NORTH WEST ENGLANDFANS

England v Belarus on Wednesday 14th October

noreply@blogger.com (NW Englandfans) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:56:00 +0000

The Final Home game of the Qualifying Campaign. 8 out of 8???

Pick up locations and timings

Birkenhead Conway Street 09.00.
Liverpool Empire (Lime Street) 0915
Liverpool Jolly Miller / Rocket Approx 09.30
Burtonwood services on M62 heading towards Manchester approx 09.50
Manchester outside Deansgate Train Station. Approx 10.15
Sandbach/Knutsford services approx 10.45
Crewe approx 11.00

As usual there will be a bar on board (lager, cider & bitter). As usual there will be the compilation CD's which are either a great sing-along or a load of old rubbish, depending on how old you are. I always tell people to make their own compilations if they don’t like what we have.
We will be heading to the Torch pub, which is the nearest Wembley. We will be heading back shortly after the game. To book your seat, send a cheque or postal order to the address below.

Robert Taubman. 38 Abbeyfield Drive, Croxteth Park, Liverpool 12, L12 0JP.

Alternatively, to save the bother and the cost of postage, you can pay by Pay pal, sending it to the email address below. Please note that Paypal charge a commission of 20p plus 4%, which on £22.50 is £1. Anyone paying by Paypal therefore please send £23.50 per seat. If you are not on PAYPAL but you have a credit card, I can 'invoice' you by sending a PAYPAL bill to your email address, which you pay using your credit card. It's easy!!

Email robert@taubman4011.fsnet.co.uk:

My mobile number is 07961 975640

Kazakhsan Tenge

noreply@blogger.com (NW Englandfans) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 20:07:00 +0000

I'm organising a collection of the Tenge they we returned home with after our recent trip. I will collect both notes and coins.

If you would like to donate them, please send me an e-mail and I will advise you of the address to send them to. My e-mail address is pete@goodandhard.fsnet.co.uk

I am currently waiting for some information from Kazakhstan, but I am looking at 2 options, the British Embassy were working with an orphanage while we were in Almaty, also the match announcer advised about a cancer charity several times during and after the game.

So come on get the Tenge out of your travel bag and into an envelope and do some good with them.

Cheers

Pete

Minutes of NWEnglandfans meeting 14.05.2009

noreply@blogger.com (NW Englandfans) — Wed, 20 May 2009 17:13:00 +0000

Guests:
Adele Bolderson - The F.A/Englandfans
Tony Conniford - Assistant Director UK Football Policing Unit
Bob Sopel - Managing Director, Ukraine Travel
Anne-Marie Mockridge - Football Supporters' Federation

Pete Nicholas opened the meeting by welcoming everyone and introducing the guest speakers who each gave a brief outline of their role. The forum was also expecting a representative from the Anglo-Kazakhstan Society but unfortunately they didn’t turn up.
Pete explained that Anne-Marie was standing in for Kevin Miles who was currently in Rome attending meetings regarding the Champions League Final.

There had been a list of questions submitted prior to the meeting and these were grouped for each speaker, and questions were also taken from the floor

ADELE:
- There has been a total of 1,200 tickets taken up for the game in Almaty, and explained that there is a reserve list for tickets if people have decided to go on the last minute or people have had to drop out and returned their ticket.
- There will be the same type of reserve list for Amsterdam. For this game a total of 6,500 tickets were taken from the given the number of fans who registered interest. Adele stated at present all tickets have been taken up but people could drop out nearer the time and return tickets so if you haven’t got a ticket it’s advisable to get your name on the reserve list a.s.a.p
- Asked why fans had to pick tickets up in Almaty Adele explained there were several reasons - It was originally done in Estonia and the feedback was positive from England fans and also the Kazakhstan authorities have not yet issued the FA with tickets for the game so rather than sending tickets out late to fans and them getting delivered after they have departed for the game it is the best way to ensure everyone gets their ticket. Plus it will also save sending in Proof of Travel details
- The Englandfans base for collecting tickets will be the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Almaty, which is close to the stadium. They will be operating on the Friday from 11am-5p.m. and on Saturday 11am-6pm. Kick-off is 9pm

