Bohemians 0-0 Viktoria Plzen, Saturday 3rd August 2019

Bohemians 0-0 Viktoria Plzen, Czech Liga, att. 6,031 (capacity, Stadion Dolicek)

Welcome to ...

My unbeaten run has come to an end, and on this, a SATURDAY.  After 8 consecutive days of football (9 matches) I can't manage a game on the one day devoted to it.  So, how comes?

Well, I'd originally planned to see 2 games in Prague (Admira and Bohemians) but my train was late, connections missed.  That put paid to Admira.  But there was still Bohemians.  I'd been before and was keen to renew acquaintances - Dolicek is a unique little stadium, hemmed in on all sides and restricted to a capacity of six thousand odd.  Besides, Bohemians also had the coolest choice of t-shirts and I wanted another one.

The Big Match.

It was sold out.  I should have known.  Limited capacity AND playing one of the Big Three.  No, not Georges Clemenceau.  Viktoria Plzen.  But still.  They NEVER sell out.  The game's on telly.  It's Satdy nite.  It's Prague - don't people have other things to do? 

I got there with about an hour and a half to kick-off, getting a tram straight there from around the corner from my hostel in the city centre.  The turnstiles hadn't even opened.  I even saw the Bohemians' coach drop the players off (no-one batted an eyelid; they're far too bohemian).  I had a beer from a pop-up kiosk (Krusovice, v. nice).  All good thus far.  Then, as the turnstiles opened, I saw the sign on the wall: 'Sold Out'.  It was a blow, but there it was.  There's worse places to be stranded than Prague on a Satdy nite.  I hopped on a tram back into town.

The Damage: 
nothing

The Tunes:
none

Staying at:
Mosaic House (£16)

Of course it is, dammit.

The away side, about 6 steps high if I got in.

Dolicek.

Bohemians' team coach arrives.

A queue starts forming outside Dolicek.

Bohemians' iconic badge.

The Main (only) Stand.

Fans start entering.

Benesov 1-5 Bohemians Prague, Tuesday 8th August 2017

Benesov 1-5 Bohemians Prague (Czech Cup 2nd Round, att. c800)

Welcome to ...

While researching which Czech cup game I fancied going to (I didn't want to be far from Prague) I hit on Benesov, about 25 miles south.  Plus they were playing Bohemians, a side I have fondness for, based on a previous visit to their legendary Dolicek stadium.  Further digging showed Benesov was not simply a non descript Czech town of 27000 inhabitants (even if it was).  It was also the final home of Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian empire and whose assassination sparked World War 1.

Konopiste, home of Franz Ferdinand.

Franz’s (we’re on first name terms) old palace was at Konopiste, a couple of kilometres up the hill from Benesov.  I HAD to visit, so I was there early (kick-off wasn't until 5:30).  While the palace was par for the course, what set Franz apart from the rest was his indefatigable passion for hunting.  I'm sure the guide said he killed 274,000 animals.  If he died at 51…and let’s say he started at 11…that’s 40 years….that’d be nearly 7,000 per year…or 20 a day.  Surely not?  Mind, the area around his palace was used for hunting and he also managed the odd exotic specimen on trips to the likes of India and Nepal.  Anyway, many are stuffed and hung up in a spectacular corridor of ‘prizes’.  Makes me less sympathetic what Gavrilo Princip did to him.  He who lives by the sword…

Franz's pride and joy.

SK Benesov’s stadium is at the bottom of the park the palace is in.  Perfect, or so I thought.  What Google didn't tell me was I have to cross a busy two lane A road, which was hair-raising.  It was very annoying knowing I was approximately 100m from the stadium but there were no crossing points on this road.  Still you're never too old for a game of ‘chicken’.  Not nice.

At the stadium, everyone passed through one turnstile, 100 crowns.  Bargain.  There was a fair turnout from Bohemians too, at least half the crowd.  Considering it was a 5:30 kick off, when do these Czechs knock off?  I trust they start early…

A busy main stand.

