32 Years Ago Tomorrow

[paultheblue]

This time 32 years ago I was on a ferry full of blues that had not long left Harwich looking forward to the biggest day in our history.
We were the best team in England and probably Europe we wernt going to lose we didnt do losing then.It was a night full of singing and drinking copious amounts of ale. There were 4 in our group myself a mate and my 2 younger brothers who unfortunately are now both dead.They were both big Evertonians one of them sold everthing he had to make the trip,the other I lost this year.
We arrived in Rotterdam at about half seven went for some breakfast then bumped into another mate whos first words were " Theres an alehouse open round the corner" and so it began about 9am and continued all day until we headed to the match about 7pm.
We were in the square in the centre most of the day where Billy Butler was doing a live broadcast it was a brilliant day but if I have one regret it was that I should have eased off on the ale a bit.
At the ground it was a bit chaotic so much so that they just opened the gates I still had my full ticket when I got home.
There was 25,000 blues that day and not a bit of trouble we could handle losing god knows most of us there had seen plenty of bad times so when the good times arrived we just lapped them up.I often wonder if this final had occurred after Heysel would this match have even happened?

 

[chicoazul]

This time 32 years ago I was on a ferry full of blues that had not long left Harwich looking forward to the biggest day in our history.
We were the best team in England and probably Europe we wernt going to lose we didnt do losing then.It was a night full of singing and drinking copious amounts of ale. There were 4 in our group myself a mate and my 2 younger brothers who unfortunately are now both dead.They were both big Evertonians one of them sold everthing he had to make the trip,the other I lost this year.
We arrived in Rotterdam at about half seven went for some breakfast then bumped into another mate whos first words were " Theres an alehouse open round the corner" and so it began about 9am and continued all day until we headed to the match about 7pm.
We were in the square in the centre most of the day where Billy Butler was doing a live broadcast it was a brilliant day but if I have one regret it was that I should have eased off on the ale a bit.
At the ground it was a bit chaotic so much so that they just opened the gates I still had my full ticket when I got home.
There was 25,000 blues that day and not a bit of trouble we could handle losing god most of us there had seen plenty of bad times so when the good times arrived we just lapped them up.I often wonder if this final had occurred after Heysel would this match have even happened?

Great stuff and RIP your mates.

I continually hear the stories when we get drunk after the game.

Here's to some more of this Everton soon, in particular for the younger lids.

 

[Groucho]

There was 25,000 blues that day and not a bit of trouble

Says it all pal

 

[Frank Gallagher]

May these days soon be on us

 

[Jokerdan]

Yeah, great times. Spent the night before and after the match in the 'Dam. Full of Blues in every bar around the Red Light district - surprise, surprise

 

[chrismpw]

This time 32 years ago I was on a ferry full of blues that had not long left Harwich looking forward to the biggest day in our history.
We were the best team in England and probably Europe we wernt going to lose we didnt do losing then.It was a night full of singing and drinking copious amounts of ale. There were 4 in our group myself a mate and my 2 younger brothers who unfortunately are now both dead.They were both big Evertonians one of them sold everthing he had to make the trip,the other I lost this year.
We arrived in Rotterdam at about half seven went for some breakfast then bumped into another mate whos first words were " Theres an alehouse open round the corner" and so it began about 9am and continued all day until we headed to the match about 7pm.
We were in the square in the centre most of the day where Billy Butler was doing a live broadcast it was a brilliant day but if I have one regret it was that I should have eased off on the ale a bit.
At the ground it was a bit chaotic so much so that they just opened the gates I still had my full ticket when I got home.
There was 25,000 blues that day and not a bit of trouble we could handle losing god knows most of us there had seen plenty of bad times so when the good times arrived we just lapped them up.I often wonder if this final had occurred after Heysel would this match have even happened?

Thanks for the memories - sorry to hear you lost your brothers though mate.
I remember that night - I was on a field trip and all I had was a radio. I was the only one in a group of 30 on the field trip who had an interest in football, so I was sat alone like Johnny no-mates with my crackly radio listening to it on Radio 2 medium wave. A great night.

 

[Seathestars]

Nice yarn mate, the good times will soon be here again.

 

[Eggs]

..it was a good trip.

