Start with a win

Friday 15 August 2025, Ipswich Town Under 21s 4 Derby County Under 21s 3 - Premier League 2, Community Stadium, Colchester United

Now Ipswich have Cat 1 Academy, we are now in Premier League 2, good news football wise not great for supporters as games having to be played at Colchester United. Fans were outnumbered in the stand by club staff, stewards, fringe players and parents!

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.

Why bother?

Tuesday 12 August 2025, Bromley 1 Ipswich Town 1 (Bromley win 5-4 on pens) - LC, Round 1, Hayes Lane

If we are not going to take cup games seriously, why bother entering? Think the first half training game display by Leif Davis summed the whole night up! 

Danish weekend Game 4 & 5

Final two games of the weekend and both games at the Valby Sports complex

Saturday 2 August 2025, Vigerslev BK 0 IF Skjold Birkerod 5 - Friendly, Opvisningsbanen  i Valby Idraetspark

Easy metro trip to Copenhagen South Station, then just a 10 minute walk to the Valby Sports complex, very large with 2 sports halls, an indoor Handball arena, the main stadium of BK Frem, BK Frem clubhouse ( about 200 metres from stadium and numerous grass and G3 football pitches plus an American Football pitch and a cricket pitch ( with a game being played on their today).

3 of the outside pitches are on the Futbology App, 1 Grass and 2 x G3. I was off to see Frem at 2pm and spotted two Pre-season games being played by Regional League sides at 12 noon, trouble is App had them both down as on same pitch. On arrival quickly realised it was Fremad Valby were playing on the pitch indicated and that the other home team, down to play - Vigerslev BK were playing on another pitch and one right next to BK Frem stadium and the one used by Fremad Valby and Vigerslev BK for league games. Both pitches were G3 but the Opvisningsbanen pitch ( think a rough translation is Exhibition Pitch) had an area for spectators on one side inside the cage, railed and two small stands of bench seating, two wooden dug outs, now converted to small stands if wet and a tea/beer hut ( not open today). The other pitch being used today by Fremad, was just a cage with no spectator area.

Game started quite even with both teams having chances, with the visitors managing to convert one chance on 32 minutes. Second half was a different game with the visitors dominating and adding a further 4 goals. After 62 minutes the Ref disappeared, again lightning seemed the reason, but we had no rain, both teams stayed on the pitch and the other football ame and the cricket game continued to play on!

The match officials returned and the game continued, then we did get the rain- plus thunder and the game was quickly stopped and agreed that the score would stand as there were only a few minutes left. 

It was then just a 2 minute walk to the BK Frem stadium for a 2pm kick off but because of rain and possible lightning, kick off was put back to 2.30pm. 

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.

The men's team are in the 1st Division and are in the process of improving their stadium. One large seated stand on the side, also has hospitality areas plus all changing rooms and club offices, only stand open for this game, Opposite a new stand is being built but guess a few more months till that is open. Behind one goal, new terracing is being built and looked as if almost completed. Behind the other goal  is a sports hall, so the ground will always be 3 sided. 

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

Easy Metro and short bus trip to a large sports complex, B.93 using their ground whilst their own ground in the north of the city is under renovation, they should be moving back north this month - have put some more info on that in the Stadium News post in the International Hopping section.

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.

Game was very disappointing, Brondby had drawn the first leg and dominated play from the start but only managed to score once, on 30 minutes. Second half, Brondby still had most of the ball but still looked very toothless and it almost cost them, as the visitors suddenly realised they still had a chance and took the game to the Danes for the last 5 minutes and had a number of close chances to get back on terms, fortunately for the home team they managed to hold on but can't see them going much further in this competition unless they up their game.

Afterwards it was chaos even with probably a few thousand fans cycling to the game, the roads soon jammed up and as the train station is a good distance to walk, waiting for a bus was a lengthy process, surprised that they never had buses lined up to take fans to the 'S' Bahn station. So if planning a trip to Brondby, walking back to the station may be quicker.

Borrowed home

Tuesday 29 July 2025, Ipswich Town 2 Charlton Athletic 1 - PSF, Community Stadium, Colchester United

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Ipswich playing their only 'home' pre-season game at Colchester - due to Ipswich working on their pitch after Sheeran concerts, Ipswich have paid for and sorted out the Colchester pitch as this ground will also host Ipswich Town Women after their promotion to WSL2, and possibly Ipswich Under 21 games this season - not a decision that has pleased many Town fans.

Ipswich dominated 80 minutes of the game but somehow only managed to win 2-1, with all goals coming in the second half over a very short period.

Sat in the main stand and was able to wat h the touchline antics of Nathan Jones at close hand, a 'poor mans' Diego Simeone.

On the way home

Saturday 26 July 2025, Darlington 3 Altrincham1 - PSF, Blackwell Meadows

Darlington, may be a division lower but they started and finished the game on top. Took Altrincham 30 minutes to get into the game and by that stage they were already behind as the home team went in front after 10 minutes. 

Altrincham looked far sharper at the start of the second half and got back on level terms after 66 minutes, i thought the visitors would go on and win but Darlington got themselves back in front after 71 minutes and then finished the stronger and added a third from a header after 87 minutes.

Ground is shared with Rugby Union but that gives the club the benefit of a good clubhouse and bar/catering facilities. Modern, out of town, may lack character but ideal for a club hoping to move up to the National League.