From Chico 62: Just a wee gem from the Perugia trip which still makes me smile. I travelled with my father, amongst many others (from the Perth 62 Club), and had a great time, despite the score.The day after the match we travelled back to Rome and thought we should do the tourist sights before flying back. So, we got the bus trip around the sights and stopped off at the Colloseum where we were approached by some guy trying to flog us guided tours which we were not interested in. His efforts to engage us in conversation included him spotting the Dundee shirts and scarves and saying, "Ah, you football fans ?" To which we replied, "Aye, Dundee." His response was, "Ah, Dundee United - good team." Now, after watching our beloved Dark Blues get beat (the dream was over), and being very tired having been up drinking till late, this was not something we were too keen to continue. So, my father's response ? "No, DUNDEE, now F*** OFF !"Absolutely brilliant ! Even into his 70s, you can't take the Dee out of a True Dee !
From Stoo: My trip to Italy was a bit of a nightmare. I lived in Dublin at the time and so travelled alone to Italy, flying via Stansted to Pisa (I wasn't aware Ryanair flew to Ancona, which is closer) then getting the train to Perugia and planning on meeting up with my cousin the next day. I will always remember the sheer number of Dees in Stansted airport, including a thought of how unwise some people were to wear a t-shirt that said "peh eating, arab hating, dee til eh deh" on the back.I got to Pisa and with my pidgin italian managed to get directions to the Tower, then I made my way by bus to the train station and got shouted at by my angry bus driver. After getting on the wrong train, thanks to communication problems with the advisor on the platform, I changed in Firenze and continued on to Perugia, being fined on the train for not stamping my ticket in those little orange box thingies. After queuing ages for a taxi at the station I got fleeced by the taxi driver before arriving at my hotel, where we received a more-than-friendly welcome, only to realise that I'd forgotten to buy an adaptor so I could recharge my phone, and it was almost completely dead. I had something to eat in the hotel and went to bed, thankful for getting to my hotel after the journey from hell.The day of the game was only marginally better. As my phone was dead I managed to leave a message for my cousin to this effect and that I was likely to be incommunicado. Once in town I followed the singing to the city square, sorry, piazza, where I saw a few familiar faces. We got our bus tickets for the trip out to the game and I bumped into my cousin before enjoying a few pre-match pints with him and his friends before taking a rather entertaining journey out to the stadium. Once there I was glad I brought my fleece, although I made the mistake of lending it to my cousin who hogged it for the entire match leaving me to freeze with only a wafer thin saltire to wrap around myself. We were subsequently locked in the stadium for a bit before being allowed to board our buses back to the city centre, only to find that all public transport ceased at 8.30PM and I was stranded (my hotel was on the outskirts of the city). So, I started walking, and after what seemed like an eternity later hung around outside a hotel for a while before flagging down one of the 30 or so (reportedly) taxis within Perugia. That taxi driver must've thought it was his birthday as he got a big fat tip because I was so relieved to get home.The next day I travelled to Rome to spend 2 nights there, and had another nightmare journey, before enjoying a full day whizzing around the place and seeing all the sights of Rome using the excellent Metro system. I flew back to Dublin the next day and was never so glad to get back there.Saying that, I wouldn't have changed it for the world, as I got to see my beloved team play on foreign soil in the UEFA Cup against a Serie A side. Happy days. I remember little about the game other than the fact that we got beat 1-0 (3-1 on agg) and it wasn't much of a spectacle. I've still got my intact spare ticket for the game as I ended up with two. It might be worth soi was in Perugia to see the Dees and had a brilliant time. we made it into a holiday actually, think we were there for about a week. stayed in a cottage about an hour outside of Perugia, think it was called Matingnania or something. the town nearby was weird hardly anything there and was alwyas pretty quiet.we went up to Perugia most days to checl things out. i met Fabritzio Ravenelli and Gio De Stefano, got my photo takin with Ravenelli still got it on my comuter and show it to anyone who comes round. day before the game we went to the stadium and because i had Dundee top on two reporters from the local press came and spoke to us. asked us prediction for the score and who our favourite players was etc( at the time i believe i had N.Novo on the back of my top) next day we bought the paper (called il GIORNALE dell' UMBRIA) and there we were on page 40 wth the headline La vacabza-ultra dei Campbell which i think means something like the ultimate vacation for the Campbells. was quite a big article and had us telling them all about our holiday, the teams and how Italians are mental drivers.still think we could have beaten Perugia that night, if we had taken our chances who knows. was absolutly freezing that night so a goal would have been good so we could have jumped around a bit to ehat up.doesn't feel like 3 years ago and its sad to see how much times have changed for the dees, hopefully one day we can get back to the standard of football that got us into the Uefa Cup.mething some day.
From Hill4life:i was in Perugia to see the Dees and had a brilliant time. we made it into a holiday actually, think we were there for about a week. stayed in a cottage about an hour outside of Perugia, think it was called Matingnania or something. the town nearby was weird hardly anything there and was alwyas pretty quiet.we went up to Perugia most days to checl things out. i met Fabritzio Ravenelli and Gio De Stefano, got my photo takin with Ravenelli still got it on my comuter and show it to anyone who comes round. day before the game we went to the stadium and because i had Dundee top on two reporters from the local press came and spoke to us. asked us prediction for the score and who our favourite players was etc( at the time i believe i had N.Novo on the back of my top) next day we bought the paper (called il GIORNALE dell' UMBRIA) and there we were on page 40 wth the headline La vacabza-ultra dei Campbell which i think means something like the ultimate vacation for the Campbells. was quite a big article and had us telling them all about our holiday, the teams and how Italians are mental drivers.still think we could have beaten Perugia that night, if we had taken our chances who knows. was absolutly freezing that night so a goal would have been good so we could have jumped around a bit to ehat up.doesn't feel like 3 years ago and its sad to see how much times have changed for the dees, hopefully one day we can get back to the standard of football that got us into the Uefa Cup.
FromTayzurri:My memories,back early from Majorca family holiday to Prestwick,Stansted cold floors, gun totting copsflight to PisaLeaning Tower of Pisa,Dodgy Mini bus to Perugia arranged by Helen ??? Irish womanHotelPizza, Peroni, ****ing in closeys, pipersMarching, singing on buses,queing, baltic crap terracing, singing our hearts out too early,giant aussie keeper & sara fighting,riot police, waiting for burning terracing at home end to go outRun back to station, hotel, beer, bus to PisaLeaning Tower of Pisa (again)Stansted,PrestwickHome knackered after 48 hours with about 4 hours sleep - brilliant.Great memories - would love to it again.RegardsTayzurri
From tilly_dee:Woman with child in buggy was on my bus, god knows how she managed it.My trip with my father & son started at Prestwick, flying to Rome. Car was hired from there, drove to Perugia (nightmare !!! Dad thought he would have to change his underpants half way there, as we converged with a huge lorry at one of the tolls) Arrived in Perugia, on the day of the game with no hotel booked, but luckily first one we tried managed to accomodate us.Walked up to town, met the Dundee hordes sang with Gio outside the teams hotel. Went to game on those buses, remember being frozen even with fleece. Back to hotel to drown sorrows, realised there were many more supporters booked in, drank the bar dry.Back to Rome follwing morning, done the sigtseeing bit with the tour on the bus and back to Stanstead that evening. Stayed in Travelodge and flew back to Prestwick following morning.Would not have missed my first venture oversea's with Dundee F.C for anything. Oh for these times again.
