Usti Nad Labem 1-2 Znojmo, Friday 8th August 2014

Usti Nad Labem 1-2 Znojmo, Czech FNL, att. 1,212

Not really what you want to be seeing...

What would one do without TV or the internet?  Upon digesting the analysis (!) of Viktoria's game last night, they showed the weekend's Czech League fixtures. But they were somewhat different to what I'd found on the internet the week before (and subsequently booked my accommodations).

I'd planned on seeing Dukla Friday and a long trip to Ostrava on Satdy to see Banik.  However, Banik were now playing Fri night (for telly) and Dukla was Satdy.  A quick double check on my other intended games and I found there WAS another Friday possibility, much more conducive to staying in Prague the same night and that was Usti Nad Labem in the FNL (Czech 2nd tier).  Even better, it was more or less on the way to Prague!

Again, not what I normally see on the way to a game.

I'd been to Usti before - when I arrived in Decin the previous morn, I took the wrong train and spent half an hour there.  It was quiet, but it was early.  What I didn't know was that it was the Czech Republic's 7th biggest city.  Yet you cannot buy a postcard in this town and it's football stadium has a capacity of 3,000 (3,500 on its own website).  It had been refused promotion a couple of years previous because the stadium didn't meet the right guidelines.  In a prior promotion they were allowed to use nearby Teplice's ground, but the goalposts had since moved (sorry).  What I can say is that neither Usti nor Liberec figure in my Lonely Planet Guide to Central Europe.  Good - I won't be distracted from my mission to get to the game on time.

Everything looks simple according to my tourist-information obtained map, find 'Masarykova' and keep walking till you hit the stadium (about 1.5km).  And since I'm sat here nursing a Pilsner Urquell in sight of Masarykova...

Back of the main stand

Kick-off was to be 5pm on a Friday. Do these people not have to go to work?  Do they all start early? Knock off early?

Oh look - there's a Czech bloke with a Wigan Athletic top on. THAT'S not something I expected to see.

5pm.  It is absolutely ROASTING here in Usti.  I walked the 25-30 mins uphill to the stadium, despite numerous buses and trams passing by.  I'll remember those for later. However, with 25 minutes to KO, the turnstiles were STILL closed.  WTF?  I wandered around, took some snaps..and it was still closed.  Mind, the others who'd been waiting by the turnstiles had disappeared.  I could see plenty of people on the far side of the ground, so I ducked down some side streets and found myself outside the open turnstiles.  Phew.

I'm not the only one waiting for the turnstiles to open

For reasons that weren't entirely clear, Usti hadn't opened the large stand I'd previously been standing outside.  This was a blow, since those seats were in the SHADE.  On our side, a tiny roof covered a few hundred seats, all of which were taken. Not good for this pasty Englishman.  I grabbed a beer and sat in the blazing sun.  Even worse, the Usti Ultras and their drum were to my immediate right. In terms of their number, imagine how many people it takes to block a 15 step aisle.  So, about 15 then. They'd pitched up here so they didn't have to sit down,  The sun soon sapped their enthusiasm.

Essential kit: beer and a drum

The shaded stand opposite looked of considerable size.  I'm amazed this place only has a capacity of 3,000 or so.  Maybe the stand is closed for safety reasons?  With a running track, there's also plenty of space for the stadium to be extended, even with temporary seating.

The Main Stand (closed)

Goals after 8 and 18 put the visitors two up and at half time I surveyed the souvenir stall.  3 scarves and a sun hat.  'I'm having that!' I thought.  I tried it on. No I'm not.  It was several sizes too small.  So I queued for a beer and I was pleased this took ages, since it was in the shade.

The souvenir tent

Second half, I did what many others did, foregoing the stand to take a perch leaning on a barrier behind the goal.  There were 5 or 6 rows of seats below, but what with that running track you're not gonna see much.

***latent sexism alert***
And if I wasn't pondering the football, I was wondering why the proportion of stunning women to average (male) fan was so high here.  What's the draw with Czech 2nd division football?  One, in high heels and short black dress wouldn't have looked out of place in Stringfellows. British female football fans - FIX UP!  (Only kidding, I know we men make no effort.)

Walsall away on a Tuesday night

All in all, despite being allergic to the sun and heat, I thoroughly enjoyed it.  But I got a panic on at the station.  I got a tram and at the station went to collect my stuff from the locker.  BEWARE, the lockers have a unique system.  Suffice to say I couldn't open it, despite having the code. Luckily, staff were still on hand and the nice lady found a nice man who got it open.  They even waived the CZK 30 charge for such a service, cos the instructions were only written in Czech and German. Sometimes it pays to be the subject of Her Majesty.

Damage:
CHK 50 ent
CHK 35 beer

(about 3 quid)

You are here.

There's the shade.  About 3 rows of it.

Back of main stand.

Stadium plan.  Only B, E and F open today.

poster on fence (beyond was a training pitch, then the stadium)

Sektor B, side view

Behind the goal.

Yes, it IS sunny!

A goalkeeper labour-saving device.  Cos they do too much as it is.

Znojmo team coach.  And bystander.