Memories of Europe

[BallochBear 1,613]

With our possible return to European football it got me thinking of some of the trips I've made with my mates following The Rangers to Germany, France, Spain, Italy & England and some of the hilarious situations we've seen and done.  What have been your highlights in terms of the trip, not just the result(s)

Here are a few of my highlights.

Driving from Cumbernauld to Dortmund in 96/97 and it was freekin freezing and meeting the only German who didn't speak English when I had filled up the car, try doing this with a chip & pin when we didn't have them in the UK.  the guy sitting outside the Westfallen Stadion singing the bluebells when we went in and still sitting outside singing when we left.

Stuttgart on a supporters plane with my mate who hates flying and the whole plane doing the bouncey while he is shitting himself.  Meeting Big Dave from Moodiesburn in a bar and the look on the Turkinh bar mans face when Dave ordered  uno voddy n naranga n a pinto of lager an geez some scran tae go wi it, freekin magic.

Getting to Villareal and not getting in so watched match in a bar swimming in pish and beer in the square. Not so magic

My mate whose a polis using his warrant card to jump to the front of the queue at PSG in Reyna's last match for us then missing the junction on the motorway and ending up in Belgium countryside

Obviously Manchester just for the spectacle and being with 2 million like minded souls(Seville calculator)

Driving from Cumbernauld to Robin Hood Airport overnight to get the Ryanair flight to Pisa but it was cancelled so drove home to watch on TV and seeing the boys getting absolutely soaked in a torrential downpour that seemed to last all match but our first win in Italy with a wonderful performance.

       

[Sket 13,610]

None. Ask me again at the end of July.

[B1872 20,718]

Villareal was class!

[Guest]

Been to Osasuna, Stuutgart and Manchester in Europe, went to the Derby friendly too, all great trips.

Seeing Rangers in Europe is something that all Bears should do at least once in their life if they are able, brilliant experience.

[boyd09 390]

First trip to leverkusen in 98 was quality nice win to start with doing the dambusters to the germans , parma trip in 98 , parma fans waiting outside for us just to clap us and swap scarf's they couldnt believe our supporters still singing even though we got beat

Monaco was good all the bears in train station after the game waiting on train back to Nice  the sound of the bears partying was incredible

Quite a few trips to germany , Stuttgart went to strip bar irish flag outside and we ripped it off the pole , one bloke on our bus from louden to Kaiserslautern    only came in to the  pub for a beer ended up at the  game no passport or anything only the clothes on his back 

stum graz , 5 of us in there end behind there goal with the big union jack , and the hooters in stadium bar before game good memories, cant wait for more next season 

 

[beechwood bear 559]

Copenhagen in 92/93 season was brilliant. Parken Stadium full of bears going crazy. Beat Lyngby and then went on a superb run. Undefeated that year in Europe.

[K.A.I 36,183]

So many could honestly write a book from getting pepper sprayed in Bucharest to shagging hookers with fake 50 euro notes in Greece to bumping a 90 euro taxi in Istanbul and the fat driver who tried to rip us off bursting into tears to sneaking into the Malmo game where there was no travelling fans cos we were banned, getting jailed in Paris, my mate getting ran over by a taxi driver and left for dead in Moscow  .. Don't know where to start  

[ForeverAndEver 71,482]

3 minutes ago, K.A.I said:

So many could honestly write a book from getting pepper sprayed in Bucharest to shagging hookers with fake 50 euro notes in Greece to bumping a 90 euro taxi in Istanbul and the fat driver who tried to rip us off bursting into tears to sneaking into the Malmo game where there was no travelling fans cos we were banned, getting jailed in Paris, my mate getting ran over by a taxi driver and left for dead in Moscow  .. Don't know where to start  

Moral of the story is, never go on European trip with you.

[K.A.I 36,183]

1 minute ago, ForeverAndEver said:

Moral of the story is, never go on European trip with you.

No the moral is go with me and buy me drinks and stuff 

[Sam English Loyal 945]

One and only European game I've been to we got humped 4-0 by Juventus. Anyone remember what year that was? Mid 90s maybe? 

[RFC55 108,904]

3 minutes ago, Sam English Loyal said:

One and only European game I've been to we got humped 4-0 by Juventus. Anyone remember what year that was? Mid 90s maybe? 

1994?

[Sam English Loyal 945]

5 minutes ago, Rfc52 said:

1994?

I was thinking around 94. 18/10/95 according to UEFA. And it was 4-1. But ye know what they say: if you can remember the 90s you couldn't have been there!

[K.A.I 36,183]

4 hours ago, Sam English Loyal said:

One and only European game I've been to we got humped 4-0 by Juventus. Anyone remember what year that was? Mid 90s maybe? 

Aye 1995 mate. I'd have love to done Juventus but just born a couple of years too late. My first one was Gothenburg at the start of the failed ten in a row season.

I'd have given my left nut literally to have done the Bohemians, Leeds, Brugge, Marseille and Juventus trips before that.

