A Classic Greek Disaster for Hibees
Cancellation comes too late for in-flight
Hibs fans
Stuart Crowther in Athens
Around 800 weary Hibs fans joined another
700 already in the city of Athens this afternoon, weary from a journey that
turned out to be if not a complete waste of time, then at least a very
expensive way of tasting an authentic kebab!
When the official 747 touched down on Athens
airport there was a spontaneous chorus of 'Hail, Hail, the Hibs are Here' -
sadly it was to sound very hollow minutes later as mobile telephones were
switched on, and long before the aircraft crew had broken the news it had
already spread around the Jumbo Jet - the game had been called off by UEFA
around 45 minutes after the flight left the tarmac in Edinburgh.
Confusion was followed by anger was followed
by resignation, as the under-fire representatives from the official travel
agents, Skye Travel, attempted to find out exactly what had gone wrong and
what they were supposed to do next with a Jumbo Jet full of angry but under
the circumstances surprisingly cheerful Hibs fans. A decision was taken
quickly to remain in Athens for the night at least - and this evening this
small army of Hibees will party in the city and contain their anger as the
best of a bad job is made!
Information from home was patchy, but the
news that the aircraft carrying the Hibs team and officials along with
journalists had been halted on the runway at Turnhouse did nothing to swage
the anger of many who believed that ALL flights should have been held in
Edinburgh until the decision from UEFA was made clear, as it was already known
back in Scotland that postponement of all UEFA games was a possibility.
The feeling of despair was tempered only by the underlying reason from UEFA as
to why the games were postponed, not one Hibs fan I spoke to at Athens airport
today would argue with the reasoning used by football's governing body.
A human tragedy beyond reason had taken place, and perhaps in the light of
that the tragedy of the Hibs and all other football fans caught up in the
nightmare seems minor.
However the feeling remains that something
COULD have been done, something SHOULD have been done. Hibs.net
understands that Hibernian F.C. were not told of the UEFA decision until
around 45 minutes after their official fans charter had left Edinburgh, and
they did try to have the aircraft turned around but that was not possible in
the circumstances. In the confusion of the last 36 hours it is perhaps
churlish to lay blame on any organisation, be that UEFA, Hibernian or the
official agents. However the fact remains that a great many fans of the
club have laid out something approaching £750,000 to follow Hibs to Athens,
and some form of compensation for these fans must surely be the least that can
be requested of the authorities concerned?
More reports from Athens when we sort the
lines of communication out!
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