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Our History Is Getting Better

A victory on German soil for any football side from England is always hard to come by so what a great achievement it was by the Blues on Thursday night winning over there. It all began for me early on the morning of the game with an 8.00am flight out of John Lennon Airport direct to Nuremberg.

6.45 am and we are through security and in the bar area where hundreds of Evertonians were gathered and the amber nectar was already flowing. Dave Watson and Joe Parkinson were there, joining in the party atmosphere and happily sinking pints and having their picture taken with fans. Quality guys both of them.

We arrived at the hotel in Nuremberg city centre just after mid-day and already the town was a sea of Blue and White. Banners and flags were hanging everywhere and it was standing room only in all the bars and pubs. One of the best banners I saw was one which read:

"HELP WITH GLOBAL WARMING, STOP LIVERPOOL FANS FLYING TO HOME GAMES." Classic that one.

After a quick walk around the old town it was time to get stuck into the local beverages. Stieners of draught beer were sunk one after the other and the bar crawl was well under way. It was great to see all the old faces dotted about the place and the Evertonians who made the trip were doing the club and the city proud.

I must say that the German people were the most hospitable and friendliest hosts that I have ever encountered on my travels with Everton and that goes for the Police who were brilliant towards us. I didn't see one bit of bother and the Police kept a very low profile at all times. Spaniards and Italians take note.

Those fans who travelled to Nuremberg ticketless had no worries at all as tickets were on general sale from the club shop which was bang in the middle of the city centre. The touts who had travelled from Merseyside with bundles of spares were gutted. A ticket from the Nuremberg club shop cost 40 euros and the touts were trying to get £60 for thiers and in the end they were selling them face value.

At 7.00pm it was time to make our way to the stadium via a special train that had been laid on to take fans to the game. What a sight that was. There must of been 2.000 mad Scousers on board and it was rocking like nothing I have ever seen before at a football match!

The police allowed fans to get on board the train with their own alchohol and some of our lot were carrying on crates of lager and dishing it out on route. Bottles of spirits were being passed around and you could say that the party was in full swing. The only trouble I had was when the steak burger I had eaten earlier in the day (which turned out to be Horsemeat) started repeating on me and I couldn't help thinking about Shergar and whatever happened to him...

We get into the ground with a hour to spare and not once have I shown my ticket to anyone. The easiest bunking in ground in Europe that place is. The game itself only came to life in the last 10 minutes but who cared? The Everton Blue Army was in full voice and when Arteta slotted home the penalty to go 1-0 up the place went wild. When Victor buried his chance minutes later to make it 2-0 it was pandamonium with ecstatic Evertonian bodies falling and diving on top of one another.

In an instant it was as if all those years of pain and dissapointment in Europe had been wiped from the memory banks and I thought to myself ..... Collina you baldy Bastard ? look at us now!

When the Everton players came over to celebrate with the fans at the end of the match, I couldnt help but think, "This is what its all about, Tony." Standing shoulder to shoulder with fellow Blues and your mates having just beaten a German side 2-0 on their own patch and listening to the deafing noise coming from our supporters... GET IN THERE. Everton are back.

After the game it was back in to town where the drinking session got back in to full flow and still there were thousands of Evertonians in party mood. What amazed me though was the lenghts some had to gone to in order to get to the game. Driving to then flying out of London airports in to the likes of Amsterdam, Cologne and Basle in Switzerland and then taking more planes, trains and automobiles to get to Nuremberg. Some groups were not leaving Germany until Friday night or Saturday morning.

The return journeys must of been real ball breakers after all the hard partying they had just been through but who cares? When you have just witnessed another piece of Everton's history being made, a two-day return journey is nothing to complain about is it?

The next away game in Europe will no doubt be another cracker as Alkmar is only 30 minutes from Amsterdam. The big problem here will be getting your birds to let you go the game with it being so near to Christmas time but whatever you do don't mention the A word (Amsterdam) or you willl have no chance of making it.

My advice to you if you want to get there is give your missus something that is pink, 6 inches long,and drives women wild. Yes fifty pound notes. Buy your way over there if you have to, but get there you must. Believe me it will be worth it.

Missing Everton in European away games is not an option if you can afford it. You never know when we will get the chance to do it again and these are times and memories that will live with you forever. See you in the A place on the 20th of December.... COYBs

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