No pens allowed but pyrotechnics are OK!

Saturday 8 April 2017, Partizan Belgrade 2 FK Radnik Surdulica 1 - Supa Liga, Stadion Partizan

After the morning game which contained plenty of good football, with the players all being very talented technically it was surprising how poor the first team game was - and the result also looked quite dodgy!

Partizan needed a win but the opponents scored first- certainly not in the planned script, Partizan got back in the game and then the Ref did not want any more upsets, so he sent a few of the Surdulica players off just to make sure Partisan got over the line- well that is what seemed to happen to most of us watching.

Now I want to go back to Belgrade for the derby match v Red Star, and even today there was trouble even with no away fans present- it seemed that the Red Star Ultras turned up to burn a few Partizan flags outside the ground then one Red Star fan was spotted in the ground- a quick chase and fight followed.

The ground itself is typical of the East European bowl, but luckily the rain kept off as not much cover. We had very little pyrotechnic use but some were smuggled into the ground- not sure how? As our group even had their pens confiscated!! How did they expect these groundhoppers to fill in their legendary notebooks?

Technically superb = Partizan U19 v FK Brodarac U19

Saturday 8 April 2017, Partizan Belgrade U19 1 FK Brodarac 4 - Omladinska Liga, SC Partizan-Teleoptik

Now together as a group of 45 intrepid groundhoppers we set off by coach for the Partizan training ground. A Government Minister and made sure that Partizan had a set up as good as many in the west. The ground, locally known as 'Zemunelo' is also home to FK Teleoptik a team at the top of the Srpska Liga Beograd Zona (Regional third division).

A crowd of almost 400 were at the game which was a local derby and it was the visitors who dominated and were by far the better team, I found out one of the possible reasons from our guide who is also a sports journalist. The Partizan team were actually Under 18 whilst their opponents Under 19. It seems at 18 the Partizan players find themselves on 'loan' at Teleoptik. So the club who share the ground seem to be a Partizan nursery club. Not sure if taht will be able to continue if Teleoptik get promotion (they were top at the time of our visit).

The quality of the football was excellent and easy on par with the academy football in  England. there is also much more public support for the U19 teams than in the UK.

Only issue was that we were quite cold as the rain always threatened - disappointing as we heard the UK was in the middle of a mini heatwave!

For a better report of this game, check the blog from Peter Miles

Free beer, free handbooks and plenty of rain

Friday 7 April 2017, MIP Majdan Pozarevac 4 Sloga Dubravica 0 - Opstinske Liga Grupa Dunav

Our Serbia ground hop started just over an hour outside Belgrade. 45 ground hoppers had traveled to Serbia but we were in the second wave, so a short minibus ride for us whilst the main body were in a coach heading towards the Bulgarian border.

We arrived just after kick off, free admission and but the rain arrived at the same time. The ground was basic, open but fully railed and a few steps of decaying terracing behind the dug outs.

In the distance we could see the impressive grandstand of the local horse racing track.

The game was entertaining if not very skillful or technical, not helped by a slightly lump pitch.

Half time saw us escape to the clubhouse to try and dry out, then the real fun started! Free beer, free coffee and then a match ticket was provided followed by complimentary copies of thew club history! All this and most of the club officials had very little knowledge of English. Not sure many non-league clubs in England would have been hospitable as this.

The home team dominated and as the rain got heavier the ref decided to end the game early - with the result standing.

We all said a big 'thank you' to the club officials and then made our way back to Belgrade but with time to pop into the main ground in Pozarevac. On arriving back in the capital, we were met by two of our 3 young Serb guides, so a quick wash then out for a great night in this friendly city.

For a better report of the whole tour - read the report by the legend, Peter Miles

We all leave smiling!

Tuesday 4  April 2017, Ipswich Town 3 Wigan Athletic 0 - Championship, Portman Road

Shock of leaving the ground smiling and those 3 points may now mean we are safe.

Entertaining but still we lost!

Monday 3 April 2017, Ipswich Town Under 23s 0 Sheffield Wednesday Under 23s 1 - Professional Development League, Playford Road Training Ground

An entertaining game that we dominated but then went onto lose with a last minute open goal!

Who will go first the Manager or the Owner?

Saturday 1 April 2017, Ipswich Town 1 Birmingham City 1 - Championship, Portman Road

OK till Birmingham scored then a very nasty atmosphere came over the club - who is to blame? the fans? The Manager? Or the owner? Probably all three!

No Food!

Saturday 25 March 2017, Raunds Town 2 Olney Town 2 - United Counties League, Division1 - Kiln Park

For the second week running we went to a UCL Division One game for our football fix,easy to find and a large car park, the ground was easily good enough for this level and probably two levels up plus had a large clubhouse but trouble is no support!

The clubhouse just had a couple of supporters in it and the final crowd at the game just hit the 40 mark so the seated stand plus the covered terraces were easily big enough to cater for all of us - but many moved in the second half to the grass bank on the other side of the pitch. This seemed a great sun trap whilst the clubhouse side was like a wind tunnel.

Disappointingly the tea hut did not open till the 40th minute and then we found that there was no food - hot or cold! So I missed my regular Saturday afternoon burger,

The first half was evenly matched but the visitors were slightly  the better footballing team but it was Raunds who got the only goal and went in at the break one up.

Second half started in the same fashion but after 50 minutes the home side went two up and five minutes later the Olney number 9 saw red (he did look like he was past his sell by date) that should have been game over.

But 10 man Olney now dominated and soon were back on terms. the last 10 minutes saw a number of players also try to get an early bath - is there a problem with hot water at Raunds? The home goal keeper seemed to be one quite keen to leave the pitch early luck for Raunds he stayed on the pitch as in the 87th minute he stretched himself to save a penalty, ensuring the game finished all square.

What did amaze me was how the ref never sent any of the Olney bench off - they certainly were not a great advert for non-league football.