Maybe my geography is quite good, and that's why I get offended! I can name cities in their country, but they don't know my country! Generally, if I'm speaking Spanish anyway, I say "I'm from Wales. It's like England but better!!"
A French man living in Crete came up to me yesterday and congratulated me on the Swans win.Our fame is spreading!!!!!!!
In fairness to Lawrensen,there are quite a few Swansea's on the Planet,maybe he hasn't worked out which one we are yet,so give him time.
Lawrenson has been quite complimentary about the way the Swans play. He was especially so on the 5live commentary of the Man City match & after the performance at the Emirates. So I guess he would like to see us do well. Although prior to the WBA match, he predictably commented how we were going to struggle to score goals (that's come back to bite him), but who hasn't??!! I generally like the MOTD team, although I feel Lineker is getting a bit too smarmy at times. I also think Shearer suggested we were the most likely of the promoted sides to stay up.....
I think most of the MOD presenters are past their sell by date. They appear to have jobs for life. Mark Chapman impresses me,and he would make a better anchor than Lineker,imo.
Any of you guys been to Greece? I'v been 16 times, and many Greeks ask where you are from (Barmen, taxi driver etc), and when answered Wales, they start shouting Wallia, Wallia, Giggsy, Giggsy. They seem to know our country more than their own lol. Went to Kavos 2 weeks ago and I was chatting to a Greek restaurant owner and he asked, I said Wales, and he said you no English bastard, you Giggs family!! Lol.
The Swans' are also much admired on Malta. It all stems from a European tie against Sliema Wanderers. The people I met there were full of John Toshack,Swansea City,it was a bit like being here,only warmer. On my very first trip to Greece,I was taken to the very beautiful Delphi. My friend and I went into a small taverna,way up the mountainside,and when the waiter heard my accent,he said,"you Wales man,iechu da".
Driving to Spain in 1995, my car's radiator blew near San Sebastian and I had to wait for a garage to replace it. The mechanics had no English and I had little Spanish. Being polite, when the car was fixed they asked where I was from. I said Swansea in Wales. No reaction. Blank. So I said John Toshack from Swansea. Huge smiles all round and I was embraced in a bear hug while cries of Toshack, Toshack rang out around the place. Believe it or not an identical scenario took place when I stopped to watch a European cup game between England and Spain at a services, again near San Sebastian. The people watching knew I was not Spanish and couldn't understand why I wasn't more cheerful when England won. Same scenario as above. No one reacted when I said I was from Swansea; same thing for Wales. Then I mentioned the magic word "Toshack" and immediately I became everybody's friend again. They just love the guy in those parts obviously because JT managed Sociedad which is the local team in that area. Nice memories.
I had a diver come in from near there yesterday, Toshack remains a hero in many parts of Spain. Edit: Thinking about it, I must have recruited loads of new Swans fans out here. The guys in work (1 is from Swansea too) are all sick of me banging on about it all the time, and I tell pretty much every customer about the Swans when they come in. All the boys from the local bars near my house are all honorary Jacks now too and always ask me how they've been getting on, or if they've seen our games on TV, you get the PL goals on their equivalent of MOTD out here too, it's pretty good.
Musty,I don't remember the date of the games but there was a 12-0 scoreline in one of them,in favour of The Swans'. What impressed me was that the Maltese I met had no bad feelings about that scoreline,in fact,it was they who were reminding me.
Yes me Ash, for the last 25 years, and they know us well enough, as do the German and Dutch who travel to Greece, I could tell you many stories, but at the moment I'm in France quite a bit, and in Brittany they know us very well, there's a particular bar in a place called Malestroit, where the Swansea colours hang proudly with the best in Europe!...... please log in to view this image
its not just Wales. when i was in the army i applied for officer training and on the form was country of birth so naturally i put Scotland - was told Scotland is not a country and i had to put UK - unbelievable
On my census form last month there's a box to tick regarding your country of origin. It reads, UK - England, UK - Scotland and UK - Other! This is from a country who has its most populous state named after our region and who inhabitants are called New South Welshmen and New South Welshwomen !
Really? That's ****ed! So Aussies can now put "X" next to "Gender" on their passports, but "Welsh" isn't an option. I love beauracracy.
We are also well known in Gibraltar there are two pubs that have Swans scarfs the last time i was there ...The Royal Calp and The Angry Friar...plus the rock cafe at the top i wa asked about my accent and said Wales /Swansea....Barman says "Toshack!!" and gave me a free pint ...there's lovely look you isn't it
