English chants hit Nizhny pubs
NIZHNY NOVGOROD : A diplomatic stand-off over an attack on a British double agent, an advisory from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office that wasn’t travelfriendly and a BBC documentary on football hooligans in Russia could have contributed to the non-invasion of English fans in Russia. There were a couple of thousand seats vacant in England’s opening game in Volgograd.
“I think it (the advisory) has had an impact. People were asking me ‘are you mad?’ when I told them I was coming here,” said Chris Wheatley, a Welshman from Cardiff. “But I think if England reach the semis, there would be a strong England crowd in Moscow.”
Neil Winfield has been at all World Cup finals since 1986 barring 1994 when England didn’t qualify. “The only thing you can say about this World Cup is that there are very few England fans compared to the previous ones,” he said.
At the Bolshaya Pokrovskaya Street, the most popular tourist spot here, a number of England fans gathered at the local pubs. It didn’t take long for the chants to start. ‘Don’t take me home/ Please don’t take me home/I just don’t wanna go to work/I wanna stay here/Drink all the beer/ Please don’t take me home.’
They were soon drowned out by Panamanian songs but England fans present in the area spoke glowingly of the reception from Russians.
“I don’t think the foreign office put out the most accurate advisory,” said Chris Pedder, an Englishman from Australia who is here with his son Lewis.
“I have been travelling in England colours here. The atmosphere has been amazing in Nizhny. Russians in particular, have been brilliant to us,” said Lewis.
“We will have a few beers in the morning, have an English breakfast then go to the game and sing our songs,” said Joseph from London explain how they get ready for a game.
The chants started again. ‘Ooooooh, England are in Russia!/Ooooooh, drinking all your vodka!/Ooooooh, England’s going all the waaaaayyy!’