Corinthian-Casuals vs Merstham Matchday Programme

Superga air disaster. Volunteerled
despite the considerable
logistical challenges involved
in taking an amateur side
overseas, Corinthian-Casuals
agreed to travel to Budapest
and set about crowdfunding
their touring costs. The
tournament was held at the
Szonyi uti Stadion, home of
Budapesti VSC, a ground which
Bliss describes as “a really cool,
20th-century, eastern-central
European-style concrete
stadium.” Having beaten BAK
3-0 in their opening game,
Corinthian-Casuals edged
Testveriseg in the final thanks
to Ottaway’s last-gasp winner.
BAK won the third-place playoff
against Budapesti EAC,
again with almost the last kick
of the game.
In tribute to the tournament’s
origins, the Corinthian-Casuals
players walked out for the
final wearing plain white
jerseys bearing the names of
the Torino players who died
in the Superga air disaster.
Erbstein’s daughters, Susanna
and Marta, and his grandson,
Stefano, were in attendance,
adding further emotional
resonance to a competition
inaugurated in his memory.
Along with Iain Lindsay, British
ambassador to Hungary, they
handed out the trophies at the
winners’ ceremony including
a symbolic presentation of
the original Corinthian Cup
(which was then returned to
its home at the Hungarian
Sports Museum). Torino
general manager Antonio
Comi was another guest of
honour, gifting BAK a shirt with
Erbstein’s name on it.
In a surreal twist the final was
officiated by Viktor Kassai,
the Hungarian referee who
oversaw the 2011 Champions
League final. Making up the
rest of the spectators were 100
or so travelling Corinthian-
Casuals fans as well as a mix
of BAK supporters, Hungarian
officials and curious locals.
“The atmosphere was great
throughout,” says Bliss. “The
Hungarian supporters who
turned up absolutely loved
the noise created by the
English fans.” Bertalan Molnar,
chairman of BAK, agrees. “In
Hungary, we are maybe a little
bit more silent on the terrace.”
“We have our own songs for
the team but maybe we don’t
have the enthusiasm the
Corinthian-Casuals supporters
have. It was very friendly, the
friendship was everywhere.”
"Like a dream for uS"
After talk of making the
competition a regular fixture
in the football calendar during
the build-up, there seems to be
an overwhelming feeling from
all sides that this will not be the
last Egri Erbstein tournament.
Corinthian-Casuals, for their
part, can now claim to be
amateur champions of Europe.
“It’s not often something
like this comes along for a
non-league club, so it was a
great experience,” says James
Bracken, Corinthian-Casuals
manager. “There are managers
in the game who have done
far more than I ever will, but
maybe they’ve never taken a
team to another country and
24 - CORINTHIAN-CASUALS MATCHDAY PROGRAMME