Euro Memories


Broon
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It's that time of year again when all those fantastic Euro memories are popping up on our timelines on Social Media. Given this year instead of defeating the likes of Rosenborg in Norway we're getting pumped of Montrose and everyone is feeling a bit low I think it's time to relive some of those great moments. 

So, what was your highlights? Here's my Top 3. 

1. Piano Bar. Nobody expected us to get anything from Rosenborg. The Rosenborg fans didn't bother to turn up,  we were treated like all the other diddies they have to face in the early stages each year. There were a few highlights, the march to the game, the goal, the final whistle but nothing topped that night in the Piano bar. Best. Night. Ever. No hangover has been worth it like that one. 

2. Lucerne. What a stunning place to play a game of football. The gods were kind to us with that draw. Lucerne is still one of the most beautiful places I've been. On top, a great game, a not so great game against their supporters in the 35C heat and beers on padalo on the Lake. Brilliant. 

3. Eskisehirspor fans. Gathering in that first bar on the first day I'll admit I was nervous as the Turkish locals started to surround the pub. The horror stories about stabbings and violence at Football games in Turkey. Nothing could have prepared us for what a single song of "Sit down if you hate Dundee" could do to turn an atmosphere around. Turned into a brilliant trip and met some great people. The Football was brutal and if you looked back on that starting 11 you'll cringe but the experience of the Turkish fans was something you wont forget. Loved it. 

Go for it - what was yours? 

 

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Got to agree with your third memory. Everyone in Eskisehir was pleased to see us, not just the footie fans. A highlight of that trip was a walk up to the old town with Babychunder (you still on here mate?). A stunning place with a fantastic museum and shop selling hand carved stuff (I don’t remember what the stone was), plus invited for a cup of Turkish tea with a squad of policemen. I don’t know why they were up in the old town and not at the football but it was fun listening to BC trying to speak the bit of Turkish he remembered.

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My two experiences of watching us play away in Europe were Monaco and Luzern, which were both incredible trips. Rosenborg's a bit more of a sore memory for me as I'd booked up to travel and then had to pull out due to illness.

But I'd also give a special mention to the home game against Luzern, which I think was possibly one of my favourite ever experiences at McDiarmid. Fantastic performance on the pitch, a thrilling penalty shoot out ending, and a brilliant, noisy atmosphere under the McD floodlights. It's not always possible to get to all the away games for all of us when we qualify, but it's nights like that Luzern game at home that make me desperate to watch us in Europe again.

One thing I could never understand was when some people started treating these matches as if they were some sort of inconvenience. For me, they were the absolute pinnacle.

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I've only been on two of the trips as well, Luzern and also Vaasa in 1999. Both incredible experiences and, as said, we were about as lucky as you could be in getting to visit somewhere as beautiful as Lucerne. The scenes when MacLean scored and then the buses back into town after the game were memorable. 

Finland really was a step into the unknown (although scary now that was 28 years after last playing in Europe and we are now 20 years since the Clark campaign) but again, incredible memories. Only a couple of hundred Saints fans but the centre of the town - and O'Malley's bar - seemed to be taken over by blue and white. 

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9 hours ago, dunblanemike said:

Got to agree with your third memory. Everyone in Eskisehir was pleased to see us, not just the footie fans. A highlight of that trip was a walk up to the old town with Babychunder (you still on here mate?). A stunning place with a fantastic museum and shop selling hand carved stuff (I don’t remember what the stone was), plus invited for a cup of Turkish tea with a squad of policemen. I don’t know why they were up in the old town and not at the football but it was fun listening to BC trying to speak the bit of Turkish he remembered.

Babychunder no been on for a wee while ;) He has this week just retired

 

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Monaco was only away game I made but a fantastic experience.

2 days by bus through Kelvin Travel was the cheapest option to get there.

More recently the home games were great nights.

Like Blueheaven said , I never understood the folk who complained about these games, absolutely where we want Saints to be.

I was at School when Dundee Utd and Aberdeen had their great European nights and supporting 2nd Div Saints was a tough shift. I must admit to take great enjoyment from the fact Utd have been a league below us while we have been in Europe recently. It does make a difference, I know a few lads from Auchterarder and Crieff etc who still support Dundee Utd, I have no doubt that if we had been in Europe in the 80s while they were growing up these guys would be Saints fans.

Off track a bit but I equally don t understand folk who say "its only the league cup, its the league that's important ".

This is a cup we have never won and I would love a league Cup win . I d happily take a season struggling near the bottom if we got a win in either cups.

