Berlin Trilogy

For our latest Euro city break, the breadknife and I headed over to Berlin for four nights, jetting out of Newcastle on the Wednesday afternoon. I wasn’t expecting to see much football while in the German capital, with just the one match lined up on Saturday afternoon because of the international break.

I contacted Berlin based Groundhopper Marc Wördehoff (100 FgC Squad#16) prior to the trip, for an info on matches taking place on Thursday or Friday night. When we checked into our hotel at 7pm, I logged on to their wifi and was greeted with a Facebook message from Marc, letting me know of a further two matches on those nights to turn this holiday into a groundhop and a Berlin trilogy.

602. Stadion An der Alten Försterei

1.FC Union Berlin 0-3 VfL Wolfsburg

Friendly

Thursday 22nd March 2018 (6.30pm ko)

1. FC Union Berlin can be traced back to 1906, when predecessor FC Olympia Oberschöneweide was founded. The eastern branch of the club went through a number of name changes: Union Oberschöneweide (1950), BSG Motor Oberschöneweide (1951), SC Motor Berlin (1955), TSC Oberschöneweide (1957), TSC Berlin (1963) before finally becoming 1. FC Union Berlin in 1966.

In the early years  the club was nicknamed "Schlosserjungs" (metalworker-boys), because they wore an all blue kit during this period, similar to typical work clothing worn in the factories of the industrial Oberschöneweide district. The popular cry of Union supporters – "Eisern Union!" (Iron Union) – also appeared at this time, which gave way to the club nickname of “Die Eisernen” (The Iron Ones)  

German Championship Runners-up: 1923

FDGB-Pokal Winners: 1968

3. Fußball-Liga Winners: 2009

Brandenburg football champions 2: : 1920, 1923

Gauliga Berlin-Brandenburg: Winners: 1940

Oberliga Berlin (1945–63): Winners: 1948

Berlin Cup: Winners: 1947, 1948, 1994, 2007, 2009

Stadion An der Alten Försterei (translation: Stadium at the old forester's house) has been their home since it opened in 1920. The stadium was last redeveloped in 2009 and expanded in 2013 bringing the total capacity to 22,012.  The ground has three sides of large covered terracing with the main stand at one side, which has a single tier of 3,617 red seats with sponsorship boxes at the top.  

The stadium also hosts the annual "Weihnachtssingen" (Christmas Carols Event) and the "WM-Wohnzimmer" (World Cup Living Room) in 2014.

The Iron Ones, who have played in 2. Bundesliga since 2009 faced top division opponents VfL Wolfsburg in a test spiel during the international break. The match was an even contest until the visitors shifted through the gears in the second half. The deadlock was broken with a sweet free-kick from the edge of the area from the Brazilian defender William in the 72nd minute, before Victor Osimhen tapped in the second and Blaz Kramer ran half the length of the pitch to get on the end of a left wing cross in the last minute.

Matchday Stats & Spondoolicks

1.FCUB 0

VfLW 3(William 72 Osimhen 80 Kramer 90)

Att.1,040

Entertainment 6/10

Top Bloke - Victor Osimhen (Wolfsburg)

Admission 5€

Programme:2€ (non issued but purchased last Saturday’s match v SVV Jahn Regensburg)

Pin badge and fridge magnet 10€

603. Friedrich-Ebert Sportanlage AstroTurf

SD Croatia Berlin 4-1 Tennis Borussia

Friendly

Friday 23rd March 2018 (6.30pm ko)

Croats are the fifth largest foreigner group in Germany, with over 400,000 Croatians currently living in the country. Sportsko Društvo Croatia Berlin was founded in 1972 by Croatienämmingen as NK Hajduk Berlin. In 1987 they merged with SC Bratsvo 1971 Berlin to become SC Bratsvo-Hajduk Berlin, followed by a number of smaller clubs coming into the fold, until finally on the 14th January 1989 they teamed up with SV Croatia 1987 Berlin becoming the present day SD Croatia Berlin.  

The new club began climbing the leagues, going from the eighth level to become the first Croatian club to reach the third tier - Regionalliga Nordost in 1998, be it just for one season. They are currently in Berlin-Liga. The club also has a very successful Futsal team which has won honours at both local and national level as well as playing in the UEFA Futsal Cup.

