Loughborough University v Bridgnorth Town - Saturday 24th November 2012

Saturday 24th November 2012
Loughborough University 0 Bridgnorth Town 1
Midland Alliance League
Admission £4.00
Attendance 62
Programme £1.50
The game was played at the new University stadium which is a very nice venue.  The ground is dominated by a large 300 seat stand which has a nice bar area at the back of it.  The rest of the ground is open terrace but spectators are directed to sit in the stand.
Programme are available at the turnstile.



Match Programme



Rugby Union - Loughborough Students v Ealing Trailfinders - 24th November 2012

Saturday 24th November 2012
Loughbrough Students 4 Ealing Trailfinders 41
Admission £4.00
Attendance - around 200
Programme £2.00 - very nice issue
A game played in constatnt rain.  The large Ealing pack helped secure a comfortable win.  The game was played on the main Rugby pitch at the front of the campus.  It's a basic venue with wooden railings on all 4 sides and floodlights.  There is no seating or cover.
The programme is a season shell with a four page match specific insert.  This is sold at the entrance table which is under a gazebo.



Match Programme



Rugby Union - Cambridge University v M.R. Steele - Bodger XV - 21st November 2012

Wednesday 21st November 2012
Cambridge University 30 M.R. Steele Bodger XV 10
Friendly Fixture - 65th Season
Admission - £10 to stand or £25 to sit
Programme £1.00
Attendance - not offically given but around 2,500 - 3,000 - a sell out

The M.R. Steele Bodger XV are an invitational side that are put together by Mickey Steele Bodger for an annual game against Cambridge University.  Played on a Wednesday afternoon it is one of the big fixtures in the University sides programme and attracts an excellent following.  It very much an "old fashioned" event which is extermely posh.  I felt a bit out of place.  Boating blazers, old school ties, college scarves etc were on display.  It is an event that has stood the test of time.

Former Hull, St Helens & Great Britain Rugby League legend, Shaun Long, was named in the Steele Bodgers side.  Now that's a combination you would never have put together a few a years ago.  Unfortunately though he did not play.

The day was spoilt by terrible weather of heavy rain and blustery wind.  The quality of Rugby was poor but this day is not about spectating its about socialising.

Programmes were on sale inside the turnstile houses but I would imagine that there were not many dry one's after the game.  It's an A5 full colour 16 page issue.



Match Programme



Worcester City v Workington - 17th November 2012

Saturday 17th November 2012
Worcester City 1 Workington 1
Blue Square Conference North
Admission - £12.00
Programme - £2.50
Match Badge - £2.50 (£5.00 for a programme & match badge together)
Attendance - 867

This is the last season for football at St George's Lane as the ground has been sold to building developers.  It's quite sad that this fine old ground will be lost at the end of the season.  It's one of a dwindling band of old style large non league grounds.

Hemmed by housing and a canal the ground is dominated by a large main stand.  There is terracing on all four sides with a large barn type cover opposite the main stand.

Programmes are sold from a table as you enter the ground and as a bonus the club are issuing individual match day badges to commerate their last season at the ground.  I have only seen one other non leagueclub do this on a regular basis and that was AFC Wimbledon.  Well done City.  The programme is full colour glossy, 36 pages of A5 size.  It's standard BSN issue but their some nice individual articles.

Match Programme

Berlin Tour - TuS Makkabi

Sunday 18^th November 2012

TuS Makkabi 2 TSV Rudow 0

Berlin Liga

Admission – 6 euro

Programme – none but team sheet available

Attendance

Getting there

The Julius-Hirsch-Sportlange Eichkamp is very near to the Mommsenstadion which is the home of Tennis Borussia Berlin.  The nearest public transport is the Messe Sud S-Bahn Station.  Walk past the Mommsenstadion on your right and the complex is at the end of this street.  It’s a very large complex with some impressive facilities. 

The Ground

Unfortunately TuS played the game on a 4G pitch.  It has a cage around it but it is set back so spectators can stand inside.  There are a few benches but that is it.  There are no spectator railings around the pitch,  this led to spectators standing on the pitch when sides warmed up.  It is very disappointing for this level of football.  Next door is a grass pitch which has permanent railings around it and advertisement hoardings.  I don’t know why they don’t use this ground as it would be much better.  A lady stands and collects your match entrance fee on one corner.  She had team sheets but you have to ask for them.