European nights and Cup semi Finals are what we ve been blessed with over the last 15 years but been missing over the last couple of years.   

 

 

 

 

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I've been fortunate to make a few trips having been too skint to go to Monaco and bitterly regretting not going ever since. Many people I've spoken to that did go were equally as skint as me but went nevertheless!

1. The main memory of Trondheim was my cousin saying to me at the end "Fergie, the only thing that could top this would be winning the Scottish Cup". Little did we know how prophetic that would be! The night in the piano bar after was magical and something I'll never forget.

2.  The night with the San Marino team in the bar in Yerevan was bizarre to say the least. Seeing some of their guys in Saints' tops is a special memory.

3.  Crossing the bridge in Lucerne and looking back at the beautiful city we were in was up there too.

Hopefully it won't be long before more special memories are being made!

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Or taking a train ride to the top of a Swiss mountain to find that of the 300 or so people at the top you knew about half of them.  Then taking the ski gondola back down and while walking to the bus stop into Lucerne being given a lift by fellow Saintees who spotted you on the road.  Surreal.

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On 7/19/2019 at 11:41 AM, Strawman said:

Monaco was only away game I made but a fantastic experience.

2 days by bus through Kelvin Travel was the cheapest option to get there.

More recently the home games were great nights.

Like Blueheaven said , I never understood the folk who complained about these games, absolutely where we want Saints to be.

I was at School when Dundee Utd and Aberdeen had their great European nights and supporting 2nd Div Saints was a tough shift. I must admit to take great enjoyment from the fact Utd have been a league below us while we have been in Europe recently. It does make a difference, I know a few lads from Auchterarder and Crieff etc who still support Dundee Utd, I have no doubt that if we had been in Europe in the 80s while they were growing up these guys would be Saints fans.

Off track a bit but I equally don t understand folk who say "its only the league cup, its the league that's important ".

This is a cup we have never won and I would love a league Cup win . I d happily take a season struggling near the bottom if we got a win in either cups.

European nights and Cup semi Finals are what we ve been blessed with over the last 15 years but been missing over the last couple of years.   

 

 

 

 

I was on that bus to what a journey that was. Also were u there when armed police surrounded us

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  • 2 weeks later...

The two games against Luzern will take some beating. The away game was just a fantastic experience from every point of view, fantastic company at Edinburgh airport prior to catching the official charter, the flight itself a great booze filled experience, Lucerne is a stunningly beautiful city, the locals and the Saints fans I met there were brilliant company, the match was pretty good, the after match bus back to city centre was something else, Pickwicks after will live long in my memory and a pre referendum ear bashing from S. Cosgrove cemented my political thinking, the roadhouse street party including the team escapees was not spoilt for me despite having the Peebles Saints flag knicked after getting a whack on the head. 

The home game waslso pretty special

 

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Been to Trondheim, Lucerne and Vilnius, and all three were great trips in their own right. 

Walking up to the English bar in Trondheim and seeing all the Saints flags flying outside, the march to the stadium, the feeling of ‘well we’ve scored too early, but we can always use that picture of being ahead against Rosenborg,’ and obviously the result and subsequent party. What an achievement that result was, one of our top five results in my time watching Saints.

Luzern topped it though. The scenery, the weather, the 1000 strong travelling fans, the cup final buzz. For me that’s the pinnacle of watching Saints. Drinking in 30 degree heat by a beautiful lake in a sea of blue, flags all over the area. Macca’s goal, the bus back from the ground, the party afterwards. Memories. 

Regret not going to Turkey, but what a 5 years they were. 

Tommy Wright, king of Perth. 

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Trondheim, Yerevan and Vilnius for me. 

Trondheim highlights are obviously the match itself and the Piano Bar that night. 

Yerevan was my first trip on the charter flight. Partying with Folgore players after their Champions League qualifier. The football was crap and it's genuinely the hottest place I've been. Watching football in that heat was bad enough. **** playing in it. 

Vilnius was a good laugh too. The match was crap but it was a lovely city. 

Hopefully that's not my last trip seeing Saints in Europe. 

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 Turkey was a real highlight for the atmosphere before the game and a few days in Istanbul before ( and a full bus of Saints fans going from there to the game!).

I also remember in Lucerne some  the Saints players ( Tam Scobbie, a bottle in each hand!) sneaking out of the team hotel and joining the fans  celebrating in the bar at the risk of getting fines! Thought  I shouldn’t  post a picture at the time  to save anyone getting into bother but as most of them have left us ...

 

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