Always looking on the bright side of
life!
Hibs legend praises spirited defiance of
Hibs support
Hibs.net Editor Stuart Crowther reports on 48
hours in Athens with the Hibernian support
PAT STANTON FOUGHT HIS WAY through
the scrum of Hibs fans outside an Athens bar on Wednesday evening, and if
ever this Hibernian legend was aware of the nature of his fellow Hibs fans
this was the moment.
Hoisting silverware
before the massed Hibs fans at Hampden Park was a highlight in the life of
Pat, but seeing for himself just how the Hibs support reacted to the news
that they had travelled all that way for nothing was another defining
moment in Pat's life. And it was perhaps all the more so and one of
the greatest players ever to captain the club was spending his birthday in
the company of the Hibs fans in Athens!
The Hibs.net team in Athens - 'Dilinja', 'God', 'Editor' and
MBbranch! (No.9 was holding the box brownie) (hibs.net)
Over the coming weeks
much will be spoken of compensation packages and there will likely be a
few conspiracy theorists coming up wild stories of Hibernian holding out
on the Hibs support! During that time also we would hope that much
will also be said of the way Hibs fans reacted to the fact that they had
spent a very large part of their hard-earned cash on what became a
completely wasted journey. The parties on Wednesday night continued
last night, but for the most part the Hibs supporters will return to
Edinburgh today, just a very few of them in any position to return next
week when UEFA have decreed that the game will take place.
Over a quiet beer away
from the main bodies of Hibs support in Athens, Stanton saw in his
birthday and reflected on the previous 24 hours. He will be one of
the many unable to return next week, but nevertheless Pat was as humbled
as any observer could be at the behaviour of the fans,
"You have to smile at them, don't you,"
he said, adding: "What was the point though of doing
anything else? We are here now, we might as well enjoy the moment,
because that's what life is about, going with the highs and facing up to
the lows. I've spent my life being a Hibs fan and I don't think I've
ever been any less proud of the Hibs support that I am now."
Pat meets the fans on Wednesday evening (hibs.net)
Pat was not the only
former Hibee star in the bars of Athens on Wednesday. Bobby Smith
was another who was saddened at missing out on the football, but equally
understanding as to why it had been cancelled and delighted at the antics
of the Hibs support. "The late decision by
UEFA was ridiculous, they did not seem to take much account of the impact
that decision would have on the many fans who had already travelled around
Europe for these games. Of course we understand why the decision was
taken, what we don't understand or accept was the lateness of that
decision," he said.
Anther fan in Athens,
Kenny Harris of Dalkeith told us: "I'm totally
gutted at what happened, it was all out of the control of the club, I know
that. UEFA though must take the blame for this fiasco, and they
should be the ones to compensate fans."
That was a view reflected by most fans, accepting the reasons why the
European football body postponed the games but deploring the method and
timing of that decision. When it was first learned by fans in Athens
that the official flight carrying the Hibs team had not taken off,
the view was that the club had known more than they had said and therefore
were themselves culpable in permitting the fans' flights to leave
Edinburgh.
A young Hibee with his hero (hibs.net)
However it later became
clear that Hibs official were as much in the dark as everyone else, with
no official indication coming from UEFA until the moment they pulled the
plug on the game around an hour after the Jumbo Jet carrying the Hibs
support had left. Managing Director Rod Petrie told us:
"We
had spoken to the British Embassy in Athens, to AEK, to the SFA and we
tried, without success, to contact UEFA on Tuesday evening. All of the
information we were given was reassuring us that the game would go ahead.
In addition, Tuesday evenings European matches were played following a
minute's silence."
Embassy staff in Athens meanwhile joined
local police in praising the behaviour of the Hibernian fans in the city.
Hundreds of Hibs fans will remain in Athens until the weekend, having
booked independent holidays to coincide with the game, and it now seems
unlikely that many will either remain in Athens or be in a position to
return next week.
Hibs.net would like to hear
from fans who travelled to Athens. Tell us what you think the
club/UEFA should do, and if given the opportunity would you return to
Athens next week? Mail
stuart@hibs.net
with your views.
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