NOFV-Oberliga Nord Champions: 1998

Verbandsliga Berlin Champions: 1996

Landesliga Berlin Staffel 2 Champions: 2015

Bezirksliga Berlin Staffel 1 Champions: 2013

SD Croatia are based in east Berlin in the Tempelhof-Schöneberg district. They play home games at the 12,000 capacity Friedrich Ebert Stadium, but for this friendly with Tennis Borussia the match was played on the AstroTurf pitch on the left side of the complex. I would have tried to take some pictures of the main stadium, but it was impossible due to it being a night time match. The AstroTurf pitch has standing raised steps on one side with some set back bench seats. At the entrance there’s a refreshment kiosk, with the changing room block in the centre of the complex, in between both grounds.  

Croatia had a comfortable warm up win against Tennis Borussia, with the big centre forward being on hand to tap home twice in the first half an hour. A minute after going two goals ahead, TeBe halved the deficit when the midfielder broke forward to latch onto a long ball and finish well. The two goal lead was restored just before the break and the victory was sealed late on to make it 4-1.

Matchday Stats & spondoolicks

SDC 4(#17 14,27 #8 24 #2 86)

TBB 1(#24 28) (scorers TBC)

Att.33hc

Entertainment 7/10

Top Bloke - #17 (SD Croatia)

Admission & programme:none

Coffee 1€

On Saturday I visited BFC Dynamo but beforehand checked out their other stadium - the Sportforum Hohenschönhausen. The stadium has a capacity of 10,000, including 2,000 seats and forms part of a large sports complex with facilities for ice hockey, speed skating, athletics, cycling as well a 3G football pitch. Dynamo switched most of their big European Cup matches from Hohenschönhausen to the Friedrich Ludwig Jahn Sportpark and following their 2014 promotion to Regionalliga Nordost, moved permanently back to the stadium in Prenzlauer Berg in northeast Berlin.

604.Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark

BFC Dynamo 3-0 SV Lichtenberg 47

Berlin Pilsner Cup Quarter-Final

Saturday 24th March 2018 (1pm ko)

Berliner FC Dynamo were originally established in 1949 before reforming in its current guise in 1966. The club has a long and chequered history, as an all conquering record breaking club in the DDR, with links to the Stasi, dodgy referees and their fall from grace to the lower echelons of the German leagues. Instead of me doing another poor write up, may I point you in the direction of two cracking reads which gives a fascinating account of this historic east Berlin club on Fussball Stadt and Mondo Fotbol.

DDR-Oberliga: A record 10 times between 1979 to 1988

DDR-Liga: Winners 1967/68

FDGB-Pokal: Winners 1988, 1989

DFV-Supercup: 1989
Berlin Cup Winners 1999, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017

NOFV-Oberliga Nord: Winners 1992, 2001, 2014

Verbandsliga Berlin: Winners 2004

Since 1825, the area was used as the drill grounds of the Guard Regiment of the Prussian army. Some housing was constructed on the site late in the 19th century, but the area soon became an open space used for sports. In the late 19th century the site served as the ground of Hertha BSC, until the city of Berlin purchased the land in 1912 and developed it for sports use.

The 30,000 capacity football and athletics stadium was built on the site in 1951, for use during the World Youth Festival that year. Originally known as Berliner Sportpark, East German municipal officers renamed it Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark the following year in honour of the centenary of the birth of the man known in Germany as the father of gymnastics.

The stadium is located in the southern part of the borough of Pankow right next to Mauerpark, a public linear park beside the former Berlin Wall and its Death Strip. The current ground was refurbished in 1988 to a capacity of 19,708 seats which are covered at the sides. The multicoloured seats swarm around behind both goals towards the main stand, which has two tiers with a cantilever roof. Apart from its colourful seats the most striking feature is the set of corner floodlights, which appear to be leaning forward to shine onto the pitch from the outside. The record attendance was 30,000 for a match between East Germany and Belgium in March 1974.

Dynamo eased past SV Lichtenberg 47 in their defence of the Berlin Cup, with Solomon Okoronkwo giving them an early lead, before Otis Breustedt raced through on goal to double the lead just before the half time whistle. The result was never in doubt once Okoronkwo added his second with a superb overhead kick from a right wing cross. The holders will now face Tennis Borussia in the semi-finals in their pursuit of a sixth Berlin Cup title. 

