Memory Lane Fiorentina match - 30 years ago

[Maldon Shrimper]

Chris Phillips just posted that 30 years ago today we played Fiorentina who had Gabriel Batasuta in the team remember if it was yesterday flying out with the team from Stansted believe we lost but cant remember the score.Does anyone else remember going and what was the result?

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

There you go. A couple of my mates went and said we were totally outclassed. Luckily the Fiorentina fans were friendly in the bars before and after, which was not always the case at that time.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Chris Phillips just posted that 30 years ago today we played Fiorentina who had Gabriel Batasuta in the team remember if it was yesterday flying out with the team from Stansted believe we lost but cant remember the score.Does anyone else remember going and what was the result?

I flew out from Southend. Didn't even have a passport back then, I'm sure I got a day passport or something like that

 

[Ozzer]

Chris Phillips just posted that 30 years ago today we played Fiorentina who had Gabriel Batasuta in the team remember if it was yesterday flying out with the team from Stansted believe we lost but cant remember the score.Does anyone else remember going and what was the result?

0-3. I was there too. Great trip from Southend airport. Away for a few days in a nice hotel with the players and a tour of Florence included.

 

[Adrian C]

I flew out from Southend. Didn't even have a passport back then, I'm sure I got a day passport or something like that

A mate and I went on that flight. Sat in front of Alison Moyet in the ground. I seem to remember there not being enough coaches to ferry us all from Pisa Airport to Florence, and Stefan Effenberg was also in the Fiorentina side. He might have been out injured though.

 

[Tampa Blue]

I was there and swapped scarves with a Fiorentina fan - still have it somewhere.

Sat directly behind who I think was Batistutas wife, nanny and children

 

[Maldon Shrimper]

I was there and swapped scarves with a Fiorentina fan - still have it somewhere.

Sat directly behind who I think was Batistutas wife, nanny and children

Did exactly the same still got it tucked away with all my memorabilia

 

[GNH]

The scene of perhaps the greatest mismatch to ever occur on a football pitch.

Gabriel Batistuta being marked by David Howell, nightmare inducing stuff

 

[Mad Cyril]

The scene of perhaps the greatest mismatch to ever occur on a football pitch.

That would be Rooney and Ronaldo v Darryl Flahavan. They never stood a chance.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

 

[Hooly]

When the usual ludicrous price the club wanted for their package dropped on I think the Sunday night I agreed with my then wife, also a seaso, that I'd go,

Went into work on the Monday ready to tell my boss & sort the money out with the club (this was pre-google etc young'uns)..........to discover that she'd been hit by a motorbike courier in London & was in hospital with injuries at the time undiagnosed. Fortunately it turned out that the skull fracture wasn't serious as neither were her other injuries but given the status of the company at the time I couldn't leave without one of us in the office.

I still cry to this day..........

 

[Hooly]

If memory serves this was also the 1st meeting of 2 other club legends, apart from Batistuta & Howell, as the late much missed Paul Holland bumped into John Anthony Portsmouth Football Club Westwood aka Pompey John & his bell at either a train station or airport in Italy.
After that we always used to meet up at Portsmouth & England games.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

A mate and I went on that flight. Sat in front of Alison Moyet in the ground. I seem to remember there not being enough coaches to ferry us all from Pisa Airport to Florence, and Stefan Effenberg was also in the Fiorentina side. He might have been out injured though.

We did the tour of Florence as part of the deal and we had Alf and her hubby Dave with us. Got the pics somewhere in the loft. Need to dig them out one day.
I remember the food stall outside the ground and it's just looked like horse meat

 

[The Turpinator]

If memory serves this was also the 1st meeting of 2 other club legends, apart from Batistuta & Howell, as the late much missed Paul Holland bumped into John Anthony Portsmouth Football Club Westwood aka Pompey John & his bell at either a train station or airport in Italy.
After that we always used to meet up at Portsmouth & England games.

View attachment 29447

Yes, I was with Paul that trip, Pete. Remember it well. We did Cosenza the month after too. Great memories.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

This is a brilliant video. Turn your volume up to hear the banter at training before the game.
Love him or hate him, Barry Fry always kept everything relaxed and fun around the club and at training. He would even join in on the wind ups and pranks I was told. But on the day of a game, he would get quite serious, and made sure every player knew his job, and the tactics for that game. If you weren't doing your job first half, you got both barrels at half time.
This game v Cosenza was infamous because of all the off ball stuff the Italians were doing. Racial remarks to our black players. Spitting, elbows, hair pulling, tripping up, all sorts. Can Southend get the win? With a striker like Brett Angell, you always have a chance. 45 Southend fans to cheer them on.

 

[Green Wizard]

Wasn't there a game against Fiorentina at Roots Hall a few years previous? Remember a game where Southend was second-best against a well-organised and talented team.

 

[Pak Power]

Wasn't there a game against Fiorentina at Roots Hall a few years previous? Remember a game where Southend was second-best against a well-organised and talented team.

Yes I was at that one

 

[Hooly]

I have 2 years to go through my Reggiana experience which was 28 years ago less a couple of days. To be fair if I start typing now I might finish by then as let's say it had it's moments (Bob Sills ).

 

[Adrian C]

We did the tour of Florence as part of the deal and we had Alf and her hubby Dave with us. Got the pics somewhere in the loft. Need to dig them out one day.
I remember the food stall outside the ground and it's just looked like horse meat

We did a tour as well, but I must have been in a different group. I remember the river being a hideous light brown colour...

 

[NZamba Legend]

I didn't go the game but I was in Florence the next summer (1994) and decided to take a scooter ride down near the stadium where I was delighted to find 'Southend United' spray painted on a wall.