Rugby Union - Birmingham & Solihull v Bromsgrove 17th November 2012

Saturday 17th November 2012
Birmingham & Solihull 18 Bromsgrove 18
National League Division 2 North
Admission £10.00
Programme - free
Attendance - a rough head count of 160

Birmingham & Solihull RFC have moved to the Portway ground after a two year groundshare at Solihull Moors FC.  The ground was the home of Birmingham RFC before they merged with Solihull RFC in 1989.  The ground is just off the M42 and down a country lane.  It may be diffiuclt to reach by public transport.

It's a basic venue with a small raised stand which has no seats.  There is a small area of hard standing but the rest is just grass.  On the day I visited everything was very boggy so take your boots.  Everything is a bit rough and ready, although, the floodlights look modern.

The programme is free of charge which is good as I think £10 is too expensive to watch this level of Rugby Union.  Programmes are available at the entrance of the clubhouse - basically help yourself.  It's a 16 page A5 full colour issue and is match specific.


Match Programme



Berlin Tour - Hertha Berlin

Monday 19^th November 2012

Hertha Berlin 1 St Pauli 0

2.Bundesliga

Admission - 22 euro

Programme – 2 euro

Attendance – 39,127

Getting there

A really easy venue to get to.  You have the option of either travelling by S or U Bahn.

The Ground

Not just a fantastic historical stadium but an extremely impressive sports complex.  The only downside is the running track around the pitch.  I purchased my ticket on line but due to the plenty of empty seats I could have bought a ticket on the day.  Once inside you can generally move from the cheap seats to the expensive ones on the half way line.

Programme

Available inside the stadium and also from the Hertha club shops in the centre of Berlin.  I purchased mine from the one at Zoo Gardens.  It’s a 76 page issue with a laminate cover.  It’s very good but not as good as a few years ago when it was a 100 page issue.

The Game

A deserved win for Hertha but they left it late scoring the winner with 5 minutes to go.  There was an impressive following of St Pauli supporters.

Note

I did have the option of attending the Hertha Berlin Under 23 game against Carl Zeiss Jena game played on the previous day.  I found out that Hertha did not issue a programme for this game only a team sheet.  I’m don’t think that they are issuing this season.  That’s very poor for a club playing in the Regionalliga Nordost.



Match Programme



Match Ticket



Berlin Tour - Turkiyemspor

Sunday 18^th November 2012

Turkiyemspor 1 Berliner SC 2

Berlin Liga

Admission – 5 euro

Programme – 50 cents

Attendance - 87

Getting there

The nearest public transport is the U Bahn station, Platz der Luftbrucke.  The Willy – Kressmann – Stadion is about a 15 minute walk away.  It is more commonly known as the Katzbachstadion and is located in the district of kreuzsberg.

The Ground

Despite having an athletics track around the pitch this is a charismatic stadium.  It features large banks of concrete terracing on the sides of the pitch with one having a small raised section which looks like a bandstand without cover.  There is no cover so take an umbrella on a rainy day.

Programme

On sale at the entrance table.  It’s an 8 page issue produced on a computer printer.  Last season the club had serious financial problems and went bankrupt.  I went to one of their games played at the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark and no programme was issued but a team sheet was available.  It’s good to see they are issuing again.



Match Programme



Berlin Tour - SD Croatia

Sunday 18^th November 2012

SD Croatia 3 FC Internationale 0

Berlin Bezirksliga

Admission - ?

Programme - ?

Attendance – a rough head count of over 200 spectators

Getting there

After the Turkiyemspor game I headed down to the Friedrich-Ebert-Stadion complex to watch the end of this game.  The game was played on an artificial surface pitch next to the main stadium which is the home of BFC Viktoria 09.  Viktoria’s game had just finished when I got there.

The Ground

Basically a one sided ground that is hemmed in.  There is a clubhouse which didn’t appear to be open but drinks and a barbeque were available on a grassed area set back from the pitch.  This was a top of the table clash and I’m not sure if spectators from the Viktoria game attended but even so the attendance was impressive for this level of football.  As I arrived late I don’t know if there was a programme produced or if an admission fee was charged.

Berlin Tour - FC Brandenburg 03

I had two games lined up for my 2 day stay in Berlin:

Turkiyemspor 1 v Berliner SC 2 - Berlin Liga

Hertha Berlin v St Pauli - 2.Bundesliga.