The stadium has an older main stand, complete with pillars tastefully painted in the home side’s yellow and blue colours.  Below is a small terrace which curves around either end. Opposite the main stand is an open stand, only half of which has been populated with seats. Many Bohemians, including the ultras, chose to go this side despite the heat and having the sun's rays in their eyes.  However, it was tight to the touchline while the main stand was some way from the pitch.  Perhaps the stadium had a running track at some point?

Bohemians' ultras.

I grabbed a beer and went in the main stand, back row.  I was early enough to have the pick (most fans were milling around on the terraces).  Despite the pillars, I could see both sets of goalposts.  This was handy as Bohemians were scoring from the start.

It was 0-2 early on and 0-3 by half-time.  Probably my favourite was when a Benesov defender kicked it off the line only for it to rebound off his own player and into the net.   I went for a beer and klobasa (sausage), timing it well (the queue became huge) or  timing it badly (I missed the 3^rd).

Klobasa preparations.

Second half, I decided to walk around the stadium and sit in the sun.  Turns out I wasn't the only Brit here, as I eavesdropped on 4 Scottish lads.  I wonder if they made it to Kronopiste?  They certainly knew their stuff on stadia, but all this slowly being cooked does nothing for me and I had to leave for the shade again - but not before the ref gave a generous penalty to the home side.  He then ordered a retake, seemingly cos the player skied it (tho he booked the goalkeeper for something or other). The retake was put away.

Penalty #1.  Spot the ball.

Penalty #2.  Much better.

The pen was no’ but a consolation though in a 1-5 rout.  The Bohemians players then stood gracefully while their ultras serenaded them (the ultras made noise all game, nothing from Benesov).  I shared a train carriage back to Prague with a few of them and boisterous it was too, despite the 4 police we had for company.  The train must also have returned via Bohemians territory, as the vast majority got off the stop before the main station.  A great day out!

Gladiators, we salute you!

The Damage:

CHK 100 ent

CHK 60 klobasa

CHK 30 beer (x2)

The Tunes:
Fabric 84 (Mathew Jonson)

Slowdive (Slowdive)

Mixmag Jul15 (Adam Beyer and Ida Engberg)

SK Benesov panorama from the entrance.

SK Benesov panorama from the open side.

SK Benesov panorama from the Main Stand.

Looking towards the Main Stand.

Front of Main Stand.

The players' tunnel (the gates slide along to block spectators).

Bohemians come out for the warm-up.

The sides come out.

The players line up.

The scoreboard (if you look carefully enough).

The cameraman views events.

Making use of dead space...cars behind the goal.

Fans relax at half-time.

Bohemians on the open side.

The skeleton of a stand.

Entered by bridges...

This is the life...not sure about the shoes tho.

The terrace disappears.

Action in front of the Main Stand.

Fans up against the fence surrounding the pitch.

The host's bench.

I spy...a team coach!

Bohemians 1905 0-3 Hradec Kralove, Sunday 31st July 2016

Bohemians 1905 0-3 Hradec Kralove, Czech Liga, att. 4,832

Welcome to ....

Visiting ‘Dolicek’ (The Dimple), the home of Bohemians, reminds me of Viktoria Zizkov, another Prague side; one main stand and 3 roofless sides, albeit at Dolicek there’s nothing behind one goal except for portacabins and other buildings. It has an air of clutter about it, in a good way. The main stand is also a lot more modern than at Zizkov, giving it a slightly less romantic feel, but the greenery, both of the seats and shrubbery around, make up for it. Even the programme showed pics of the trees being trimmed as part of the preparations for the season. The things you don’t think about….

Half time,overlooking the river behind the main stand.

I’d walked from Zizkov, funnily enough, more or less a straight run, cutting through the Prague suburbs. It was a decent stroll – the hills help – and it took the best part of an hour, but this is Prague! Where better to be wandering through neighbourhoods?

I emerged at what was the home end, but with the inconsistent drizzle of the day, I had my eyes set on the posh seats, under that main stand roof. The first entrances I came to belonged to the away side (Hradec Kralove). The home entrances lay further around, on the opposite side. Match tickets were CZK 230 in the main stand, and 150 everywhere else.

