Armoured bus took us to train but it was great

INTIMIDATING, hostile, searingly hot with a fair number of antagonistic inhabitants. Welcome to Athens. Or, as the locals like to put it, welcome to Hell.

Hearts' fate as they strive to qualify for the lucrative group stages of the Champions League will likely be ordained later next month at a venue that is sure to fill many of their fans with dread. Especially those who have conversed with Hibs followers since yesterday's draw in Nyon.

AEK Athens eliminated the Easter Road side from the 2001-02 UEFA Cup at the first round stage but only after subjecting their support to a harrowing day and night in the Greek capital. Blessed with beautiful architecture and scenery, Athens long also been recognised as one of Europe's most notorious footballing cities.

The demolition of AEK's former home, the hazard-strewn Nikos Goumas stadium, in 2003 means Hearts fans won't encounter the infamous cages that housed their city neighbours five years ago and followers of Rangers in 1994.

AEK now play at Athens' Olympic stadium, which has a 75,000 capacity and is therefore capable of holding as many Hearts fans as wish to make the journey

But Tynecastle regulars who have been trying frantically to book whatever means possible to reach the eastern Med should firstly listen to the warnings of a seasoned campaigner from the other side of Edinburgh.

"When we got there we were told we couldn't go anywhere near the ground and had to stay in the city centre, which was rip-off central," recalled Frank Dougan, treasurer of the Hibs Supporters' Association.

"Taxi drivers, restaurant owners, they will try to con everybody and anybody with inflated prices. All our supporters' buses then got a police escort out to the stadium, but we were dropped in the middle of a housing scheme and had to walk about a mile to the ground. That was intimidating enough.

"We were walking through streets of high-rise flats, the locals were looking down on us and it was a very unpleasant environment even though the police were walking with us. Outside the stadium every Hibs supporter was searched, all our coins and lighters were taken off us along with anything else we could throw that could cause damage.

"Inside, the Greek fans were booing and burning flags through the national anthems. There was a minute's silence because September 11 had happened just days before and they booed all through that. Throughout the game there were metal bolts from seats, coins and everything raining down on us. They obviously hadn't searched the home fans.

"We were caged in and the police were lined up between us and the AEK fans. But they were facing us so the bolts and things were coming over their heads from behind and they never even turned round. There was no protection for us whatsoever."

It's likely to be only marginally better for the Hearts players on the field next month. AEK have a touch of Brazilian flair with the presence of Moises Emerson, the Brazilian midfielder formerly of Middlesbrough and Rangers. They also hope to recruit Sam Dalla Bonna, previously on the payroll at Stamford Bridge and the San Siro, in the coming days.

But the core of Lorenzo Serra Ferrer's side comprises hardened Greeks with a healthy appetite for competing in the Champions League's group phase. Players like ex-Roma centre-back Traianos Dellas and last season's top goalscorer Nikos Liberopoulos.

Steven Pressley, the Hearts captain, knows precisely what kind of ambience to expect after a 3-0 aggregate loss to AEK as a young Rangers player 12 years ago.

"It was really hostile. We had to go training in an armour-plated bus. One of the best atmospheres I have ever played but the stadium we played in back then has been torn down. Everything about the experience was fantastic and I still expect a hostile atmosphere even though they play in a different ground now.

"Takis Fyssas reckons 50,000 people will turn up. That's the type of atmosphere that our players will revel in and we definitely have the opportunity to progress. We have a realistic chance."

Taken from the Scotsman