TONY:
- has recently returned from the Recce with the authorities and covered a wide-range of issues:
- Policing - a similar situation to Belarus. He stated that everyone wants this to be a success and the Kazakhstan authorities won’t want to make it difficult for the visiting fans. They all love football but there is an element of fear due to the fact that the Kazakhstani media insist on showing clips of marauding English fans from the 1970’s! He also stated that the police are fearful that you could be accosted by unscrupulous police officers demanding to see your paperwork and then demanding money from you for the return of documents. Tony stated if this does happen the best thing to do is keep calm and stay firm, ask the officer for his details i.e. name and number and say you are going to ring the British Embassy for advice. If the officer is genuine he won’t mind giving you details but if it is a scam then the officer will back off at the thought of being reported.
- Policing will be high visibility with approximately 1,500 police officers on duty for the game both inside and outside the stadium and also army conscripts to reinforce security. He said this is nothing to be alarmed at, it is just the way the country is policed and you should be OK if you do not draw attention to yourself by acting in an inappropriate manner i.e. drunk and abusive.
- Tony said the authorities are working towards making Kazakhstan a tourist venue so will be tolerable of groups of fans drinking and enjoying themselves but he stated that they are not used to people drinking in the streets and so long as you respect the country and it’s people you should be fine. If you are causing a disturbance you could be issued with a fine
- Flags - As with other eastern European countries it is an infringement of Kazakhstan law to display flags other than their own country’s flags on military and public service buildings. You will only be allowed to hang flags in the stadium. You will be taking a risk if you chose to ignore this advice and the consequences are likely to have your flag confiscated and you be fined or arrested.
- Questions were asked about the prices of alcohol and food and Tony stated that it isn’t cheap! During his visit the cheapest local beer was around £3.50 whilst imported beers could cost around £7, even more expensive if you are buying in hotels. However he did state that it is possible to buy a litre of local beer much cheaper in the supermarkets… but the supermarkets are not that easy to find! If you do manage to find one there is nothing to stop you buying alcohol there and then, say, going into the local parks and drinking, again though, so long as you are not causing a disturbance to others.
- Arrival at the airport - expect delays as they ask an awful lot of questions. He also stated that, as with Russia and Belarus, do not loose your migration card (literally a flimsy piece of paper) or you will have problems when you try to leave the country.
- This was not mentioned at the forum but worth bearing in mind: On your migration card it will ask you to give details of the inviting party - if you are staying in a hotel put the name of the hotel, if you are doing a day trip put the Kazakhstan FA and where asked your purpose of visit put tourism/football. The squares in top corner of the migration card are to put your passport number although this is not stated on the form!
- The visa offices are open when flights arrive but if several flights arrive at once you may well be in for a lengthy wait - even in the early hours of the morning.
- He did say that the minute you get into the arrival hall you will be swarmed by locals offering cheap rides to your hotels. He advised to avoid these at all costs as they usually scam tourists. He advised that you travel in groups and preferably arrange with your hotel to have a car waiting for you on your arrival or to take an official taxi which has a black/white chequered band on the doors.
- Language - The official language is Kazakh and Russian is also used. Most people will use a smattering or no English. With this in mind Anne-Marie stated that it’s worth asking your hotel to email their name and address in Kazakh/Russian and take this with you to show taxi drivers on arrival. Also worth having on you is a copy of the Cyrillic alphabet (a copy will be available in the Free Lions and on their website)
- Tony did say that many of the streets haven’t any signage and the stadium isn’t well signed so it has been requested that on the day of the game signs around the stadium are in English. England fans will be in the South stand of the stadium. The game is sold out and the Kazakhstan supporters have paid between £50 / £100 for their tickets.
- Extra toilet facilities and refreshment stalls will be bought in for the game as these are currently extremely limited. Tony did say it was an old stadium but it is clean, tidy and well maintained.
- As regarding sights there isn’t very much to see, a few monuments, parks and museums but nothing much else. If you have time it is worth getting the cable car up the mountains for amazing views of the city.
- Walking is the best way to get around the city, there is no city centre as such but most of the main hotels are within a 25 minute walk from the stadium, or if you are feeling totally lazy you could get a taxi!
- Food - Horsemeat is a staple food and although he personally didn’t eat it, Tony said that those who did said it tasted very much like beef. He did say he didn’t see many vegetables being served with food, so it could be you’ll have to forgo your 5-a-day whilst there!
- Finally, but extremely important, Tony said that although the people are very welcoming they will not find references to Borat or speaking in a fashion as in the film will be extremely insulting to them. They certainly won’t find it funny. He stressed that if you take nothing else on board, please, please take heed of this advice.

