Travelling 200 miles for my club. Bus trip, game w. highlights and love.

Färjestads BK - Djurgårdens IF |2016-12-03|

Hi everyone! I promised to blog about my last away game but the day after I got home my computer broke down. Instead I will tell you this story today.

The Morning

As usual our buses departed from Stockholm Olympic Stadium. The bus departed at 9 am and we met up about 30 minutes earlier.
We had all stacked up on beverages, one friend actually brought a huge thermos with mulled wine. I usually don't drink mulled wine but it was cold and I actually enjoyed it this time.
Unfortunately I wouldn't get on the same bus as my other friends because I had to get on the bus that would pick up people on the way because my friend was too lazy to travel for an hour and join us at Stadion.

Forenoon

I went on the bus where I knew exactly no one, it would take an hour or so before we picked my friend up, I took my regular spot at the fourth or fifth row from the back. I got to know some new people, one which actually studies at the Royal Institute of Technology too. We sat there talking, singing, listening to music and drinking our beverages.

Then we picked my friend up, people got a bit drunk and everyone started talking with each other. This is the best part with away games, you get to know a lot of people on the buses.

We didn't stop on the way to Karlstad to get any lunch (it's only a 200 mile trip), the bus dropped us off at the pub but almost everyone went to eat something before they went in. The other bus had already been there for a while but our friends was waiting for us before they went to get some lunch. We went to Mc'donalds and then we went back to the pub, got some beers and sang. Unfortunately I don't have any videos or pictures of this but I will try to get pictures and videos of my next trip!

Outside the arena

The buses picked us up at the pub before going to the arena, I'm glad the bus got us there because holy damn that arena is located far from the "city".
When we finally got to the arena we had to line-up. The had one entrance for the away supporters, a small one. Then of course two, not very fit, security guards had to stand in the entrance which didn't really help a lot. I mean there was one line for a few hundred people and they started pushing everyone, my friend got pushed from the side, the back and the front by those guards.
Then after maybe 20 minutes we got into the arena, the service was... well let's focus on the positive things from now on.

The game

We all knew this game would be tough, these are two teams that really, really, really hates each other. These teams have been in the finals against each other several times.

• 1985 (Färjestad won)
• 1989 (Djurgården won)
• 1990 (Djurgården won)
• 1998 (Färjestad won)
• 2001 (Djurgården won)
  Plus the semifinals four times and quarterfinals two times.

We played good hockey, fun hockey. Lots of hits, good speed and just really fun hockey.
It didn't start out very well for us, they scored 1-0 in the first period. Just eight minutes later we tied it up to 1-1 and because of that goal a fight started, one of their guys jumped Brodin who scored and he didn't back off.

After the first period the home fans started to incite us, the away stand is one level above the home stand and on the same side. The architects didn't think a lot there.
Coins were tossed, beer were tossed and people spit on them. Then there was one guy down there in a red t-shirt that wouldn't shut up and things got fun.
There was no fighting but you know when it gets intense, the way it should be.

The second period started and the game was as good, lots of hits and shots but no goals.
Same thing after the second period.
And the third period was as good as the others but no goals.

In SHL we have overtime 3v3, 1 point each and the winner after overtime or shootout gets the third point.
We almost scored, FBK turned the game and our goalie did one mistake. The only mistake in the game, we lost. There and then it felt awful but we knew that this was a good game.
I found some highlights for you, with the goals and some good hits!

Outside the arena after the game

The police told the bus drivers to park their buses so that we would be trapped in a box, here's a picture of what I mean.

• The black square is the arena
• The pink is the entrance
• The red are buses
• The blue box is where 200-300 people had to stand while trying to get into the buses
• The yellow is security fence where 5-6 security guards stood to stop us from getting out.
• The road is where every home supporter walked.

When the home supporters walked on that road they threw stuff, yelled things at us and were douches. The cops and guards didn't care about them. Neither did they care about people trying to get to their taxi that was ticking money.
They started pushing us back with the fence, blocking the entrance for the bus. The bus driver knocked on the window and told the guard to back off so he could get people on the bus, they didn't care. I had to explain to him why he had to back the fuck off, then I had to show him how he lifts the fence and puts it where it should be.

Bus trip home

On the way home I and my friend went with the other bus, where all our friends were.
Two of my friends were going to 'fight' for fun, the bus had to brake and both of them went on the floor. It was really fun to watch then one of them stood up, laughed and because of that we had to laugh even more. Half his tooth was gone and he was kind of proud the whole trip home.

The buses got escorted by the police around half of Karlstad, as usual. Which means that it took 30 minutes longer to get to Burger King, we drove past three McD, BK and "Max" (A Swedish hamburger restaurant, delicious!) but he had to go to one further away. We had 20 minutes to order, eat and get back to the bus but the personal wasn't really ready for that, it took about 30 minutes for everyone to order...
Then we were going home, we kept talking, drinking, singing and having fun. It's not much to talk about when it comes to the trip back, either you can't remember anything or it's the same as the trip there.

If you like hockey, supporters and you are in Stockholm in either September or January, attend either the first game of the season (mid-September) or "Järnkaminernas Dag" which is the official supporter groups annual game (first home game in January), you will be amazed. Don't be afraid to get to know people at the pub, we love when people from other countries come here.
If you like football, attend a derby between either Djurgården - aik or Djurgården - Hammarby. Djurgården - aik is one of the best derby's in Europe!

I hope you enjoyed this text.
Sincerely, SparkIt.