FCUM A.D.

The 2011 Football Supporters Europe Congress – Copenhagen

Day 2

On the Saturday we were back at Bröndby.  There were a range of seminars I wouldve gladly joined, but as they were all running at parrellel times, I opted for the one about how we can work better with the media.  Useful information was provided by the FSF, and we also had the task of working in groups to then put the theory into practice.  The subject as a whole bore more relevance to fans on the continent, as the trend of supporter groups with media presence is somewhat more pronounced than in Britain.  Nevertheless it was useful learning.

In the afternoon, we had a bit of spare time and as Id got talking to Jonas Gabler on the bus back into town we decided to head out for a little wander around town together.  Jonas has spent time living and attending football in both Italy and Germany, and among other things has written the book “Die Ultras – Fussballfans and Fußballkulturren in Deutschland” (The Ultras – football fans and culture in Germany”).  An interview with Jonas about his book (currently only in German sadly) and other relevant topics, will hopefully follow in the next issue of A Fine Lung and once that’s sold, eventually on here.  In amongst nattering about the ultra “scene” in Germany and its future, as well as just about every other subject going, we caught the bus to the Christiania, the squatted part of Copenhagen, for a look around.  An ever so slightly bizarre hour or so was spent holed up in a rather charming café filled with artists, hippies and slightly moody looking drugdealers, as outside a monsoon was unleashed.  During that time, you couldn’t see out of the windows due to the intensity of the rain, and when we came to leave most of the streets were flooded.  The people wading through the water, had it up to their knees!  We climbed banks, jumped from rock to rock, and twisted and turned through dryer walk ways to avoid the flooding, secure in the knowledge, that surely proper drainage would surely occur once back in normal Copenhagen.  But oh no!  Train stations looked like canal infrastructure with water brimming up to the platform’s edge in places.  We made our way across town on foot, expecting to arrive at FC Copenhagen’s ground for a party.  Instead the stadium was in chaos, alarms ringing, water dripping through the walls and ceiling.  Down in the basement, the lifts were stuck with 5 cm’s of water swilling around them!  We grabbed a beer and had a wonder around, testing doors, water still dripping everywhere.  It had the feeling of a tutorial level from a 1^st Person Shooter set in a distopia.  The trip back into town was also made by foot, alongside some very pleasant Ultras from Metz.  We managed to find a taxi in the end, but whilst the others headed out further into the chaos for a drink, I was ready for bed!