Every emotion under the
Athens sun
A week in which
Hibs fans learned much about each other - and themselves
(Stuart Crowther)
EVERY POSSIBLE EMOTION has been
experienced this week, as the events in the United States touched the
heart and soul of every human being on this planet. Closer to home
these events also effected us in other ways, none of which matched in any
way the horror of losing loved ones of course, but nevertheless the
personal cost to each Hibs fan who travelled to Athens was significant in
their own lives.
People express their
emotions in many different ways, after all we are individuals with
different and independent minds. In the turmoil that has affected
most of us, if one took a step back and observed for a few moments you
would see that there were those who reacted in anger and in a very vocal
way. Such people attracted most of the attention of course, they
demanded to be heard and those around them had little choice but to
listen. Then there was the 'silent majority'. These were
represented by people caught up in a human tragedy, their minds with the
enormity of the situation they had witnessed, and trying to match this to
the more minor personal disappointment of having their own small dream, to
watch Hibernian play a football match in Europe, snatched from their grasp
at the very last moment.
I'm not implying for one
minute that the vocal minority felt any the less the massive loss the
world has had to share this last week. Only that in such
circumstances, the majority were perhaps unable to voice their views as
they would normally be expected to do. Laying aside the horrors of
New York and Washington for now, not through any lack of respect but for
the simple reason that such horrors are beyond the remit of this football
web site, I would like this Sunday to comment on the week as seen from the
perspective of the Hibernian fans in general, but in particular those who
boarded flights to Athens on Wednesday morning.
"the minority where
perhaps unable to voice their views as they would normally be expected to
do"
Now that the entire picture is very much clearer, the
initial anger of many fans in Athens against Hibernian themselves has
dissipated. Most - but by no means all - supporters accept that
there was no action the club could have taken to avoid two aircraft
leaving Edinburgh on Wednesday morning minutes before UEFA took their
decision to call off all games. I say not all because there are
those who still lash out at the club, with my own mail-box filled with in
some cases hatred directed at the club and even Hibs.net staff, the
latter because we have been perceived by a few to have turned against the
fans in favour of the 'enemy', in this case Skye Travel and Hibernian F.C.
Such emotions in this week of turmoil are
understandable if regretful.
The silent majority and the vocal minority alike in Athens, after
realising that world events had conspired against them and not the
football club or travel company, did what Hibernian fans throughout
history have done. They settled into the situation with what could
be called disappointed defiance. They took to the streets of Athens
and had a party; they toured the sites of a magnificent city, and they
behaved in a manner that left Athenians stunned and delighted that
football fans could behave in such a manner, even at a time when the whole
world around them had appeared to have lost its sanity. The Athens
press were quick to realise that amid the stories of world events they had
one of local interest that demonstrated the resilience of human nature,
and as a result images of green-and-white bedecked Scots shared the front
pages alongside the horrors of New York, Pennsylvania and Washington.
Mark Strachan in Athens - at the heart of the Hibee support that charmed a
city (hibs.net)
My personal and abiding memories of this week will revolve around these
mixed emotions; the initial anger against everyone wearing an official hat
when the realisation that we were in Athens but our team was, and would
remain, in Edinburgh. The next 24 hours of talking to hundreds of
fans eager for information, talking to officials of the club back in
Edinburgh and gradually drawing a picture of what had actually happened,
talking to under-fire Skye Travel representatives who themselves were
every bit in the dark and unsure of what should be done next. There
was still anger during that period, but it was a resigned anger, and anger
aimed at unknown terrorists and at faceless UEFA bureaucrats. The
media clamoured also for information from the fans, but what was
noticeable on returning to Edinburgh was that the media had quickly moved
on to the bigger picture in football terms (Glasgow Rangers) and the
fantastic human spirit being demonstrated in Athens was largely ignored.
"...what was noticeable on returning to Edinburgh was that the media had
quickly moved on to the bigger picture in football terms (Glasgow
Rangers)"
These mixed emotions had that upside, that spirit among the Hibs fans, but
sadly they also had a downside. There is little doubt that at some
point this week attention will be drawn to the actions of one or two
idiots, stoked up on Ouzo in Athens airport. The term 'air rage'
will be placed on them but this was no rage, this was rank stupidity
demonstrated by a very few, a stupidity that could yet bring disgrace on
that silent majority - and of all the unfair things that happened to the
fans of Hibernian this week, that would be the ultimate slap in the face.
Finally I would comment this week on the part UEFA have played in events.
A front-page poll currently conducted by Hibs.net clearly
demonstrates what the silent majority think of the situation, with just a
single vote in around 250 seeking compensation from the club, while 220
look to UEFA to act upon their late decision on Wednesday morning.
The correct decision, to postpone football, was taken, that much very few
will argue against, however once again that decision was taken at the
wrong time. It was taken with little or no thought of the personal
consequences, and this is an area that UEFA must address in future, they
must set in place a system where decisions of such magnitude are taken
swiftly and with due account being taken of every situation around the
continent. Washing your hands after the event and saying you are
taking no responsibility for the hardship incurred by fans as a result of
your decision is just not acceptable. That is a message Hibernian as
a club are determined to get over to UEFA. It is something that each
and every one of the silent majority must also impress upon that
organisation, and in this the vocal minority will no doubt already be
taking action!
Finally, one last thought that I'm sure is shared by us all. We are
football fans, and our priorities perhaps appear at times to be
upside-down, we can expect to be criticised for paying too much attention
to a recreational activity while showing little care or respect for
thousands who lost their lives to a vile terrorist act. To those who
would lay such charges, you are wrong. We all have our personal
priorities, and we all grieve in our own way. In the words of one
fan who chose not to go to Athens because of the events in the United
States:
"I have a family, I looked at my little daughter who was in tears at the
images on the television. How could I leave them to go to a football
match? But I understand all those that did travel, because this was
something they had lived for, something they had been looking ahead to for
so many years. We have our own minds and we use them as we see fit,
I would salute the Hibees who boarded these aircraft because in spite of
the madness of the world, they were prepared to get on with life.
And that is what we all need to do."
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