Tuesday sees the final game in what has been an incredibly tight UEFA Champions League group, with Spurs fans making their way to what will be a lively fixture in Marseille. THST Board members have spoken with representatives of Football Supporters Europe and Tottenham Hotspur Football Club to both understand and input into the arrangements for the trip and are sharing the following information as an accompaniment to official Club travel communications.
Following those discussions, the Club issued information to supporters with the communication inviting applications for tickets, so that fans could make an informed decision on whether to apply. The Club has provided further information to those supporters who obtained tickets and has today updated details for travelling fans.
THFC is taking one Senior Safety Officer, the Supporter Liaison Officer and a team of experienced stewards to Marseille to assist with operations on the day. Please do approach a THFC steward with any issues either before, during or after the game.
Supporters requiring assistance from the Club while in Marseille can also call the Travel Line on matchday on 07917 880445.
Ahead of the game
At the time of writing, no municipal order has been announced specifically banning Spurs fans from specific parts of Marseille, although traffic orders have been issued prohibiting fans from driving or parking in the 1st, 2nd, 6th and 7th arrondissements the day before the match and around the stadium on matchday. Full details are provided in the Club’s advice.
There are also strong recommendations to avoid the Old Port area of the city, and extremely strong advice to stay together in a large group at Place de la Joliette on the day of the match.
For the safety of Spurs supporters, GA away fans are being asked to congregate in Place de la Joliette on the day of the game. This is the same square allocated to Frankfurt fans earlier in the group. It’s in a business district of Marseille, close to a cathedral and commercial docks. It will be heavily policed. Tuesday is a Bank Holiday in France, so most shops will be closed, however supermarkets, bars and restaurants will be open as usual. There is a street of bars roughly 4 minutes’ walk away from Place de la Joliette, and there will be additional food and drink kiosks for fans to use in the square itself, along with a DJ.
It is strongly advised to travel by the mandatory organised transport to the stadium. Buses will be standard city buses (no frills!) running between the square and the stadium in multiple convoys with the first convoy boarding at 4pm. As the turnstiles are inside the stadium compound, fans are strongly urged to take the buses provided. Please ensure you are at the Place de la Joliette in good time on the afternoon of the match. The journey time via organised buses to the stadium can be up to 45 minutes, and there will be a police escort. Should a fan miss the last bus, a taxi would be the recommended mode of transport (Uber operates in Marseille), but this will present problems accessing the turnstiles so should be a last resort. Match tickets will be checked on boarding the buses, and food and drink is permitted on the buses.
Both THST and THFC lobbied strongly for a later bus departure time from the square, however the French authorities were resolutely inflexible on the timings. We appreciate this is an early departure for a 9pm kick off and is far from ideal for travelling fans.
Supporters needing to collect tickets in Marseille will be directed to a spot close to the square, details of which the Club will confirm with individuals directly. Should your ticket not arrive before leaving for Marseille, please contact ticket.office@tottenhamhotspur.com.
Arriving at the stadium
On arrival at the stadium, Spurs fans will be checked for prohibited items. ID won’t be checked. Upon scanning of their tickets, fans will be fed through 6 turnstiles into the away section in the West stand. This section covers upper and lower tiers. After determined lobbying by THFC, alcohol will be served in the away end and the usual French football fare will be available to purchase by either cash or card. We understand there are sufficient toilets inside the away end, including for ladies.
There is a bag policy in operation whereby only “small bags and purses” will be allowed inside the ground. Take as small a bag as you can, please. There is a free bag drop next to the turnstiles, at a section helpfully marked “Ticket Information”. Spurs stewards will be on hand to help with any problems at the turnstiles and to direct to the bag drop.
Marseille has a ban on any battery packs or mobile phone chargers. Again, the Club pushed back on this as both THFC and THST realises that fans are being asked to congregate several hours before the match and that phone batteries may well be stretched. Unfortunately, Marseille would not move on this point. THFC stewards will assist any fans needing to leave battery packs at the free bag drop.
Inside the stadium
Our GA fans will be located in the West Stand across two tiers. There is netting in front of the away section and a fence separates home and away fans. Marseille face a 10% stadium ban for the previous poor behaviour of their supporters and those sections closest to our visiting fans will be closed on Tuesday evening, which will hopefully minimise the chance of flare-ups between home and away fans inside the ground. Category 1 seats are higher up in the West Stand and, as always, aren’t segregated from home fans.
THFC’s Senior Safety Officer will be in the control room throughout the night, monitoring the match operation closely.
After the match
There will be a hold back of a minimum of 30 minutes at final whistle. GA Spurs fans will be taken back to Place de la Joliette by bus from inside the stadium compound. The Metro stops running at 0030am. Fans will have an opportunity to collect items deposited at the bag drop before boarding the buses. Any fans with hotels close to the stadium should contact the Club directly for advice on safely returning to their rooms. Please email THFC on supporterservices@tottenhamhotspur.com.
