Zaglebie Lubin 2-2 Jagiellonia Bialystok, Friday 2nd August 2019

Zaglebie Lubin 2-2 Jagiellonia Bialystok, Ekstraklasa, att. 4,003 (Stadion Zaglebia Lubin)

Welcome to ....

Trying to work out what was 'doable' when setting off from Jablonec Nad Nisou in the Czech Republic on a Friday morning, I hit on Zaglebie Lubin in Poland.  A couple of trains through the Czech/Polish border hills to Wroclaw before dropping my bags off and getting a direct train to Lubin.  I thus arrived in Lubin a couple of hours before kick-off, but with the return journey at 22:45, catching the last train out of dodge would mean missing the last few minutes of the match.  So, rather than have a wander through the town centre, I first of all walked to the stadium, mainly to assess how quickly I could make the return leg.

Welcome to (II)...Lubin railway station.

The new stadium, built on the site of the old one, is the last building in town.  In fact, so aloof is it from everywhere else, it's not only the wrong side of the railway track, it's the wrong side of the dual carriageway - a fact I initially found to my cost.  And then, once you get there, it is so devoid of anything surrounding it, it was like (No) Pride Park in Derby when it first opened, a wasteland of concrete and rubble.

Found it!  Now all I have to do is...

On one side appeared to be a shanty town.  Perhaps these dilapidated buildings link back to the previous stadium?  One of two still look used as bars but they were little more than shacks with a picnic table outside.

Walking around the stadium, I was surprised to see half of it surrounded by a fence, which kept you even further away and meant an unnecessary longer walk around the circumference.  But on the other side is the real gold for Zaglebie: their academy.  Several football pitches and a massive building for their HQ.  Does it double as accommodation for their youth players, I wonder?

Lubin shanty town.

A ticket booth was open on this, the Main Stand, side.  I considered my options and went for a 35 zloty ticket on the other side.  Unbeknownst to me, that's where most people chose to sit this evening, maybe as it's the side closest to town?  The home end behind the goal to its left was sparse, though a band of loyal, loud ultras made themselves be heard during the game.

I still had time to wander back towards a park and watch the skaters/BMXers and read my Private Eye, before heading back.  Beer and kielbasa bought (the latter being more of a Frankfurter variety today), I took my seat, near the halfway line.

The walk to the park...a bridge within a bridge.

While it was busy around me, the rest of the stadium struggled.  I may have even won the 'guess the crowd' competition, as I was under by 3.  But with 4,003 there, I bet one or two others guessed similarly.  The visitors, Jagiellonia Bialystok, hadn't brought many - but it's the other side of Poland.  However, they could still be heard during lulls in the home noise.  But, really, will this small provincial town ever see it's 16,000 capacity stadium full?  Not since it opened in 2009, but maybe it will if they ever repeat their winning of the league (Ekstaklasa) in 1991 and 2007.

A sparse stadium awaits the teams.

It was entertaining stuff tonite, as Jagiellonia, looking the better side, as befitting recent history, took a two goal lead.  Zaglebie looked dead and buried - the second was conceded just after they'd made a substitution.  What hope now?  Well, in the 71st and 78th minutes, innocuous right wing crosses met with the same goalden result.  The first saw a looping header find the far top corner.  The scorer couldn't repeat that in a 100 efforts.  Then, a low cross was ignored by the defence and a Lubin player trotted in to sidefoot it on the half volley into the bottom corner.  Nonchalant.

Not one of the goals.  Least I don't think so.

The crowd was really buzzing now, eager for a winner, but I'd done my calculations; I had to leave in the 87th minute.  I couldn't afford to miss the last train to Wroclaw.  Everything went to plan.  I made the train - and Zaglebie and Jagiellonia failed to grab a winner.  Phew.

The Damage:
PLZ 35 ent
PLZ 14 kielbasa
PLZ 8 (Tyskie, x2)
= PLZ 65

The Tunes:
Bladerunner OST (Vangelis)
Blind (The Sundays)
Versions (Spring Heel Jack)
Guilty of Love (Unloved)
Lady's Bridge (Richard Hawley)
free CD (East India Youth)
Polymer (Plaid)

Stayed at:
Cinnamon Hostel, Wroclaw (£12)

Stadion Zaglebia Lubin panorama

This way...

The way in.

This way or that?

Imagine what COULD be done with the stadium surrounds?

The main entrance.  If you can get there.

It certainly stands out.

Wasteland concrete pre-dating the new stadium?

The training pitches.

Stadion Zaglebia Lubin

Outside the stadium.

One of many ticket booths.

More shanty town inaction.

Dinner time!

The teams finish their meet 'n' greet.

Zaglebie ultras.

The mascot mingling.

The away end.

Looking towards the away end.

As above!

Drummers and cheerleader in the home end.

It's a family affair at Zaglebie.

Full time (well, it is for me).

Back where it all began...the railway station.