The risky business of sports travel

A SOCCER trip organiser had to pay almost €30,000 of his own money when the English match ticket agent he was dealing with ran off with the proceeds.

Tour operator Tony Bernie might have deep pockets but they are not so cavernous that he relishes the notion of forking out a hat-full of money, even if it is good business to keep his customers happy.

Yet that is exactly what he did when the agent in England did a runner with 100 tickets for next Saturday’s clash between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford.

“It’s the match of the season,” said Tony yesterday as he managed to secure the last few tickets he needed on the black market. “We couldn’t let our regulars down.”

The English agent even had the cheek to send an e-mail saying he was doing a bunk and planned to emigrate to Italy. “He’d better keep on running,” said Tony. “And he’d better pray that I don’t get my hands on him.”

To avert impending disaster, Tony scoured the highways and byways of England for more tickets. They cost him stg£200 each, almost four times the regular price.

“It’s not the fans’ problem that the guy we were dealing with in England let us down,” he said, relieved that he had managed to get the full complement he needed.

Tony, a former hurler with Wexford, runs Premier Soccer Promotions in Tullamore, Co Offaly, a tour company that offers match packages to football fans from all over Ireland. “We have 10,000 regular customers,” said Tony, “and we didn’t want to lose one.”

That’s unlikely, according to Manchester Untied fan Brian Kavanagh who believes that Tony is in the premier league when it comes to organising match tours.

“He’s the nicest man you could meet,” said Brian, from Holly Hill in Cork.

“We’ve been dealing with him for years. This is our fourth trip this year so far Tony even brings his Karaoke machine along to entertain everyone in the hotel. “He starts off entertaining the kids at about 9.30 but things don’t start getting really lively until about 1.30 in the morning.”

Brian’s praise is echoed by Pearse Penney another Manchester United aficionado, from Ballincollig, Co Cork. “Tony is a gentleman. He takes personal responsibility for every part of the trip. Myself and about 12 friends always go to the matches with him.”

Another customer and United fan, Jason Irwin, cousin of Dennis Irwin, was equally ecstatic. “He’s just fantastic,” he said. “He never let us down.”

Tony Bernie takes such praise in his stride, believing it’s his duty to look after his customers. “I would hate to leave anyone down, You can’t turn round when it’s the biggest match of the season and say no tickets.”

“For a while I thought I might have to pay up to stg£500 for each ticket and I have to admit I balked at that prospect.

But Manchester United were great and they helped me out. I eventually bought 100 of them and they cost me stg£200 each.”

Contact: [e-mail] Tel [phone] premiersoccerpromotions.ie