Away turnstiles.

Disappointingly, my ticket was in the 3rd row, near the corner flag. However, someone was already in my seat. I’d expected a low turnout, but the stand was very busy. But I climbed to the back and found a pew on the last row, needing to duck under a girder to get there. Perfect – where I would have chosen to sit anyroads.

I was at the far end, 1st half.

Opposite were the away fans and their ‘stand’ as such, consisted of perhaps 3 lines of seats. But nobody sat and they bunched up to maximise their huddle. Maybe there were 200 of them. Either way, they kept up their noise throughout.

Overlooking proceedings, from behind the away fans, were 5 or 6 storey flats with probably the best view of all. Some tenants watched, while another’s was simply covered in laundry.

The away fans, inc. the 'Crime Boys' (!?)

The Bohemians’ ultras were behind the far goal, to my left. Although nominally seated, the central part was kept as terracing. This means that everyone tends to stand anyway, if you want a view. But people understand that. A cheerleader stood on a platform directly behind the goal, rousing the folks.

The home end.

The match was thus far the first one on my holiday where I’d seen BOTH sides try to attack, so it was quite exciting (though the finishing didn’t match). Bohemians in particular threatened, coulda had 2 or 3 (they had one rightly disallowed for offside) but had none. Half time, 0-0.

I went for a wander. I’d been in the club shop with the aim of getting a t-shirt with a kangaroo on it (Bohemians once went on a tour of Australia and have since appropriated the ‘roo for their badge – shame the mascot’s outfit looked a bit ‘budget’, but I digress). Spoilt for choice, I’d have bought a couple, but I had a budget of my own. I’m now the proud owner of a green ‘t’ sporting a kangaroo and ‘Bohemians Praha’ on it.

Can I be a kangaroo boy?

I’d also had a beer pre-match, noticeable mainly for the deposit on the (plastic) glass costing more than the beer itself. I kept mine – I’ve quite the collection of plastic glasses. However, the queues at half time and during the second half were too long for me to bother.

I adventured to the other end of the stand and found I could wander freely behind the goal. While the odd fan p***ed up against a fence, I walked up the terrace to check out the view. It seemed all fence – so I went back to the steep main stand, but not before I got a couple of hits of marijuana. How very bohemian!

The view from behind the goal.

While dotting about, I missed the opening goal. 0-1 and the Hradec fans let off a small smoke bomb. Not long after it was 0-2, a right wing cross being expertly turned home by a covering defender. That was it, game over, yet Hradec still had time for one more break as the left winger cut inside, cut inside a bit more, and drove it into the far corner.

Hradec fans celebrate.

Bohemians fans seemed reigned rather than angry. I suspect they’ve seen it all before. They DID seem pleased with the crowd figure though, 4,832. A respectable number, given big boys Sparta and Slavia often only pull 8-9,000. And unlike those 2, a visit to Bohemians has character and is highly recommended! 

Behind the other goal.

The Damage:
CHK 230 ent
CHK 20 programme
CHK 30 beer
CHK 50 glass deposit
CHK 300 t-shirt
= CHK 630

The Tunes:
Silver or Lead (Ursula Rucker)
Ma’at Mama (Ursula Rucker)
Drone Logic (Daniel Avery)

1st half panorama

2nd half panorama

1st sighting of stadium

Come on you Green and Whites!

Fans milling in the rain pre-match.

The finest view in Prague.

Looking towards the home end.

Flats behind the away fans.

The main stand.

Behind the goal, lots of greenery.

The bohemian Bohemian ultras.

The view behind the goal.

Banner unleashed.  Can you spot a kangaroo?

Trees overhanging the stadium.

A cut price kangaroo.

Match action from the main stand.

Full-time.

The home end.  Note terrace in middle.

Former players on main stand wall.

Advertising the game.

Another advert.  No need for the graffiti tho.

Outside the ground.

Former turnstiles on corner of Sportovni / Vrsovicka.