One loss, one win!

Ipswich double, Saturday 6 December 2025:

Ipswich Town Under 18 0 Chelsea U18 3

Premier League 2

Bent Lane Training Ground

Another defeat for the U18 team but actually played quite well in this game, guessing the team that started will be the one that plays in the FAYC this week.

Chelsea went in from from a diving header in the first half and had most of the play but Ipswich had two great chances to go level, however the Chelsea keeper made two great saves, so the West London club went in one up at the break.

A long half time as Chelsea are the first club, I have ever seen at Bent Lane, go back to the changing rooms at half time. 

the game was over a contest quite quickly into the second half, the Chelsea left winger, had an assist for the second goal before scoring the third goal.

It was now mostly one way traffic but Ipswich did manage to test the Chelsea keeper once after a quick counter-attack.

Chelsea played the last 5 minutes with 10 men as they had run out of subs.

Quick drive then, to:

Ipswich Town 3 Coventry City

Championship

Portman Road

Great advert for the Championship, with Coventry just edging the first half but still going in at the break one down.

The second half saw the best half of football, Ipswich have played this season, adding two further goals and making league leaders Coventry look quite average.

Return to Belgrade - Serbian Groundhop - Game 5 and 6

 Game 5 (off - waterlogged pitch) and Game 6

Sunday November 30th 2025

A longish drive south from Belgrade to our only non-league game. We would probably have chosen a Division 3 game but the Winter Break have been moved forward a week. This was the Krusevac city amateur cup semi-final - but when we arrived it was obvious the pitch was unplayable - think Blackburn Rovers without the stands

FK Korićani v FK Šumadija - Called off - waterlogged pitch

The locals  were disappointed the game was off but welcome 32 strangers into their changing rooms and quickly beer, local spirits/fire water ( and soft drinks) were provided - and even a hop/team picture with the cup on the wet pitch. The call off meant instead of pork roll take away, we had a whole pig roasted for us, with Premier League on the TV and a beer in a small roadside café - we did not eat it all, so we left with a cake box holding a few kilos of uneaten pork!

It was then off towards the Bulgarian border for our last game of the trip.

OFK Beograd 3 FK Crvena Zvezda (Red Star) 4

Serbia Superliga

Stadion Kraljevica, Zaječar

Admission: £3.71

Attendance: 1,845 - guess 1,800 were Red Star fans

Another new stadium that may be used in the U21 Championships, but on the edge of Zajecar, and with the local 3rd Division team not interested in using it- so was do the Serb FA do? They decide that OFK's ground in Belgrade is not up to the standard for the Serb Superliga and make them do a 5 hour round trip for every home game! And Brighton though they had it hard!

What it does seem, home fans are boycotting their games, hoping that they might be back in Belgrade soon, so we had a game with 90% of the crowd Red Star fans - great support for 5 hour round trip on roads that went over high mountain passes with snow and sleet falling. 

A long trop for us, but what a game we got, OFK taking the lead on 11 minutes, Red Star getting back on terms on 17 only for 2 minutes later, OFK back in front. 5 Minutes later, Red Star back on level terms. 

Second half saw Red Star take the lead only for the visitors to equalise and then Red Star to win it with 2 minutes left with a fantastic strike. As a new stadium (and that we all searched, some of us twice) there would no pyro but the second half saw the main Red Star group put on a show that delayed the game. Fantastic match, great goals - but like the UK - that does not mean it would be the main headline from the game in the Monday sports paper- it was all about the dog that ran on the pitch after the 6th goal, and just sat in the centre circle waiting for the game to restart! 

Return to Belgrade - Serbian Groundhop - Game 4 and Ice Hockey

 Game 4 and 5 - plus Ice Hockey for some ( and some even saw a Cockney Rejects concert!)

Saturday November 29th 2025

FK Železničar Pančevo 1 FK Radnički 1923 Kragujevac 0

Serbia Superliga

Sportski Centar Mladost Pančevo

Admission: £2.25 (stand with no cover) or £3.71 ( small roof)

Attendance: 413 (42 away)

Short drive out of Belgrade, going past where the new national stadium will be built, stopping on route at a famous bakery - that famous, when we arrived they had nothing left to sell!

