Away Days- Wembley

Crespo, Patty and Big Al, down Wembley way

Well who would have thunk it?  One Wembley appearance in 110 years, and within three months we get two.  And what contrasting days they turned out to be.....

In February, the mighty bantams made history, becoming the first team from the fourth tier of the Football League, to make a major Cup Final, the Capital One cup.  Hopes were high, as on route to the final against Swansea, three Premier League teams, including Arsenal, had been vanquished.  But the Bantams performance was as grim as the miserable winters day it was played on.  Out played from the first whistle, the first (and only) shot mustered by the boys in claret and amber was not until the 88th minute.  The final 5-0 score line could easily have been doubled, if not trebled, had the Swans not taken their foot off the gas pedal.  Combined with the coach ride from Hell, it was one of the worst days of my life, easily finding a spot in my top ten.

We can see you sneaking out!!!

So on to May, where against all expectations we found ourselves travelling down, by TRAIN, to the play off finals.  Blocking our path to League One was Northampton Town.  The weather was perfect for football, bright and sunny, but not too hot.  Yes the ground was half full, so some atmosphere was lost, but hopes were high after the away demolition of Burton Albion in the semi final.  Of course, this being Bradford City FC, everybody expected a stressful afternoon, recent history suggesting we wound be put the through the wringer several times before the final whistle blew.  But those thoughts were soon dashed.  Three up within thirty minutes, the rest of the game was played out in cruise control, and the dark memories of the February just past were vanquished, CTID.

On what planet is this a pie?

So what about the stadium?  As with all modern structures, it lacks any kind of soul, and anybody who thought sticking up a lopsided arch would rectify this, was sadly mistaken.  Of course, as with all modern structures, there isn't a bad seat in the house.  The seats are comfortable, the concourses are wide and the concession stands clean, quick and efficient.  The toilets are vast (no queuing) and the size of the joint is quite impressive.  But I would still take an Away day to Brentfords Griffin Park over it.


Statistics

• Capacity-90,000
• Concessions- Yes they are expensive. But for your money you get ultra quick service, a good variety (you can buy fish and chips) and the portions are pretty generous.  Yet they lack something, being in the main the fast food, never mind the quality look how big it is!
• Built- 2007
• Did You Know?- The stadium contains 2,168 toilets, more than any venue in the world
• Visited By- Euro Bri, El Grande Queso, Crespo, Funky, Big Al, Helmet, Geester, Jamon and Malccy and just about everybody chuffing else now...
• Rating- Mount Olympus- If for no other reason than the name Wembley. It has hosted numerous finals, Live Aid and is known throughout the world.  Apart from Pele, every single one of the worlds elite players has graced its hallowed turf, and no matter what kind of structure stood here, it would still be an iconic venue. And lets face it, what other ground can you sing about visiting?  Que sera, sera!

Away Days

A follow up to the earlier posting of the Mighty Bantams victorious semi-final win, over two legs, against Aston Villa.  I won't dwell too much on the game itself, after all I have all ready posted a thread, and if you are a follower of the Mighty Bantams or Inept Villains, you will be all to familiar with what went done that glorious night.  This is all about the the ground, the world renowned Villa Park.  I have visited this fine stadium three times, and seen my team lose each time, which being a Bradford city fan ain't to surprising.  The problem I have rating this joint is the fact that I have always gone straight to the game, and then straight home.  So apart from the ground itself, I don't know much about the surroundings.  The brick facade is very nice, and the Holte pub just outside looks a good boozer.  Inside, there isn't a bad seat, and both the giant screens are pretty impressive.  But I got no feeling for the place, not like you do when on a proper Away Day.  When you catch the train down, find a boozer full of your fellow supporters pre-match, and then mingle with some non aggressive home fans afterwards.  So all I can do is comment on what a fine stadium it is.  A good size, fans generate a good volume (although it tailed off massively after James Hanson planted the ball in the back of the net) and the exterior and interior are not the generic bland structures that are de rigeur for the shiny new out of town stadia, that lack any kind of soul.  Would like to go again, but with a bit more time get a true reflection of where it should rank.

Sorry for the lack of photos and video footage, got to the game late, and fucked up the video panorama.

Statistics

• Capacity-42,788
• Concessions- A tough one to call.  Home of the original Balti pie, and I was looking well forward to scarfing one, but due to our late arrival, they had sold out! Instead I was left with probably the most insipid hot dog I have ever had the miss fortune to get my chompers round.  Disappointed or disappointing? Will have to hope for another trip some time in the future.....
• Built-1897
• Did You Know?- Has hosted a record 55 FA Cup semi-finals
• Visited By- Euro Bri, El Grande Queso, Crespo, Funky, Big Al, Helmet, Geester, Jamon and Malccy
• Rating- Field of Dreams- My suspicion is this actually a grade higher, but as outlined above, I don't think I have had the pleasure of the full Villa match day experience. if I do, I shall revisit this post, and make the necessary amendments.

Away Days

I have decided it is time to reintroduce an old thread, Away Days.  It was always quite popular, and with next year providing several opportunities for new venues, I felt it prudent to catch up on the back log of stadiums and arenas that have all ready been visited.  It also gives me something to post every week, as to be honest, the Squad has fragmented, and we don't really do a great deal at the moment.

So this week we are winging our way to my state of births capital, Columbus Ohio.  What makes the trip different to my other American reports, is that it features the most European of sports, football.  Or as the locals call it soccer.  Whether it is due to it's strong German ethnicity, Columbus has always been something of a football hot bed (if there can actually be such a thing in the US).  The Crew name was voted for by fans, and the gold and black kit is more than a little bit garish, but it is the club badge that is a bit odd.  As you can see it is a little bit on the camp side. Sure the Buckeyes are the big local draw (College grid iron for those who don't know) but the Crew continue to prosper.  One of the original 10 teams of Major League Soccer, they were champions in 2008. 

So what about the stadium.  Well first up the minus point.  It is quite a ways out of town, and as with all cities outside of New York and Chicago, public transport is non existent, which means car or taxi.  This also means you are a captive audience, so what they charge for beer puts even  European prices to shame.  And they ID everybody it seems, so make sure you have drivers license with you., or even better, get half cut before arrival.  Lastly on the downside, the playing standard. Passes are misplaced, runs ignored and open goals spurned.  There is some talent out there, but I would liken it a top Divison 2 team, or perhaps a mid league Division 1 side.  Being a Bradford City fan, it was an actual improvement of what I have become accustomed too over the last few seasons.

