Monthly Archives: May 2016

Uncertainty

31 Tuesday May 2016

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Saturday 21st May 2016 ko 14.30

Welsh League Division 2

TATA STEEL P

CHEPSTOW TOWN P

Thursday 26th May 2016 ko 18.45

TATA STEEL 1 (M Lewis 59)

CHEPSTOW TOWN 1 (Murphy 68)

Att 17

Entry £4

Programme £1

Unless you live outside the UK and South Wales in particular you can’t help but have noticed the problems that have befallen Port Talbot. The town is dominated by steel production, so the decision by the steelworks owners Tata to sell the loss-making plant has the potential to be devastating for the area. At the moment the owners, unions, politicians and potential buyers are trying to find a way forward. Until a conclusion is reached the area collectively holds its breath. Continue reading →

Glenafod

30 Monday May 2016

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Saturday 21st May 2016 ko 14.30

Welsh League Division One

GOYTRE UNITED 2 (Harris 6 Ryan 14)

ABERBARGOED BUDS 3 (Maisey 8 Hughes 46 Meacham 54p) Harding sent off (2nd booking) 90

Att c100

Entry £5

Programme £1

This turned into something of a mad dash! The original plan was to watch Margam-based Tata Steel but a deluge over the Neath/Swansea/Port Talbot area saw my game correctly waterlogged off, so using a little local knowledge I ducked under the M4 and made for Goytre. For the avoidance of doubt this is the Goytre that’s near Port Talbot, not the Goytre who play in Penperlleni, south of Abergavenny. It really doesn’t help that Goytre and Goytre United are in the same division! Mind you I remember when you could watch the local derby that really isn’t! Click here! Continue reading →

The Best Of Times

24 Tuesday May 2016

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Sunday 8th May 2016 ko 17.30

5 Liga Bucuresti

FRATIA BUCURESTI 2 (Phanzu 24 Sebanescu 85)

PROGRESSUL SPARTAC 1944 0

Att 73

I remember when hop organiser Andrei Otineanu first contacted me to ask advice on which stadia ought to be featured on the inaugural Bucharest Groundhop. I offered just one tip,

“Andrei,” I said, “Put on whoever you like, but you have to feature Fratia!”  

Continue reading →

The North Station

23 Monday May 2016

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Sunday 8th May 2016

Giuleşti-Valentin Stănescu Stadium, home to Rapid Bucureşti

The Bucharest Groundhop had been rejigged considerably due the Romanian FA’s cancelling of all games in the top 3 divisions after the tragic death of Patrick Ekeng on Friday night. Organiser Andrei Otineanu should take great credit for thinking on his feet and finding alternatives. In this case our scheduled game at Voluntari was replaced by a lie-in, and a fascinating stadium visit to the home of Rapid Bucharest. Continue reading →

Goddess On The Mountain Top

20 Friday May 2016

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Saturday 7th May 2016 ko 18.00

4 Liga Bucuresti

VENUS BUCURESTI 0

ACS LUCKY SPORTS MANAGEMENT 3 (Gheorghe 21 Militara 37 C Achim 60)

Att 38

After a late lunch, and an unfiltered beer or two at the Nenea Ianca restaurant in Strada Covaci there was the collective feeling that despite the tragic events of the night before, that we’d regained control of our situation. But with our scheduled game at Concordia Chaijna postponed hop organiser Andrei Otineanu diverted to a local game, and it’s history made it arguably more interesting than the game we’d lost. Continue reading →

Recovery

19 Thursday May 2016

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Saturday 7th May 2016 ko 13.00

4 Liga Bucuresti

PROGRESUL BUCURESTI 2 (Sider 45p Nin 61)

AS TERMO 0

Att 132 @ Stadionul Electomagnetica

We awoke to uncertainty on Saturday morning. I sat at breakfast turning the death of Patrick Ekeng over in my mind, and at that moment I didn’t really want to think about football, let alone watch another game. But that would have been selfish, and ultimately self-defeating, and for organiser Andrei Otineanu the situation was a good deal worse. I grabbed my bag and headed for the hotel entrance. Continue reading →

The Worst Of Times

18 Wednesday May 2016

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Friday 6th May 2016 ko 20.30

Liga 1 Play-off

DINAMO BUCURESTI 3 (Gnohere 7 49p Rotariu 55)

FC VIITORUL CONSTANTA 3 (Marin 10 Tanase 34 Matan 84p)

Att 2,871

Entry Comp

No Programme

For the inaugural Bucharest Groundhop organiser Andrei Otineanu had decided on a mixture of lower league and top flight games and I must admit I was greatly looking forward to visting Dinamo Bucharest, if only to see another eastern European bowl albeit with the distinction of being dug out of its situation rather than the stands being built up as normal. The Dinamo Stadium is nicknamed “Groapa” or “The Hole” which does seem rather apposite! Continue reading →

Invention

17 Tuesday May 2016

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Friday 5th May 2016 ko 17.00

5 Liga Bucuresti

A.S. OLIMPIC 4 (Busco 40 Cristea 56 Mimaloche 82 Calin 84)

BENFICA BUCURESTI 3 (Sharande 27 Stojan 55 Smarande 64)

Att 44 at Stadional Energoutilaj

Entry FREE

No Programme

I’d been in contact with Romanian student Andrei Otineanu for quite some time, and it was he that convinced me to complete a highly enjoyable visit to Bucharest in September 2015. During my time in his country he made it clear he wanted to organise a groundhop in his country, and we talked at length at what would be involved. I flew back home wondering what, if anything, would happen next. Continue reading →

Take It Easy

16 Monday May 2016

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Wednesday 4th May 2016 ko 18.45

Cambridgeshire County League- Senior B

WHITTLESFORD UNITED 2 (Walkley 39 83)

WITCHFORD 96 1 (Loker 46)

Att 13

Entry FREE

No Programme

My regular reader I suspect has long since worked out I live life at million miles an hour. It all started a few years ago as a means of not thinking about other parts of my life, but now I’ve got to a point where I feel slightly guilty if I’m not on the move! Still my friends seem to have found inventive ways of slowing me down, and this was a good example. Continue reading →

Seale

12 Thursday May 2016

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Monday 2nd May 2016 ko 15.00

South West Peninsula League Division One West

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE RESERVES 4 (Ward 6 McCauley 17 Jephcott 44 Sangster 50)

WENDRON UNITED 0

Att 66 at Seale-Hayne

Entry & Programme £3

Another entry in the great unwritten book of groundhopping rules states thus, “Thou shalt not watch a game involving a reserve side.” In fact I remember watching Cadbury Athletic Reserves play at the iconic Bournville Ground as it’s not suitable for Midland League games and a very well-known hopper got extremely steamed up over it! My attitude to such mores is best described by the title of this blog, if it interests me, then I’ll go. And Seale-Hayne is certainly interesting! Continue reading →