On Sunday, whilst most of you were licking your mental wounds, I was in Belgium for a short break. Needing my football fix I couldn't resist Royal Antwerp FC versus Germinal Beerschot Antwerpen, the first Antwerp derby for 9 years. Perhaps one or two of you would be interested........

700 fully equipped riot police, water cannon, one police helicopter, 6 television crews (outside the ground), 9 ambulances, a crumbling dillapidated stadium, racist chanting 'I'd rather be a queer than a foreigner' (in a city where the odious, neo-fascist Vlaams Blok win 1/3rd of the vote), mediocre football, a home defeat followed by a full-scale riot, 300 rock throwing hooligans, horses, wounded. The whole experience ressembled some hideous over-the-top 80's flashback. Reminded me why I stopped going to games for a few seasons. Ugly.

Royal Antwerp, who we beat 5-0 away under Keegan, have a co-operation agreement with Manchester United and had Luke Chadwick on loan until recently. They also have a fair share of pricks amongst their following.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2000

Answers

None of which is reported on any press/website I've looked at today, until now.

I bet there would be a reaction from UEFA if this happened at our Derby match.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2000

... and if this had happened in England.... UEFA would be banning English clubs from European competition wouldn't they?

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2000

Thanks for that Stevo - interesting that it doesn't seem to make news here. What is the coverage like in the Dutch Press? Are they up in arms about it like our papers would be or what?

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2000

Jonno, all the Dutch papers I've seen have covered it. This is some of what Rotterdams excellent NRC Handelsblad had to say-

"The match was, as expected, spoilt by a serious outbreak of violence. Outside the ground hundreds of Antwerp supporters took out their frustration on the police. Around 300 dissapointed fans attacked the players couch of Germinal Beerschot Antwerpen. On a grass park outside the stadium there was a direct confrontation between the large police presence and a mob that had swelled to 500 supporters.

The Antwerp fans broke down a wall and used the bricks to stone to police. Riot police, backed by water cannon, attempted to drive back the hooligans. Many were injured including 18 police officers. Countless cars close to the stadium were damaged. A police spokesperson said between 20 to 25 fans were arrested......

The mayor of Antwerp, Leona Detiege was deeply dissapointed by the riots. "I honestly don't think we could have done anymore. We'll just have to sit down and thoroughly anaylse everything with the police. Banning football doesn't appear realistic anymore than banning supporters from attending matches."

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2000

>> "attacked the players couch" ... the mind boggles ;-))

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2000