Matchday Stats and Spondoolicks

BFCD 3(Okoronkwo 13,57 Breustedt 45)

SVL47 0

Att.TBC

Entertainment 7/10

Top Bloke - Solomon Okoronkwo

Admission 10€

Programme and pin badge 12€

Hot-dog 2.50€

Tea 1€ (binned it because the milk was off!)

We had a fabulous time in Berlin, visiting the usual tourist spots like the Brandenburg Gate and Checkpoint Charlie. We also visited the DDR Museum, did our own David Bowie trail and of course supped some quality beers in some of the city’s top pubs and the holiday was topped off by my visit to these three great clubs in east Berlin.

Berlin pubs and pictures

Hop Scotch

Now there’s a touch of spring in the air, it’s time to resume with my travels, starting with a trip into the Kingdom of Fife for three of the matches in the organised East of Scotland League Groundhop. That hint of springtime decided to make way for a return to winter conditions, with snow forecast for the weekend, so I decided to just fear the worst with any football being a bonus. As it turned out, apart from a few snow flurries and it being bitter cold, everything went nicely to plan.  I headed north on the 0738 train to Edinburgh, then caught the Scotrail service to Burntisland, arriving at 1015 for the first match of my Scottish treble. 

599. Recreation Park

Burntisland is a royal burgh and parish on the northern shore of the Firth of Forth in Fife. (population over 6,000) The town is known for its award-winning sandy beach and the 15th-century Rossend Castle, plus the traditional summer fair and Highland games day.

Burntisland Shipyard Football Club formed from the Burntisland Shipbuilding Company's recreation fund. The workers weekly subscription had been established in 1919 for recreational activities, such as cricket, bowls and the formation of two football teams at junior and juvenile level. The football team played in local leagues until 1925 when the club was properly established, joining the Lothian Amateur Football League and playing in the Scottish Cup in 1929. The club joined the Kirkcaldy and District Amateur League in 1959, followed by the Kingdom Caledonian Football League, before joining the East of Scotland League in 2012.

Recreation Park was bought by the shipyard, who built a pavilion to enable the playing of cricket and football. The ground has a covered enclosure centrally at one side with the team dugouts opposite. The changing rooms with refreshment bar and the club shop/toilets cabin are set back behind the goal.

Burntisland Shipyard(10th) v Preston Athletic(4th)

East of Scotland League matchday 17v19

11am ko

On my arrival at the ground I was promised loads of goals by the lad taking the admission money at the dugouts entrance. As the first half progressed his prediction looked way off the mark until Greg Binnie nipped in to fire Preston into the lead on 38 minutes. Shippey replied just before the break with a superb strike from Tom Graham, his banana shot from the edge of the box curling into the far corner of the ‘keeper’s left hand post.

The visitors got to grips with the strong wind which faced them in the second half, regaining the lead when Jonny Grotlin raced clear on the left flank, keeping his composure to draw the ‘keeper and finish with confidence.

Burntisland’s chances of getting back into game weren’t helped by the dismissal of Rab Kinnaird for stamping on the opposing full back on 76 minutes, but they should have at least grabbed a point. With just over five minutes remaining they were gifted a penalty, but Jon Galloway’s weak shot was gathered by Craig Pennycuick to give the three points to the Panners.

Matchday Stats

BSFC 1 (Graham 45)
PAFC 2 (Binnie 38 Grotlin 62)

Att.166

Spondoolicks

Admission £5

Programme £2

Pin badge £3

Coffee and bacon sarny £2

600. New Central Park

Kelty is a former coal mining village in Fife (population over 6,000) situated on the Fife/Kinross-shire border next to the M90 Edinburgh to Perth road.

Kelty Hearts Amateur Football Club formed in 1975 beginning life in the Kirkcaldy & District Amateur Football League. After major work on New Central Park the Jam Tarts were accepted into the Junior ranks, joining the Fife Junior League in 1980. (champions 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1996–97, 1998–99, 2002–03) The club progressed up to the highest level of the East Juniors, winning the East Super League in 2014-15 and 2016-17. Last summer the club decided to make the switch to senior level with ambitions to reach the SPFL, by joining the East of Scotland League, step 6 of the Scottish pyramid.

New Central Park has a capacity of 2,271, with two identical covered enclosures each side of the dugouts, each having room for around 500 spectators. There is also a 250 capacity enclosure on the school end with raised hard standing behind both goals.

