WEIRD WORLD OF FOOTBALL
MEAN WHILE IN …
...Saint-Etienne, fans took a serene approach to relegation – they attacked anyone and everyone with flares
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“AND THE AWARD FOR EUROPE’S MOST MENTAL FANS GOES TO...”
All across Europe, supporters have been competing for the continent’s worst meltdown.
Dinamo Bucharest fans didn’t take kindly to a first ever relegation from Romania’s top tier, threatening players with violence before riot police intervened.
In the Netherlands, angry Den Haag fans stormed the pitch then threw flares, bottles and even a corner flag at Excelsior supporters, after losing the play-off final to reach the Eredivisie.
But even that was surpassed by the crazy scenes after Saint-Etienne suffered the drop. Though the joint-most successful club in French history, matching the 10 league titles of Marseille and PSG, a disastrous season ended with a relegation play-off defeat to Auxerre. Fans had already served a one-match ban for trouble in November – this time they charged on to the field lobbing dozens of flares in all directions, but primarily at the tunnel and the main stand.