Bob Bevans, 58
From Stoke-on-Trent
Bob Bevans from Stoke-on-Trent came to Kyiv with his wife, Angela, on Sept. 7. He goes to most of the England team matches and likes to combine supporting the team with sightseeing. It’s the first time in Ukraine for Bevans, and he “really enjoys Kyiv.”
Bob
Bevans from Stoke-on-Trent came to Kyiv with his wife, Angela, on Sept. 7. He
goes to most of the England team matches and likes to combine supporting the
team with sightseeing. It’s the first time in Ukraine for Bevans, and he
“really enjoys Kyiv.”
“We’ve
been nearly all over the city,” Bevans says. “We’ve been to quite a few
churches, and the monastery and we’re really enjoying it. And the weather is
nice. People were very friendly, very nice. And, I think, very independently
focused. I mean, they broke away from the Soviet Union.”
“I
support Stoke City, which is my team, which is in English Premier League, and
obviously, I have supported England since I was a small boy,” he says.
While
Bevans speaks to the Kyiv Post, a scruffy-looking man approaches him, claims to
be a fortune-teller and says that England will lose.
Prediction
for the England-Ukraine game: “I hope that England wins. But it’s going to be a
very tight match, so it may be a draw.”
Hugo
Malim, 30
Comes
from London, but lives in Paris
Hugo
Malim arrived in Kyiv on the morning of Sept. 10 and is staying in Hydropark.
His sharpest impression was the Rodina Mat statue in the World War II
museum complex.
“It
was the first thing I’ve noticed,” he recalls. “It’s really impressive. Even
though I live in France now, where there are a lot of monuments. I stay in Kyiv
till Thursday, so I want to go see this statue.”
“People
mostly have been quite nice to me. Especially the girls, I have to say. The
guys are a bit touch and go,” he says.
Malim
has been following England team’s games abroad since 2010, and have been a fan
since childhood.
“It’s
very addictive, you know,” he says, laughing.
In
England, Malim supports Fulham, his local team.
Prediction
for the game: “My heart says 2:1 to England, the last minute’s goal. But my
head says 1:1. Why? Because it’s England, we’re not very good, unfortunately.”
James
Abrahams, 27
From Peterborough
James
Abrahams have been to Ukraine for England matches at Euro 2012 championship
last year. He says England fan is never lonely on the trips abroad, because
“it’s always some people that you will know, people you’ve met before at the
games.”
Back
in UK, he supports Chelsea team.
Prediction
for the England-Ukraine game: “I’m hoping for 1:1, but I can see Ukraine
winning, unfortunately.”
Gareth Speakes, 36
From Whitchurch,
Shropshire
For
Gareth Speakes it’s not just the first time in Ukraine, but also the first time
he ever followed England team abroad.
“I’m
a teacher, so I can’t get time off. This time I’ve got two days off,” he says.
Speakes
finds Kyiv “lovely, nice and friendly.”
Commenting
on the fans beating in Kyiv, he said that “nobody wants any of that. We just
want to come, see a good football, have a good time.”
Prediction
for the England-Ukraine game: 3:1 to England.
Neil
Balmer, 42
From Burnley
Neil
Balmer claims he’s been supportin England teams for 40 years (he’s 42), but
it’s the first time he decided to follow the team to the game abroad. He and
his four friends came to celebrate the 40th birthday of one of them.
Commenting
on Kyiv, he says the city has “beautiful sceneries, lots of McDonalds.”
Balmer
heard of the fight between English and Ukrainian fans, but he doesn’t feel
alerted about that.
“You
can find trouble anywhere,” he says, shaking his shoulders.
Prediction
for the England-Ukraine game: “We’ll win, easily. 3:1.”
Ollie
Mower
From London
It’s
Ollie Mower’s second time in Kyiv. He came to Ukraine first time in 2012,
during the Euro 2012 football championship. He says he’s been supporting
England team forever, and going to the games for the past three or four years.
“In
general, people in Kyiv have been friendly,” he said.
Mower
says he haven’t heard about England fans fighting with local hooligans on Sept.
8.
Prediction
for the England-Ukraine game: “Hopefully, England will win. 1:0 to England.”
