It was 1999, Sir Bobby was beginning to work his magic (how I want we had obtained him when King Kev left, as a substitute of Kenny dogleash) and a visit to the everlasting metropolis to look at us in opposition to Francesco Totti and his Roma boys.
A minibus was booked for the journey right down to Stansted for our flight to Rome.
Now on the time, Stansted had a deal on cooked breakfasts, purchase one and get limitless bread to go together with it, so after me and monty had gone for a Warburtons, off we go.
In Rome, digs secured then out off down Rome Excessive Road, for a have a look at the colosseum and wasn’t disillusioned. The lads had footage taken with our flags contained in the colosseum, then off on the drink. Nonetheless, I used to be fascinated by the place and ended up tagging together with a tour group which was some of the instructional occasions I’ve skilled.
Match day and about 120 of our lads ( not lads followers Mr Bazooka I could add) meet exterior the practice station for a number of Morrettis. This child from Bolton turns up and is telling anybody who would hear, that he’d been to the Olympic stadium with Leeds United and had come a cropper with Roma ultras.
So teatime comes and I take a look at the Rome transport system, and determine, get the metro up after which off it two stops earlier than the bottom, then trams as much as the match.
We discover a bar simply exterior the tram station once we had obtained off the metro and we’re having a bevy, when the native police be part of us. No dramas with them till this younger man who was clearly accountable for them comes storming into the bar wanting to talk to our chief (we don’t have one, no egos within the bender squad). Anyway, Mr Chief of Police makes a beeline for me, shouting at me, demanding what our plans are and he wants me to take cost and observe his directions. Him addressing me “who’s in cost “,very loud and aggressive, then it occurs. The place goes silent after which Phil Flavel stands on his seat and proclaims “I’m Spartacus’, one other one of many lads stands up ‘No, I’m Spartacus “…cue raucous laughter, even Mr Capitano police chief had a giggle.
Anyway, onto the match.
Alighting the tram, Roma’s floor is a bit like Wembley manner, with timber lining the perimeters. Now our Leeds loving Bolton / Leeds good friend had warned us that the ultras would conceal within the timber armed with knives ready for you..so strolling up the stress was very palpable, till Phil Flavel once more broke it by singing on the prime of his voice “we’re the Christians, we hate the Romans “,..cue extra laughter.
Anyway, we attain the bottom, solely to search out out we’re on the flawed finish, and hey ho, about 30 Roma youth ultras face off with us by waving Stanley blades at us, stick or bust?? There’s solely two younger copper lasses between us and a slashing. So I made a decision to take issues into my very own fingers, strolling as much as bouncing knife wielding youths, I smack what seems like their chief, he goes down and the remainder again off (in all probability to inform their mates subsequent day at college what occurred).
Into the match and Sir Bobby performs it defensive and we lose 1-0. To a Totti penalty.
After the sport, again into Roma then flight again to Stansted. Minibus house which dropped me again in Low Fell, just for the minibus to interrupt down on the prime of my avenue. So after I was in mattress, the lads had one other two hours to attend.
