It is a journey that goes to show how football has the power to bring people together. A group of 18 Lokeren fans visited East Yorkshire today to join forces with Tigers supporters and watch the FA Cup tie with Arsenal. The Belgian supporters, who arrived on the ferry this morning, were treated to a tour around the KC Stadium by members of Hull City's Official Supporter Club (OSC) before watching the fifth-round match in a Kirk Ella pub. The fans, part of Lokeren's 'Yellow Brothers' supporters' club, were in Hull to continue a friendship between the two clubs which has grown out of adversity. It follows a Europa League tie in 2014, when City supporters were shocked as trouble broke out near a pub in the Belgian town. Since then supporters from both sides have been determined to demonstrate all that is good about the beautiful game. Peter Vanremordel, from Lokeren, said he was delighted to revisit Hull after the two Europa League qualifying matches, when Lokeren narrowly came out on top. "We were here two years ago for the European game, but had some problems with hooligans from Lokeren in the first tie in our home game," Mr Vanremordel said. "We had a great time when we came to Hull, though, and we wanted to show Hull that Lokeren supporters are not hooligans and we regret that happened very, very much. "We loved it here and had a really fun time, and the KC had a very good atmosphere. We thought today would be a really good opportunity to get to know them a bit better." please log in to view this image Bernard Noble, of OSC, said he was delighted to welcome the travelling fans over for the weekend. "When we were in Lokeren, there was a bit of bother, but the Lokeren supporters were really upset about what happened," he said. "It has gone from there, and we have traded emails back and forth and they decided that they would like to come over again. "Out of adversity initially, we have now got a friendship that has been built up, and that's the way football should be. "It has been great to have them over. They love their beer, and it's been a great pleasure to have got to know them better." Mr Noble added: "We've had a great time with them. We're planning to go over to Lokeren next year." Read more: http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Arse...tory-28774566-detail/story.html#ixzz40jOnwCYG
It's a good initiative, they were a really great bunch of people, let down by piss poor national plod. Their local bods could teach them a lesson or three. A trip to Lokeren should be a popular pre-season event.
I went to lokeren and had a great day in the square before the game! We dropped anchor outside a bar called Dan bekser! The barman was great letting us charge our phones & just being a really good host! BUT during my time there a good 6 hours! I must have fielded the question about 5 or more times " Are you bringing fans who want to fight? " Lokeren did have a small % of fans looking for trouble on that day! Of course the plod didn't help herding us past bottle throwing locals! But it was deffo locals throwing the bottles wasn't it? I had great memories of the day & met some really nice lokeren fans! But if I went back again I wouldn't take my kids.
They planned their trip around the Forest game and didn't really understand about the FA cup, so ferry and hotel were booked before they realised.
My mate who was with me during the bottle throwing, was still ****ed off with Lokeren fans for what happened. He was not prepared to let it go, but credit to him, he went to the pub yesterday and met them. Had a blast of a time with them and went back last night to the club.
Not entirely sure those looking for trouble were Lokeren fans as such. The problems were caused by pissed up locals who had been drinking at the "De Merennest" pub throughout the game. I did hear that some of them claimed to support Lokeren but were banned from attending matches so it was a particularly fine police plan to parade us all past them, having kept us back after the game for 45 minutes so they could get a few more Stella down their necks. The police in the evening were rubbish really...heavy handed riot types and a million miles from those around in the afternoon. I spoke with and drank with Lokeren fans before and after the game and they were, without exception, decent sorts. The overall experience wasn't as depressing as the return match at the KC.
As we were met with flying bottles and glasses on the way to the game, I don't think the drinking during and after the game was a significant factor.
Quite right, on the way and back. I couldn't believe it when we were marched back down the same street..
One of the riot coppers appeared in our hotel later on that night. He was returning home and had found a wallet outside belonging to an Englishman so came in to our hotel to try and find its owner. As we were the only people around he came over to talk to us, firstly about the wallet, but then got onto the game and what went afterwards. He told us that he was part of Gent's riot police that were drafted in as back up for Lokeren's (as were many nearby towns/cities) and that their only instructions were to keep the English out of "De Mierenest". They knew exactly what was going to happen and only served to stop the situation worsening. He said that he and his colleagues had already raised a complaint with their superiors as they were "pissed off" that it was allowed to happen. He was really apologetic and hung around and chatted with us for a good while (even after we'd given him a good bit of stick)
I loitered around and evaded the police escort on the way to the game, walked up behind with a load of Lokeren fans without incident, having a good natter. It all went to **** after the game. I had a good video of it all on my phone but decided not to post it so as not to give Corcoran and co any sort of incriminating evidence against city fans no matter how slight, we all know how big a set of ****s humberside plod are. Sadly the phone is dead and the video lost forever so no one will see it now. Or maybe that's a good thing.
The weekend went very well and everyone had a great time. There is sometimes a bond between supporters of other clubs that worth developing. Lokeren was a trip that I will always be glad to have been on.
The fans that started to chat to us about all sort of football related things eventually got around to asking the question " are you bringing fans who want trouble? " they all had lokeren colours on! We all had photos taken & had a great day! But the question was asked a lot & i believe they were lokeren fans who were throwing bottles.
