Aston Villa VS Zrinjski

A Memorable European Night: A Father-Son Adventure

Tonight marked a special occasion for us – Liam’s very first European match and the excitement was palpable. We embarked on a short train journey with anticipation running high. We had ample time to explore the ground and soak in the unique European atmosphere, reminiscent of experiences I’ve had at other iconic venues like Anfield.

Everything was going smoothly until we reached Birmingham New Street station. As the train doors opened, we were greeted by a sight and sound that caught us by surprise. The platform was teeming with hundreds of passionate Zrinjski fans. While I’d encountered scenes like this before, it was a new experience for Liam, who clung to me, saying, “Dad, I’m scared.” I did my best to reassure him, reminding him that it was only three stops until they disembarked. The fans continued to chant, bang on the train roof, and make as much noise as possible.

Upon reaching Witton station, we decided to stay on the train and let all the away fans exit first. Once they were off, we finally disembarked. I noticed several other Villa fans, including young families, were equally shocked by the situation. It left me wondering how the police could allow these away fans, some of them Ultra Fans from Zrinjski, to mix with trains carrying home fans without proper supervision.

While waiting behind the long queue of chanting Zrinjski fans, a female police officer spotted Liam clinging to me and enquired if we were home fans. She promptly pulled me out of the queue as soon as I confirmed. Once we were away from the chaos, we both felt much more at ease and began the short walk to the stadium.

We took in the sights of Villa Park, purchasing a matchday scarf for £10 along the way. Of course, we made our customary stop at the club shop to pick up a program and a “Scarf” for Liam. The program was priced at £3.50, just 50p less than what we had paid for the previous match at Walsall. The Villa “Scarf” came with a £15 price tag.

Our next stop led us to the Trinity Stand, where we indulged in some chips (a small box for £4), a bottle of water for £3.50, and half a pint of coke costing £1.75.

With refreshments in hand, we finally headed to our seats, eagerly anticipating the build-up and atmosphere. It was a special moment for Liam, especially considering that this was the largest stadium we had visited since starting our challenge. Despite being in the Upper Tier, our view was excellent, providing us with a clear perspective of everything happening on and off the pitch, including watching the ultra fans in the stand opposite ours.

Due to our journey, Liam wanted to leave 10 minutes early, and we did just that. We made it to the station in time to watch Villa score the only goal on my phone. While I was disappointed to miss physically witnessing the goal inside the ground, I wanted to avoid any potential issues on our journey back.

The journey home was seamless, with no delays or disruptions. Our next game promises to be an exciting Midlands Derby – Birmingham vs. West Bromwich. Fingers crossed for a more positive experience for Liam.

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