But the pros easily outweigh the cons.  For a start they play through the summer, so the weather is almost always perfect.  Evening games are pleasant, just about perfect.  Apart from the beer, the concessions are brilliant.  The night I was there, it was dollar dog night, so a fat juicy eight incher could be had for the princely sum of 60p. Jamon would be in heaven.  The ground itself is not bad either.  Just a smidgen over 20,000, with not a bad seat.  The price was pretty good as well.  If memory serves it was around $25 for the cheapest seats, although I got mine off a guy who had some spare season tickets for $15.  Bargain.  But this being America, the best thing were the cheer leaders.  I spied several future Mrs Euro's, and when the Crew score, they do some serious shaking.  Nice. Gotta love them corn fed Mid-West girls....

Statistics

• Capacity-20,455
• Concessions- The beer is pricey,but the grub is top notch.  Brats, Hot Dogs, Burgers, Pizza...the list is almost endless.  Service is quick and efficient, and for what you get, good value.
• Built-1999
• Did You Know?- It was the first soccer specific stadium built in the United States.
• Visited By- Euro Bri, American Frank and my mum
• Rating- Field of Dreams- This ground pretty much eptiomises average.  Pretty much like the city itself. The kind of place that is nice enough, but you wouldn't really put on your bucket list.

Top Ten 10....Away Day Wish List

Me and Alfredo were discussing getting back into the habit of our infamous Away Day jaunts the other day, and it got me thinking "What would be my ideal wish list?" Now I have been pretty lucky. Over the years most of my "Must Do" stadia have been visited. But there are several that have eluded me, and considering the advancing years and lack of funds, a couple will probably have to be visited in another life. So here they are, my El Dorado of Away Day wishes, scored out of ten for the the likelihood that they will be achieved, 0 for never and 10 for I have already got the t shirt ready.

1. La Bombonera- Home of Boca Juniors, this 61,000 capacity stadium in the suburbs of Buenos Aries is world renowned for for the noise and atmosphere generated by it's supporters, especially during the derby game against arch rivals River Plate. When the crowd begin to bounce in unison, the stadium is said to shake to it's foundations. Alas, Argentina is not just around the corner, and expensive to reach. Plus you would want to be going for at least a fortnight, which is a tough sell to the notorious M.R.S. Tickets are also hard to come by, and nigh on impossible for the River Plate game. So unless a EuroMillions win on the lottery is forthcoming, this gets a miserly 1 out of 10 chance of attending.

2.  Wembley- Even though it is in my home land, and a mere two hour something train ride away from my house, I have never been. I have always wanted to make my first visit to the spiritual home of football to watch the Mighty Bantams, which is difficult, considering they have managed to play there all of once, since the original was erected in 1923. That game was in 1996, and for some inexplicable reason, I didn't go. To this day I know not why. There were ample tickets, and I knew plenty of people who went, but for some long forgotten reason, I stayed at home. So if a visit to watch the Bantams looks unlikely, it will probably be the national team, or the Cleveland Browns (if the NFL continue it's annual game) whom I go to see. Considering it is now a 90,000 all seater, there is every chance I will get there. 10/10

3. Westfalenstadion- Home of Borussia Dortmund, this 80,000 capacity monster is regularly voted the best place to watch a game of football in Europe. Similar to Wembley, my hope is to see the mighty Lowen take the field against the home side, which to be frank, is a million times more likely to happen than Bradford City once again gracing the the hallowed turf of Wembley. So when 1860 finally manage to haul themselves back into the top tier of the Bundesliga, I will be there front and centre. Even if I have to take the Elster. 10/10

4. Stadio San Paolo- When the Bender Squad was in it's full glory, we traveled once a year, with out fail, to some of the best known stadiums in Europe. The Nou Camp, Bernabeau, Anfield, Highbury, Amsterdam Arena and the Allianz Arena to name but a few. To this list we aimed to add an Italian adventure, but for some reason it never happened. Kids and less disposable income were the main culprits, although the high cost of boozing in Italy also was a factor. The hope was we go to the San Siro in Milan, and I even began to price up a trip, but since then I have had a slight change of heart. Yes going to Milan or Turin, even Rome is the the obvious choice, but I feel some strange force drawing me towards Napoli. The city itself looks more lively, and the stadium looks a bit livelier as well. Of course the dream is to do all of them, but if I was given one, at this moment in time I would plump for the 51,000 capacity San Paolo. I will probably visit another Italian ground before this one, so it scores a lowly 3/10

5. St Jakob Park- The home of FC Basel, our Swiss branch of the Bender Squad has extended an open invitation to visit. I fancy it big time, although at £8 a pint, I may struggle to find a lot of takers. Of course, I always have the Shoutster to fall back on, and you only live once, so I will make it there in the not to distant future. 10/10

6. Emile Versé Stadium- Home of Anderlecht. I have no dying urge to go to this particular stadium. In fact I only picked it because it's in Brussels, and it's the biggest stadium in town. It could easily be any other, but it's the Belgian capital I fancy celebrating my 50th in, and at that age I will need a couple of hours off the booze. In fact I'll probably snooze through most of the game.... 8/10

7. Estádio da Luz- To be honest I totally forgot about this one, and it should be at number 4, but I can't be arsed re-editing this thread, so at number seven it stays. The Stadium of Light, home of Benfica is 65,000 beast in the city of Lisbon. The original was once the biggest in Europe at a whopping 120,000, but the new one will do just nicely. Now a couple of years back we had great hopes of making the Brazil 2014 World Cup, but those hopes are all but dead, barring a lottery jackpot, or being sexually harassed at work and receiving a huge out of court settlement. So we aren't going. Now they speak Portuguese in Brazil, so a cheaper alternative could be a spring visit to take in a match. I shall make it so... 8/10

8. Estadio Azteca- The worlds largest football specific stadium (fifth overall) is a true beast. It is also one of the planets most iconic. The 1970 world cup final, and Diego's hand of God are just a couple of the famous footballing acts to take part on this stage, but it is the strange shadow that was in the middle of the pitch that sticks in my mind. This would warrant a higher place in my rankings but for one thing. Mexico scares the shit out of me. Psychotic cats chasing super speedy mice are one thing, but the steady stream of Hollywood blockbusters portraying the place as some kind of uber violent wild west town give me the willies. My fears may well be unfounded, but trying to keep tabs on the likes of Shouty and Geezers in this bandit town means it scores a 1/10

