From Portman Road to the San Siro
Welcome to my blog that concentrates on my love of sports grounds, from the new stadia like the Millennium to the quant non league grounds of rural Engalnd. Thank you Arcibald Leitch!
Sunday, 17 August 2025
Still looking for a home win
Saturday, 16 August 2025
Suffolk double
Suffolk Double
Deciding t stay local to complete my closes Step 7 division meant I could start the day watching the Ipswich Town U 18 team
Ipswich Town Under 18 0 WBA Under 18 5
Under 18 Premier League
Bent Lane Training Ground
First chance to see the Ipswich Academy team play as a Cat 1 Academy team, the U21 team started with a win last night but we knew it would be more difficult for the Under 18 team as they have not had a great number of wins over the last 2 years.
WBA Looked bigger, stronger and faster and were on top from the start and went ahead after 10 minutes, they added a second on 37 minutes then another in first half injury time.
Ipswich were far better in the second half but still found the going tough, it looked like WBA should have had a stonewall penalty but instead the Ref booked the Albion player for diving. Albion did add two further goals in the 50th and 82nd minutes.
Building work is continuing both on the Playford Road and Bent Lane sites, fir those who count pitches, the U16 pitch has been dug up plus all the grass that was used for training, just the U18 pitch left, this meant all spectators were grouped together by one corner flag! It will be interesting to see if as well as a new U16 pitch if another pitch is added when the building work is done . Would expect once Town get the set up organised, teamsheets may be produced in future.
It was then just the short drive up the A12 to Saxmundham:
Saxmundham Sports 2 Henley Athletic 3
Suffolk and Ipswich League, Premier Division
Saxmundham Sports Club
The home side started on top and had numerous chances, one nil up after 5 minutes after a great team move then adding a second on the 35th minute with a goal direct from a free kick, Henley pulled one back 2 minutes later.
Second half saw Henley dominate and they got back on level terms after 61 minutes and they continued to put pressure on the hone team, then we had the controversial end to the game, on 88 minutes, Henley had a number of shots on target and they claimed one shot had gone well over the goal line, the Ref just played on, two Henley players came over to remonstrate wit the lino, she then flagged and the Ref came over, I thought it was to book the Henley players for having a go at her but she told the Ref that the ball had crossed over the line and it should be a goal, the Ref then gave the goal and it was the turn of Saxmundham to remonstrate with the officials, the goal still stood but one of the home players either got a red card or was sent to the sin bin.
2-3 was a fare result but I can't understand why the lino did not flag when the ball went over the line if she thought it was goal!
Friday, 15 August 2025
Start with a win
After 36 minutes, Ipswich were 2 nil down, we did not win many games last year and was starting to think this season will be even worse, will we even win one game! How wrong I was.
Second half, Ipswich were far more aggressive with Tudor Mendel starting to beat the Derby left back every time. Ipswich got a goal back after 51 minutes and a minute later were back on level terms. 3 minutes later Derby were back in front thanks to a scrappy goal but Ipswich were not done yet. 61 minutes they were back level and 2 minutes later were in front.
Great entertainment, pity so far from Ipswich that so few fans were there to witness it.
Wednesday, 13 August 2025
Why bother?
Monday, 4 August 2025
Danish weekend Game 4 & 5
Final two games of the weekend and both games at the Valby Sports complex
BK Frem 3 Sundby Boldklub 2 - Danish 3rd Division, Valby Idraetspark
Left the best game to last, and liked the ground best and a good atmosphere - hard to think this was a Third Division game whilst the the day before a 1st division game did not even get a 1,000 fans.
One large seated stand, also housed the changing rooms, but you could watch games from all 4 sides but because of the rain, in the first half most just watched from the main stand behind one gaol, was bench seating , where the ultras would normally stand plus food, beer, souvenir huts - other end some terracing. Far side was terracing with grass bank above and a hut selling beer, where I positioned myself for the second half! Only downside is the pitch was a distance from this stand, guess before plastic pitch was put down, there had been an athletics track round the pitch.
BK Frem had a greats start to the game, numerous chances and they managed to convert two of those within the first 4 minutes! They added a a third on 27 minutes, but it had not been all one way traffic with Sundby getting a goal back on 32 minutes.
Second half more even, and with Sundby getting a second goal on 75 minutes, it was a nervy last 15 minutes for the home supporters.
Team celebrated the win on the pitch, then many of the fans made their way to the clubhouse which is about 200 metres from the ground.
Danish weekend - Game 2 and 3
Friday 1 August 2025, HB Koge Women 2 FC Rosengard 0 - Friendly, Capelli Sport Stadion
Pre-season game for the Danish top flight side against a Swedish top Division team who had already played 12 competitive games this season. However it was the Danish team who looked the sharpest and got their two goals in the 73rd and 78th minute. An easy win in the end. The game was stopped after 19 minutes, was not sure why, but their had been a warning of lightning so the Ref took the two teams off for 20 minutes, even if we did not even get any rain that time. I had a similar experience the following day, so it seems Copenhagen suffers from lightning storms and match officials are prepared after looking at forecast to take teams off the pitch, for their own safety.
£13 cost of 'S' Bahn train for return ticket to Koge, a small, pretty town just south of Copenhagen. Bus or 15 minute walk to the ground, you see the ground as you approach Koge on the train.
With Sweden always being one of the top sides in Women's football was surprised how poor the visitors were.
B.93 1 Hillerod 2 - Danish 1st Division, Sundby Idraetspark
Stadium is ok, decent large seated stand, food and beer on offer - visiting fans ( all 40 of them) were perched on temporary seating behind one goal, you could stand and watch the game from behind the other goal, the other side saw 5 steps of wooden terracing/bench seating. Athletics track round the G3 pitch but as only 3 lanes, did not cause many issues when it comes to watching the game.
Football wise, score line may look close but the visitors had an easy win, two up after 33 minutes and though the home team had plenty of the ball, they did not really threaten the visiting keeper whilst Hillerod always looked dangerous on the break. B. 93 got a goal back on 43 minutes but tahtw as about as good as it got for them. Floodlights failed after 85 minutes but it was still light and so game was in no danger of being called off, they could not get lights fixed but did turn a smaller set of lights on, probably to help with the TV filming the game as lights were not needed by spectators.
Danish weekend - Game 1
Five game trip to the Danish capital, Copenhagen:
Thursday 31 July 2025, Brondby IF 1 Havnar Boltfelag 0 - European Conference League, Brondny Stadion
Decent crowd and a good atmosphere - easy to get to ground- Metro then bus, a number of club bars outside the stadium. Constant singing and chanting from the South Stand. About 500 fans from the Faroes, supporting Havnar. Modern stadium, plenty of food and drink on offer and good views from any seat.