I watched Hearts' Conference League opponents in a Trabzon bar - here's what fans said about the Jambos
Thursday’s UEFA Conference League tie takes place at Papara Park
Sitting in a crowded bar in central Trabzon, the unbridled passion of Turkish football fans is quite overwhelming. Just five miles away at Papara Park, Trabzonspor were beating Besiktas 2-0 - their fourth win from four games under new coach Thomas Reis. More important than the upturn in form was the fact this win came against one of the traditional big clubs from Istanbul. Fans were ecstatic and spilled out into the street in celebration at full-time.
Hearts visit this part of eastern Turkey this week for a UEFA Conference League tie. No-one need tell them of Trabzonspor’s danger. Mo Salah speaks for himself and is already a hero among Trabzonspor supporters. Then there is Fabinho, Andre Onana and Ernest Muci. The locals are keen to welcome visitors from Scotland and say they are expecting a difficult evening. “Hearts is a good team, we hope they bring a lot of fans,” says one.
“Scottish are welcome here. We have lots of beer,” laughs a barman. “Hearts will do a good job.” They are nothing if not polite and hospitable. Hearts won’t get the same reception once Thursday’s match kicks off, of course, for Turkish football grounds are known for their hostility. The constant booing, jeering and whistling the Trabzonspor support aimed at Besiktas for 90 minutes illustrates what it can be like.
Nobody here needs an excuse to vent their feelings. Inside the bar, the Turks were loud and vociferous in support of their side. It was as if they were trying to be heard by the players a few miles away. Every questionable tackle by Besiktas brought howls of derision, while anything resembling a handling offence triggered screams for a foul. Hands on heads if it wasn’t given, of course. It was fascinating watching a group of people with similar commitment to their football as many Scots.
Trabzon is overall a friendly and welcoming city which Hearts fans will enjoy when they arrive. Like much of Turkiye, driving habits are slightly different to the UK but there is a lot of warmth for visitors from that part of Europe. There is also hustle and bustle about the city centre which makes it endearing.
Monday night was a classic example as thousands of Trabzonspor supporters spilled into the streets near Meydan Park to celebrate their team’s success against Besiktas. Flares and smoke bombs went off, fans jumped around, danced and sang to acclaim a huge result ahead of the tie with Hearts. It was impromptu and a little unusual for those of us from the UK, but here it is very much the norm.
Trabzonspor supporters like to make it known when their side overcomes one of Turkish football’s giants. Whether they will have cause to celebrate at full-time on Thursday evening remains to be seen. One thing is for certain, though. The Hearts fans travelling to Trabzon will be welcomed with open arms by people who love their football.