9. San Siro- There was a time when this would have been top of the list, and at one point wheels were put in motion to facilitate a trip, but it just kind of petered out. Maybe because of this, my interest waned. The 80,000 seat beast still looks magnificent, but the more I have heard about Milan the city, the less enthusiasm I have for it. I reckon it would be a good stop on a mini tour of northern Italy, but that is about it. Yet it is still the first name that crops up when a European away Day is touted. It for this reason alone that I envision a visit. 7/10

10. New York Baseball- You may well have noticed that up till now all the Away Days have featured Association Football.  Till now.  My second favourite sport in the world is baseball, and there is arguably no bigger baseball town than New York.  Both the Yankees and the Mets play in brand new state of the art stadiums, built near where their old yards used to stand.  Now I confess my preference would be to go see the Bronx Bombers, but there seems to be some dark forces at work, as every time I visit the Big Apple they are out of town.  This leaves the less fashionable Mets, who play out in Queens.  They play in a new stadium that has been built in a retro style, styled on old Ebbetts Field, the demolished home of the long departed Brooklyn Dodgers.  And they just happen to be at home during my next visit to the city that never sleeps... Yankee Stadium 5/10  Citi Park 10/10

 So that's the 10 to do list before I die.  You may have noticed there is no Brazilian venues on my list.  Lets face it, their league teams are pretty dull (bet you can't name more than three teams) and the national team plays most of it's fixtures in London now.  As i explained, the next World Cup is probably four years to early for me.  In 2018 I will be, fingers crossed, mortgage free, and the kids SHOULD be long gone.  And if I was going to go to Brazil, I reckon it would be the beach volleyball that I would head for...  Still, with a bit of luck, I will be updating this list in a couple of years, as I hope to have got around at least four of these places. 

Bender Alert

A quick heads up concerning the first shindig of 2012. Six of us are heading down the Smoke for a bit of a knees up on the 10th of Feb. The occasion is to watch the Mighty Bantams take on the real Dons, aka AFC Wimbledon in a League Two clash on the 11th, but as ever that will be incidental to a couple of days on the lash round old London Town. Digs and train tickets are all ready booked, so anyone who wants to tag along needs to get a wriggle on. Any queries give me a holler.

Away Day- Hertha Berlin

Finally, I have managed to upload my pictures from the 1860 game in Berlin. But that is only because they are off my phone, the only piece of equipment my beleaguered computer seems to recognise via a USB connection. Any how, enough of my PC woes, and on to the first Away Day of 2011.

This year our Lowen trip was to Berlin, to watch them play champions elect Hertha. Alas, due to the kick of time, neither Downhill or the Major were able to make it to the ground on time, and the rest of the usual suspects were grounded by a combination of money (lack of) and spouse (lack of understanding) So for the second time it was left to the intrepid duo of my good self and the Right Honourable Shouty. The ground is something of an anomaly in Germany. It actually isn't that far from population. Not close mind, but not a good forty minutes by train or bus. The place was originally built by the Nazis for the 1936 Olympic games. It is this combination of bombast and efficiency that gives the place a very original look. From the purpose built U-Bahn stop, via the short stroll towards the stadium, it has a very nostalgic feel to it. Approaching the entrance there is a row of wurst and beer stands to soak up a bit of pre match, before entering through the very grand pillars sporting the Olympic rings. The one strange thing about the place, is that it seems to have been built into a natural amphitheatre, so there is no concourse running round the stands. This means all the concessions stand are on the outer perimeter, and the toilets are a port a cabin outside the ground all together. But the inside is magnificent. Even though it has a running track around it, you don't feel like you are miles from the action. The roof, which was added for the 2006 World cup final, does a fine job of keeping the noise in as well, and the home fans certainly gave it their all. This is, in short, the kind of stadium that is unlikely to be built again. Instead we are left with the new faceless stadia, that are built to make sure you are never more than 50 metres from a concession stand, and have ample parking, due to the fact that are rarely in the actual borough of the team they claim to represent as home. No, I am afraid places such as this, which actually make you look in wonder and lift the soul, are going the way of the dodo. If you are in Berlin, I would highly recommend a visit.

Statistics

• Capacity- 74,500
  
• Concessions- It is Germany, so you know it's good. Beer vendors are every where (although they had all run dry by half time) and you could also get a three litre bucket of the amber nectar that would pretty much last you throughout the game (Shouty bought ours twenty minutes before full time) The wurst was also excellent.
  
• Built-1936
  
• Did You Know?- Has there ever been a stadium that could claim the history of this one? Jesse Owens won his four gold medals within these walls, and Usain Bolt established world bests for both the 100m and 200m on the new track. Italy won their fourth World Cup here as well. However, there plans to demolish it at one point, due to it's Nazi legacy.
  
• Visited By- Euro Bri and Shouty
  
• Rating- Mount Olympus- One of the finest looking stadiums I have ever seen. The exterior is pretty much a one off original. Inside it's no slouch either, although the openness of the ground doesn't give it the intimidatory feel of places such as the Bernabeau, which is probably the only place that I would rate as a better football stadium.

Away Days...Fortuna 2 Lowen 0

It's a bit late, but I nearly forgot to post the game report, and Away Day thread from our recent sojourn to Dusseldorf.

First up the match. As you would expect from a team comfortably resigned to mid table mediocrity, 1860's performance had a touch of lethargy about it, as they dreamt of sunny beaches. Fortuna, on the other hand, still had a decent shout at finishing in the play off spot, and played like it. from the off the lads in blue in and white were under the cosh, and the surprise was they were only a goal up at half time. The second half was closer, TSV even had a good chance, wasted, but there was only ever one team in it, and the injury time penalty scored by Fortuna, was fair enough. In fact if they had won by four or five, it would not have been an unfair reflection.

Wurst rating- Two choices of sausage, I plumped for the Bratwurst, served with a lovely ice cold Kolsch. Which you could sit and drink in your seat. Hell they even had a guy walking through the crowd with a keg on his back. How could you not score it a perfect 10/10?