My early arrival in Berlin allowed a bit of groundhopping to take place, so I started the day with a visit to FC Brandenburg 03.

Sunday 18^th November 2012

FC Brandenburg 3 Grunauer BC 1

Berlin Landesliga 1

Admission – 4.50 euro

Programme – None

Attendance - 25

Getting there

The Sommeringstrabe ground is five minuets walk from the Mierendorffplatz U Bahn station and is next door to the Charlottenburg Sportshalle.

The Ground

Very basic grass pitch ground.  The players change in the Sports Hall and walk down the street to enter the ground at the same entrance as the spectators.  There appears to be a covered walk way from the Sports Hall into the ground but this was not used.  There is concrete and earth terracing down two sides with some plastic bench seating on one.  High fences are located behind both goals where there is a small area of grass standing.  There is a small kiosk at the ground entrance where you pay your admission fee. 

Rugby Union - Cambridge University v Saracens XV

Monday 12th November 2012
Cambridge University 18 Saracens XV 20
Friendly Fixture
Admission £5.00 plus £2.00 if you want to sit down
Programme - £1.00 - 12 page full colour glossy issue
Attendance - around 500

Getting There
The ground is located on Grange Road which is in the heart of the University colleges and accommodation buildings.  I believe parking is limited to street parking unless you are a member of the club.

The Ground
This is a unique venue as it is a bit like going back in time before the advent of professional (ha ha) Rugby Union.  It's very much an amateur ethos that prevades at this venue and it's a very pleasant evening watching a game under the floodlights.

A small entrance block allows entry to the ground.  From a spectating point of view its a 3 sided venue.  Behind one set of posts is flat standing, what looks like a caretakers bungalow and the scoreboard.  I don't know what is happening with the scoreboard but the frame was there but the scoreboard wasn't.

Down one side of the pitch is a large granstand which looks like it could hold around 1000 spectators. 
On the opposite side are the main club buildings of the changing rooms and clubhouse.  It’s an unusual set up with the bar and canteen being at one end.  Next is the changing rooms which has a small low level stand in front and a box type stand on top.

The ground has a very hushed tones atmosphere and is very different from other sports spectating venues.

Food
There is a small canteen inside the clubhouse.  The food is generally very good and homemade.  There is a varied selection but the service was a bit slow as orders are generally cooked there and then.  I had the potato and leak soup which was very good.  They did run out of some items on the menu so I would receommend to get there early and not wait until half time.

Match Programme

Yaxley v Huntingdon Town - 13th November 2012

Tuesday 13th November 2012
Yaxley 0 Huntingdon Town 2
United Counties League Premier Division
Admission £6.00
Programme £1.00
Attendance - around 60

Getting There
By car.  Yaxley is a village on the southern fringes of Peterborough with the clubs ground situated on Leading Drove.  This is on the outskirts of the village

The Ground
The ground is dominated by a modern clubhouse and changing room block which was been open for around a year.  It's a large spacious modern facility.

There is a small covered seated stand with two rows of seating.  In addition there are two covered areas for standing which are basically two bicycle sheds.  The metal holders for the bike wheels are still in place.

There is hard standing around the rest of the ground.  Unusually the club shop doubles up as the entrance kiosk.  I didn't go inside but it looked like there were a few boxes of programmes on sale.

Behind one goal are allotments.  A wayward Huntingdon shot passed through a gap in the netting behind the goal which resulted in the sound of glass breaking.

Food
Chips and burgers.  The chips were ok for £1.00

Programme
Not the best programme in the world and not the worst.  It's A5 in size and looks like it is computer printed.  It is available from the entrance turnstile.

The Game
Huntingdon should have won this game more comfortably than they did.  They created a lot of chances in the first half with Yaxley put off their game by some refeering decisions.  They concentrated too much on critising the referee and things got worse just before half time when they had a player sent off for the alleged use of an elbow.  Despite playing the second half with 10 men, Yaxley could have got back into the game as they created some chances.




Match Programme



Godmanchester Rovers v Thetford Town - 3rd November 2012

Eastern Counties League -Premier Division
Godmanchester Rovers 2 Thetford Town 3
Admission £5.00
Programme £1.00
Attendance around 80
A game dominated by very poor match officials.
Goddy Rovers have now opened a new bar at their ground. It was welcome on the cold day and is a very nice facility.
Programmes are available at the entrance. It's an A5 size issue consisting of 40 pages.




Match Programme