It’s as real as yesterday. In some ways, more real. 

The fear, the panic, the adrenaline rush, the smell of tear gas, the sight of blood, the knives, the bricks, the bottles. 

Yes, funny what you recall. 

So many bottles flying through the air, missiles with labels. 

Trouble in the streets

Every World Cup, and especially when England plays in the World Cup, I can’t help but think of Marseille in 1998. 

I remember Chris Nelson, my boss at the paper, telling me to get on the next train out of Paris going south, the train to the French port of Marseille. 

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He says there’s trouble. Rioting. Violence. Bloody battles waged in the street. 

Ugliness broadcast around the world. 

England was scheduled to play Tunisia.  

Before the match, English fans square off against Tunisians and local North African youth in a city with a lot of local North African youth. 

On the train down to Marseille there’s Darren, a carpenter from Lancashire, explaining what’s what. 

“Police get a bit strong, the locals come to have a go, some lads get beaten up. There’s always a reason.” 

There is going to be more trouble. 

The train arrives. I score a ticket from a scalper who is persuaded by two tough........

© Calgary Herald