Random Matches You Are Going To...

[highlandcowden]

next Saturday Nantes-Toulouse and possibly Vertou-angersII, st nazaire-dongues on sunday then QPR-Sheffield Wednesday the following tuesday

[Squirrelhumper]

Went to Millwall Leeds last month,

Really scrappy game, seen better Killie games this season.

Decent crowd but nowhere near as rowdy as I expected.

[GordonS]

Dunipace U20s 4-0 Camelon U20s in the Lowland & East of Scotland Development League tonight.

My first time since Dunipace's extensive revamp of the ground. They've done a much better job than most of putting in a 3G pitch, it's a good surface and not too crumby. It's not surrounded by a cage as too many are these days, it's a normal ground. You get a good view from the grass banking on the far side and once they get a bit of cover it'll be a smart wee ground. Another thing that struck me is the quality feel to the new developments, even the signage is professional. This is clearly a club under the leadership of a committee determined to go places.

I was really surprised that there were as many as 77 fans, that's more than you get for the vast majority of SPFL Reserve League matches not involving the Old Firm, and this was just a non-league Under 20s game. I presume this isn't a one-off, as both the pie stall and the bar were open.

The game itself... Dunipace have some decent youngsters and deserved to win by more, but the game was marred by too much niggle. Both side were constantly leaving an extra thump on opponents after the ball had gone, and often going into tackles a wee bit more fiercely than was wise. In other circumstances they could have had a festival of cards.

And yet again, better than the telly.

[Marten]

Dunfermline Athletic 2-2 Alloa Athletic, Alloa win 4-5 on penalties. Good game for a neutral, very enjoyable.

[Jan Vojáček]

Warrenpoint Town 1-0 Ards

First taste of the Northern Irish Premiership for me, and it was alright. Probably akin to a lower end League One game over here, with both Warrenpoint and Ards scrapping it out towards the bottom end of the table. 

Warrenpoint probably just about shaded it, though it took them until injury time to score - with ex-Aberdeen youth Alan O'Sullivan smashing a cutback into the net via the 'keeper. That delighted ex Ross County 'keeper Aaron McCarey who had spent the entire second-half taking some serious abuse from a hammered wee bunch of Ards fans. Some of it was acceptable - 'baldy ginger b*stard', 'are you 99 because you like ice-cream'? and (after he'd been clattered by his own team-mate) 'even your own team-mates are trying to two-foot you in the throat because they know you're going to chuck one in'. Some of it would get you given a rollocking at most Scottish grounds though (think of every homophobic insult you've heard, then add a few other words around it).

There was therefore something excellent about Warrenpoint scoring in injury time, and one of the group to loudly proclaiming: "Ah well, F*ck the Pope *longish pause* and the IRA". They were hitting out with a few Bobby Sands related chants too.

The weather was horrendous, but the pitch stood up quite well - aside from a very splashy middle of the park. Nice stadium too - a bit like Galabank but with all four sides able to accommodate spectators. Ex-Hamilton man David Elebert was playing for Ards and he looks seriously old these days - I couldn't believe he was only 32! 

[AsimButtHitsASix]

Went to Walthamstow FC v Clapton CFC on Friday for a friendly. 1-0 to Walthamstow.

Although I'm now a liberal, North London, Guradian reading w****r Walthamstow is my "home" borough in London. When I first moved, tho', they were called Waltham Forest and played in Enfield so I couldn't give a toss about them. Now back in E17 and under the name Walthamstow I figured I would catch them with it being non-league day. Also got a few pals involved with Clapton CFC (the splinter club that the Clapton Ultras set up this year breaking away from Clapton FC)

Was donation only entry (recommended donation £3) and £1 for Walthamstow's fanzine which was a decent halftime read.

Walthamstow are in the Essex Senior League (Level 9) and Clapton CFC  are in Middlesex County League Division One (Level 12) Quality wasn't awful. Was a far superior game to League Two down here where it all seems to be very much 6ft+ lads hammering the ball up to a target man constantly. Wasn't silky, on the deck, stuff but both teams were trying to play lots of through balls to pacey forwards and wingers. I'd put it maybe at the level of the current East of Scotland league with a similar disparity in quality between the teams that that league has this year. Walthamstow were clearly a few steps ahead of Clapton but a mixture of shite finishing, dreadful refereeing and them clearly not being arsed about the game kept the score so law.

#3 for Walthamstow looked a class apart. He wasn't up against the best players in the world but the only player that looked like they could be SPFL level.

Wadham Lodge's main pitch, where Walthamstow play, is a decent pitch with some old, rickety scaffolding covering terraces behind each goal. Both sets of fans were loud. Clapton are playing on the 2nd pitch at Wadham Lodge this year and a lot of their fans see Walthamstow if they're playing away and vice versa so a bit of a friendly rivalry.

Never took pics tho'. Use yer imagination.

