Geordie Al's Groundhopper Scrapbook: Arka Gdynia 3-0 Wisla Krakow, Friday 22nd July 2016

Saturday, 23 July 2016

Arka Gdynia 3-0 Wisla Krakow, Friday 22nd July 2016

Arka Gdynia 3-0 Wisla Krakow, Ekstraklasa (att. 10,203)

Welcome to ....

Arriving early in Gdynia (too early to officially check-in at my abode), I decided I’d go and sort my match ticket out first, given the normal obstacles in Poland at the start of a season (huge queues, the need to gain a membership card). I knew where the stadium was – it’s difficult to miss the towering floodlights up the hill on the left as you enter Gdynia from the direction of Gdansk. But it’s a bloody long walk and a bit tedious. From the main railway station, the hike encompasses dual carriageways, tunnels, a shopping centre, then, when you've virtually made it (the ground’s just THERE!!) you STILL have to walk around an industrial estate before you negotiate the box office. Not a promising start, then.

No, not THOSE floodlights. That's the rugby ground nearby.

Being TOO early, the ticket office wasn’t yet open (it was nearly 4pm; KO wasn’t till 20:30) but the club shop was. I bought a badge and asked about tickets. Would I need to be a member? Yes, and he could sign me up there and then. ID? Certainly, sir. I could then join the club shop queue or buy a ticket from the ticket office (now open). The former queue was going nowhere, so I went to the ticket office next door. Considering there were two people in front of me, I’m still not sure how it took 20 minutes to get served. I was pleased I’d taken the precaution of coming so early; closer to KO this would be horrendous.

My order was simple: one ticket. Everywhere was affordable, so I let the gods decide (ie, the ticket lady). She chose one of the corners, 30 zloty (£6). I now had four hours to kill…

The dull stadium exterior.

Fast forward and I’ve showered, relaxed, spent too much time on the free wi-fi (the scourge of the modern era) and now I’m cutting it fine. I’ll go to the station and catch a train to Gdynia Redlowo. The doors close on a train to Gdansk. I possibly see one person wearing the blue and yellow of Arka. I am already late. Fine – a signpost says it’s 2.4 km to the stadium. I decide to test that out. At my walking pace, I should make it by 8:30pm. And I do – only a security guard won’t let me around the rear of the stand; my stand is at the other end and he suggests I walk through aforesaid industrial estate and footie pitch. But isn’t it quicker going THAT way (anti-clockwise, where I’d come from earlier)? ‘No, this is quicker.’ He sounded so authoritative. I presumed there must be a cut-through. There wasn’t. I think he was having a laugh at my expense. How else do security amuse themselves?

There's me! 'Trybuna Tory'!

The match had kicked off and it sounded like an exciting start. Then a huge cheer. 1-0. Oh well. I eventually reached the stadium (again). My ticket, measuring an impressive A5 size, wouldn’t work on the unmanned turnstyle. Or the next one. Or that one. Eventually, security came over to tell us latecomers (it wasn’t just me) that those weren’t in action, come round here. What a palaver.

I was finally in, and as I climbed up the stairs, not bothering to look at my seat number, just looking for a space…another roar went up. 2-0. Christ, I’m in the ground and I STILL missed it. It’s live on telly tho, so maybe one day I’ll see highlights on youtube. Normality (normalcy?) resumes and I barely see a shot on target, though Wisla hit the bar.

The Arka Ultras

Although I am by the touchline, and the ultras are behind the goal, no-one around me is sitting down. Throughout the match, these one and a half sides chant at each other or the players, orchestrated by one of the loudest PAs I've ever heard a cheerleader be given. It even drowned out the official announcements (an accident waiting to happen?) So, there was no respite for my aching feet. I went for refreshments and to see if there was a less populated area of the ‘Trybuna Tory’. There wasn’t. Still, the sausages were HUGE and enveloped by a matching bun while the beer was cheap and fresh from the bottle.

Half time in the Big Match.

2nd half, I went back to roughly my original spot, but higher up. The view was pretty good, though if you’re too far back, you’ll have the roof supports in your vision. The stadium looks quite nice inside, a ‘bubbly’ roof above randomly generated blue and yellow seats. It was certainly nicer than the concourse and outsides of the stadium, all bare concrete and metal struts. The surrounds could do with a bit of sprucing up, but the lack of advertising made a welcome change.

Three score and none; Wisla's away support.

Another feature of my visit…and I can’t decide whether I’m irritated by this or not….was the proliferation of Cracovia shirts amongst the Arka support. Given the number of Cracovia chants as well, I guess they’re a ‘partner’ club of Arka, and they were trying to wind up the 60 or so Wisla fans who’d made the trip from Krakow. Personally, I’d rather cheer my own team on.

I wouldn't mind if they shared colours...

There was one further goal, a penalty awarded for a handball, which, judging by the transgressor, hit his chest. I couldn’t tell, but the pen was sidefooted into the corner, 3-0, job done. Time for the crowd favourite to come off the bench, receive a massive cheer, then spend 10 minutes losing the ball. He was terrible. (A search on Soccerway suggests said player…Rashid Yussuff….is English. No, me neither.)

GOOOAAALLLL! (The one I saw.)

Home time, and no walk back for me. I followed the crowd to the nearest railway station (Redlowo?) then followed the trail of cans and bottles to a garage selling Paulaner. Since others were picking up 2 or 3 cans of beer, I figured there was time. There was no way I wanted to walk back, again.

The Damage:
PLZ 30 ent
PLZ 10 badge
PLZ 10 kielbasa (sausage) x 2
PLZ 5 beer (Lech?)
= PLZ 65 (£12.50)

The Tunes:
various EPs (Curve)
The 3 EPs (Beta Band)
Bummed (Happy Mondays)
Tongue ‘n’ Cheek (Dizzie Rascal)