by Ciggy » Mon May 23, 2005 1:44 pm
From the echo.
Liverpool fan stabbed, mugged and left for dead
A LIVERPOOL FC fan travelling to Wednesday's final was attacked by muggers who stabbed him and left him for dead.
Robert Wright, 48, of Bedford Road, Walton, was left bleeding for two and a half hours before emergency services arrived at the scene in Varna, a resort in Bulgaria where he was holidaying with his son, Paul, 18.
The two had intended to head off to Istanbul early this week for the Champions League match.
The father-of-two was attacked by a group armed with knives at around 11pm on Saturday night in the grounds of the hotel where he was staying. The gang stole his money, camera and credit cards.
Mr Wright, a construction company driver, was walking back to his room dressed in Liverpool FC shorts and shirt after having a drink with other football fans in a nearby pub.
Last night, he said: "The atmosphere had been fantastic. There were football fans there wearing Manchester United shirts and Arsenal shirts and everyone was having a laugh together and getting along.
"Paul had stayed at a friend's place and I was walking back on my own when I heard voices behind me. That's all I really remember.
"I remember feeling immense pain and dropping to the floor. A young couple from Cumbria helped me. The man put a tourniquet round my leg, but there were apparently pools of blood everywhere.
"My brand-new trainers which were white had turned the colour of my Liverpool shirt."
Mr Wright, whose father - also called Robert - once played for Liverpool FC B-team, said he would now have to watch the match on television as he waits for the next available flight home. He added: "I haven't missed a match this season and I can't believe I won't be able to go."
Mr Wright's wife, Sue, said that she was worried about Paul going on to Turkey on his own after the violence.
The couple's daughter, Leanne, a 23-year-old student, added: "I'm still shaking like a leaf.
"In all the years that he has been a supporter, he has never experienced any violence at all. You never think this sort of thing will happen to you."
There is no-one anywhere in the world at any stage who is any bigger or any better than this football club.
Kenny Dalglish 1/2/2011
REST IN PEACE PHIL, YOU WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.