BREAKING: Man goes to the Euros, feels safe and has a special week.

Please do excuse the fairly facetious headline, but there quite simply aren't enough positive stories shared in the world these days and this may catch the attention of a few more than usual. 

I would like to preface this piece by stating that in no way do I condone violence in any way. Some of the scenes that have been shared globally during the tournament are nothing short of vile and the punishments dealt out have not been severe enough. If the punishment matches the crime then no one learns, it should be far more severe and hopefully that is the case in the near future.

However, I felt the need to write something purely because the press is rarely interested is talking about all the good that is happening in France, the obsession is around the troubles and in particular surrounding England, with the trouble against Russia being the nadir of the tournament to date.

Over the last week I have been based in the wondrous Paris Fanzone which is dwarfed by the Eiffel Tower in the background and makes what has to be one of the most iconic viewing arenas of all time. Before heading out to France I was slightly concerned for my safety, for only the second time in my professional life, with the first being at the England vs France game just a few months previously at Wembley. After the Paris attacks the country was distraught, every person for every corner of each arrondissement appeared to know someone at danger that night and this became more apparent when I spoke to a friend who resides in the Bastille. She told me of her surprise at first to hear that France and indeed herself was in danger. What happened to laissez-faire France? She thought after the trouble had subsided. The country was somewhat awoken by that attack and others in recent times. It wouldn't heal the wounds fully but a win in the Euros would do a great deal in bringing a fairly broken country back together more than ever before.

Fearing for my safety lasted all of 10 minutes once I saw the levels of security in both Paris and Lens. Before entering the Fanzone I was rigorously searched and it wasn't a nuisance, it was great to see and that view was echoed by all I spoke to. At the grounds there were no less than three body searches at both stadiums with the individuals who have snuck in flares going to unimaginable lengths to sneak them in. Whatever levels of security you have in place none of them involve a colonoscopy and that was the only way to catch some of these troubled fans.

In regards to the fighting that was plastered all over our screens and social channels it was vile to see, truly sickening but it is such a minority. The culprits need life bans and to be arrested but don't deserve the limelight many of them are after. Many of the interviewees I met with were in Marseille that day and despite trying to save face and protect their reputation they admitted to being scared. Who can blame them? Being attacked from both sides, both from Russians and then the Marseille Ultras was a battle they didn't sign up for and weren't going to win.

For the most part the English fans are living off the reputation of their predecessors in the 1980's and 90's. There has been a slight shift in the stereotypical football fan in the United Kingdom and that clearly hasn't been recognised, accepted or welcomed by some other nations. During my week to not see one single scuffle in a packed area full of testosterone-fuelled males all hailing from different parts of Europe was simply magical. In addition to that there was a staggering number of impromptu football games put on by supporter groups during quiet times in the day and once again the behaviour from fans was exemplary in situations which can often throw up heated exchanges between friends let alone strangers who supported a country playing against your own.

I simply cannot write a piece about the week without mentioning the fans from the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was like a Lions tour; they were all getting along famously, bantering with each other and sharing the same feelings towards the Russians and the thought of returning to work! So where does trouble arise from? In my experience it was often the French police who were at fault. Mistaking chanting and drinking for trouble was far too common a scene and their willingness to reach for tear gas or another tool was apparent.

The different cultures in England and France were more visible than ever but one thing that connected them was the love of the game. It may sound cheesy but that is all you can put it down to. I have been beyond fortunate to have attended many of the biggest sporting events in the world over the last five years or so and the scenes I witness when Antoine Griezmann scored a late goal to put France ahead against Albania was right up there with the best ever. It didn't matter what colour your passport, shirt or the blood you bleed was, all 90,000 in the fanzone shared a special moment and that is just one of the stories that should be told. I find myself continuously looking back over all of my footage with a permanent smile affixed to my face and that is something I am sure I share with many who have been in France during the Championships.

We won't read about the lady who carried a sleeping baby through a crowd of 5,000 English and Wales fans in Lens and was greeted by a number of shhhh's and then a deathly silence as he child looked angelic amidst scenes that were anything but heavenly. We won't read about the gentleman who had too much to drink and lost his friends but was bought a McDonalds and given a phone to hunt down the rest of his party. We won't read about many other moments that make you believe in humanity once again and that is the greatest shame in my opinion. If you want to experience it then the only way to do that is be there. If you can then go to a major tournament live and be immersed in it all.

When I started writing this I had an idea the direction it was going but as I got more attached the path changed on numerous occasions with the key message doing exactly the same. If you take anything away from this then it should be not to let the actions of a few ruin the memories being created by many. 

Ollie Silverton