Statistics

• Capacity- 51,500
  
• Concessions- Two kinds of beer (Alt and Kolsch) served cold, for £3. Sausage by the yard, and a team of servers, who get you served in double quick time. English football clubs should be made to go to Germany to see how it's done.
  
• Built-2004
  
• Did You Know?- It has a retractable roof, which means it can also host a variety of different events, such as Phil Collins concerts. The naming rights are currently held by fashion group Esprit, of whose underpants Crespo once paid €50 for a pair.
  
• Visited By- Euro Bri, Dr Shotgun, Major, Shouty, Crespo, Sprocket and Dessi
  
• Rating- Coliseum. About a fifteen minute train ride out of town. The place has like a huge fabricated wall surrounding all four sides, giving it an appearance of a big warehouse, if truth be told. Inside, however, is different kettle of fish, and it doesn't have a bad seat in the house. The crowd, at about 30,000-ish, made a good row, and if Fortuna make it to the Bundesliga, I reckon it will be a great place to watch a game of football. The taxi ride back in too town along the river was pretty cool as well.

Away Day.....Stanley 2 Bnatams 0

First up, the game. Last week was THE worst game of football I have ever seen, so this week was bound to be an improvement, at least that's what myself, Shotgun and Crespo hoped for as we set off across the snowy Pennines. And it was.....just. The early promising skirmishes soon gave way to the usual wayward passing, and the first half descended into a mild form of torture, made worse by the lack of pies. Yes the pitch was not the greatest, but it was a bright crisp day, perfect for football, and you would have thought at least a little bit of effort would have been shown to give the nearly 2,000 travelling fans to cheer about. The second half was not much better, and sections of the City crowd started to taunt each other. In fact things looked as though they might get a bit tasty, when Stanley strolled through the heart of our defense and scored. This was a feat they manged again shortly after, and the game was up. As bad as the Grimsby game? Not quite, but I don't envy Peter Taylor his task. The lack of cohesion is probably something that can be addressed, but the lack of effort or urgency shown through out the team will prove harder to shake, I fear. Rochdale away, who ripped us a new a-hole earlier in the year are next, although City have a tendency to pull out unlikely victories when playing teams who who are flying high. I won't, however be placing a brass penny on them to do so.

So what about the ground? As regular readers will be aware, I am a bit of an old romantic, with a soft spot for old lower league stadia from a bygone era. But this was just plain crap. Queueing up in a sea of mud in my suede pulling trainers, put me in a black mood, and when I spied through the fencing that there were no pies on the menu, I nearly turned tail for the nearest pub. Combine this with very sweet, but very geriatric turnstile attendants who took an age to grant you access to the ground, and the score plummeted. Inside the ground (You couldn't mistake this place for a stadium in a million years) the view wasn't that bad, and yes, it did have a certain quaintness. The home fans were also good value, even having the cheek to sing "What's it like to see a crowd?" to the visiting fans, who in fact outnumbered them. Not a bad day out, although thanks to Crespo we got there too late for a pint.

I have uploaded a samall gallery here.

Statistics

• Capacity-5,057
  
• Concessions- No Pies!!! Deep in Lancashire, acknowledged as pie country, and there was not one hot, filling, tasty, lovely savoury pastry to be seen anywhere. There was the usual assortment of e-coli in a bun, but no pies!! They even taunted the crowd with a big advertising hoarding for Clayton Pies, with the slogan "Pietastic at Stanley!" If I wasn't such a lazy old toad, I would be taking legal advice for false advertising. Rubbish doesn't quite do justice to the awfulness. Saying that, the chips looked nice.
  
• Built- 1968, with piss and vinegar by the looks of it.
  
• Did You Know?-That wearing ultra cool, suede pulling trainers is a massive no-no? Well let me tell you it is. The area surrounding the ground is a mire of mud. Not any kind of mud, but the diarrhea texture variety that gets everywhere.
  
• Visited By- Euro Bri, Shotgun, Helmet and Crespo
  
• Rating- Allotment- I hate to harp on about it, but my trainers are still recovering. Apart from that, it is hard to find, doesn't sell pies, the away end is basically a breeze block pen, and the sun shone in your eyes. For this reason, a new category has been created, as we all came to the conclusion that it was below even the rating of Garden Shed. A more worthy tag was felt be that of "Allotment." And before you ask, Crespo and Shotgun were also sporting their pulling trainers.

Away Day

It looks like all systems go for the first Away Day of 2010. The date is the 20th of February and the destination is Accrington, to see the Bantams take on Stanley. As things stand in the league, it looks to be a mid table, going no where kind of clash, but what the Hell, it's not all about glory. Signed up so far is myself, Crespo and Shotgun, with the possibility that we can drag Sprocket down to our level. Of course it is an open invitation, but the M.R.S. seem to have some form of death grip on a lot of members, so I do not envision a great crowd. The only other away fixture that takes my fancy, is too Chesterfiled, to visit Saltergate before the Spirerites follow the depressing trend of moving to some soulless out of town stadium for the 2010/11 season. Of course if by some miracle we string a succession of wins together, and get amongst the play off places, there could be more to come. But judging recent performances, it may be more prudent to begin scouting Conference teams for our Away days next year.

Away Days.....Sixfields Stadium

What a perfect day to visit a lower league football ground. The sun was shining, it was warm and my hangover was manageable. Myself and Crespo had been told it would take us a minimum of three hours to get there from Bradford, by Helmet and Queso, but from setting off from my gaff to a pleasant pub in the outlying town of Daventry took just under two hours. Our travelling contingent was supposed to be much higher, we even had the chance of free tickets from one of the Bantams players dad, but it ended up just me Kilt Boy. Helmet was at home, paying the price for excesses of the previous night. He texted me to say he had woken on his sofa, covered in vomit and praying to the sweet baby Jesus to end his suffering. And he wonders why I think he will be the first Squad member to expire. Dr Shotgun was also a late withdrawal. His excuse was much simpler. He is a faggot. Don't be ringing me up and complaining either, Alfie boy, as when I called you this name, via text, you were in full agreement. Enough background information, and onto the ground. Sadly, and it is yet another venue that has fallen into the trap of being built in an out of town retail park. Yes you get find ample parking, and get away relatively quickly, but that is because, unless you fancy a KFC or a MaccyD's, there is bugger all worth staying for, although on the day we went, EA Sports had a big stand where you could try out the new FIFA 10 video game. Even more strangely, it is built at the base of a hill, which affords anyone who is passing a free view of the game, something which a handful of tight fisted locals were all to keen to exploit. The away stand, as ever at this level, was full. And even better me and Kev know now new song, which we immediately forget on the way home. The home fans were a pretty docile bunch, not even getting that animated when they equalised in the last minute, and their song catalogue was thin.