BOB:
- Bob explained that he set up his travel business in the early 90s and in that time has seen great improvements in how the country has moved on. The country is geographically the centre of Europe but leans more to the west due to the Russian dictatorship many years ago, but they are now trying to find their own identity.
- As with Tony, Bob ran through a large range of items starting with alcohol. He said it is almost compulsory to drink alcohol in the Ukraine, stating the only difference between a wedding and a funeral is one less body!
- As the venue for the game has not yet been announced Bob said it would be difficult to give details of the various venues but assumed that most fans would base themselves in Kiev and make alternative arrangements to travel to another venue should the game be played elsewhere. The good news is you don’t need a visa.
- Bob stated that English is well-spoken in Ukraine especially by the younger residents due to the influence of films and music.
- From Kiev airport to the centre - by taxi it should take approx 40 mins and cost 20-25 UAH (Ukraine Hrivnia) and a bus will cost 3 UAH. There are regular buses into the city centre. You should have no language problems with taxi drivers, most speak good, basic English.
- Food in Kiev - you won’t starve! There are 9 McDonalds and everything from 5* restaurants right down to street vendors and everything in between
- No shortage of bars and nightclubs in the city
- Bob said the temperature in Oct in Kiev is mainly like our autumn weather but with less rain. The really cold weather doesn’t start until Dec.
- Policing in the stadiums - Bob has in the past attended a game in Kiev with Man United and the organisation was phenomenal - he’d never seen a game so organised and he expects the same for the England game. He stated that Ukraine & Poland are hosting the 2012 European Championship Finals and this game will be looked on as a dummy run for the forthcoming tournament and they won’t want anything to go wrong.
- He stated that the national stadium in Kiev had an original capacity of 105,000 but this had now been reduced to around 80,000. He said even though the stadium was currently being renovated, games were still getting played there with reduced capacities i.e. certain stands were closed where work was taking place, and was hoping this will be the case for the England game and it will be played in Kiev.
- For those who have never been to Kiev before, Bob stated that it’s on a par with the likes of Prague, Budapest etc - it is relatively safe but as with anywhere else, common sense prevails.
- Discussing various other locations where the game may be played, Lviv has an excellent hotel structure in that they are all within a cluster in the centre and most major tourist sites are close by.
- Dnepropetrovsk (DNK) is an 8-10hr train journey from Kiev. When asked why the journey takes so long Bob stated that trains will stop at almost all stations on route, he did say you can also fly from Kiev to this venue but it would be expensive and advised to get the overnight train instead and save some cash by not having to pay hotel costs. Flights are in the region of £140 return from Kiev.
- When asked why Austrian Airlines are the only company to fly direct to Dnepropetrovsk Bob said that the airline has had the market for such a long time and are prepared to take smaller aircraft in. DNK won’t take jumbos but will accommodate 737’s. When asked why Thompson (official England Travel) weren’t flying there Bob said it could be that they weren’t given permission due to the type of transport being used. Donetsk is the main hub for air travel within the Ukraine.
- Bob is looking at doing a day trip and a 2-day or a weekend trip for the game, and gave an estimation of approx £350 for the one-day trip and possibly £400 for the 2-day trip, (these prices estimated on departures from Manchester), but costs for this could change depending on the type of accommodation secured and to bear in mind these are only estimates. He said hotels in the centre of Kiev are around £80 per room per night but could rise higher depending on the standard of the room. He will confirm prices nearer the time and when the venue has been announced. If you are interested or have a particular question for bob you can email him at bob@ukrainetravel.co.uk
- When asked why the venue still hasn’t been announced Anne-Marie stated that in theory the host nation do not have to announce a venue until 60 days before the game and Adele agreed but stated that the FA were hoping to hear before the end of June. Bob said it could also be a tactical move - depending on the Ukraine v Croatia result will dictate the position in the table, and if Ukraine end up going 2nd, they will obviously be looking at playing the game at a large venue than if they finish 3rd and unlikely to qualify, then the game would have no interest for Ukraine fans and the game would likely be played at a smaller venue.
- If the game doesn’t go ahead in national Stadium in Kiev Bob said there are other possible smaller venues within Kiev with capacities of around 30,000 that could stage the game. Anne-Marie stated that any stadium would have to pass strict criteria from FIFA beforehand i.e. sufficient toilet facilities, catering, security etc
- Bob went on to discuss the declaration forms you have to fill in on arrival at the airport, he stated that it is just a formality from olden days when goods were being purchased cheaply and taken out of the country, but still continues today.
- Anne-Marie suggested that you declare any expensive camera or computer equipment for Kazakhstan and Ukraine rather than have the possibility of getting stopped at customs.
- When asked about the currency, Bob stated that Ukraine has their own currency - the Hrivnia (UAH) but in large tourist areas there are some places that take the Euro. He suggests Sterling is better than Dollars to exchange but warned that you could have problems changing travellers’ cheques as the banks are not used to dealing with them.
- He did suggest that £5 is the smallest note we have in our currency so it is worth getting a few $1 notes which are handy for tipping.
- Asked about crossing the border from Moldova to Ukraine, Bob suggested being cautious as there could be problems i.e. there have been problems with people getting robbed when crossing.
- Driving in the Ukraine - There are many major companies at the airports with competitive rates. Road links are good and Bob said if you’re based in Kiev and the game is, for instance in Dnepropetrovsk, you are more likely to arrive back in Kiev at least 2 hrs before the trains

AOB
- Blazakhstan - Rob Taubman is arranging an overnight trip to Blackpool for anyone who is not going to Kazakhstan for the game. Watch the match in a pub and then a night on the town. Details are on the NWEnglandfans blog.
- Travel to Wembley - Rob also has availability on coaches to Wembley games. Again, his details are on the blog if you want to contact him
- Blog - www.nwenglandfans.blogspot.com
- Election for a representative at meetings for WC2010. Pete thanked Lindsay England for attending the meetings prior to Euro 2008 Finals and said there was 1 application already for the current round of WC meetings. If you are interested in attending the meetings please contact Pete through the blog, the loop or by email pete-michelle@goodandhard.fsnet.co.uk. You will be required to attend regular meetings, take minutes and report back to the group through the loop.

