[Niamh.]

and watches the Ireland V's Estonia match from the Estonian bench

Saw this on the news last night and it made me laugh. A change from the usual doom and gloom on there these days!


Traveling to an international game without a ticket is a risky business, as part-time fitness instructor Conor Cunningham found out on Friday when he turned up in Tallinn for Ireland's vital Euro 2012 play-off with Estonia. Faced with coughing up €600 for a seat in the 10,300-capacity A. Le Coq Arena, the Irishman did what any sensible fan who had traveled 1,900 miles on a whim would do: he tried to sneak in.

Spotting an open doorway, Cunningham made a run for it and came across bag of balls (a ball bag, if you will) and an Estonia team tracksuit. Much like Ryan Giggs when he hears his wife's key in the front door, he quickly put the tracksuit on and acted as if everything was completely normal.

Assuming the role of an Estonian official of some sort, Cunningham channeled all his testicular fortitude and made his way out to the pitch:

Read More :
http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/blog/...urn=sow-wp6706

[Scarlett.]

I wonder what happened to the official? lol

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Chewy

I wonder what happened to the official? lol

He's on the pitch with the Irish team and all at the end, it's brilliant and there's a video of him handing the ball to one of the players when it goes out during the game

[HBB1508]

Love this story makes a nice change to have a laugh - good for him!!

[Novo]

Looks a lot like Stephen Carr and the funny thing is he is Irish as well

[lostalex]

Europeans take soccer soo seriously.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Novo

Looks a lot like Stephen Carr and the funny thing is he is Irish as well

Yeah, he does actually

Originally Posted by lostalex

Europeans take soccer soo seriously.

And he's a Cork man too

[Claymores]

Originally Posted by lostalex

Europeans take soccer soo seriously.

We used to do something similar to this story for NFLEurope games. In Germany, our German pal would print/laminate us Press Trackside Passes so we could go on the sidelines during games. The strange thing was that nobody ever challenged/questioned us as to why we weren't carrying camera equipment or whatever.

I liked what we did to return the favour when the German fans visited Scotland. We'd manufacture "Reebok Official Sponsor" lanyards which got you into the posh hospitality suite in the stadium for all the free food/alcohol you could manage to consume. It was silly - every 5 mins you'd just order a waitress to bring you another 15 bottles of Coors Light (another team sponsor) and they'd to it until there were about 50 bottles with one sip-out at your table.

It's surprisingly easy to do these things when the security company they've employed are a bunch on numpties.

[lostalex]

Originally Posted by Claymores

We used to do something similar to this story for NFLEurope games. In Germany, our German pal would print/laminate us Press Trackside Passes so we could go on the sidelines during games. The strange thing was that nobody ever challenged/questioned us as to why we weren't carrying camera equipment or whatever.

I liked what we did to return the favour when the German fans visited Scotland. We'd manufacture "Reebok Official Sponsor" lanyards which got you into the posh hospitality suite in the stadium for all the free food/alcohol you could manage to consume. It was silly - every 5 mins you'd just order a waitress to bring you another 15 bottles of Coors Light (another team sponsor) and they'd to it until there were about 50 bottles with one sip-out at your table.

It's surprisingly easy to do these things when the security company they've employed are a bunch on numpties.

you say they are "numpties" but if they actually increased security, you'd say they were Nazi's.

I think it's unfortunate that the security people can't win, eigther way, if they are too strict than people complain, and if they arn't strict enuf than people think they are stupid and incompetetant. they can't win.

that's the problem with security,

[Claymores]

Originally Posted by lostalex

you say they are "numpties" but if they actually increased security, you'd say they were nazi's. I think it's unfortunate that the security people can't win, eigther way, if they are too strict than people complain, and if they arn't strict enuf than people think they are stupid and incompetetant. they can't win.

that's problem with security,

TBH, I'm making no real judgement on the Security in my instances and the reality was what we did was for a laff with no malicious intent.

Continuing your observation about soccer, I doubt we'd have gotten away with it at soccer matches between German and Scottish teams where the security/police act much more 'forthrightly'. NFLEurope was characterised by the fans getting on with each other and helping one-another out. How it should be.

Soccer, as you rightly say is a different kettle............as characterised by a Scottish soccer match last year where some nutcase jumped out of the crowd to assault Glasgow Celtic's manager at pitchside.

[Ramsay]

Thats amazing

[Ammi]

600 euros a seat...

[Claymores]

Originally Posted by Ammi

600 euros a seat...

Not sure I believe that to be true - more likely the whole trip was 600 Euros if you went with the organised tour + with with a ticket as part of the package from those allocated by Estonia to the Irish Football Association.

[fruit_cake]

didn't the Irish win easily? he should have played for Estonia

[Claymores]

Originally Posted by fruit_cake

didn't the Irish win easily? he should have played for Estonia

They did! Ireland was also quite funny - a player had a nose bleed and you are not allowed to remain on the field with blood showing.........he had to change tops but they did not have a spare one with his number showing on his back.............so they had to get a marker pen out and draw "9" on the back of it!

[fruit_cake]

Originally Posted by Claymores

They did! Ireland was also quite funny - a player had a nose bleed and you are not allowed to remain on the field with blood showing.........he had to change tops but they did not have a spare one with his number showing on his back.............so they had to get a marker pen out and draw "9" on the back of it!

crikey they earn Ł30000000zillion a week and they have to draw a nine with a marker pen

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Claymores

They did! Ireland was also quite funny - a player had a nose bleed and you are not allowed to remain on the field with blood showing.........he had to change tops but they did not have a spare one with his number showing on his back.............so they had to get a marker pen out and draw "9" on the back of it!

LOL....I hope it wasn't permanent marker...they may have to re use that shirt by the sound of it...

[Claymores]

Originally Posted by fruit_cake

crikey they earn Ł30000000zillion a week and they have to draw a nine with a marker pen

I kinda understand it - Ireland is almost as bankrupt as Greece! You can't expect them to have 2 shirts for every player...........in fact maybe the rich players from English Premiership had to buy their own flights/jerseys!

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Claymores

I kinda understand it - Ireland is almost as bankrupt as Greece! You can't expect them to have 2 shirts for every player...........in fact maybe the rich players from English Premiership had to buy their own flights/jerseys!

Don't be ridiculous Ian

[Claymores]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

Don't be ridiculous Ian

hahahaha Niamh - I notice Scotland footie players never are wearing "special" tops which mention the fixture. We're as broke as U.

I'm just jelus as brother is paying for my nephew to go to Brazil + nearest Scotland will get is the local pub hating on Engerland!

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Claymores

hahahaha Niamh - I notice Scotland footie players never are wearing "special" tops which mention the fixture. We're as broke as U.

I'm just jelus as brother is paying for my nephew to go to Brazil + nearest Scotland will get is the local pub hating on Engerland!

I doubt we're going to last too long in the competition anyway, we couldn't even beat Estonia at home in the second match................not a great sign

[Claymores]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

I doubt we're going to last too long in the competition anyway, we couldn't even beat Estonia at home in the second match................not a great sign

Don't say that - Ireland is our virtual team as we're so rubbish

[Chuck]

so Clayton is the anyone but England type, I see.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Claymores

Don't say that - Ireland is our virtual team as we're so rubbish

fingers crossed then!

[Claymores]

Originally Posted by chuck.pass

so Clayton is the anyone but England type, I see.

Clayton plays for for the Houston Texans - does he dislike Engerland as much as me?