Ticketless Everton fans’ Italian awayday falls flat

Mar 8 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

EVERTON FC fans returning from Florence last night condemned their treatment at the hands of the Italian authorities.

The actions of Italian police made it a doubly disappointing trip for the large travelling contingent who also witnessed their team lose 2-0 to Fiorentina as they fought for a place in the quarter finals of the UEFA Cup.

An alcohol ban and an unrelenting ticket policy made the Italian trip a damp squib for hundreds of supporters, many of whom had travelled without a ticket.

As they left Italy’s art capital yesterday, angry fans said they had been herded like sheep by over-zealous police and the party atmosphere was ruined by a cold welcome in the city centre.

Lawyer Martin Gabriel from Formby said: “From the moment we arrived, there was nothing but difficulties and obstacles. The trip has been a disappointment for everybody who went to a lot of trouble to get here.

“We arrived in Florence by train after flying into Milan but as soon as we got to the station, we were swooped upon by the police who demanded our passports.

“The Italians just assumed we were all hooligans. Bars have been closing. It was impossible to buy a ticket even though there were plenty of seats.

“I speak Italian so I understood that we were not getting anywhere purely because we were English.”

Hundreds travelled to Italy without a ticket believing they would be able to secure one when they arrived.

Though Everton’s ticket allocation was only 2,500, it was widely reported that no more than 15,000 Fiorentina fans were expected at the stadium, which can hold 47,000. As predicted, there were plenty of spaces during the match.

On match night in the city centre there were few places to choose from to watch the game.

Most fans watched the game from the Lions Lantern along with dozens of Fiorentina fans. There were no incidents.

Charlie Holden, a retired electrician from Hooton, near Ellesmere Port, said: “The Italian people were lovely but the authorities have not been sensible at all. Away trips are usually fantastic, but this time the police had killed it.”