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SDKFZ 222 4:49 Fri Sep 2
Cremonese, almost the 30 years anniversary.

With the promotion of Cremonese to Serie A, this had me thinking about our match against them in the old Anglo Italian cup.

Our match away at FCSB on 3rd November in Bucharest will be almost 30 years since we played at the Giovanni Zini stadium, which was on 11 November 1992, to be precise.

I still have various memories of that place and the arduous 48 hour coach trip straight there and back.

Below is the link showing the pre-match line ups.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CremoneseWestHamAIC.jpg

Upton Park Mark 12:04 Tue Sep 6
Re: Cremonese, almost the 30 years anniversary.

The home matches were poorly attended. I am sure Matthew Rush got sent off in one of them, but can't remember which game that was.

Manuel 8:03 Sun Sep 4
Re: Cremonese, almost the 30 years anniversary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCO0FoXlKqI

Colchester Sid 11:24 Sat Sep 3
Re: Cremonese, almost the 30 years anniversary.

Cosenza was a great trip indeed, I went all the way there and back by train, everyone else went either on the club flight or flew in via Naples I think

I got absolutely soaked before the game and I think I was still dripping when I finally got back to England, away for seven nights in all but only two night in a hotel, the rest sleeping on trains or train stations

I think only about 40 there, all the usual lot, Bob the Cap RIP etc

SDKFZ 222 11:21 Sat Sep 3
Re: Cremonese, almost the 30 years anniversary.

I remember four coaches leaving from outside the Boleyn at 1.30pm on the Tuesday, which was exactly 24 hours before the 1.30pm kick off on the Wednesday.

Various characters had got onto the coach I was travelling in, including some blokes wearing Bermuda shorts and summer floral shirts, despite it being November. Strangely enough, the weather in Northern Italy was foggy and quite chilly and these blokes ended up looking blue and cold.

We arrived just before the kick off, filtered quickly into the ground, which resembled a non league stadium at best and then took our places. I remember sitting on a steep terrace on the main stand steps, there were about a thousand Hammers in total. They had about 500 fans tops, so we had outnumbered them by 2-1.

As our lads lined up beside theirs, they seemed to be looking around for dignitaries or some sort of anthem to be played, but none was forthcoming. I chuckled at this, because even before the Champion’s League era there would be at least national anthems being played at a European match.

The game was quite a poor one for us and they overwhelmed us, winning 2-0. The stand out player for them was their centre half, Gualco, the tall and permy haired player in the link that I had posted earlier. I believe that he went on to be a director in later years with their club.

The coaches left directly after the match for our retreat back to the ferry, which again, we had made by the skins of our teeth. One of the coaches had broken down on the Swiss border and the poor sods in that coach had to wait for a relief coach to make its way from England. I also recall that they had become well pissed at a local bar near to where they had broken down.

We finally arrived back at the Boleyn 24 hours later, again at 1.30pm.

I’m very grateful nowadays for quick flights to European away matches, but would I do coach trips like that again?

You bet!

flyingV 3:57 Sat Sep 3
Re: Cremonese, almost the 30 years anniversary.

My in laws live in Cosenza and I’ve been to see them a few times. They survived in Serie B last year thanks to a playoff.

My brother in law went to our game against them. Highlights are on YouTube somewhere I think.

one iron 8:57 Sat Sep 3
Re: Cremonese, almost the 30 years anniversary.

At the cosenza match , we saw the worst rain ever. game was close to being called off.but still a great trip.

Bright Eyes 8:38 Sat Sep 3
Re: Cremonese, almost the 30 years anniversary.

Remember it well, our coach lost it’s handover driver somewhere in the middle of France on the first night, we also had Tom Finn the old club secretary on board who was getting a little stressed to say the least.

Think we arrived about 10mins after kick off which was played in the middle of the day, pretty sure we had more fans than the Italians in that stadium.

We all got held back in Switzerland(Zurich?) by the old bill on the way back after someone threw a bottle at a passing car.

Got a West Ham cheque through the post about a month later as a way of apology for the various delays.

Coffee 8:30 Sat Sep 3
Re: Cremonese, almost the 30 years anniversary.

I don't remember one even half-decent game from the Anglo-Italian Cup. The one I game I went to (home to Pisa) was desperately bad.

Manuel 7:22 Sat Sep 3
Re: Cremonese, almost the 30 years anniversary.

I can't even remember this game.

Matthew Holmes 1:45 Sat Sep 3
Re: Cremonese, almost the 30 years anniversary.

Related only as i was at a cremonese game (see is c1 promotion play-off in98 supporting livorno with MATES)
Livorno had about 20k and cremonese about 500.

Piss poor support seems to be consistent.

And they won. The shitcunts

Eastside surge 11:22 Fri Sep 2
Re: Cremonese, almost the 30 years anniversary.

I was there, think we had around a thousand there , more of us than than home fans. I remember being on the coach doing a tour of Milan and they wouldn't let us get off at the San siro which pissed us off , the female tour guide was stunning though and she told us with her broken English that we should be at the ground by kick off which was greeted by a brief pause before a voice from the back of the coach simply said " you fucking want to love " ! Still makes me chuckle

stewey 6:44 Fri Sep 2
Re: Cremonese, almost the 30 years anniversary.

Best trip ever , coach broke down had a great time

Grumpster 5:50 Fri Sep 2
Re: Cremonese, almost the 30 years anniversary.

We're west ham, We're crazy, we went to cremonese.

Think it cost me £250 for the clubs day return travel package and then in the ground the cheeky old Cearns fucker had no money and I bought him a coffee.

Summed those tight cunt owners up really 😂

Cosenza was a much better day out and think there were only about 52 of us, so they put us on the same plane with the players.