Fans presentation: En engelsman i Norge
Vi har i dagarna gjort en intervju med en engelsk Port Vale - supporter som bor i Fredrikstad i Norge. Han berättar hur han blev en Vale supporter och berättar lite grann om hur det är att bo i Norge.
1 Name
Paul Machin
2 Age
31
3 Place of residence ?
Fredrikstad, Norway
4 Your occupation ?
Bar Supervisor
5 When did you become a Vale supporter ?
I suppose 1980 when I was born!!! My first game I can remember was in 1985 though. A 0-0 draw at home to Mansfield!!
6 The first game you attended ?
Apparantly it was when I was 2 but im not sure of the game. I will have to ask my father on that one!
7 Your favourite match?
Tough one. So many spring to kind for totally different reasons. Local derbies against Stoke. Wembley finals. Promotions. But theres one game that will always stick in my mind and thats against Everton int the FA Cup 4th round 1996 at Goodison Park. Not just the game but i remember the whole day! I went with my father, his friend and 2 of my friends.
We nearly crashed the car only one minute in the journey because of black ice on the roads! It was only because of Evertons undersoil heating that the game went ahead. We went 1 down early and equalised from a Foyley diving header. If you see the coverage of this game on youtube you will see Tony Naylor ping a perfect ball in with the outside of his right peg. Sublime!! Then the drama........ 89th minute. Everton corner. Musslewhite (This guy had oil on his gloves!) spilt it to Big Duncan Ferguson and BOSH! Game over.
I was 15, nearly 16 at the time and it was the first time id witnessed grown men crying over a football game. The guy next to me must have been 17 stone of pure muscle, skinhead, and he had tears running down his face! I remember looking to my left and listening to the Everton crowd (Theyd woken up now) ridiculing us. Then Gupps (Steve Guppy) picked the ball up. A quick ball in was headed away but fell straight to Bogie. A touch, a hit..... YESSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!! What a F#####G mental!!! Im not kidding you when i say i had people diving over the top of me.
The man that had been crying next to me grabbed me and was crying even MORE now! But these were tears of joy. I dont remember the final whistle going but when i got to my fathers house 2 hours later i suddenly felt a pain in my leg. I rolled up my trouser leg and found a nice gash on my shin. 3 stitches needed but all worth it! I guess the adrenaline had finally wore off!!
That night i had a house party with a few of my Stoke supporting mates and we had a good section on match of the day. They really were the days!
8 Your favourite player in todays team?
Tricky one because unfortunately our current crop are pretty woeful. I was spoilt back in the 90s growing up and now we are useless most weeks! That being said, it would have to be Anthony Griffith. The lad puts on the shirt and gives his all EVERY week. If you can bleed for the shirt you are loved. I just wish more would.
9 Your all-time favourite player?
Are you ready for this?................. Jurgen Klinsmann. I played football as a striker when I was growing up at a decent level. Football is all about putting the ball in the onion bag and Klinsmanns goalscoring record, spanning roughly 20 years, is nearly 1 goal every 2 games. Awesome ratio. People go on about the strikers of today and if Klinsmann was playing in the premier league today for a top 4 side he would be notching 25 goals a season no problem. He is German I know, but he cant be perfect!
10 Your favourite foreign player?
Maybe Dennis Bergkamp. Just because I saw him at Vale in 98 and when he scored in Extra Time its the first time ive seen the whole of vale park applaud an opposition goal. The man was special.
11 Favourite pub in Burslem/Stoke ?
The Bulls Head Burslem is an ideal pre match pub with traditional ales and great people. Also The Brittania is my local pub in a place called Bradwell when i go back home.
12 Favourite team except Port Vale?
Anyone who play Stoke!
13 Favourite Norwegian food ?
None of it! Whats that Fårikål nonsense?? Lamb and cabbage?? Had that back in the war!!! Disgusting!
(Är det någon som har prövat får och kål här ?)
14 Do you see a lot of football in Norway ?
I have been to 3 Fredrikstad games but its just not the same as supporting your team.
15 What is the biggest difference between football (interest) in England and Norway? Were you surprised by the interest of English football when you first came to Norway?
I was quite amazed that people support the English clubs more than their local clubs! I have many people saying to me when im working "Liverpool, Liverpool" I say, " why dont you support Fredrikstad?.. Their reply..... "Because they are rubbish!" I find that really sad.
Im passionate about Port Vale, nobody else. I cant stand glory hunters!! As for the standard, i honestly believe that if you put the current Port Vale team in the tippeligaen we would finish mid table. The standard isnt great at all.
16 Have England anything to learn by the way of how football is organised in Norway?
Easy one. No.
17 What is the biggest difference between living in Norway and England ?
Culture. Without a doubt. The matchday experience is so much different. My matchday in England normally starts 3 hours before kick off in the pubs but in Norway, oh my god, if you have a drink on a Tuesday!!!!! Alcoholic alert! Yet its ok to get absolutely trashed and end up in a gutter on a Friday or Saturday!!