Meeting ended 9:40
Minutes by A-M Mockridge

Our Next Meeting.

noreply@blogger.com (NW Englandfans) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:53:00 +0000

Our next meeting, will take place on Thursday 14th May, and will take place at The Waldorf Pub in Central Manchester, start time will be 19.30 Hrs

Confirmed guests are
Adele Bolderson. The F.A./Englandfans This will be Adele's first visit upto the North West, many of us will have met her whilst signing
in at the away games.
Tony Conniford. Assistant Director UK Football Policing Unit.
Bob Sopel. A Travel Counsellor from Ukraine Travel, who has organised trips for British clubs playing European games in the Ukraine.
He has also told me the game has been officially announced as being played in Dnipropetrovs'k. More news on this in the next week or so.
Meyer Sheraliyev. Anglo-Kazakhstan Society
Kevin Miles from the F.S.F.

Several of our guests will have visited Almaty prior to the meeting, so any questions you have please let me know.
Bob will be able to give us some back ground on what to expect in the Ukraine.
Do we have any questions about Wembley, now we have been back for a few years, how about tickets prices?
Are we happy with the EF Forum?
Update on coach travel to home games, and about an alternative trip to watch the game in Almaty, in the special
location that is Blackpool :-)
Things are beginning to look promising for a visit to South Africa next year, so we also need to elect someone to attend meetings
on behalf of our group.

It been a long time since our last meeting, so please try to come along and lets also try to make it a bit of a social event.

Kazakhstan Visa Information.

noreply@blogger.com (NW Englandfans) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 14:25:00 +0000

Please see below link to The F.S.F website, they have been in contact with the Kazakhstan Embassy and made available details that should assist with filling in the visa application.

http://www.fsf.org.uk/freelions/news/kazakhstan-visa-advice-free-lions.php

If any one has any further questions, let me know, hope to see you in Almaty or Astana.

Coach to the next 2 home games.

noreply@blogger.com (NW Englandfans) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 14:16:00 +0000

We have 2 fixtures in one week coming up. I suspect that a lot of people may pick and choose which of them they go to, although the usual suspects will be there for both.
Please let me know which games you are up for as soon as possible so I can make the arrangements.

England v Slovakia on Saturday 28th March, KO 1715.
Pick up locations and timingsBirkenhead Conway Street 07.00.Liverpool Empire (Lime Street) 0715Liverpool Jolly Miller / Rocket Approx 07.30Burtonwood services on M62 heading towards Manchester approx 07.50Manchester outside Deansgate Train Station. Approx 8.15
Sandbach/Knutsford services approx 9.00

England v Ukraine on Wednesday 1st April, KO 2000.
Pick up locations and timingsBirkenhead Conway Street 09.00.Liverpool Empire (Lime Street) 0915Liverpool Jolly Miller / Rocket Approx 09.30Burtonwood services on M62 heading towards Manchester approx 09.50Manchester outside Deansgate Train Station. Approx 10 .15
Sandbach/Knutsford services approx 11.00

As usual there will be a bar on board. As usual there will be the compilation CD's which are either a great sing-along or a load of old rubbish, depending on how old you are. I always tell people to make their own compilations if they don’t like what we have. No one has so everyone must love it!!
As usual we will be heading to the fans party, held in a club near Wembley. We will be heading back shortly after the game. To book your seat, send a cheque or postal order to the address below.Robert Taubman. 38 Abbeyfield Drive, Croxteth Park, Liverpool 12, L12 0JP.
Alternatively, to save the bother and the cost of postage, you can pay by Pay pal, sending it to the email address below. Please note that Paypal charge a commission of 20p plus 4%, which on £22.50 is £1. Anyone paying by Paypal therefore please send £23.50 per seat.If you are not on PAYPAL but you have a credit card, I can 'invoice' you by sending a PAYPAL bill to your email address, which you pay using your credit card. It's easy!! Email robert@taubman4011.fsnet.co.uk:
My mobile number is 07961 975640
.

The next North West Englandfans meeting,

noreply@blogger.com (NW Englandfans) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 17:23:00 +0000

As you are aware I had to cancel the below meeting, due to the venue double booking the room, I was advised we could not have the room, I hope to organise another meeting over the next few months. Pete

The next meeting will take place on Thursday 15.01.2009, at The Waldorf Pub in Central Manchester, start time will be 19.30 Hrs.

Confirmed guests so far are Jamie Craig from Englandfans and Clare Last from Thompson Sport.
I am also waiting to hear from a couple of other guests, that they are able to attend.