 

[edge]

Great trip, flew in first thing in the morning to be met be a massive armed police presence , thought this is a bit on top, got talking to a copper and he said its not for you the pope is leaving in a few minutes, I said I hadn't ever seen him were is he, well you cant get anywhere near him , but you just might get a glimpse from over here, he brought me through the cordon and onto the edge of the airstrip,
got to see a very distant glimpse of the pope getting on a plane , accompanied by my gun toting police officer mate.
Highlights of the day, hundreds of us getting drunk in a garden festival type place, the coppers wanted us to keep out of the way, the Austrian fans arriving as we were just about to leave , totally bemused as we were a happy bunch not the yobs they must have been expecting.
Getting off in the Haig by now getting worse for wear , Everton fans hanging off the statues everywhere, locals showing up all big biker types, and then retreating as they though better of what was heading there way, later showing up by a little square by a church and joining in the fun with us once they realised we were not on a mission, god they were big lads that crowd good company, bloody obsessed with the hooligan scene at home.
Went for a stroll and ended up in a little bar with my cousin, and got are ale sent over by some old Dutch fellas , went over to thank them, they just said beat the Austrian bS , I said why don't you like them , he showed me his concentration camp tattoo , and just said they were worse than the Germans, hope you win.
Badly bottling,( I was terribly shy with the ladies when younger) it in the same bar as a rather pretty blonde Milf chatted me up and asked my to go to her flat for a coffee, much to the delight of the old Jewish fellas in the corner who took the piss for the rest of the time we were in there.
Like the original poster I wish I was a bit more sober come match time as I wouls have liked to take more of it in.

 

[bol-uk]

Great trip, flew in first thing in the morning to be met be a massive armed police presence , thought this is a bit on top, got talking to a copper and he said its not for you the pope is leaving in a few minutes, I said I hadn't ever seen him were is he, well you cant get anywhere near him , but you just might get a glimpse from over here, he brought me through the cordon and onto the edge of the airstrip,
got to see a very distant glimpse of the pope getting on a plane , accompanied by my gun toting police officer mate.
Highlights of the day, hundreds of us getting drunk in a garden festival type place, the coppers wanted us to keep out of the way, the Austrian fans arriving as we were just about to leave , totally bemused as we were a happy bunch not the yobs they must have been expecting.
Getting off in the Haig by now getting worse for wear , Everton fans hanging off the statues everywhere, locals showing up all big biker types, and then retreating as they though better of what was heading there way, later showing up by a little square by a church and joining in the fun with us once they realised we were not on a mission, god they were big lads that crowd good company, bloody obsessed with the hooligan scene at home.
Went for a stroll and ended up in a little bar with my cousin, and got are ale sent over by some old Dutch fellas , went over to thank them, they just said beat the Austrian bS , I said why don't you like them , he showed me his concentration camp tattoo , and just said they were worse than the Germans, hope you win.
Badly bottling,( I was terribly shy with the ladies when younger) it in the same bar as a rather pretty blonde Milf chatted me up and asked my to go to her flat for a coffee, much to the delight of the old Jewish fellas in the corner who took the piss for the rest of the time we were in there.
Like the original poster I wish I was a bit more sober come match time as I wouls have liked to take more of it in.

Amazing

 

[Noble Savage]

This time 32 years ago I was on a ferry full of blues that had not long left Harwich looking forward to the biggest day in our history.
We were the best team in England and probably Europe we wernt going to lose we didnt do losing then.It was a night full of singing and drinking copious amounts of ale. There were 4 in our group myself a mate and my 2 younger brothers who unfortunately are now both dead.They were both big Evertonians one of them sold everthing he had to make the trip,the other I lost this year.
We arrived in Rotterdam at about half seven went for some breakfast then bumped into another mate whos first words were " Theres an alehouse open round the corner" and so it began about 9am and continued all day until we headed to the match about 7pm.
We were in the square in the centre most of the day where Billy Butler was doing a live broadcast it was a brilliant day but if I have one regret it was that I should have eased off on the ale a bit.
At the ground it was a bit chaotic so much so that they just opened the gates I still had my full ticket when I got home.
There was 25,000 blues that day and not a bit of trouble we could handle losing god knows most of us there had seen plenty of bad times so when the good times arrived we just lapped them up.I often wonder if this final had occurred after Heysel would this match have even happened?

Lovely story with more than a bit of sadness . I'm so very jealous of you . I don't have any blue friends as I'm a Kentish exile and I certainly don't have any memories like that with anyone I know apart from the Wife .

Cherish those memories mate .

