Anglo Italian Cup 94-95

[sbs1trg]

I was only 11 at the time of this and have some vague memories of the campaign - a search of the archives fills a few of the gaps in terms of opponents and results, but I'm intrigued to hear about anyone's first hand experience of those games (home and away). I seem to remember that there were reports of a load of British sailors attending one of the away games?

 

It strikes me that the tournament probably didn't really capture the imagination in the same way that it would now; we had after all just been spoiled by a several years of relative success in league and cup.

 

I've managed to source the programmes from the home games (Perugia and Cesena) - interestingly, the former includes Everton reject and World Cup winner Marco Materazzi as a sub! Does anyone know if programmes were produced for the away games?

 

Cheers

[wehatecity]

Went to genoa coldest place ever

[oafcprozac]

It was 95-96

 

I've got the Ancona and Genoa team sheets, they're hand written

[Diego_Sideburns]

Anglo-Italian Cup 1995-96 - details:

http://www.rsssf.com/tablesa/angloit96.html

 

This is my account of the game in Ancona:

 

Ancona 1 Latics 0 - Anglo-Italian Cup - 5th September 1995

 

After a couple of days’ sightseeing in Rome, we crossed Italy by train, to the Adriatic port of Ancona for Latics’ European debut. Staying at our hotel were the match officials, R.B. Gifford (referee) and T. Monks and I. Madge (linesmen). We had a discussion with them about the finer points of match officiating, but the hint given to them to give Latics the benefit of any doubt seemed to fall on deaf ears.

 

We had to collect our tickets from the team hotel, and as Ancona’s new stadium was quite a distance outside the town, we were relieved to be allowed to travel with the team on their coach to the stadium.

 

The sparse attendance of 311 was the record lowest crowd for a Latics’ match in all competitions, because all but a few of the Ancona fans boycotted the game, due to some local dispute with the local club.

 

On a cool rainy evening, there were only 33 Latics’ fans present, including 20 fans who had flown with the team, and a young baby Oliver with his parents Magda and Peter, who had travelled from Verona after not being impressed with their first and only visit to the opera. However, the gallant 33 were joined by over 100 sailors from H.M.S. Glasgow, a destroyer docked in the port, which had been visited in the afternoon by Latics’ officials at the invitation of the captain. The sailors had been given complimentary tickets and Club badges and, although they supported other English clubs, they became honorary Latics’ fans for the evening and joined in with all of our songs.

 

The game itself was disappointing, as Latics, who were outplayed in midfield, had few decent chances in the ninety minutes. After a goalless first half Sean McCarthy let rip from 30 yards, but goalkeeper Paolo Orlandoni superbly tipped it over the bar. With two minutes left, disaster struck. Edoazdo Artistico’s shot was well saved by John Hallworth, but he succeeded only in pushing it into the path of Mario Lemme, who had the easiest of tap-ins. Latics might have snatched a last-minute equaliser, but substitute Nicky Banger, who was greeted with boos from the Portsmouth fans among the sailors because of his Southampton connection, stole the ball off a dozing defender but could only chip his shot over an inviting net.

 

Latics: Hallworth, Scott McNiven, Makin, Henry (Redmond 83), Jobson, Fleming, Halle, Bernard, McCarthy, Richardson (Banger 63), Brennan (Rickers 46).

[Diego_Sideburns]

Genoa in December was in the grip of freak cold weather, with a big wind chill factor. It was the coldest I have ever been at a football match. The Police in the stadium told us that the 150 Latics supporters made more noise than Juve had done there the week before. We were jumping up and down and singing ‘Graeme Sharp's blue and white army’ throughout both halves just to keep warm.Brrrrrrrr!

[SAV]

The home fans never turned up if i remember,there were more of us present than them.

But even though, before the game the thousands of police in attendance put us in a square and surrounded it.

Luckly it was full of boozers.....Or am i dreaming it???

[Dave_Og]

The home fans never turned up if i remember,there were more of us present than them.