[siddiqi_drinker 14,635]

First trip outside the UK to see Rangers was to Barca, 1972.  Myself and three  mates.  What a week.  Loads of sun sand and sex on the beach, the drink of course.  Remember staying sober for the game, thinking I was dreaming when we won and meeting some guys I was t school with during the pitch battle with the people whom Police Scotland are modeled on.

Manchester, 14,000 km round trip, not up to Barca standards, but no way I was missing that party.  

1999, lost to Bayern in Munich but what an experience.  Had been in the Olympic Park a few times but being in there with11,000 bears was incredible.  

Parma despite all the bars being  closed, ound a mom and pop trattoria which served great food AND wine.  Another night where fans and players were brilliant.

Gothenburg was another memorable trip and probably has the highest per capita ratio of beautiful women of anywhere in Europe.  Hung out in a few pubs and woke up with some Swedish bird, sadly not one of the nicer ones.  March to the stadium with a flute band leading the way.  Sadly again we screwed it up on the pitch.

There are many more but nothing to date comes close to that first European away trip and probably never will.  But I'll still keep believing.

 

[JFK-1 516]

My greatest memory of a Euro night wasn't away but at home to Marseilles in 1992 when we drew 2-2 with them on the night.  This was truly pulsating end to end stuff as we went 2-0 down then pulled it back and the first time I realized what a truly great player Rudi Voller was.  For me he made the difference for them on the night and without him in their side I think we would have won the tie.  Every time he got on the ball I and the entire home crowd were cringing.

[TMB 14,167]

I've never been to a European away game.  If we win the Scottish Cup that'll change

[HuistraHairDo 12,490]

Villareal. stayed in Benidorm leading up to the game which was packed with bears, remember the night before the game the square was a massive sash bash, the spic coppers lined up on both sides then there was a loud rendition of rule Britania and  before I knew it the coppers charged us with batons!! Then an onslaught of pints and plastic tables and chairs getting launched! I got whacked right across my lower back from pedro plod  and never spilled a drop of my pint! Although i had massive bruise for about a week or two!

Then travelled up the nxt day in a convoy  from the golden last pub, first thing we saw when getting there was a big Rangers flag hanging from the top of a hotel. Turned round and this bus is driving past with a gaping hole in the window turns out to be the Villareal team bus! great trip only spoiled by the end result, think lovenkrands missed a sitter aswell. Also got our picture taking by the sun and we were in the paper on the day of the game with a nice king billy 1690 flag behind us.Good times

 

 

 

 

[WATP-FOREVER 5,231]

I was expecting a brief on the Normandy landings.

[FSM 20,892]

Don't we play in Europe every week?

[calikeo 18]

Must admit throughout our troubles over last 4-5 years, Euro away trips have been sorely missed.

Getting back amongst Europe ahead of schedule would be a great achievement.

From travelling on the Linn O'Dee bus at 16 to Leverkusen, to seeing us outplay Bayern Munich on their own patch and Barry run rings round Effenberg and Matthaus, and being in the home end in Florence, following Rangers abroad has given me some of my favourite moments in life - long may it continue!

Hopefully Europe will be a big draw in recruitment and keeping Warburton - not many players will get the opportunity to play for a top 4club in England, so why not play for the best club in the UK and play in Europe in front of 50,000 bears. Got to be better than signing for Leeds, WBA or some other no mark clubs.

[StublueKPL 524]

at 49 trips.  waiting on number 50.  first trip was Dortmund 2-2 as mentioned at the start. bastarding freezing.

highlights:

Inter milan blagging my way in as a journalist for the closed doors game

Parma. went without a seat and ticket on the bus from glasgow

PSV no ticket and got in at the last minute

Hapoel Tel Aviv - banjoing a guy with an IRA tshirt right outside their end (not a good idea!!!)

Famagusta: losing my job and staying in Ayia Napa for a week going tonto (three jobs lost actually in total)

Moscow Dynamo (not the final as I'm 36!) - my mate falling into to a cleaners trolly bollock naked at 11am and she was screaming the place down

Actually, I'm being kind here.  Like K,A,I I have many stories but I would never tell half of them on a forum!!

[North Antrim Bear 129]

Lyon away when my mate ended up having a foursome with a bunch of trannies as he was so pished 

I was in the jail, but can't remember if I got pumped by anyone or not.

[Brian Fantana 28,894]

Barcelona in November 2007, stayed in lloret de mar at a hotel called Casino Royale , i shit you not, with a name like that you would have expected a decent place to stay - not a chance, absolute shitehole that had been taken over by the bears and ended up in an even worse nick. Met loads of sound bears, sash bash in the bar every night and we ended up creating a cocktail called a big jock knew that the waiters started knowing off by heart what went into it so we never had to tell them, just asked for a big jock knew.

Other than that, Manchester for the final. Need i say more? great day, a sight i'll never forget and even though i knew how big our club was, the support that day left me speechless and with a lump in my throat.