref? MICHEL LUBOS! :evil: :evil: :evil:

[antonika 0]

hope we get a decent ref in Boro

 

Hahaha, the fate is so ironic! Guess who's our ref? MICHEL LUBOS! :evil: :evil: :evil:

 

you know, in a way he's lucky, he always refed us in aways.. if he would ref us at home, he wouldn't be so lucky....

[armanovici 0]

@thornabyred

 

Most of the stories about you(boro fans) and romanians were made up by a low-life press,looking for scandal and trying to impress with sensational lies.

 

For example,you(boro fans) were portrayed by Pro Sport(romanian newspaper) as one of the most dangerous fans from england...stupid enough,the maker of the article printed a photo with 2 "dangerous" boro fans:2 girls of 16-17.

[thornabyred 0]

thats the sort of thing we have had since we went to Ostrava last season.a small mount of fighting at kick off,started by some Polish fans who had gone to fight the English.As a result any boro fan identified in pictures in that stand and seen to be involved in anyway(even protecting themselves)were banned from all football for at least 2 years.

Make no mistake we do have a hoolie element and they are regarded as some of the "best/worst" football hooligans in UK.They are very selective of when and where they go.

Teesside is a rough area with its roots in engineering and steel and chemical industries as well as we used to be shipbuilders,so hard work breeds hard people and hard drinkers.No worse than anywhere else in the world though.

As far as todays game goes,fans will be mde most welcome as they were last night,the ones staying near my work in Stockton.