Statistics

• Capacity-7,653
  
• Concessions- No Beer!!! The stand is a tiny offering in the corner of the stand, so because there is no place that you can't see the pitch, there is no booze. However, the pies were good, and they had a good selection, including something called a pizza pod. Sauce was dispensed via sachets, grrrrrr, but at least they proper brands, such as HP Sauce, Colemans and Heinz.
  
• Built-1994
  
• Did You Know?-That you can see a MacDonald's and a KFC from the away end.
  
• Visited By- Euro Bri and Crespo
  
• Rating- Garden Shed- Out of town, small and a quiet home crowd do not make this a great place for watching a game of football, although the stands do provide a good view. But it is the out of town aspect that I still struggle to comprehend. Why would you divert thousands of people away from your downtown local businesses, out to a faceless retail park full of evil multi-nationals? It makes absolutely no sense whats so ever. I don't buy the hooligan excuse, as all train stations are in town centres, and all the firms always seem to rendezvous in/or around bars in built up areas. If local councils were serious about regenerating their centres, this modern trend for building near motorways and the like needs to end.
  

Away Days.......Rochdale

After a long summer sabbatical, and in conjunction with the with the start of the latest football season, it is time to relaunch the Away Days thread. It also coincides with the first voyage of the season, although the twenty or so miles myself and Dr Shotgun travelled over the Pennines hardly does the word service. It was our first experience of the world renowned Johnstones Paint Trophy, which is contested amongst the bottom two divisions, on a north/south divide, for the right to play on the hallowed turf at Wemberley. But our hopeful journey to the massive 90,000 capacity began at what could only be described as the polar opposite, Spotland, home of Rochdale A.F.C. It is a nice little ground, well served by a social club at one end, and a proper old school pub nearer the away end. And it is just as well they have somewhere to drown their sorrows, as the poor buggers have been rooted in the bottom division of the English professional leagues since 1974, a mind boggling 36 years. And us Bantams think we have had it hard.


Statistics

• Capacity-10,249
  
• Concessions- The best reason for visiting. Proper pies, and proper pints, served at decent prices (pies £2, pint of lager £3). They even have a contra flow system to make getting served a quick and painless chore. The knob heads running the stands at Valley Parade would be well advised to visit and take notes. Where is Jamon when you need him??
  
• Built-1920
  
• Did You Know?- Ummmmmmmmmmm...It's in Rochadale?
  
• Visited By- Euro Bri, Dr Shotgun and El Grande Queso
  
• Rating- Coliseum. I was going to go higher. It is in a residential area, so there are plenty of boozers. The grub in the stadium is great. The fans give it there all (although there is not a great deal of them) and both times I have been, it has been a pretty good craic. But it is just lacking a certain something. Maybe it's because both times I have driven over for the game, which always takes the edge off proceedings. You get a much better feeling for the place if you spend some time around the district that it is in. This fact could result in an upgraded rating at a later date.

Away Days

A return for "Away Days" has long been overdue. I have been Shanghaied by both Crespo and Dr Shotgun not posting me the relevant pics and clips. A big thank you to the good Doctor, who has forwarded me what was required, and a big "Ya Boo" too that loafing scoundrel Crespo. Pull your finger out!!

So first up is Gigg Lane, home to both Bury Football Club, currently of League Two, and also FC United of Manchester, formed by irate supporters of Manchester United in protest of the Glazer family takeover. I had been about ten years ago, the season the Bantams were promoted, but was laid low with a hangover, and had only vague recollections. The Shakers have been stalwarts of the lower leagues, and this is reflected in the size of their stadium, a modest affair, located in the middle of a housing estate. Early signs were good, they have a social club attached, and for a small visitors fee of £1, you gain entrance to a fine bar area. It is very much in the fashion of an old school northern working mans club, but the service is efficient, the glasses glass and the prices reasonable. They even have Sky Sports. An excellent start. I had no allusions that this was to be a grand stadia in the style of the Bernabeau, but I love a small ground with a bit of character and charm as much a gigantic bowl, so this wasn't to go against the home of the Shakers. It was still terracing, again a nice chamge to the souless all seaters, but that was pretty much it. The toilets were spectacularly terrible. There was no trough, just a tiled wall, a concrete camphor, and a cut in half pipe running against the wall. Splash back was horrific. The pie stand sold great pies and pasties, but was the size of a broom cupboard, and took forever to get served. But for this level the atmosphere was above average, and I could think of plenty worse places to watch the Beautiful Game.

Statistics

• Capacity-11,000
  
• Concessions- Shame about the size of the Pie Stand, 'cause the pies were of a high standard. NO BEER!!!
  
• Built-1885
  
• Did You Know?- The blue and white seats in the main stand form the word B-U-R-Y. If you can unearth a more interesting fact, be my guest...
  
• Visited By- Euro Bri and Dr Shotgun
  
• Rating-Park Pitch- It has so many things going for it, good pies, the social club and is ion the borough it represents, but it is just lacking something. The lack of fans doesn't help, but with both Manchester clubs a bus ride away it is understandable. Might have made the "Field of Dreams" grade, but the fact that my shoes got covered in piss put paid to that.

Crespo Hood and his Merry Men

As the League Two season gets down to the nitty gritty. Crespo is ferrying Friar Euro and Little Shotgun down to Nottingham, as the Mighty Bantams look to bounce back from last weeks beating, by turning over the Magpies at Meadow Lane. Three points are essential against the Worlds oldest professional football team, if we are to keep up our hopes of an automatic promotion place. Of course while we are in this neck of the woods, it would be rude not to take a detour via the UK's only Hooters. Hurrah! There will be an Away Day post to follow, along with the usual match report, featuring a County pie rating. Mmmmmmm...Pie.