If you have any questions please send they to me via the loop, or via a PM on the Englandfans website. You will of course still be able to ask questions on the evening.

If anyone still has any Belarusian Roubles please bring them along as I am still collecting them.

Pete

Belarusian Roubles

noreply@blogger.com (NW Englandfans) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 12:50:00 +0000

There is a charity that can use the Belarusian Rouble notes we were unable to spend
before we left Minsk. You can send the notes directley to the charity, their details are below. Please send a covering letter advising them you are an Englandfan sending the donation.

Chernobyl Childlifeline
Courts,
61 Petworth Road,
Haslemere,
Surrey,
GU27 3AX,
http://www.chernobylchildlifeline.org

Todate they have received 2 Million Roubles from Englandfans.

Travel to World Cup venues

noreply@blogger.com (NW Englandfans) — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 18:19:00 +0000

No doubt you have all now seen the draw for the World Cup fixtures. Some of you may already know Paul Wilson and used his services before. He has now set up his own company supplying travel packages for football supporters including Englandfans.
The package below is what he is putting on from London, but after speaking to him this afternoon, if there is a demand from the NW, he is willing to do the same package from Manchester.
Obviously he needs to know the demand before he can start pricing an aircraft, so he is unable at yet to give exact prices. As soon as he details of prices he will let me know and I will pass the details on through the loop and the NW blog.
Will keep you all informed as and when
Anne-Marie

Fans Go is an independent travel company registered in England (Number 6444007) which has been formed to specialise in travel arrangements for supporters following the England team. The company is owned and operated by englandfans+ members who have clocked up many years, miles and continents for the sake of their obsession.

Fans Go trips offer flights, accommodation, airport transfers and match transfers and excursions where suitable. We aim to make the most of the time available in order to ensure that we can pack it all into our annual leave and still have time for you to enjoy a drink or two along the way.

We are currently in the process of applying for our ATOL (Air Traffic Organisers’ License) and membership of the TTA (Travel Trust Association). This allows us to operate your holiday and means that you have complete and comprehensive financial protection and security allowing you to book with confidence and peace of mind.

With the announcement of the World Cup Qualifying dates this afternoon we are now preparing our packages for the upcoming campaign.

We intend to run two trips in 2008. The first in September will take us first to Barcelona and then directly to Croatia before returning to the UK. This tour will depart on Friday 5th September 2008 and return on Thursday 11th September 2008.

We will also run a either a 2 or 3 night trip to Belarus in October.
To register your interest and to ensure that you are kept up to date with arrangements please call and register your interest on 0871 384 1008.
www.fansgo.co.uk

World Cup qualifying fixtures

noreply@blogger.com (NW Englandfans) — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 17:47:00 +0000

2008
Venues to be confirmed
Sept 6 (Sat) Andorra -v- England
Sept 10 (Wed) Croatia -v- England
Oct 11 (Sat) England -v- Kazakhstan
Oct 15 (Wed) Belarus -v- England

2009
Venues to be confirmed
Apr 1 (Wed) England -v- Ukraine
June 6 (Sat) Kazakhstan -v- England
June 10 (Wed) England -v- Andorra
Sept 9 (Wed) England -v- Croatia
Oct 10 (Sat) Ukraine -v- England
Oct 14 (Wed) England -v- Belarus

Nov 14 (Sat) Play-offs
Nov 18 (Wed) Play-offs

World Cup Draw

noreply@blogger.com (NW Englandfans) — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 16:33:00 +0000

GROUP 1
Portugal - Sweden - Denmark - Hungary - Albania - Malta

GROUP 2
Greece - Israel - Switzerland - Moldova - Latvia - Luxembourg

GROUP 3
Czech Republic - Poland - Northern Ireland - Slovakia - Slovenia - San Marino

GROUP 4
Germany - Russia - Finland - Wales - Azerbaijan - Liechtenstein

GROUP 5
Spain - Turkey - Belgium - Bosnia-Herzegovina - Armenia - Estonia

GROUP 6
Croatia - ENGLAND - Ukraine - Belarus - Kazakhstan - Andorra

GROUP 7
France - Romania - Serbia - Lithuania - Austria - Faroe Islands

GROUP 8
Italy - Bulgaria - Republic of Ireland - Cyprus - Georgia - Montenegro

GROUP 9
Netherlands - Scotland - Norway - Macedonia - Iceland

INTERNATIONAL DATES:
Wed 3rd September 2008;
Sat 6th September 2008;
Sat 11th October 2008;
Wed 15th October 2008;
Sat 28th March 2009;
Wed 1st April 2009;
Sat 5th September 2009;
Wed 9th September 2009;
Sat 10th October 2009;
Wed 14th October 2009;
Sat 14th November 2009 (WC 2010 play-off first leg);
Wed 18th November 2009 (WC 2010 play-off second leg)

World Cup Draw - Sunday 25th November

noreply@blogger.com (NW Englandfans) — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 13:55:00 +0000

