Barcelona Blues Should Be Banished By Pride.

Traveling watching your team to Europe means a lot of time in airports, if your traveling budget and gives you time to think. Where and why else would you spend two days traveling, a journey that takes you from Glasgow, London, Barca, Costa Brava, Girona, Nykoping- note to Ryan Air: that airport is naewhere near Stockholm- then Prestwick.

While sitting in the airport- getting a sugar rush, by having donuts and cola for brekkie, needed it after the “tiring” couple of days before- I noticed that Celtic fans where checking in to nearly every single airport in Europe. London, W.Midlands, Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam and Teeside. Made me think why are we willing to put ourselves through this and spend hard earned dosh?

It’s not as if oor team are great on their travels- one goal in 5 games and nae victories, this season- and the tie to Barca was died in the water before a ba’ was kicked in anger and maist strangely of all Celtic seem to want to make it difficult for you to get tickets unless you go through the expensive Tam Cook- nae Crook.

It’s almaist as if now, going independently is seen as a sign of rebellion. The talk wie other hoops is how you got to yer destination and how much for. The singing of “You can stick yer Tam Crook up yer arse” is now a regular feature on these trips wie a them and us situation.

I have heard all the excuses that’s it’s easier and I get a ticket but for me the mair people go wie them the mair excessive prices they will continue to charge. Wie the rumors that from next season nae independent traveler will be able to get official tickets it will only get worse.

Celtic is missing a trick. The thousands that travel independently could and probably would travel wie “official” charters if they were reasonably priced but that isnnae going to happen and Celtic cannae be bothered fighting the fans corner.

The perfect example was the number of tickets Celtic took for Barca. 4,500 was the official allocation when in all they could have asked for at least double that. The stadium was empty. Celtic could have and would have filled the chilly top tier.

Instead Barca and Celtic left us open to purchasing tickets on the black market from the very very big and also hundreds of touts that were kicking aboot. As soon as we stepped from the bus- independently hired from Canal Taxis Costa Brava- they were roond us like flies being attracted to shites.

Barca allowed this to happen as well. They didnae want us there- a opinion backed up by the creating of a fanzone- ootside the citee- and the fact no alcohol was for sale around the stadium- after they got their fingers burned last November when “La R*ngers Animals”- a direct quote from EVERY Spaniard or Catalan called them- it was ensured that organized chaos and herding like cattle would be the order of the day.

As we came in on bus from the Costa Brava, the trouble started before we got into Barca. A stop at a service station brought the local polis- plain clothed- onto the bus to accuse us of stealing- an accusation made even mair bemusing as the toilet we were using was not in the service station and naeone had returned to the bus at the time the “polis” were talking to the driver- and then threatening us all wie arrest unless we paid them 500 Euros for them to let us go on oor merry way!!!! Only the intervention of service station staff allowed us not to get banged up.

When we arrived at the Camp Nou- aboot 4pm and I must admit, unimpressive from the ootside not a patch on the San Siro- the polis tried to get us to go to the “fanzone”, while they searched the bus and checked if we all had tickets, which we didnae. Only the sneaky passing of tickets up and doon the bus- ma official ticket was used by three different lhads- allowed us to get put in the away car park.

As usual getting into the stadium was chaos. After the haggling wie the touts and hunting for a wee local bar ootside the alcohol exclusion zone- we found one in the University, where the people were very friendly and gracious- we wanted an easy passage into the ground. It was never going to happen but was again as in Milan the Hoops didnae react to over zealous searches and lack of proper direction.

The game and atmosphere in the ground was what made the 90 minutes bearable. High up on the top tier the Celtic support were in guid voice, which was very difficult due to the wind and the cauld.

Now, the cauld. This was the cauldest I have ever been at a fitba’ game and I was a lucky one. I had a jumper, a hooded fleece type top and a bunnet on. I pity the bhoys and ghirls who were dressed for the beach in July.

The wind meant that the atmosphere didnae carry and the cauld meant a few Celtic fans left at half time- which I was quite glad aboot as the prick in front of me tried to start a fight and spent the whole first half moaning and shouting for GS to be sacked- but in the face of all that the sense of humor in the second half was brilliant.

“Ohhhhhh Barcelona, turn your heating, on full bung” was the start of the amusing songs. Watching the Adrossan bhoys hang on to their massive banner for dear life as it threaten to fly of the top tier towards the Med, the singing of “Discoland” which turned the whole top tier into a jumping up and doon mass, the singing aboot Charlie Adams sisters pants, the oh ah Samaras and the mass celebrations when we won a corner was the hoops support at their best.

After months of moaning that the fun had went oot of oor support it was guid to that the spirit of the early nineties is still there. A point proved wie an airing of “Always look on the brightside of life”

Still the holding us in the stadium is annoying and the herding of everyone up towards the away car park, no matter if you are going that way or not was galling for a lot but not as disgusting as the fuckers singing aboot “I would rather be a paki than a hun” while boarding a Tam Crook bus. These fuds can just feck off and die in their own vomit and shite.

While the whole matchday experience has harbored my doubts aboot attending big matches away from home, the trip as a whole has not. Apart from a small minority-, which you always get when you mix fools wie alcohol- the majority of the hoops support were magnificent.

Also, Barca canny really be blamed for their handling of their invasion after the last Scottish visit- a visit that was not reported in all its true glory by the nice medija- they were being over cautious and as I was told they “No longer have trust in football fans”

But, maist of all, the reaction to oor visit by the locals and tourist we met on the Costa Brava made the trip. I will never forget the boys on the “fag” run from Liverpool, the auld grannies, the lads from Teeside and Newcastle and the numerous others- ex pats, bar owners etc- who thanked us for making their break and wishing us luck for the future.

Also the friends we made from East Kilbride and Greenock.

I think we have salvaged some of the reputation robbed after a certain mobs visit. That’s something but all in the treatment from both Celtic- from the ootset- and FC Barcelona makes you really wonder if it is all worth it.

Forza