This is an important fixture for both teams and we know our visiting supporters will be in strong voice and spirit. We would just ask that all travelling fans are aware of the fan culture in Marseille and take reasonable steps to look after themselves, and each other.
Have a brilliant trip to all Spurs fans. Let’s hope we’re celebrating come Tuesday night!
THST Board
28 October 2022
THFC is taking one Senior Safety Officer, the Supporter Liaison Officer and a team of experienced stewards to Marseille to assist with operations on the day. Please do approach a THFC steward with any issues either before, during or after the game.
Supporters requiring assistance from the Club while in Marseille can also call the Travel Line on matchday on 07917 880445.
Ahead of the game
At the time of writing, no municipal order has been announced specifically banning Spurs fans from specific parts of Marseille, although traffic orders have been issued prohibiting fans from driving or parking in the 1st, 2nd, 6th and 7th arrondissements the day before the match and around the stadium on matchday. Full details are provided in the Club’s advice.
There are also strong recommendations to avoid the Old Port area of the city, and extremely strong advice to stay together in a large group at Place de la Joliette on the day of the match.
For the safety of Spurs supporters, GA away fans are being asked to congregate in Place de la Joliette on the day of the game. This is the same square allocated to Frankfurt fans earlier in the group. It’s in a business district of Marseille, close to a cathedral and commercial docks. It will be heavily policed. Tuesday is a Bank Holiday in France, so most shops will be closed, however supermarkets, bars and restaurants will be open as usual. There is a street of bars roughly 4 minutes’ walk away from Place de la Joliette, and there will be additional food and drink kiosks for fans to use in the square itself, along with a DJ.
It is strongly advised to travel by the mandatory organised transport to the stadium. Buses will be standard city buses (no frills!) running between the square and the stadium in multiple convoys with the first convoy boarding at 4pm. As the turnstiles are inside the stadium compound, fans are strongly urged to take the buses provided. Please ensure you are at the Place de la Joliette in good time on the afternoon of the match. The journey time via organised buses to the stadium can be up to 45 minutes, and there will be a police escort. Should a fan miss the last bus, a taxi would be the recommended mode of transport (Uber operates in Marseille), but this will present problems accessing the turnstiles so should be a last resort. Match tickets will be checked on boarding the buses, and food and drink is permitted on the buses.
Both THST and THFC lobbied strongly for a later bus departure time from the square, however the French authorities were resolutely inflexible on the timings. We appreciate this is an early departure for a 9pm kick off and is far from ideal for travelling fans.
Supporters needing to collect tickets in Marseille will be directed to a spot close to the square, details of which the Club will confirm with individuals directly. Should your ticket not arrive before leaving for Marseille, please contact ticket.office@tottenhamhotspur.com.
Arriving at the stadium
On arrival at the stadium, Spurs fans will be checked for prohibited items. ID won’t be checked. Upon scanning of their tickets, fans will be fed through 6 turnstiles into the away section in the West stand. This section covers upper and lower tiers. After determined lobbying by THFC, alcohol will be served in the away end and the usual French football fare will be available to purchase by either cash or card. We understand there are sufficient toilets inside the away end, including for ladies.
There is a bag policy in operation whereby only “small bags and purses” will be allowed inside the ground. Take as small a bag as you can, please. There is a free bag drop next to the turnstiles, at a section helpfully marked “Ticket Information”. Spurs stewards will be on hand to help with any problems at the turnstiles and to direct to the bag drop.
Marseille has a ban on any battery packs or mobile phone chargers. Again, the Club pushed back on this as both THFC and THST realises that fans are being asked to congregate several hours before the match and that phone batteries may well be stretched. Unfortunately, Marseille would not move on this point. THFC stewards will assist any fans needing to leave battery packs at the free bag drop.
Inside the stadium
Our GA fans will be located in the West Stand across two tiers. There is netting in front of the away section and a fence separates home and away fans. Marseille face a 10% stadium ban for the previous poor behaviour of their supporters and those sections closest to our visiting fans will be closed on Tuesday evening, which will hopefully minimise the chance of flare-ups between home and away fans inside the ground. Category 1 seats are higher up in the West Stand and, as always, aren’t segregated from home fans.
THFC’s Senior Safety Officer will be in the control room throughout the night, monitoring the match operation closely.
After the match
There will be a hold back of a minimum of 30 minutes at final whistle. GA Spurs fans will be taken back to Place de la Joliette by bus from inside the stadium compound. The Metro stops running at 0030am. Fans will have an opportunity to collect items deposited at the bag drop before boarding the buses. Any fans with hotels close to the stadium should contact the Club directly for advice on safely returning to their rooms. Please email THFC on supporterservices@tottenhamhotspur.com.
This is an important fixture for both teams and we know our visiting supporters will be in strong voice and spirit. We would just ask that all travelling fans are aware of the fan culture in Marseille and take reasonable steps to look after themselves, and each other.
Have a brilliant trip to all Spurs fans. Let’s hope we’re celebrating come Tuesday night!
THST Board
28 October 2022