The draw for the qualifying games for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa will take place this Sunday in Durban.
The seedings for the european draw is as follows:
POT 1:
Italy; Spain; Germany; Czech Republic; France; Portugal; Netherlands; Croatia; Greece

POT 2:
ENGLAND; Romania; Scotland; Turkey; Bulgaria; Russia; Poland; Sweden; Israel

POT 3:
Norway; Ukraine; Serbia; Denmark; Northern Ireland; Republic of Ireland; Finland; Switzerland; Belgium

POT 4:
Slovakia; Bosnia-Herzegovina; Hungary; Moldova; Wales; FYR Macedonia; Belarus; Lithuania; Cyprus

POT 5:
Georgia; Albania; Slovenia; Latvia; Iceland; Armenia; Austria; Kazakhstan; Azerbaijan

POT 6:
Liechtenstein; Estonia; Malta; Luxembourg; Montenegro; Andorra; Faroe Islands; San Marino

North-West Englandfans Anti-Discrimination Statement

noreply@blogger.com (NW Englandfans) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 18:09:00 +0000

NWEnglandfans believes that football should be enjoyed by all, and with this in mind, we have joined with The FA, football clubs, supporters clubs and other agencies connected with the beautiful game to issue a statement of our intent against discrimination.
Our statement can be viewed on the right-hand panel of this site.

Russia Tickets

noreply@blogger.com (NW Englandfans) — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 20:13:00 +0000

PLEASE NOTE: If you are attending the game in Russia, you will now have to collect your tickets due to the ongoing postal strikes. You can pick them up on Saturday at Wembley AFTER the game or in Russia.
Wembley pick-up details
The WEST ticket office will be open for one hour after the final whistle on Saturday. More details will appear in time on the englandfans website. All members that collect their tickets at Wembley must either sign in at the englandfans offices in Russia or provide Proof of Travel after the match.
Moscow pick-up details
You can pick up your tickets from the englandfans offices in the British Embassy in Moscow. Opening times -
Tue 16th October 11a.m. - 4p.m.
Wed 17th October 10.a.m - 4:30p.m
After 4:30p.m. on Wednesday, englandfans will then have an office open at the Luzhniki Stadium 2 hours prior to kick-off. Full details are on the englandfans website.
Thomas Cook & TMG customers
Englandfan members travelling with Thomas Cook and TMG will receive their tickets from Thomas Cook/TMG staff on their respective flights. Thomas Cook and TMG customers will therefore be unable to collect their tickets at Wembley.

Minutes from the Meeting held 04/10/07

noreply@blogger.com (NW Englandfans) — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 14:32:00 +0000

Meeting held at the Waldorf, Manchester
7:30 pm start - Chaired by Pete Nicholas
Attended by Tony Conniford (Head of Intelligence at UK Football Policing Unit); Ray Whitworth (Head of Security for the Football Association) and Elaine Greenhall (Football Supporters Federation)

Pete opened the meeting by welcoming the guests and then each guest went through what their role is in relation to the trip to Moscow.

RW - Ray heads a security team that covers the senior squad down to the under 16's and the ladies teams and are involved in all security issues relating to them. His team consists of three others - Doug, Barry and Graham, who many fans may meet at away games as the team are usually checking memberships, ticket details at the gates of stadiums. Ray was paramount in the writing the report to UEFA regarding the non-security issues that casued problems in Zagreb.

TC - This is the 4th regional forum Tony has visited in recent weeks regarding the visit to Moscow which he said indicated the interest and 'curiosity' regarding this visit. Tony is the Head of Intelligence for the UKPFU which is a unit using police officers, serious crime squad, members of the Home Office etc and focuses on all football related criminality not just hooliganism. Tony also works closely with the FA and fan groups to ensure the fans get the best treatment possible abroad and stated that this has been made easier over the years due the change in perceptions of English fans abroad and by the fans themselves.

EG - Elaine is usually the first point of contact fans have with the FSF abroad as she manages the Fans' Embassy emergency 24 hotline number. Elaine stated that as well as helping fans out in emergency situations the FSF also offer the invaluable Free Lions fanzine for all England home and away games, information regarding tickets, the stadium and the venue in general, information on accommodation, where to drink etc and if they can't offer the information, they usually have contacts that can!

Tony then went on to discuss the generalities of the visit - the basic do's and don'ts. He started by saying there is a wealth of information on both the FSF website and the FCO website. (Links for both websites are in our LINKS section).
He said that Russia is definitely a country different to any that he has visited before - unusal customs etc, but after saying that it's a country that is very pleasant and enjoyable if you behave in the correct way!

