Geordie Al's Groundhopper Scrapbook: Wurzburger Kickers 5-0 Buchbach, Tuesday 29th July 2014

Wednesday, 30 July 2014

Wurzburger Kickers 5-0 Buchbach, Tuesday 29th July 2014

Wurzburger Kickers 5-0 Buchbach, regionalliga Bayern, att. 1,725

Welcome to ...

Good to start off the holiday with a trek and you get that if you walk to the ground. Head straight out of the station, through the old town, hang a right and you should be at the river (possibly where their famous old bridge is - I did). Now, in hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have crossed, but I wanted to look at the weir. Anyway, I crossed the bridge, turned left and kept walking. I walked parallel with the river (which I couldn’t see for buildings) until such time as I deemed it apposite to turn 90° right when I saw some Kickers fans at the local tram stop (#3 and 5 kept passing me by). So I followed them up the hill, gave a man €9 to let me in. A cursory glance in my bag, he saw my bottle of water but let me in anyway.

Who can resist a weir?

Now, what I hadn't said was during that long walk to the stadium with neither a glimpse of floodlight for relief/hope, I needed the toilet, badly, so most of that walk was taken with looking forward to a trip to the water closet. I could feel it was a big job.

I made it to the stadium as the match kicked off and sat down at the top of a terrace marked ‘Gaste’, though how many were actually away fans I'd never find out - they never scored. The ‘urge’ had also gone. I’d ‘corked’ it.

Sat on the terrace, texting.

The match passed. It was essence of Sunday league, but with a crowd. The pace was plodding, as typified by an old looking stocky bloke wearing the Kickers captain's armband. Yet they were not awful enough not to score.

As the Kickers’ defence tippy tappied it at the back, me wondering at what point they'll then launch it to the opposition and they do: one defender heads it off the other, a Kicker is through and he lifts it nicely over the on trotting keeper. Easy. 2-0 was an in swinging free kick where all the attackers looked 9 ft tall and the opposition were pygmies. Bang. 3-0? 3-0 I never saw. I’d done my mathematical calculations. It was better to squeeze one out now in an effort to have a beer and bratwurst for the second half. I was too quick. I missed the goal and was still back before the first half ended.

Looking down the touchline.

At half-time I had a little look at the club shop/kiosk. No woven badges but I can have a couple of free fixture lists and a colour magazine. The beer and bratwurst I quaffed and I make no further comment on the latter save to say I preferred my first one cos they'd cut the sausage into two, rather than leave each end hanging out of the bun. Just saying.

Second half, I ambled down the terrace by the side of the pitch and I saw 4-0 from the halfway line, a soft 25 yarder curled away from the keeper, who did his best ‘flying pig’ impression to no consequence. 5-0 I never saw as I took the odd pic. Perhaps someone puts these things on YouTube?

So laidback, everyone's sat down on the terrace.

I went and sat near the ultras, 100 or so of them, at the back of the main stand. An odd choice in that anyone who wants to join them has to walk all the way around the pitch so they are not in contact with the fans in other areas. When up close, I could swear some chants were started by a 10 year old. Certainly sounded like it.

The ultras wave their flags.

The walk back? Cross the big bridge next to the stadium, over the river, then turn left. Proceed along the river bank, through parkland, till you hit the city centre. (Of course, this walk can work in reverse.) Good view of the castle on the opposite side of the river. Wurzburg looked charming in parts, though still not as charming as I expected (high expectations!). Still, I'd go back and spend more time here.

The Damage:

€9 ent

€3 beer (x2)

€2 bratwurst (x2)

= €19

The Tunes:

Metallica (Metallica)

Days Are Gone (Haim)

Situation Comedy (Euros Childs)