[DiegoDiego]

Cittadella 2-2 Brescia.

Due to the idiosyncrasies of Italian public transport and the proximity of the ground to the train station, Cittadella are probably the easiest team for me to reach in the top three tiers.

It's a far more pleasant experience than watching Venezia, both in terms of getting there and the level of twattery among the support. The policy of cheaper tickets for women has certainly made half time more aesthetically pleasing than at other grounds around the world.
The atmosphere was both decent and relevant to the progress of the match, unlike the ninety minutes of constant noise which really doesn't do much for me; the fans were there for the football, not a chance to show how hardcore they are.

The game itself was a cracker though Cittadella will be kicking themselves. The home team were by far the better in the first half and went in 2-0 up. Brescia pulled one back before things had settled down after the restart and then got an equaliser after the league's stingiest defence again switched off. In between those goals Cittadella had two penalty shouts given as free kicks. The first was borderline, but the second was a good couple of feet inside the box, they thundered the free kick off the post.

€14 ticket, €4 for a 500ml beer, free programme, and sweated my arse off in the October sun. A great day out.

[Marten]

Berwick 3-1 Gretna

Great day out, very friendly locals, decent game. Quite enjoyed myself.

[highlandcowden]

First French game on Saturday, Nantes-toulouse at the stade beaujoire.

I'd recommend Nantes for a wee trip,pretty vibrant in the centre

[highlandcowden]

Followed by a wee trip to the coast on Sunday where I saw StNazaire C Vs Donges

[AsimButtHitsASix]

AS Roma v S.P.A.L.

First visit to the Stadio Olimpico. I have an Italian team I support (Atalanta) so this is my first Italian game away from Bergamo. Missus took me to Rome to surprise me as her sister works at the NZ Embassy there. Neither her or her wee brother, who also came from London, like football but her sister played for NZ Women's U-18s or something and captained the school team. Could probably be an All White if she stuck with it but she had other sports she preferred playing and, it seems, isn't that fussed about watching football. To keep me happy she surprised the lots of us with tickets. Fair fucks.

Sat in the Curva Nord which was disappointingly tame. Curva Sud seemed to be the place for a bit of an atmosphere but, even at that, didn't sound too rowdy. Maybe the running track and bowl of the stadium meant noise didn't carry very well. S.P.A.L. fans were great. Never stopped singing for the 90 minutes, maybe a few hundred of them, which seems like a decent away crowd in Serie A going by past experience. Also quite low down in the Curva directly behind the goal so not the best view.

Game was decent enough. Roma huffed and puffed and Dzeko had a coupla half chances he never took. S.P.A.L. got a penalty (pretty soft but not one ye could really complain about) just afore half time which they scored. They then got a second from a corner early in the 2nd half.  

S.P.A.L. keeper made a few good saves in the first half but nothing ye wouldn't expect him to make and was also enjoying having the ball to feet. Managed to skin a Roma player at one point. He also tried to let the ball go out for a goal kick, got tackled, and then executed a beautiful Makelele-style nick away from the toes of the winger before he could cross it toward the empty goal then nonchalantly played a cheeky wee dink down the line. I thought that would be the highlight of his role in the match but he managed to produce a wonder save then get booked and sent off within 20 seconds of each other for time wasting them throwing the ball away.

Dzeko missed a pretty good chance at 1-0 but, that aside, Roma huffed and puffed with no end product and S.P.A.L. defended brilliantly. Palsochi was a great outball when they were under the cosh as well. Roma fans didn't seem all that bothered by anything happening on the pitch unless it was El Shaaraway sand dancing and losing the ball (which happened a lot)

Decent enough day out but pretty sure the only other time I'd return here would be in the Atalanta end.

[Squirrelhumper]

On ‎21‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 10:19, DiegoDiego said:

Cittadella 2-2 Brescia.

Due to the idiosyncrasies of Italian public transport and the proximity of the ground to the train station, Cittadella are probably the easiest team for me to reach in the top three tiers.

It's a far more pleasant experience than watching Venezia, both in terms of getting there and the level of twattery among the support. The policy of cheaper tickets for women has certainly made half time more aesthetically pleasing than at other grounds around the world.
The atmosphere was both decent and relevant to the progress of the match, unlike the ninety minutes of constant noise which really doesn't do much for me; the fans were there for the football, not a chance to show how hardcore they are.

The game itself was a cracker though Cittadella will be kicking themselves. The home team were by far the better in the first half and went in 2-0 up. Brescia pulled one back before things had settled down after the restart and then got an equaliser after the league's stingiest defence again switched off. In between those goals Cittadella had two penalty shouts given as free kicks. The first was borderline, but the second was a good couple of feet inside the box, they thundered the free kick off the post.

€14 ticket, €4 for a 500ml beer, free programme, and sweated my arse off in the October sun. A great day out.