On the plane you will be issued with immigration cards that must be filled in, both sides are identical and the information you provide must be identical. Immigration will keep one part of the form and return the other half to you which you must keep safely if you want to exit the country without delay. If you lose this piece of paper it could delay your exit from Russia and if you are stopped by the police and this is not in your passport there could be an on the spot fine.
Elaine said don't carry all your money in one place i.e. a wallet, if the police do stop you and ask for a fine they are likely to take ALL the money you have, so it is best to keep only a small amount in a wallet and keep the rest in inside jacket pockets, etc
There will be delays at the airport - it is the way Russians work, everything is very methodical. Tony and his team have asked that all booths be open at the airports to eleviate delays, but they can only ask and it is down to the Russian authorities if they follow this request but it is unlikely as they don't appear to deviate from the 'norm'! Sheremetevo Airport appears to have longer delays than Domodevodo Airport.

He said Tel Aviv had been a success despite the initial fears fans had, and this trip can be the same, take it for what it is - enjoy the culture, the scenery, the people and everything should be OK.
He then ran through a list of generalities which included that it is safe to travel on the Metro although it is difficult to comprehend the metro planners unless you have a knowledge of the Cyrillic alphabet.
Drinking in the streets is frowned upon, and there are plenty of tourist scams so be aware - these include not leaving your drink unattended as it may get spiked and you could wake up in a hotel room with all your possessions, documents and money missing - basically, when drinking, keep your wits about you! Never buy Vodka from street sellers, it is more likely that it contains other substances as well.
NO FLAG HANGING anywhere other than the stadium, the Flag of St. George is very similar to the flag of Georgia and will cause offence to Russians. Flags that are hung from public buildings and momunements such as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier will involve arrest. Another no-no is putting cigarettes out on the ground/discarding chewing gum or rubbish in places like Red Square. England shirts don't appear to be as much a problem as flags. Tony said local fans are more likley to want to swaps shirts with the visiting fans.
The Russians see any more than a group of 3 people as an 'unlawful gathering' and large groups for this reason may draw unnecessary attention and possible arrest. There will be 6 English police officers working out in Russia allongside the Russian police and hope to dispel their concerns over large gatherings/groups of fans, but if the police do ask you to split up, it is best to do so without arguements.

There are two classes of arrest - administrative arrest and criminal arrest. Administrative arrest can be for minor offences and usually carry an on-the-spot fine, criminal arrest more likely for drunkiness, disorder, ticket touting etc - you will be arrested and it is more likely you won't be seen by authoroitites for 2 days at least, and with the possibility of a hefty sentence as well - Tony stated it is as well to remember 'the police have the upper hand!' Police are likely to stop you and 'fabricate' a crime, and if you are approached by police it is well not to argue with them, this only makes matters worse and could end up with you being arrested. Do also bear in mind that drinking in the streets as also not acceptable in Russia!

You must carry your passport with you at all times, copies are not acceptable if you are requested to produce ID. You are as well to carry a copy just in case, as this will help matters if you lose your passport. Your Passport must carry your visa and imigaration card, if your immigration card is missing you may well encounter a fine.

Hotels usually ask for your passport on arrival and this is the norm, but Tony states don't even consider leaving the hotel without it. If the hotel refuse to return your passport, insist that they photocopy it for their use and return it. (He said an hour is a reasonable enough time for them to take what details they need from your passport and after this time it is acceptible to ask for it back). It is also advisable to ask your hotel to arrange for a cab to be waiting for you at the airport or send their shuttle bus if they have one. There are many cars outside arrivals claiming to be cabs and are not. If you use these your are no doubt going to get scammed.

If you are not staying at a hotel and are using private accomodation you need to register your visa otherwise you face a fine and considerable inconvenience. You must register your visa with UVIR (department of visas and registration) within 72 hrs of arrival. Hotels deal with this for their guests. UVIR’s office in Moscow is at Ulitsa Pokrova 42. (Metro: Kurskaya, Krasnie Vorota) Tel: 095 207 0239.

Elaine stated that if your passport goes missing, its loss must be reported to the police, which will result in the issuing of a police statement, or'Spravka'. If your passport is reported 'lost' the Spravka will be issued immediately, whereas if you report it as stolen you will have to acquire a crime number, and will then have to wait at least 3 days before a Spravka is issued, so it is wise to say it has been 'lost'
It is also worth noting that the British Embassy is unable to issue emergency passports at the airport; if you discover yours is missing there, you will have to travel back into town to the British Embassy.

Taking pictures of military buildings are not acceptable as are taking pictures of military personnel, both could be arrestable offences.

ATMs and exchange bureaus are plentiful. It is worth noting not to change money on the street with strangers as this is a criminal offence, and you are also likely to get ripped off. Your best to take Roubles with you or US Dollars or Euros as these currencies are easily exchangable.

Younger Russians are likley to speak a little English, but older Russians will speak no English whatsoever. Tony said this was the most difficult of countries visited regarding language.

Ray covered the stadium and matchday arrangements for the game. He stated that he had been working with Tony and his team for over 5 years and reitterated what Tony had said, that the job had gotten a lot easier due to the behaviour of the England fans. He stated that it is important to bear in mind that we are visiting another country and we need to be adaptable to their customs and what is acceptable in Russia, and not what is the norm in England. Ray also said we can influence the behaviour of other fans.

