PARIS 1981. This time I travelled with the lady who was soon to be my wife.
Money that should have been spent on a honeymoon, "re-allocated" to ensure that yours truly could afford to get to Paris. For those that remember we travelled by train with a company called Transalpino who specialised in providing travel el cheapo.
We arrived at Gare Du Nord in Paris and got directions for our hotel. A small but decent place I could probably never find again. There were only two other Liverpool fans staying there. Two lads who had gone away to Eastern Europe during the run to the final and had ended up staying in the same hotel as the team.
Bob Paisley had been so impressed he promised these two lads tickets for the final if we got there and had delivered on his promise.
We did a bit of sightseeing and gravitated towards the Eiffel Tower. There seemed to be a lot of Real Madrid fans there but plenty of Reds too. The hotel we were at was a good way from the ground so I had to jump on the Paris underground.
For those that know my sense of direction when it comes to trains, I could have ended up back at Calais. My soon-to-be-wife stayed at the hotel and off I went.
The train was packed with Madrid fans. Singing loudly and drinking wine, not a Liverpool fan to be seen. Soon remedied as we pulled into one station and the cry "Liv-erpooool" echoed around the platform.
The Madrid fans went quiet, not knowing what to expect as loads of merry Scousers climbed aboard. No worries. Within seconds wine was being shared and the train soon had us all at the stadium.
I was right in line with Alan Kennedy as he scored. The place erupted. Back at the hotel we met the two lads again and went out that night.
We expected to paint the town Red but the area of Paris we were in was quiet. Who cared? European Champions for the third time!
