West Ham fan Knollsy has vowed to stand up to any thugs who try to start trouble around the Europa Conference League final in Prague.
Chris Knoll became an overnight celebrity after fighting off a hoard of AZ Alkmaar ultras last month. The 58-year-old put himself in danger to prevent the hooded hooligans from reaching the stand where the friends and family of West Ham players were sat following a 1-0 win which sent the Hammers into the final.
West Ham were urged to give the TV production worker tickets to their Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina. And Knollsy has now arrived in Prague for the match, which kicks off at 8pm on Wednesday evening in the Czech capital.
“I hope there's no trouble here, because I might have to do it all again,” he joked to MailOnline after touching down in Prague.
“I am actually here, and it feels incredible. I just got mobbed by West Ham fans as I came off the train, and that means more to me than anything. I have to say it again, but I only did what would've been expected.
“There were women and children and they could've been attacked. I acted instinctively, although I had a feeling there was something bad in the air before.”
Knollsy has been keen to emphasise that he does not view himself as a hero and that violence should not be glorified. He merely found himself in a difficult situation and acted to protect what he saw as vulnerable people.
“I know how bad football hooliganism can be and I don't condone it at all,” he added. “I get emotional when I think of fans being attacked for following the clubs that they love, particularly people of colour.
“Football should be for everyone and is. I am not a hero or gladiator as I have been called. I am somebody who just loves football and West Ham United.”
Knollsy has travelled across Europe with the West Ham faithful, who are hoping to see David Moyes’ side win their first trophy since the 1980 FA Cup. The Hammers have not won a European trophy since they beat Bayern Munich in the final of the European Cup Winners' Cup back in 1965.
Moyes stands on the brink of making history, but remains focused on the task at hand. “I don't think of myself as any different to anyone else,” he said. “I’m really fortunate, privileged and thankful to be given an opportunity to be a football manager, to have the opportunity to go this far in my career and to be on a stage like this.
“But I don’t ever really think of myself as being a legend or any words like that. I’d just like to be known as a football manager who’s serious about his job and tries to do the best he possibly can, week-in week-out, to prepare my teams to be competitive.”