He stated that our FA and other visitors had been very well received in Russia and that they (the Russians) were looking forward to England fans visiting. The Russians were also impressed with the organisation and atmosphere on their visit to Wembley.

The Luzhniki Stadium is rather old but still a grand stadium. It is the largest sports venue in Russia. Ray had some concerns over the state of some of the seating but these were promised to be repaired before the game. The facilities are basic, almost draconian, and he advises if you can, you visit public facilities in bars etc before arriving at the stadium!

It is vital that you get to the stadium at least 2 hours before the game. As already mentioned the Russians are thorough and methodical in their way of doing things. There are 4 cordons to pass through at the stadium. The first cordon is basically to see if you are drunk! If you show any signs of drunkeness you will be turned away. The second cordon is the ticket check. The third cordon is the turnstile - and to check you are in the correct sector of the stadium. The final cordon is the electronic scan search. This is similar to an airport electronic scanner - so you will need to remove change etc from pockets, remove belts.

There are no stewards at the stadium, it is stewarded by the police and army and there is expected to be approximately 1,500 officers at the stadium on the night of the game. They also prefer to use man-power as apposed to barriers at the stadium and this could prove intimidating to Englandfans but they guarantee that this is the 'norm' and nothing to worry about.
As the stadium is hosting the UEFA Champions' League final at the end of the season, there will be UEFA Officials present, and the Russians will be out to impress and are looking at this game being a 'test' run for the Final, so security, organisation etc will be paramount.

There will be a lock-in for Englandfans after the game and this has been indicated that it should be approximately 30-45 minutes although Ray said this could be longer. This may have a knock-on affect for those on day trips. He says the authorities have guaranteed this is to disperse their own fans so as to guarantee the safety of Englandfans on leaving the stadium. They have promised food/drink and toilet facilities will still be available to fans during this lock-in time.

In answer to a question from the floor, Ray said if there is a problem in the stadium you will no doubt have hostilities in the centre after the game. He said despite all the good work done, there will always be a small group of fans looking for trouble, and if it happens his advice is better to walk away from it and not get involved.

The nearest metro station to the stadium is Sportivneya which is on the red line, but the stadium is still a good 20 minute walk from the Metro.

Elaine provided print-outs of various information points including a copy of the Cyrillic alphabet.
In the next few days a list of questions that will help you if, say, you lose your passport, get arrested, need accommodation etc will be put on the FSF website. It is advisable to keep a printed copy with you and even if you can't speak the language, you can point to the question you need.
The FSF is also hoping to have a plan of the metro system with English translations up on the website early next week.

Tickets: due to the continuing postal strikes you can contact the FA and say which prefered method you want to get your tickets for the Russia game. The three options are * normal delivery by royal mail (bearing in mind that deliveries won't start until next Wednesday, and there will be a fair amount of backlogged mail to get through) * Pick tickets up at Wembley before Saturday's game * Pick tickets up in Russia. Please contact the FA as soon as possible to let them know your prefered selection. Ray did state that there will be NO duplicate tickets issued if you choose to have them delivered by Royal Mail and you have not received them before you depart for Russia.

A.O.B
Membership - The North West are the only regional group to have submitted ideas and suggestions to the FA for the new membership period. Debates were held as to whether people should be allowed to register interest for an away ticket and then take the ticket.
Ray has a say in the allocation of tickets and all cases of why tickets are not taken are looked at individually, so is not too kean on the idea that if you don't take a ticket after requesting one, you should miss out on the next away game allocation.
He said the job is to make sure that the FA are allocating tickets to genuine fans that want to attend games and not people who have just specifically joined to get tickets for tournaments, and by applying for away tickets and not attending. This is why the Proof of Travel regulations have become tighter, and the spot checks at stadiums and personal collections have been put in place.
He said it doesn't matter to UEFA or FIFA whether we have the most number of travelling fans, we are treated the same as all other competing teams in competitions and will receive the same allocation as others have. No matter what is put in place, they are never going to please all of the people all of the time.
It was suggested that the 3 day priority sale to members be extended to four i.e. Thu to Sun as many members only have internet access at work and are unable to access the site on Sat/Sun.
Quite a number liked the idea of a season ticket while others suggested perhaps a monthly standing order or similiar to pay for season tickets if they become available.

The NW Website - Anne-Marie said the website was a cost which the group could no longer afford, so the decision was made not to re-new the contract. We had several false offers of help to do another, none of which materialised. We hope this blog will continue the same informative format as the website did, and at least this is FREE!

Badges - Pete still has a few of the special Israel badges available that were issued for the Israel game last month at Wembley. They are free, let Pete know if you want one.

Meeting closed 9:40
Minutes by Anne-Marie Mockridge