So we get picked up in the limo at 5.45 and dropped off at Luton airport 30 mins later. Check-in and head straight to the bar. Nothing beats a pint of John Smith?s for breakfast. We take it easy, only two pints before getting on the plane.
But hold on, Munich airport has been closed due to the snow. We are going to be delayed a minimum of two hours. Not sure if we?re gonna take off at all.
Then word came through that the two other planes at Gatwick and Stansted had taken off. Cue several hundred angry gooners about to hijack a plane. But trouble averted as we get called to board and eventually take-off one hour late.
At Munich we are met with police and dogs. Everybody starts to board the coaches to shouts of ?for you Tommy, ze vor is over? and gooners whistling the theme to The Great Escape.
As we drive into Munich the snow gently comes down to add to the thick carpet already there. Shock, horror, the coaches dropped us off at the ground a full 8 hours before kick-off. The ground is in the middle of nowhere. Mullet number one was found driving a pick-up truck.
So we walked through a park and onto the subway for a trip into the centre of Munich. Munich looked good with its old buildings and freshly fallen snow. Very picture-postcard.
Gagging for a beer we asked some natives where could we go. ?Beer? This time of day? Ha ha, you English are so funny? Just our luck to bump into the von Trapp family. Mullet number two had permed the back just like Charlie in ?84 and had highlights.
After trying several places and eating sausages in all different shapes, sizes and flavours we eventually found a bar to make our own. Joined by other gooners we now numbered about 30 and started our own version of Bier Keiler culture.
After several large steiners of local brew we got on the subway back to the ground. A one day travel card for three people cost the equivalent of ?5. Hope you?re reading this London Transport.
The train was packed with locals going home from work and to the game. I?m not sure what they made of us, but we serenaded them all the same. They?re good people in Munich.
The ground is amazing, shame no football will be played there after May, but it?s not really a football stadium after all. The TV coverage did not do justice to the amount of gooners that travelled. We had two large sections behind the goal, but because of the running track and open air, you couldn?t see of hear us.
Anyway, the team were shite, the temperature went down to -11 and the seats were metal!
The journey back was uneventful, but EVERYONE on the plane agreed Wenger had got it wrong and if the players had shown half as much effort as the fans had in getting there, we?d have stuffed them.
When we touched down at Luton we had to wait twenty minutes before we could get off the plane because ?we don?t have the buses to take you to the Terminal?. Rubbish, one of the TBird crew was working at the airport and met us as we came off the plane. Seems the Arsenal plane had landed at the same time as us and they didn?t want to see us in case we upset them by criticising their performance. Tarts.
I was asked if I?d do it again. You bet I would.
PS I can?t listen to Sister Sledge singing ?Lost in Music? without changing the words to ?we lost in Munich, and Kolo is crap?
5 Responses to “Munich Tour”
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February 24th, 2005 at 12:05 pm
Great Report Kelvin!
Seems like you had pretty damned good time regardless of the pathetic display and outcome!
The Team owes ALL of you a magnificent performance in the return match!
February 24th, 2005 at 12:32 pm
Great report, Kelvin. Shame you went all the way there and the best they can do for you guys is give a performance like that. I say bring the ticket stub to Highbury and tell them you want your money back AND AN APOLOGY!
P.S. ‘We Lost In Munich’…I like it. New album in the works? Need an agent?
February 24th, 2005 at 12:48 pm
Must admit to having the Charlie cut back in the day but you have got to admire the Krauts for their decision to stick with it and also their undying allegiance to the moustache[women included]
Shame about the game but at least you had some good beer,suspicious looking sausage and looking on the bright side the cold weather meant you got to avoid the other passion of your average German male, The Speedo!
February 24th, 2005 at 12:55 pm
“stick with it and also their undying allegiance to the moustache[women included]“
Whatz dat u say? Ju mean der are woman wit out moustache! I can’t believe dat and if zo dey must be ugly - lol
February 24th, 2005 at 2:04 pm
good stuff. i heard you gooner loud and clear, you lot were still singing “we love you arsenal” when we were losing 3-0.
germany’s a lovely place, went to hannover in 1994 just before USA world cup when ireland beat deutschland 2-0. great weekend. cocky gits though, did anyone hear the german announcer say “bayern” (crowd said “3″ ) arsenal(crowd say “0″). gotta do the same to them at highbury if we win 2-0.