Manual Pascali was playing for them last year and got promoted with them,

He's at Cozenza now in the third tier. He's getting on a bit at 37.

[lichtie23]

Cittadella 2-2 Brescia.

Due to the idiosyncrasies of Italian public transport and the proximity of the ground to the train station, Cittadella are probably the easiest team for me to reach in the top three tiers.

It's a far more pleasant experience than watching Venezia, both in terms of getting there and the level of twattery among the support. The policy of cheaper tickets for women has certainly made half time more aesthetically pleasing than at other grounds around the world.
The atmosphere was both decent and relevant to the progress of the match, unlike the ninety minutes of constant noise which really doesn't do much for me; the fans were there for the football, not a chance to show how hardcore they are.

The game itself was a cracker though Cittadella will be kicking themselves. The home team were by far the better in the first half and went in 2-0 up. Brescia pulled one back before things had settled down after the restart and then got an equaliser after the league's stingiest defence again switched off. In between those goals Cittadella had two penalty shouts given as free kicks. The first was borderline, but the second was a good couple of feet inside the box, they thundered the free kick off the post.

€14 ticket, €4 for a 500ml beer, free programme, and sweated my arse off in the October sun. A great day out.

You seem miles away from the park mate. Did that hinder your experience?

[LondonHMFC]

12 hours ago, AsimButtHitsASix said:

Decent enough day out but pretty sure the only other time I'd return here would be in the Atalanta end.

Just make sure it isn't when they play Lazio. Genuinely fear for any Atalanta fan going to Rome for that this season. 

 

 

[DiegoDiego]

You seem miles away from the park mate. Did that hinder your experience?

You're always far from the pitch in Italy but at Cittadella it seemed unnecessarily so. The stand is fairly steep though so the view wasn't that bad. You can pay more for the far stand which is a fair bit nearer. Once or twice I did wish I was closer but in terms of being able to see the action it wasn't bad. The two poles pitchside housing the CCTV cameras were more of an annoyance.

[AyrTroopMajor]

1 hour ago, LondonHMFC said:

Just make sure it isn't when they play Lazio. Genuinely fear for any Atalanta fan going to Rome for that this season. 

 

 

What's the back story to this?

[Jute]

Heading to Carlisle United v Newport next weekend.

[LondonHMFC]

1 hour ago, AyrTroopMajor said:

What's the back story to this?

Always been a rivalry due to opposing politics, however there has been a mutual respect. Atalanta for example rioted against Police after the death of Gabrielle Sandri, the Lazio fan shot dead by Italian police. Lazio have also had banners with "Freedom for our Atalanta enemies" around 2015 after numerous Atalanta Ultras were jailed, and "BOCIA FREE" again a Atalanta Ultra who was jailed. 

In the past year or so the rivalry has started to resurface, and in Frankfurt two weeks ago, Atalanta fans were present (they have an affiliation with Frankfurt) and attacked Lazio fans the evening before the game and tried to attack after the match but the police presence was too high. It was well known that the main faces of the Irriducibili were not travelling to Frankfurt (another protest), so they felt that Atalanta were basically taking the piss. Before the game with Fiorentina (three days after the Frankfurt fixture) Lazio displayed the below banner. Loosely translating to 'In Frankfurt you attacked families, however in Bergamo you are nowhere to  be seen. There will be blades waiting for you in Rome, Atalanta rats" 

Lazio play the home leg of the Frankfurt tie on the  13th December, before going to Bergamo to play Atalanta on the 17th. 

 

[7-2]

On 21/10/2018 at 10:19, DiegoDiego said:

The policy of cheaper tickets for women

Bloody male privilege. 

[AyrTroopMajor]

41 minutes ago, LondonHMFC said:

Always been a rivalry due to opposing politics, however there has been a mutual respect. Atalanta for example rioted against Police after the death of Gabrielle Sandri, the Lazio fan shot dead by Italian police. Lazio have also had banners with "Freedom for our Atalanta enemies" around 2015 after numerous Atalanta Ultras were jailed, and "BOCIA FREE" again a Atalanta Ultra who was jailed. 

In the past year or so the rivalry has started to resurface, and in Frankfurt two weeks ago, Atalanta fans were present (they have an affiliation with Frankfurt) and attacked Lazio fans the evening before the game and tried to attack after the match but the police presence was too high. It was well known that the main faces of the Irriducibili were not travelling to Frankfurt (another protest), so they felt that Atalanta were basically taking the piss. Before the game with Fiorentina (three days after the Frankfurt fixture) Lazio displayed the below banner. Loosely translating to 'In Frankfurt you attacked families, however in Bergamo you are nowhere to  be seen. There will be blades waiting for you in Rome, Atalanta rats" 

Lazio play the home leg of the Frankfurt tie on the  13th December, before going to Bergamo to play Atalanta on the 17th. 

 

Well...