I was going to Belgium early in 2008 for the Dulwich Hamlet Supporters' Team match against our counterparts from UR Namur. I crossed the Channel a few days earlier as Namur had an away match at AFC Tubize on the Wednesday, which was a creditable draw. Namur stayed up on the play-offs, whilst Tubize were promoted to the Belgian First Division. The ground itself is an easy fifteen minute stroll from the train station, but as for the town itself...well I don't think they get many tourists! Not much to see, I ended up on a 'busmans holiday' wandering around the local library! ;-)
I was with the visitors today, though the segregation wasn't really enforced at the match, though it was in place.
It was easy to find the ground with these signs, also-as a personal 'bonus' for me-the local cemetery, as I like to visit burial grounds & photograph them.
This is the sign just outside the ground.
And here are some of the turnstiles.
I got to the ground a few hours before the game, while it was still daylight, so I could get some decent-ish pictures. This is the open area behind the goal, from outside the ground, next to the main stand. The buildings behind are the bar & refreshment areas.
Here are the ticket windows from behind that goal, in the car park.
Another sign welcoming me I presume!
The main stand is down one side, this is to the right of the goal where the open end is, which we just saw.
And a view of it from the other side.
The opposite side is open, with this covered terrace in the middle. Note the fence down the middle, this is for segregation, the away fans being in the far section of this picture.
From the back of the terracing we look to our left, there is no spectators area behind this goal, just a huge wall of advetising boards.
From the terrace we are directly opposite the main stand.
Walking on past the terracing, there is just hard standing.
Here we are back down the 'bar end', open behind the goal, no terracing.
Now at the game, here are some of the travelling fans from Namur.
The players come over to thank us for the support!
Allez Namur!
5 comments:
More Pylons please :-)
Really enjoyed your blog you left out my favourite though ssVG Velbert 02 Stadion Sonnenblume in Germany which translated really is Stadium Sunflower :-)
Cheers Art Tidesco
You never know...one day I may visit there! ;-)
I do have some photos of a few grounds from Berlin, from September 2007, & will get round to publishing them eventually!
Thanks for looking in.
Ground development continues at Tubize - I was there on Sunday (3 May 2009) and there is now a large new stand at the south end where there was just advertsing at the time of your visit. And some temporary terracing had been put up in front of the bar - capacity now up to 7,000.
Stephen Harris
This blog has compelled me to go to Stadion Sonneblumme during my next visit to Germany :-)
Apparently 306 lucky fans got to see ssVG Velbert win 1:0 over VfB Huls, regretatbly VElbert are mired 0ne point adrift at the bottom of NRW Oberliga :-(
Germany is a country I should get to more often, unfortunately I am 'tied down' by the constraints of money. :-(
I'm not surprised to hear that Tubize have added to the ground, as they establish themselves in the top division.
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