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Phil's Moscow Diary
Phil's Moscow Diary
Thursday, 27th Sep 2001 17:15

When we drew Torpedo Moscow in the UEFA Cup there were those who expressed disappointment. Now that a thousand or so Town fans are in the Russian capital and eagerly awaiting the kick-off of the game few will feel that way.

To say that Moscow is a fascinating city is to understate the diversity and character of the place. Red Square has been the central point of reference for many fans with vast numbers staying at the Hotel Rossiya which is about a minute's walk from St Basil's Cathedral. St Basil's itself is rather disappointingly having work done so one of its Mr. Whippy-esque towers is hidden from view. Even Mr Sheepshanks has been there and quite happy to have his photo taken with fans, no shapka in sight as yet though.

Russia appears to have embraced capitalism very firmly. Once grey buildings are now enlivened by ads for Western companies and there are even Jumbotrons advertising products in the street.

The style of capitalism here appears laissez-faire in the extreme with the streets full of people selling some item or other. You want the new Microsoft products? Find them in the street at a bargain price. Want Photoshop? £4 or 70 roubles.

There are clearly a lot of people with money here. The number of Mercedes is only surpassed by a Premiership club's players' car park. And yet there are many very poor with many begging on the streets.

Russia has not completely lost the totalitarianism that characterised the Soviet era. The police stop you in the street and ask for your passport. One supporter was even followed into a toilet by a police officer. They even offer to take your photograph in front of the Kremlin, but at a cost. A certain local television company got in a bit of strife for filming in Red Square. The exchange of a few notes made the problem go away.

The Hotel Rossiya itself was taken over by Blues last night as one of the bars was repeatedly drunk dry by thirsty fans 'fresh' from the official flights over. The bar was restocked from other areas of the vast hotel which contains more than 3000 rooms.


Many on the official trip were unhappy at the arrangements which had been made. "Chaos" was the description many gave to the process of allocating plane tickets and handing round passports prior to the flight. The Aeroflot flight gained largely favourable reviews, although some of the larger members of the Blue Army were concerned that the seats were a touch on the thin side.

On landing, however, some discovered that they had no room booked. After lengthy waits (something that many visitors have got used to, especially members of the local TV community who had a nightmare getting their equipment through the airport) rooms were found, but there were a lot of unimpressed people.

There were other tales of woe with a number of fans almost arrested within minutes for jay-walking. In Russia the police (very evident on the streets) take a dim view of this sort of thing, however on this occasion the fans were lucky to get away without having to pay a fine or getting deported.

The expected attentions of prostitutes have happened with my phone ringing in the early hours. Elsewhere I know of a couple of Town fans who were chatted up in a bar by two gay Moldovan arms dealers, all this whilst a prostitute was trying to cut a deal with them from their other side.

One group of supporters had the fright of their lives when the taxi in which they were travelling from the airport to their hotel suddenly had its bonnet fly open and smash the windscreen. After the ubiquitous wait another vehicle arrived.

Those of us who flew over early (I arrived on Tuesday) have had time enough to see the White House, the Lubyanka, Gorky Park (replete with real Russian space shuttle), the Kremlin, the numerous art galleries and graveyards of statues of fallen idols like Lenin and Stalin.

We also took time to pay a visit to Dynamo Moscow's stadium which we had seen on the way in from the airport. Look it up on the net and check out the floodlights. They are the most incredible things you have ever seen.

The Dynamo stadium has a museum as well as a sculpture featuring 60s goalkeeping hero Lev Yashin. In the museum we were disgusted to see an ancient Norwich shirt on sale, along with equally old Forest, Sheffield Wednesday and other English kits. We presumed the Town shirts sold out long ago. A Dynamo Moscow shirt set us back seven pounds, a bit better than the forty quid we pay in England.

Today saw the much-vaunted match between the fans of Torpedo Moscow and the Traktoristi on a pitch overlooked by the impressive Luzhniki Stadium. The game had received national newspaper coverage and we had UK and Russian TV attention (see Anglia TV Sunday afternoon for fat Ipswich blokes running about trying to play footie).

I am sad to report that despite a fine effort our brave boys lost 3-2 with goals from Martin Beecroft (assist by Ham) and Steve Newman. The first was a controversy-packed effort when the Torpedo keeper handled the ball outside the area. Quick as a flash Ham and Beecroft, in a moment of rare inspiration, grabbed the ball from the startled keeper and took a swift freekick with Beecroft playing the ball into an empty net.

To be honest this was completely against the run of play with Torpedo's fitness, experience of playing together and ability showing. Eventually they scored three goals before half-time. The second half saw more attacking from Town and we scored a late goal from Russian-based Blue Newman, invaluable on the afternoon with his knowledge of the language.

The game ended and the sides returned to the dressing rooms which were part of the complex which also includes the Dynamo Moscow ice hockey arena. A post-match drink was enjoyed by many members of both sides with the Russians plying vodka on the rather more cautious Blues.

Most Russians don't speak English, however many of the players and their girlfriends were more than proficient. Toasts were made regarding the future friendships of our nations and the success of both clubs, with the exception of tonight's encounter.

Oddly the main event has sometimes been relegated to second place behind the tourist activities. Moscow has so many attractions, most within a few Metro stops of one another. The Metro is much like the underground, although the stations are much smarter, dating back to the Soviet era. Marble dominates while some have chandeliers which would be well out of place at, for example, Algate East.

So to the game, from talking to the home fans and Blues, there seems to be a feeling that the game will be close. There looks like being an attendance of 20,000 with another 2,500 police apparently on duty. It promises to be quite an occasion for supporters of both clubs. Look out for us on the telly, we'll be the ones in the Soviet-badged shapkas.


Photo: Action Images



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