MATT BARLOW Fans show the Bulldog spirit but feel the pain
PLAC Zamkowy, Warsaw’s historic hub, was bathed in watery autumn sunlight and busy with tourists as midday chimed. A group of schoolchildren gathered around Sigismund’s Column to pose for a photograph before visiting the Royal Castle.
Others burrowed down the cobbled streets towards the old-town Market Square, past the mime artists, human statues and those hawking business for restaurants and bars.
Across the River vistula, the National Stadium glistened, blissfully unaware it had become the focus of what Polish papers called a ‘National Scandal’.
Inside, the grass was being mown and the tarpaulin roof had been re-opened to help the pitch air. Later it was closed, as if the roof controller was making up for lost time.
In the city centre, with five hours to kick-off, there was little evidence that this was a big match day. England flags hung outside the Bulldog pub but the anticipation was not building.
Some England d supying supporters were trying to work out if it was better to o watch the first half and miss the second as they travelled to the airport, or go early to the airport r- and see the h e whole game on Tv. Others were long g gone.
Many were seeking help to re-arrange flights or trying to claim back their £40 ticket, as the FA had promised they could do.
In fact, England’s players have joined with the FA to part-fund the fans’ moneyback scheme as a sign of their appreciation for their away support.
Scott Thompson was one of a group of Stockport County fans who had always planned to stay until today but still something rankled about the fact a World Cup tie in a new £400million stadium with a retractable roof had been postponed for rain.
‘We went to watch Stockport at Southport and it was raining but they borrowed a blotter from Lancashire cricket club and got the game on,’ said Thompson. ‘ We were in Belarus when it was -14°C on a rubbish pitch and they played. The English are used to things going wrong with the weather. We were at Bristol Rovers one night when a game was called off at 7.40pm, five minutes before kick-off.
‘The worst thing with this was the lack of information. They had a state-of-the-art screen, so why not use it to get information across? I found out on Twitter. They got it all so wrong.’
Inside the stadium, as the game kicked off under a big top, keeping the sunshine shine at bay, b there were more than 50 St George flags on display and 800 people rattling ar around inside th the section for visiting supporters. T There were man many empty seats in th the Polish end, too, left by those fans who had travelled from different parts of the country or could not get time off work at short notice. Some who did stay were sporting joke swimming equipment (above) after Tuesday’s torrent.
Kevin Miles of the Football Supporters’ Federation, called for a FIFA inquiry to make sure it does not happen again.
‘We want the process to be examined and questioned,’ said Miles. ‘Never again should we have hundreds and thousands sent home from an expensive trip without seeing a ball kicked.’ England fans were praised by Polish police.
There were eight arrests after the game, for bottlethrowing and damaging police vehicles, but the night seemed to pass without major incident. m.barlow@dailymail.co.uk