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Voll Blau

Groundhopping

By Voll Blau, in General Football and Sport

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CosbehFox

CosbehFox

Posted
Posted
On 29/08/2025 at 12:19, Stuntman_Mike said:

Completed the 92 again on Wednesday at the Everton v Mansfield game. 

 

Strange set up really, can't work out if I enjoyed it or not. The ground is in the middle of nowhere, but that might be ok once they've settled in and more has been developed around it.

 

The sponsor on the side looks abysmal, you wouldn't even know it's Everton's ground until you're right on top of it. Looks like an airport terminal. 

 

The acoustics are very good, Mansfield made a lot of noise, but Everton's fans were surprisingly silent seeing as it's only the second game there.


Kick off delayed and hundreds missed the start because of the collections being so slow. They've spent hundreds of millions on a ground, yet only had two windows open for 4k+ to collect tickets. It would likely have kicked off if it wasn't full of groundhoppers queuing. 

 

Personally one of the reasons I give stadiums a good six months to settle down. Not giving up the hope it's Leicester I see there within two to three years. 

  • Like 1
CosbehFox

CosbehFox

Posted
Posted
On 26/08/2025 at 10:59, CosbehFox said:

We have a schedule addition. After sign off on a very brief trip over to Belgium in November. 

 

Eurostar into Brussels and then Mechelen on Friday evening. 

Wake up in Mechelen and do my last long run before Leicester Half. Which might be running to Antwerp using cycle lines. I am billing it as my Training Camp 

Saturday - Racing Mechelen at 2000 - https://www.europlan-online.de/oscar-vankesbeeck-stadion/stadion-3698.html 

Sunday - Rupel Boom at 1500 - https://www.europlan-online.de/gemeentelijk-parkstadion/stadion-3688.html 

 

Then get from Boom to Brussels; back to home 

All booked. Looking forward to it. Especially as I'll come back from two weeks in the sun and then two weeks work before off again. 

 

I went Bourne on Saturday. A nice little ground and the town appeared pleasant enough as well. Off to Worcester City playing at Sixways Rugby Ground on Saturday. 

  • Like 1
  • 2 weeks later...
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OadbyBlue

OadbyBlue

Posted
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Posted

Had a great time at Cádiz - Eibar yesterday. The Nuevo Mirandilla is a beautiful ground, looks something like a mini version of La Bombonera, 3 open stands and 1 roofed with the sun beaming down and sea breeze in the air. Very steep seats too, and it looks much bigger than the 20,000 odd it holds.
 

In the build up to the game, cafes and bars around the beach were full of fans decked out in shirts from hours before kick off. Then it’s just a minutes or so walk inwards and you’re at the ground.

 

Atmosphere was very good too, the Brigadas Amarillas were at it for the full 90, and really pushed the team to get the first goal and then to see out the 1-0 win (goal coming from local hero and ex Liverpool, A.C Milan and Sevilla Suso). They had some very very catchy songs too. The quality of football was awful in the first half from both sides, but the game opened up in the second half.


There was also no noticeable away end, and I only saw 1 person in an Eibar shirt aside from the 11 on the pitch all day - though they are a small club from a small town at the other end of the country.

 

One thing I’ve not seen in any other country though is they don’t serve any alcohol at the stadium in Spain. Though there was a strong smell of weed in the concourse at half time:D

  • Like 6
  • 2 weeks later...
kenny

kenny

Posted
Posted
On 02/09/2025 at 08:13, CosbehFox said:

All booked. Looking forward to it. Especially as I'll come back from two weeks in the sun and then two weeks work before off again. 

 

I went Bourne on Saturday. A nice little ground and the town appeared pleasant enough as well. Off to Worcester City playing at Sixways Rugby Ground on Saturday. 

How do you source your tickets for the foreign matches?

CosbehFox

CosbehFox

Posted
Posted
8 minutes ago, kenny said:

How do you source your tickets for the foreign matches?

Really subject to the club and the country. 90% straight from the clubs. Occasionally for a big game/well attended game I have had to do some digging and get a helpful member of certain clubs. 