The changing rooms, social club and other amenities are below the main spectator area, with the latest 3G Greenfields MX surface raised up from the entrance. The biggest attendance at the ground is 2,300 when Rangers provided the opposition for Stefan Winiarski’s testimonial in 2012.

Kelty Hearts(1st) v Tweedmouth Rangers(13th)

East of Scotland League matchday 19v17

1.45pm ko

The club with the 100% winning record against the team with the 100% losing record could only mean one thing… I was going to beat my own personal record of a 12-0 victory today.

That didn’t look possible after half an hour gone, after a Scott Dalziel header had restored Kelty’s lead, having earlier gone ahead through Brian Ritchie, only for Tweedmouth to equalise when Lewis McKenna lobbed the ‘keeper, which came as more of a surprise to him and his teammates, than the watching spectators.

Just before half time a sliding volley by Neil McCabe, was followed by Errol Douglas netting in injury time to make it 4-1 at the break, with Hearts also having three goals(or was it four?, I lost count) goals chalked off, which would have set me well on my way to beating my record score.

Dalziel headed home the fifth with 52 minutes gone, followed by Stephan Husband making it a half dozen scoring the first of two direct free-kicks from outside the box. Substitute Stuart Cargill heading home with his first touch of the ball to make it super-seven with still half an hour left to play.

A goal lull meant we had to wait over a quarter of an hour for the next strike by Douglas on 76 minutes, with Shaun Greig cracking home a right foot drive and Douglas completing his hat trick to make it 11-1 on 85 minutes.

There was still time to equal or beat my highest tally, but The Hearts declared on eleven, which took their total to 132 league goals for the season.

Matchday Stats

KHFC 11(Ritchie 11 Dalziel 28,52 McCabe 43 Douglas 45+2, 76, 85 Husband 56,80 Cargill 60 Greig 82)

TRFC 1 (McKenna 22)

Art.278

Spondoolicks

Admission  £6

Programme £2

Pin badge £3

Mince pie £1.50 Coffee £1

601. Oriam Indoor Arena

The Club was founded around 1945 as Heriot-Watt College F.C., before Heriot-Watt became a university and moved most of its enterprise to its new campus at Riccarton, in the west end of Edinburgh in 1971. The Club became Heriot-Watt University F.C. and successfully applied to join the East of Scotland Football League for the 1971–72 season.

The Watt play within the John Brydson Arena on the University campus, but for today's Groundhop game the match is on the indoor 3G synthetic pitch. The Sports Performance Centre, named Oriam opened to the public in August 2016 and has a full-size indoor football pitch(which looks huge) with seated viewing for 500 spectators down one side. The centre is a hive of activity with basketball matches also taking place (and something to watch at half time).

Heriot-Watt University(5th) v Leith Athletic(2nd)

East of Scotland League matchday 22v20

5pm ko

The visitors clawed back a two goal deficit to claim the points with a late goal by Callum Mein.  A brace from Michael Ward had put the Watt in a commanding position, firing in two similar stikes, getting on the end of a left wing cross in the 11th and 33rd minutes.

In the 40th minute a good run and cross down the right wing picked out John Robertson at the back post to half the deficit. Midway through the second half Leith were gifted an equaliser, when the Watt defender dilly-dallied on the ball for too long and was robbed by Daniel Garvey to capitalise on the error.

The hosts were reduced to ten men on 77 minutes after a late lunge from Anton Dows, then ten minutes later Mein curled in the winner from the edge of the box. In injury time Chris Lane was shown a second yellow card to rub salt into their wounds, when at one stage they looked to be coasting to victory.

Matchday Stats

H-WUFC 2 (Ward 11,33)

LAFC 3 (Robertson 40 Garvey 67 Mein 87)

Att.207

Spondoolicks

Admission £5

Programme £1

Pin badge £3 Tea 50p

#HeedHopper

Special thanks to Katie for giving me a lift to Kelty and then onto Dundonald Bluebell, where we met Mark Wilkins for the second half of their game with Bonnyrigg. Katie & Lee were staying in Glenrothes, so Mark played a blinder to drive me down to Edinburgh in time for the last match of the afternoon at Oriam. Also a big thanks to the Groundhop UK team for organising a great hop, which was topped off by a few bevvies in The Booking Office before catching the delayed 2000 train back to Newcastle.