Away Days

After much procrastination, I am finally posting the Away Day of our sojourn to see the Bantams take on the Bees of Brentford, at Griffin park. I had been looking forward to this trip since our ignominious fall from the Premier League. Why? Because it is the only footie stadium in the country to boast a boozer on every corner. Don't catch the tube, but go on the overground train, as it is a damn site closer, and within a short stroll of the first of the pubs. The ground itself is a peach, smack in the middle of the place it represents. The pubs are all worthy stops, but my favourite was the New Inn, which had a flat screen set up outside, behind a perspex shield, so all the poor smokers could watch the football without missing a kick. The ground itself is actually known as Griffin Park because of its close ties with Fullers brewery. Inside, the away end was two tiered, upstairs is seating, but in the spirit of this old stadia, we decided to do something that you can no longer do in the top two leagues. We stood. On a terrace. A trip down memory lane. The first half was dull, but the second half was a stormer, and being stood on a terrace made it all the more memorable. I even managed to start a chant, lauding my hero doppelgänger Super Barry Conlon. Kev hung his head in shame. After the match the locals seemed friendly, but the Paulcano, Hefner and Stevie V might disagree, as the high tailed to the train station after getting some bad vibes off some local ne'er do wells. Stuff the Premier Leagues, I am beginning to enjoy this division.

The picture below features the pubs on each corner of the ground. You will have to trust me on the last one, I was getting a bit fresh by the time we got to it.


Statistics

• Capacity-12,763
  
• Concessions- They had pies, and unbelievably they were cheaper than Bradford's, by a whole 10p! Who said everything costs more down sarf. But now the bad news. Not only did you have to queue up in a small lake to purchase your half time treats, but they didn't sell beer! A ground surrounded by pubs, with strong ties to a local brewery, and they didn't sell beer! For shame...
  
• Built-1904
  
• Did You Know?- The ground is directly under the flight path to London Heathrow, and the roofs of the stands are hired out for advertising. The space is currently used by Qatar Airways
  
• Visited By- Euro Bri, Shouty, Crespo, Paulcano, Hefner and Stevie V
  
• Rating-Mount Olympus- In a similar vein to Grimsbys ground, this place is a diamond. Yes it is antiquated, the roof leaks, and there is a stream running past the concession stand, but this is the kind of place that real football was built for. Not some vast out of town abomination, built to get away from as soon as the match ends, but to represent the community that gave birth to it. I know I am coming over all left wing, but I am enjoying my trips to away games more over the last two or three seasons than i ever did when we reached the pinnacle of the English professional leagues. I will take a trip to a ground like this over a million Reeboks, Pride Parks or Riversides any day.

Millers 0 Bantams 2

First up the match. It was colder than a penguins chuff, and the first half did little to warm the cockles, as I felt City were lucky to make into the changing room all square. It seemed only a matter of time, as the Millers seemed to get crosses in at will during one spell, only for their strikers to continually miss the target. McCall must have torn the side a new arsehole at half time, and we dominated the first ten minutes. But yet again, we let them back into the game. With a quarter of an hour to go, any City fan in the ground, with the possible exception of Charlie, would have settled for a draw. But that was not on the mind of the impressive O'Brien. Having put in yet another valiant display, he broke forward, the Rotherham defence backing off, till he reached the edge of the opposition penalty area, unleashing a cutler past the keeper. minutes later Evans pulled off a wonder save, I have seen it on the Virgin Media site as we were so far away from the action, and Daley broke out, starting a move that saw Nicky Law plant a shot past the keeper ( I thought it was Boulding at the time, it was that far away) to tie up the game. I thought the Rotherham keeper should have saved it, but they all count. Three points mugged, but come the end of the season who will care. Bring on the Spireites.



Baz Watch- Our shiny domed hero came on as a 70th minute sub, the crowd chanting his name as he burst forth from the dug out. He wasn't to continue his recent goal scoring form, but did give us a moment of pure Barry magic. The ball was played into the left sided channel, where Bazza had shaken off his marker, and was in a flat out sprint to try and stop the ball going into touch. As he came towards the ball, he leaped up, back heeled thin air, and was taken out by a sniper somewhere in the stands, as he went sprawling. Pure Conlon. 5/10

Pie Rating- A good choice of Pukka pies. Cheese and Onion (for the limp wristed veggies), Balti, Steak and Kidney and my choice, Meat and Potato. Which made me think "Why do they call it Meat and Potato? Are they some how ashamed of the meat substance in it? Is it Bulls balls, or pig anus or something?" A thought I will ponder another day. The pie was £2.50, which is pretty much par for the course, but the temperature of it was perfect. Hot enough to warm you up with out melting your tongue. It was full of meaty stuff, and spuds, and the pastry was nice and flaky. Points are however withdrawn for the choice of sauce. Ketchup is all fine and dandy for chips, or even a chicken and mushroom pie, but a good old M&P screams out for brown sauce. The nearest they had? Barbecue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What the Fuck!!!!!!! Weirdos. This was the only fault I could find though, so it gets a high mark of 8/10. Sorry about the picture, I forgot to take a photo till after I ate it, and couldn't be arsed queuing for another.

Is there a colder place in Britain, than an open air athletics stadium, on a freezing cold November night? There can't be many. To top it all, it is surrounded by a running track, so the action takes place miles form the stands. A fine place to watch a bunch of drug fuelled fellas wearing Lycra body suits, but a shite venue for football. Because it is a big open bowl, only one side of the place has any fans, leaving massive open spaces all around. For those of you old enough to remember, it reminded me of those old Communist style arenas that you used to see in the seventies. Ugly beyond belief.

Statistics

• Capacity-25,000
  
• Concessions-The only good thing about the place. It is indoors, heated, and serves beer pies, and hot dogs. I have given them the benefit of the doubt on service, as I don't think thwey expected around 2,000 people to brave the freezing weather.
  
• Built-1990, although it must have been copied off a Soviet blueprint from 1973
  
• Did You Know?- It is the shittest place I have ever seen a football game.
  
• Visited By-Euro Bri and Crespo
  
• Rating- Garden Shed. It may be the finest athletics arena in the land, but as a footie stadium it sucks cock.