Weather had not been great all hop, but this was the only game where you might have got wet ( if you got a cheap ticket) but a nice clubhouse, game on tv and beer on tap, meant you could dry out quickly.

​The bulk of the away fans missed the first 20 minutes of game as they were held up by the police- slight overkill for a match with such a small crowd. 

Main story of the game, was the away keeper getting injured and the sub keeper not even having his boots on! Took a good 7 minutes to get ready to come on but was  surprised to hear no abuse from the home crowd for the long delay, we late found out the keeper - Vladimir Stojkovic had played over 80 games for Serbia, played for both Red Star and Partizan and even Nottingham Forest and Wigan! So he got away with causing the delay - one of the first things he did was pick up the ball from the back of the net - but then we had to wait another 5 minutes for VAR to decide if the gaol was OK.

Amazed to think the home team have a great chance of being in Europe next season - but guess and games will be played miles away as this ground would never pass UEFA inspection.

SKHL Crvena Zvezda (Red Sar)  2 HK Vojvodina 2 - Red Star win after penalty shoot out

International Ice Hockey League 

Hala Pionir

Admission: Free

Attendance: 283

​

Told not expect to many goals - then we had 3 in the first two minutes with the visitors leading- Red Star eventually getting back on level terms late in the game, penalty shoot out with the first 10 or so missed by both teams before Red Star got the winner.

Surprised by the low crowd, basketball also played here, but only the more minor matches. Interesting to see the Ice Hockey is still played in a league based on the old Yugoslav borders. Able to watch the whole game from the posh (ish) bar/ restaurant- which also had the Partizan game on one scree and the UK Premier League on the other.

Return to Belgrade - Serbian Groundhop - Game 2 and 3

 Game 2 and 3

Friday November 28th 2025

FK Ušće Novi Beograd 1 FK Voždovac 3

Serbia Prva Liga 

Admission: Free

Programme - Nil but some did get hold of a teamsheet

Attendance: 121

This was a re-visit for a few on the hop but the ground had changed dramatically since their visit - low crowd due to a Friday lunchtime kick off ( for the benefit of betting firms) . Probably as many away fans present as home supporters. The ground just had one stand open today. The ground is overlooked by a large hill, one supporter had been before and said the trek to the top of the hill was difficult and probably impossible today due to the rain/ wet and mud! Our ex Military hopper, saw this as a challenge and made it to the top of the hill, soon followed by 11 others after he had made the route safe!

This enabled hoppers to get a great view of the ground, the church behind one goal and the large Soviet style housing estate close to the ground - before the game, we visited the church and also found within the estate some wall murals, that featured 'Del Boy' Cocktail in hand.

Football wise, the home team took the lead after 13 minutes, but they were outgunned in the second half with the visitors very threatening from every set piece.

FK Loznica 2 FK FAP Priboj 0

Serbia Prva Liga

Stadion Lagator

Admission: £2.25

Attendance: 298

Easy drive on quality toll roads got us to a city on the Bosnian border - one of a number of new grounds built for future Euro U21 championships that Serbia will co-host with Albania, stadium shared with another club from Belgrade ( even if the city is 90 minutes at least away)

An impressive ground, but a future 'white elephant' - The home team winning with two second half goals. Smooth drive back to Belgrade meant many of us could have a second night in the Bruno Bar.

Return to Belgrade - Serbian Groundhop 9 - Game 1

Game 1

27 November 2025

Europa League

Crvena Zvezda (Red Star) 1 FCSB (Romania) 0

Stadion Rajko Mitić

Admission: £19

Programme: £3.70 - only available in VIP areas

Attendance: 26,054 (584 away) - looked lower

A game that the team from Bucharest did not look like they wanted to win, even with Red Star going down to 10 men after a Red Card the Romanian team did not threaten much, with just one real good effort, that came just before Red Star got the winner on 50 minutes.

Public transport now free in the city, so it was tram to the game, as most of us only arrived a few hours before kick off, it was quick walk back into town and few beers in the Bruno Bar before getting our heads down in the early hours.