 

[Noble Savage]

Badly bottling,( I was terribly shy with the ladies when younger) it in the same bar as a rather pretty blonde Milf chatted me up and asked my to go to her flat for a coffee, much to the delight of the old Jewish fellas in the corner who took the piss for the rest of the time we were in there.

And ? You can't leave it there mate . More details needed .

 

[AndyC]

Went to Rotterdam on a coach trip... Drove down to Harwich stopping at services somewhere where one of the lads on the coach bought a 'top shelf' magazine and he read the letters pages out loud. There was some pervo somewhere who seemed to get his kicks with ants !!

Overnight sailing to the Hook and the morning scene on the boat was like something from a disaster movie, bodies all over the place from the drinking session the previous evening... How do you sleep upside down on a flight of stairs, well Evertonians found a way

A heavy police presence at the Hook wasn't required, the hundreds pouring off the ferry were in high spirits, but all good natured and the Dutch bizzies seemed to realise that fairly quickly.

Our coach took us to Amsterdam, via a cheese factory where we had a short tour, before booking into our hotel and spending the rest of the morning and early afternoon sight-seeing... If you know Amsterdam, you'll have an idea of what

Late afternoon, we make the coach ride to Rotterdam and the most glorious night in our clubs illustrious history. So many, many, many Blues, it was incredible, just fantastic... oh how everyone who was there wants some more of that !!!

The game, if we're honest was never in doubt. Rapid, Krankl apart, were but a slightly better than average team compared to the wondrous Blues and even when they scored, nobody really cared... and Sheeds endorsed that with that beautiful, beautiful third strike straight from the restart.

Our coach drivers were both RS, but to be fair to them, as we all returned to the bus, they applauded us back onto the bus shaking every bodies hand in the process, they were or at least seemed genuinely happy for us.

Back to Amsterdam for the late, late, late night booze fest and a couple of hours kip before we returned via Zeebrugge with the RS drivers stashing as much tobacco and cigarettes as they possible could into the luggage compartments and overhead storage areas... this was their extra little earner

UK Customs officials were having a field day with many of the returning coaches, I seem to recall one of Happy Als literally getting emptied... our drivers had pre-warned all of us, asking (begging) us to be behaved as we came through, so they wouldn't lose their stash. We obliged and we sailed through customs and eventually got home around 7pm on the Thursday.

Time for a shower, change of clothes, kiss for the missus and my gals, and then off to Wembley and the Friday pub crawl round north London in search of a ticket. Miraculously, I got one at face value... would have been a magic end to a fabulous week but for blooming Norman Whiteside.

 

[edge]

And ? You can't leave it there mate . More details needed .

Can't mate made a show of myself, give you an example , I replied I don't like coffee, blushing ok you can have something else anything you like, I really like English men it just got worse the more flusterd I got, the barman was shaking his head at me, it as that bad, he ended up butting in , and said are you stupid or gay ,she wants to [Poor language removed] you , which to anyone normal would have pretty much sealed the deal, but left me dumb struck, are you coming she said , I splutterd something like I am going the game so can't, it was about 14.00 so that was a lie, she brought me a drink and said have that to calm down you sweet little boy, everybody in the bar burst out laughing , not my finest moment.
What a div I was those days, show me fifty man unt and I wouldn't give a toss, a woman talking to me I was a mess, like the Scouse version of Norman wisdom.
Wish I could lie about it and say I bedded a beautiful Dutch lady before are finest night, but I suppose even the most perfect day has to have a low point.

 

[Deleted member 28206]

Can't mate made a show of myself, give you an example , I replied I don't like coffee, blushing ok you can have something else anything you like, I really like English men it just got worse the more flusterd I got, the barman was shaking his head at me, it as that bad, he ended up butting in , and said are you stupid or gay ,she wants to [Poor language removed] you , which to anyone normal would have pretty much sealed the deal, but left me dumb struck, are you coming she said , I splutterd something like I am going the game so can't, it was about 14.00 so that was a lie, she brought me a drink and said have that to calm down you sweet little boy, everybody in the bar burst out laughing , not my finest moment.
What a div I was those days, show me fifty man unt and I wouldn't give a toss, a woman talking to me I was a mess, like the Scouse version of Norman wisdom.
Wish I could lie about it and say I bedded a beautiful Dutch lady before are finest night, but I suppose even the most perfect day has to have a low point.

Haha is right