 

Try to make a very wide berth of any secondary sellers or package deals (although a lot tell me Home Fans is decent) 

  • Like 1
kenny

kenny

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, CosbehFox said:

Really subject to the club and the country. 90% straight from the clubs. Occasionally for a big game/well attended game I have had to do some digging and get a helpful member of certain clubs. 

 

Try to make a very wide berth of any secondary sellers or package deals (although a lot tell me Home Fans is decent) 

Thanks. Most foreign clubs don't mind selling to UK addresses then? 

CosbehFox

CosbehFox

Posted
Posted
6 minutes ago, kenny said:

Thanks. Most foreign clubs don't mind selling to UK addresses then? 

Not in my experience. All digital ticketing as well. There are expectations to the rules but I have been okay. 

 

Some countries such as Italy you need to take your passport. Others can be a little weird about using UK bank accounts, so often use credit card. Somewhere like Turkey is a minefield. But on the whole, easy.

 

South Europe takes forever to put them on sale - as late as two weeks. Spain can be expensive. North European clubs are well organised now - just looked at PSG this morning and was easy (but holding off until the resale tickets come online). 

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Voll Blau

Voll Blau

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Not sure I can count it but stopped in on a youth team game at UE Alcúdia (Mallorca) earlier. Looked a nice little club that makes clear it's tourist-friendly.

 

Five minutes from the Foxes Arms too.

Edited by Voll Blau
CosbehFox

CosbehFox

Posted
Posted

Didn't know whether to put it in the non-league or here but went Kidsgrove Athletic on Saturday. Lovely little ground, good food, two bars. Stalybridge were decent opposition and brought a fair few. Proper non-league really. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
CosbehFox

CosbehFox

Posted
Posted
On 06/10/2025 at 14:52, CosbehFox said:

Didn't know whether to put it in the non-league or here but went Kidsgrove Athletic on Saturday. Lovely little ground, good food, two bars. Stalybridge were decent opposition and brought a fair few. Proper non-league really. 

Kidsgrove kicked off yesterday with 9 men and got the game suspended hahah 

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CosbehFox

CosbehFox

Posted
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Posted (edited)

So finally chance to talk about my Belgian Sojourn. 

 

Saturday night. - KRC Mechelen 5 Royal Cappellen 1

Majestic old ground on edge of the city. Beautiful huge old stand with terracing below it. Unique facade. Serious terracing with overlooking flats and the smell of weed coming from. Lovely little bar inside the ground. Home side won 5-1 against 10 men. You could see the cathedral tower from the top of the stand. 

 

Sunday - Rupel Boom 0 Eintracht Termin (sp) 1

3rd v 2nd. When I arrived at Boom via Antwerp. I thought why the **** am I? Just two platforms, loads of tracks, no sign of life. A building with no ticket office. This is the town which hosts the music festival Tomorrowland and the walk down a dual carriageway on the way to game was not hopeful. But then the walk turned into a beautiful wander through a park - autumn at its best with water running through the park. Peeking out of the trees, a stand. A football ground. A beautifully dated bar under the stand selling Duvel and hot dogs which looked shit but tasted excellent. The club of Lukaku - another mighty impressive stand, terracing all of the way around with it really steep at one end and a small ultras section. Really good game - got more entertaining as Boom tried everything to find an equaliser. 

 

Two excellent grounds - it felt like I'd visited proper Belgium. I will go back to do some of these smaller grounds. There is a host of them within Belgium. Due to the way the league system works and clubs emerging etc, they are so real oddities in the lower reaches and international breaks are good time to do them. 

Edited by CosbehFox
  • Like 6
CosbehFox

CosbehFox

Posted
Posted

Bari four weeks today - fixtures been a slight pain. 

 

Fly in Friday - enjoy the city

Saturday morning - go out to Matera

Saturday night - Bari at home

Sunday - Barletta - Serie D! 

Sunday night - Milan derby on TV 

 

  • Like 1
boots60

boots60

Posted
Posted (edited)

Swerved Millwall yesterday to go to Bolton v Cardiff 12,30 & Chorley v Merthyr 3.00

An unremarkable 1-0 win for Bolton followed by a 6 mile drive up the road to Chorley.

Was prepared to be disappointed by missing some of the first half when arriving at Chorley late at 3.20 because of traffic but the game kicked off as we got into their old school ramshackle lovely ground  ironically called Victory park. 