Away Days- Mariners 1 Bantams 3

Ahoy me mateys! Two Away Days in a week, and this one proved a lot more fruitful than our trip to Darlington. We were on the coast, Cleethorpes to be precise, to watch City take on Grimsby Town. The game itself started brilliantly for us, as Omar opened the scoring early on, but within minutes we found ourselves down to ten men after big Matt Clarke picked up a straight red for a professional foul, although it looked quite innocuous to me. This could have been the moment of capitulation for us, but the Mariners are mired in a twenty game winless streak, and it showed. Now I am not saying we didn't play well, going on to score anther two goals when you are a man down against eleven is not a feat to be sneezed at, but they were woeful. Boulding scored anther in the first half, and when Lee rose to power in a header ion the second half, the game was won. Of course they scored, and but for some seriously poor shooting, they could have made a fist of it, but victory was ours. We play again on Tuesday night, against Bury, will be a better barometer as to where we are at the moment form wise, as they are a solitary point behind us in the table.



Baz Watch- Apart from a few warm up sprints, his Irish keister remained rooted to the bench. Although Thorne was slightly off his game, Boulding looked very good against his former club, so I can see, injuries permitting, his strarting place will be on the bench in the coming weeks.

Pie Rating- This ground is a proper throwback, more of which later, and the concession stand was a mobile burger van kind of thing. I was concerned we would be stuck with burgers and hot dogs, but it proudly displayed a menu featuring Steak and Kidney pie. This was to prove slightly misleading, as in fact the only flavour they sold was chicken and mushroom, was a peasant surprise as it is my personal pie of choice. The cost was £2.50, reasonable, and it was warm. The sauce came in massive squirty bottles, both red and brown, and was of an acceptable standard. Taste wise was above average, although a bit light on chicken pieces if you ask me. My original prognosis was to give it a six out of ten, but on reflection I think it just about deserves a a 7/10. Tony stuck with a 6/10, and Bakes followed suit, pointing out the fact that the pie disintegrated on the first bite. I am surprised he took more than his usual one bite to polish it off anyway.



The ground, as mentioned above, is from anther era. The away end was built just prior to World War Two, in 1939, and it doesn't appear to have changed mush since. I particularly like the bar area, which is like having a pint in an old working mans club. It is housed under the stand and you even have a seating area with tables. Cool. The ground itself is situated smack in the middle of a housing estate, and gives it a community feel, no out of town industrial complex here. The crowned was of a reasonable size, around 4,500, but because we weren't in some grandiose white elephant like Darlingtons ground, it actually felt like there was a crowd present. On the whole, it is museum piece, but I quite liked it.

Statistics

• Capacity-9,235
  
• Concessions-Not bad considering the grub is served from a vehicle, not usually a good omen. The bar is quite frankly, as cool as fuck. (although £3 a pint is a bit rich)
  
• Built-1898
  
• Did You Know?-The Main Stand, opened in 1901, is thought to be the oldest in the Football League, and because it is made partly from wood, always has a fire engine parked next to it on match days. It is also the lowest stadium in England, only two feet above sea level.
  
• Visited By-Euro Bri, Helmet and Bakes
  
• Rating-Coliseum. In the truest sense it is very much garden shed, but being the old romantic that I am, I loved the place. It's a proper old ground, with proper stands, and just felt right for the league it is in. Alas, there are plans to move Grimsby Town into some soulless, out of town, multi purpose structure that will give all the romance of watching a game in a Tescos Superstore. Hopefully the credit crunch, or more likely relegation into the Conference will stop these heinous plans, or they should at least make the place a listed building. Otherwise yet another piece of true football heritage will be gone forever.

Away Day - Quakers 2 Bantams 1

The month of October has seen the bright shiny start of September and August fade, as yet another indifferent display, on Sky Sports to boot, saw us drop yet more points. That is five points out of the last six games, and that includes the miracle comeback at Accrington. Myself, Intrepid Kev, Travelling Tone and Bakes set off up to Darlington, expecting a win, but agreed that a point would not be a bad result either. The ground stands on a by-pass out of town, and looks pretty impressive as you approach, especially when you consider some of the sheds that are called home in this God forsaken division. But the impressive exterior soon gave way to indifference when we saw this 25,000 seater stadium was playing host to barely 3,000 folk, a good third of which seemed to be in the away end. Then it pissed it down. For eighty solid minutes, we watched what could only be described as sub par Sunday league quality football, as any of you who managed to stay awake that long watching on TV will be more than aware. With seven minutes left, Darlo won a free kick just outside the penalty box, and me and Crespo agreed it was going to go in. And sure enough it did. Oh well, another game lost int the dying minutes, but late substitute Omar Daley broke down the left, and equalised within a minute. The draw we would have settled for seemed within reach. Then our majestic defence decided to slice, fumble and fall over as the clock ticked towards full time to allow a player from the soccer hotbed of Liechtenstein to rattle in the winner. Sometimes being a City fans sucks arse. Big time. Still, hope is not lost, as we get a chance for another Away Day on Friday night, as we travel to Cleethorpes, to see the Bantams take on the Mariners of Grimsby Town. If it wasn't for deducted points, Town would be bottom of the league, so it is a banker home win for them, if City's recent performances against shit opposition is anything to go by.

Baz Watch- Played the full match against his former club, which usually means your supposed to score, but one squandered half chance was the nearest our bullet headed journeyman came to woorying the score sheet. The conditions were dreadful, and he was by no means the worst performer, that was reserved for the inept Colbeck, but he was as poor as the rest of the team. McCall has stated in tonights local newspaper he wants to bring some loan players to freshen things up, and with Willy Topp proving to be a bit of a bust, I reckon he could be looking for another big target man. We will see. 4/10

Pie Rating- This was my first journey to an away fixture this season, and I was really looking forward to sampling a pie not from Valley Parade. Was I to be rewarded for my patient wait? Or was fate to cruelly mock me, with an offal offering? To help out I had three companions to help me rate the Quakers Savouries;

Euro Bri-Steak Bake
The stand looked welcoming, all the pies were set out in what appeared to be a warm glass cabinet, and very appetising they looked on a chilly October evening. The price was cock on as well, and I decided on the Steak Bake, the most expensive choice at a very reasonable £1.70. First up the sauce. It was some generic no name brand, that came in one of my pet peeves. A sachet. It took four of these little packets to get a smidgen of Brown on my pie, that turned out to be stone cold. As I broke into it further, it gave out an aroma akin to the cat food the Elster dished up to the family pet. Fucking Disgraceful, and an insult to pies everywhere. It gains a solitary point for its cheapness. 1/10

Crespo- Meat and Potato


Said his was also cold, but tasted all right. It looked like Chappie dog food to me, and his pie casing fell apart pitifully. Still he is big enough and bad enough to make his own mind up, and gave it a rather surprising...3/10









Helmet- Steak Bake

Agreed with me...... and then some. Particularly disgusted with the cruddy pastry, cold filling and garbage condiment on offer to supposedly enhance the taste. Slated it, and even left most of it, not something you often see. 1/10








Bakes- Meat/Potato, Chicken Balti, Mars Bar, Peanuts and a Chicken Wrap on the way home.

