Football fan Scott swaps Hull City’s trip to Millwall for Marrakesh match

Driffield-based Hull City supporter Scott Wood could have spent his weekend watching his side’s dreary FA Cup third round penalty shootout victory over Blackburn Rovers at a freezing MKM Stadium.

Instead, the season-ticket holder took a plane to Marrakesh to cheer on Tigers defender Semi Ajayi in the quarter finals of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after discovering a holiday to North Africa would cost him a similar amount of money as an away day in England.

As someone who attends every England match, including World Cups and European Championships, Scott’s away days following his club are limited.

With City defying the odds and in the Championship play-off shake-up, he had planned a pre-Christmas trip to Millwall, where he would have seen the away side earn a crucial 3-1 victory.

But with tickets for the match, train fares and accommodation proving costly, he decided to tick off one of the items on his bucket list after realising that a short holiday in Morocco, coinciding with an AFCON quarter final, would cost him slightly less.

The break also made up for previous disappointment when his flights to Morocco were cancelled at the last minute.

“I was looking to go and watch Hull City away at Millwall but when I priced it up, it proved expensive, and I am past the point of spending 10 hours on a bus to get to a match,” said Scott.

“A couple of years ago, we were due to go to Marrakesh. We’d been in Lisbon for a couple of days, and we were going to fly to Marrakesh from there, but it was cancelled due to airline strikes.

“So, it was always in the back of my mind to go at some point and when I saw AFCON (Africa Cup of Nations) was on, it seemed like the perfect chance. It’s also a bit of a bucket list tick to go to AFCON and with it being in Morocco, the tournament is never going to be more accessible or cheaper.

“The price to fly out here and go to the match is very similar to what I would have paid to go down to Millwall but what I would have spent on a day or two in London, I’ve been able to have four days in Marrakesh, which has included going to the football and several other activities.

“Getting tickets for the match was a doddle, although I bought them before I knew who would be playing in the quarter finals.”

During the match, which took place at the Marrakesh Stadium in front of over 32,000 people last Saturday, Scott found himself sat with the Nigerian supporters.

He saw Ajayi play the full 90 minutes as Nigeria defeated Algeria 2-0 to set up a last four clash against the host nation tomorrow (Wednesday 14th January).

Scott told the Wolds Weekly the atmosphere was like nothing he has ever experienced at an English stadium.

“We were sat amongst all the Nigerian supporters, which was great,” said Scott. “It was a different kind of atmosphere to anything I have experienced at a football match in England.

“English supporters go to a game and let the match determine the atmosphere, whereas the Nigeria and Algeria supporters seem to go along to have a good time, whatever the outcome.

“They sing and dance throughout the game and I think if Nigeria had gone 2-0 down, rather than 2-0 up, they would have done exactly the same.

“The fans were playing drums and other instruments, singing and dancing, and it was like nothing you would ever see in England.

“I wouldn’t’ go as far as to say it was better than the atmosphere at an English match, but I think there are so many poor games these days that the overall atmosphere in the stadium is affected.

“The Nigerian supporters were really welcoming. They were hugely outnumbered because Algeria is so close to Morocco.

“It was good to watch Semi Ajayi play and he was part of a brilliant Nigeria performance.

“He hasn’t started every game in the tournament, so I wasn’t sure if he would be involved but it was good to see him play the full 90 minutes, although there’s a little bit of disappointment that Nigeria’s win means he won’t be back playing for Hull City just yet.”

During Scott’s stay in Morocco, he was able to enjoy other activities aside from the football, offering a flavour of the country’s cultural side.

And with ticket prices for matches in England showing no sign of decreasing any time soon, he says taking in a match in another country instead of going to watch Hull City on the road is something he is likely to repeat.

“As well as the football, we’ve had a full day in the desert, quad biking and enjoyed a traditional Moroccan dance and fire show, along with some Moroccan food,” said Scott.

“It was interesting and different to anything I would have experienced if I’d gone to Millwall.

“I’d certainly rather have what I ate in Morocco than jellied eels! But I would do something like this again.

“More than anything, it’s something different. I go away with England a lot, but this was nothing like I’ve ever experienced before.

“Ticket prices for the World Cup are going to be extortionate, and the football authorities need to get a grip of it.

“My ticket price for the AFCON quarter final was half of what I would have been paying at Millwall, which is obscene.

“There’s no need for English football clubs to be charging high ticket prices. Most of the revenue clubs receive is through sponsorship, so the ticket prices are just pure greed.

“It will eventually come to a head and it’s sad when Manchester City, one of this country’s biggest clubs, don’t sell out.”