Reason, Merthyr had travelled without their kit & had to play thr first half in Chorleys away strip! Brilliant! 

Only in non league, I love it.

2-0 away win to Merthyr.

Edited by boots60
  • Like 2
CosbehFox

CosbehFox

Posted
Posted
On 26/10/2025 at 08:14, boots60 said:

Swerved Millwall yesterday to go to Bolton v Cardiff 12,30 & Chorley v Merthyr 3.00

An unremarkable 1-0 win for Bolton followed by a 6 mile drive up the road to Chorley.

Was prepared to be disappointed by missing some of the first half when arriving at Chorley late at 3.20 because of traffic but the game kicked off as we got into their old school ramshackle lovely ground  ironically called Victory park. 

Reason, Merthyr had travelled without their kit & had to play thr first half in Chorleys away strip! Brilliant! 

Only in non league, I love it.

2-0 away win to Merthyr.

Chorley's great ground - went there and it got abandoned though! 

 

Often travelling for work gives me chances for something unusual. Herne Bay on Tuesday - nearest game Dover, yeah I might swerve that one. 

Voll Blau

Voll Blau

Posted
  • Author
Posted
On 26/10/2025 at 08:14, boots60 said:

Swerved Millwall yesterday to go to Bolton v Cardiff 12,30 & Chorley v Merthyr 3.00

An unremarkable 1-0 win for Bolton followed by a 6 mile drive up the road to Chorley.

Was prepared to be disappointed by missing some of the first half when arriving at Chorley late at 3.20 because of traffic but the game kicked off as we got into their old school ramshackle lovely ground  ironically called Victory park. 

Reason, Merthyr had travelled without their kit & had to play thr first half in Chorleys away strip! Brilliant! 

Only in non league, I love it.

2-0 away win to Merthyr.

Soft spot for Chyaaalay as my wife's fried used to be their stadium announcer.

 

Ticked off Notts County and Chesterfield as an away fan with them but never made it to a home game. Must change that sometime.

Guest worth_the_wait

Guest worth_the_wait

Posted
Posted

Saw a cracking game at Chorley at the end of 2010-11 season.    Playoff final v AFC Fylde (4th tier of non-league I think), 2-0 win to Chorley.

 

3000 crowd there.   It was a Friday night and all the Chorley lads and lasses were out, dressed-up for a night out afterwards.    Never seen so many dolled-up birds at a football match.  It was an amusing sight, but it was a great atmosphere.   Great little town.

CosbehFox

CosbehFox

Posted
Posted

Ended up Whitstable Town tonight. They won the Vase last season, so the ground is properly been given a Face lift but it has this very original construction stand. 
 

Was just a League Cup game but 2nd v 1st with visitors Bearsted unbeaten in the league. Decent crowd over 300 for it 
 

Anyway Whitstable were 2-0 up with twenty to play against ten men and somehow lost 3-2 with a 96th minute winner. 

rugbyblue

rugbyblue

Posted
Posted (edited)

Intention is to do  fc copenhagen v nordsjælland in Feb.   

Tickets shouldn't be a problem according to my research as parken rarely sells out.  My question if anyone knows, is what is the ultras culture like there?  Id like to go in with the ultras, sektion 12 i understand, but read mixed reviews on tolerance of outsiders.  Would i likely encounter problems and be better off sticking to the stands? 

Edited by rugbyblue
  • 2 weeks later...
DanyNguessen

DanyNguessen

Posted
Posted

Flights booked for end of January into Eindhoven.

 

Looking at Willem II vs Venlo on the Friday night.

Saturday into Germany for Duisburg vs Jahn Regensburg

then following Bochum to Elvesberg on the Sunday. 

 

First time venturing into Europe since kids and somebody getting too close to a Bat!

SemperEadem

SemperEadem

Posted
Posted
23 minutes ago, DanyNguessen said:

Flights booked for end of January into Eindhoven.

 

Looking at Willem II vs Venlo on the Friday night.

Saturday into Germany for Duisburg vs Jahn Regensburg

then following Bochum to Elvesberg on the Sunday. 

 

First time venturing into Europe since kids and somebody getting too close to a Bat!

Do you need help with an away Bochum ticket?

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