Planes trains and automobiles .I was one of three that made it to Magdaberg (East Germany for you youngsters) in 83 we had drawn 1.1 at the Vetch and we contemplated not going.
However Sunday morning I got the call and we were off ,National express (gave the driver cash not full fair) to London then jumped train to Dover .
Cheap ferry to Ostend then managed to hitchhike to Cologne where we slept at the train station for a couple of nights !
Entered Magdeburg day of the match (we had visa) checked into a decent hotel then went to the game (think it was 0.0 )knocked out on away goals .
The Germans were friendly and bemused (a couple wanted to give us a dig ,however others moved them on)back to the hotel and the Swans players were in the bar !Toshack looked horrified when we walked in but the other players Nigel Stevenson,Wyndham and King Curt were appreciative and welcoming plus forthcoming with vodka and orange .
The night went well however Ray Kennedy was a dick ( someone mentioned Barcelona away would have been next had we got through and he said something like played there being a smartass) and a little scuffle ensued (we didnt know he was ill at that stage but it did explain some of his performances )kind remember much after that but we were invited to the directors box/area the following home game by one of the directors .The following day we headed home casually jumping trains and even being marched off by armed guards somewhere along the line only to hop back on later.
Arrived eventually at Ostend with all ferries cancelled due to storms .
We eventually set sail in awful conditions a was stung by a bee the size of a helicopter and my arm looked like the elephant mans !Through heavy seas and passengers being sick everywhere we eventually made it back to Dover we hopped onto the train back to London (not sure if we paid probably not)the NATIONAL EXPRESS bus made its way back to Wales through terrible weather and the severn bridge was swaying in the storm ,the sky lights on the roof of the bus were being ripped open by the weather and people on the coach were crapping themselves ,Blue Nun wine had rendered us comfortably num and eventually we all arrived safe and exhausted .
I had been interviewed by the Evening Post in Magdeburg and the final statement was that we hoped to be at Derby for the game on Saturday ..That did not happen ..Memories of this trip are in black and white (East Germany ) ,my two travel companions Alan Roberts and Tony Jackell ..
Crazy days indeed