This fella is an eating machine. We will stick to his pies here. His first one was seen off in three or four mouthfulls, each met with a a burst of obscenity. "Dog Shit" "Wank" and "Fucking Garbage" were the ones I remembered. Still didn't stop him inhaling a Chicken balti on the way back to our seats, which was also likened to a steaming pile of canine poop. 1/10




Statistics

• Capacity-25,000
  
• Concessions-Cheap, and the service is pretty quick, even on the beer stand. But as you have read above the pies are an abomination
  
• Built-2003
  
• Did You Know?-The current structure can be upgraded to take extra tiers that would lift the capacity to 60,000. (Current record attendance 11,600 for opening game)
  
• Visited By-Euro Bri, Crespo, Helmet and Bakes
  
• Rating-Park Pitch-The average crowd in this cavernous stadium is somewhere between 3,000/4,000, which means it has absolutely no atmosphere. What they were thinking about when they built, I don't know. A white elephant.

Away Days

Oh how fate mocks me. After having to miss the much anticipated St Pauli versus TSV 1860 game early in the year due to the lack of holiday time, Der Lowen have only gone and drawn Hamburg SV in the cup, to be played in late January, just about the skintest time of year. Me and the Shotster are desperate to check out the Reeperbahn as a bender destination, but seem to be foiled at every turn. This may all stem from the "Curse of Munster" way back in 2006, during the World Cup, when we failed to show the port city the respect it deserves. I had got lucky and scored tickets to see Italy take on the Czech Republic in the first round, on the Thursday of that particular week. We had been to Koln for the England/Sweden game, although we didn't have tickets earlier in the week are were nice and relaxed on the Wednesday before we took off to Hamburg, even the train was booked. After four days of living on top each other in our camper van, I took off alone into Munster for some lunch, and me time, away from John the Don and his fucking eggs.

Everything was going swimmingly, I found a local gasthaus, got a table and a pint of Guinness and looked through the menu. But just as I was making up my mind what to eat, the low murmur of polite conversation was burst by the unmistakable Maltese tones of the King of the Pixies. " 'Ere, helmets, this looks alright!" My best laid plans, for a peaceful Bender Squad free day, scuppered. "Fuck me, it's Bri!" shouted out Sandro, and I decided if you couldn't beat them, join them. After lunch, we decided to watch the early kick off, if memory serves it was Portugal versus Mexico, and we found a bar that was showing the game. During happy hour. Which featured Long Island Ice Teas at a remarkably low price, served by a fit Moroccan bird. We got absolutely wankered, and even left at one point, only to return and start all over again. A bunch of German students came in for the next match, of whom was playing I to this day have no idea. One of the locals approached me, his face full of concern. "I an a medical student" he said " and I am concerned for your friend." "it's only the Boy Dazzler" I told him, as if this made everything alright "He'll be right." But the boy was done, and was soon poured into a taxi, with the driver given no indication of where to take him. luckily word must have been out around town about a posse of numb Englishmen, as amazingly he made it back to the camper van, where the Don nearly whacked him one with frying pan, thinking he was trying to break in. There was now just four of us left, and we were now in full stupid mode. After having a sing off with the locals, which ended when one asked why San's England shirt had only one star, and his German shirt had three. "Two world wars" was his response, as we took off looking for more booze. Funky nearly got his lights punched out by a bird whose arse he slapped, and Queso save Sandro form a bunch of students who were carrying him off to a local hostel, after finding him sprawled in the gutter. The next thing I can remember was waking up at about six the next morning, with a serious hangover, as Funky and Queso finally arrived home. This left us an hour to get sorted and catch our train to Hamburg. As you can see in the video below, spirits were not high.



So to our journey. I only had four tickets for the game, so San and PJ, decided to come along just for the ride. John the Don tried my patience early on, as with only ten to go before our train was due to depart, went missing. After looking around the station he was found outside in a cafe, preparing to order a breakfast. The muppett. The train ride was not fun. At over four hours it took for ever, but allowed us to catch up on some much needed kip. We were happy to be off the damn thing when we pulled up into Hamburg, adn bade farewell to the two who weren't coming, who headed off to the Reeperbahn. Now I know in previous Away Day postings, I have bemoaned the modern penchant of locating new sporting arenas out of city centres, but this was the daddy of them all. It took over thirty minutes to get there by train, and you were then faced with a half a mile hike through a forest to get to it! I began to question as to whether we were still in Germany at all, and feared we had wondered into Denmark. Of course the ground was superb inside, although it looked like a half finished warehouse from outside. And I would recommend to anybody, if given the chance to stand with the Italians as they sing their brilliant national anthem. It makes the hairs on your neck stand up. The game wasn't half bad either. We had a sending off, and had perfect seats to witness Inzaghi round Peter Cech to score the second goal in a 2-0 victory, but after having to trudge all the way back into Hamburg, having got lost, and taking over an hour, the lads were spent. Only myself, Dazzler and the Don managed any beer, as the planned night of debauchery never materialised, and at around midnight, we caught our homeward train stone cold sober. Even that didn't go well, as we were hit by an hour delay, as we rolled back into Munster at dawn. Since then every plan to return to Hamburg has been thwarted. Can we break the curse? Only time will tell..

Statistics

• Capacity-57,274
  
• Concessions-This is Germany, so beer and wurst are the order of the day, and damn fine at that.
  
• Built-2000
  
• Did You Know?-It has been chosen to host the 2010 Europa League Final
  
• Visited By-Euro Bri, The Boy Dazzler, John the Don and El Grande Queso
  
• Rating-Field of Dreams-Is a monumentally long way from anything, but it is a top class facility. If the home team raise the roof like the Italians and Czechs did, it would have quite an atmosphere.