 

It was an organised boycott but can't remember what about

[jburbri]

I was ten that year and on the day of the game I was on a day trip of boundary park and watched the Italian team train on the pitch. I can't remember which Italian side we were playing but we'd won 2-0.

[Fervid]

I was ten that year and on the day of the game I was on a day trip of boundary park and watched the Italian team train on the pitch. I can't remember which Italian side we were playing but we'd won 2-0.

Think it was Pescara

[Forte_Baby]

Remember us beating Perugia at home just before there spell in Serie A

[BRAT]

Still got my Genoa scarf which was swapped for a Latics tangerine one when boarding the coach after the game.Have to agree that that was the coldest I have ever been at a football match and would like to think that I saved the life of a fellow tics fan when I got the paramedics to attend to some pillock who had taken his shirt off and literally turned blue before collapsing.

Overall though a brilliant day out

[Diego_Sideburns]

I was ten that year and on the day of the game I was on a day trip of boundary park and watched the Italian team train on the pitch. I can't remember which Italian side we were playing but we'd won 2-0.

Perugia.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQHMw67q14w

[alex_balls]

I've asked before.....but who bagged the second then against Perugia?

[Lee Sinnott]

Paul Wilkinson...

[Diego_Sideburns]

We travelled to Genoa on the plane with the team and Club officials. The approach to the landing in Italy was horrendous. There was a very strong cross-wind and on its first approach to the landing strip next to the sea, the plane was blown unsteady and unable to land. So it had to go back out over the sea and then approach again. I thought I was the only one scared, but when we landed, spontaneous applause broke out throughout the cabin - the power of prayer is amazing!

 

We had a police escort into the city and we were dropped off in a square full of bars and told we would be picked up early evening. Everyone was warned in writing and orally that we were all representing the Club and country - any misbehaving would be disastrous and anyone getting drunk would not be allowed into the stadium. When it came to getting back on the coach to go to the stadium, many were still in the same bar where they'd been all afternoon. When they staggered onto the coach they were followed by the bar owner who had had something nicked. It was all very embarrassing for Alan Hardy, who used his powers of diplomacy to sort things out. The instruction about not being alowed into the stadium was waived as the culprits were likely to cause less trouble inside than outside.

 

It was absolute brass monkey weather, with a wind-chill factor bringing the temperature down well below zero. We would have loved to swap it for the comparative warmth of a winter's day at Ice Station Zebra! The coppers were begging scarves off the fans, not as souvenirs, but to wear to keep warm.

 

The Genoa fans boycotted the game and it was a bit of a non-event with a 0-0 scoreline. A Scottish fan who followed Latics regularly in those days let off some firecrackers. He also got involved in a fight with his fellow fans when we chanted In-ger-land. For all of the impressive red towers of the stadium, as admired in the 1990 World Cup, it was really a bit of a dump - the urinal was a large hole in the ground with everyone stood round!

 

As we walked round the helter-skelter type staircase down one of the towers to the exit, we could see two lines of combat police waiting to funnel us to the door of the coach - talk about OTT!

 

In the airport AH was worried that the firecracker man might set one off on the plane and there was a lot of security questioning. Some fans had their duty-free confiscated for the duration of the flight, as they were considered to be tanked up enough already.

 

On landing at Manc Airport, one of the fans was taken off first as he was ill.

 

Happy days!

 

[alex_balls]

Paul Wilkinson...

 

Thanks, I'm not sure how this player has escaped my attention, I really don't remember him, in fact i've never heard of him.

[cav]

My old man (He is Italian) acted as a translator for the Italian officials when they came to Latics. I think the club chartered an aircraft for one away game.

[LaticsPete]

Thanks, I'm not sure how this player has escaped my attention, I really don't remember him, in fact i've never heard of him.

Was on loan from Middlesboro.

[jsslatic]

Are there any pictures from the away games?

[Diego_Sideburns]

Are there any pictures from the away games?

Ancona:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/diego_sideburns/sets/72157638758637835/