Wednesday 5 November 2008

FK Banik Most; Most, Czech Republic.

Despite the signs all saying FK SIAD MOST the tema is actually currently known as Banik Most. I presume it's a sponsors thing. Banik appears to be a traditional name for them. This match was a 2-2 draw against Trinec, and was actually on my 42nd birthday!



This is my first glimpse of the ground as I approach it.



Here is a map of the ground. In reality you could go in most areas, apart from V.I.P.; which was for V.I.P.s. And F, which presumably was for away fans, when there were any!



This statue was outside the ground, I have no idea who, or what, it is supposed to represent.



These were the turnstiles where I entered. 50 Czech crowns, another ten for the programme.



My first glimpse is of the open seating behind the goal. There was clearly once a running track here. I'm impressed by the way it has been 'landscaped' over, rather than just left to grow 'wild'.



These are the seats down the 'nearside', as in the side I entered. The main stand is opposite. Note the walkway behind the seats. Plenty of fans preferred to stand and watch from there.



Still in the corner I entered we look across the pitch ,as the teams warm up.



Moving into the seats I look back at the open end we've already seen. Note that floodlight pylon behind. We will come back to that soon!



From the middle we look across to the main stand, with the V.I.P. section in the centre.



Moving down we look over to the far end, which wasn't open. Presumably the fenced in section to the left is for away fans. There were a couple of stewards there, but it remained empty, and I didn't clock anyone celebrating the two Trinec goals in this 2-2 draw, so I'm guessing they don't travel well!



Here we look across to the other corner of this end. Note the roof behind, and you can see the sign on the roof saying 'ZIMNI STADION'. This is the ice rink. After this match is finished I cannot resist being nosey, and sticking my head through the door, as I will have an hour or so until my train back to Prague.



I look back down the seats before making my way to where I'd come, to get round the other side.



But first I go down to the front, to get a snap of 'pitchside', the grassed area by the old track is what was once the long jump area.



Back to the turnstiles where I came in, this is the from inside the ground.



Behind, up above the goal, behind the seating, is the stalls selling beer & sausages.



Note the pitch behind, this is one of two at this end. There is another, to the left of the fence, which is another stadium in itself.



This pitch is a grass one, and there are no spectator facilities around it. Here we look across to the dugouts.



There is a grass bank behind the far goal, but it's not really terracing.



Through the pinned up net we can see the dugouts again, and also how wet it's been!



And another look at the dugouts from opposite them.



Below this pitch is another one, an all-weather surface. With-as you can see- proper old terracing!



Which extends behind the goal, at the 'main ground' end, where you can see the top of the seating to the left.



Back on the side terrace we can look over to the main ground. And on the right you can see that floodlight I mentioned earlier.



Back up the other end is banking. I don't think anyone would bother to stand here.



From this end we look back down at this 'second' ground. It's certainly good enough to be a 'stand alone' non-league ground in it's own right.



A similar shot a few yards along, which captures the few plastic bucket seats in the middle of the terrace.



Here you can see both pitches sie by side, albeit at different levels.



So now we're back up in the main ground, behind the goal. And here we look back to the 'popular' side.



And straight across the pitch.



And finally to the right. To the 'main' stand, with the V.I.P. area in the middle.



Moving round we get a nice shot of the 'bend' behind the goal.



And from the corner we look across.



And,at last, we look down the main side. Not the 'Restaurant' to the right, which isn't as posh as it sounds. A small bar area, as we shall see.



Well I'm presuming 'Restaurace' means restaurant.



Iniside it's an ordinary little football bar.





Back outside we look across to the other stand. Note the flags to the left. This is where the main, noisy, younger fans congregate.



Here I look into the V.I.P. area, but can't actually enter it.



Walking behind it I get a view of the empty far end, with the scoreboard.



And from here I look back into the main stand.



Now I'm on my way back round to the other side.



With both teams lining up for kick off.



That's almost one flag between two! ;-)



Behind the goal, as the match is about to kick off, with one local in a Dynamo Moscow hat.



Some of the flags on the fencing.



And behind some sort of fan protest, I'm not sure what about exactly, but something about the sale of souvenirs I think?



Here a club official ordering them to be taken down & confiscating them!



This small group of fans liked their ticker tape!



As you can see...



Bit of mess...very 'nineteen seventies!'



A little bit of goalmouth action.



And a,by now, nighttime shot of the ground.



At the end the local 'ultras' refuse to leave until the players come over to acknowledge them.



4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi, Don't know if you were aware but there is an English professional playing for the Most team called Byron Webster.

Rabbler said...

I must confess I didn't notice. I'lll hold my hand up & say that while I always try to get a programme, or teamsheet, I don't really look at them, as I work on the basis I can't read the language, & won't recognise any of the players! ;-)

Baudelaire said...

Does Banik not refer to coal mining like Gornik in Poland ???

Rabbler said...

I must confess I have no idea! You are educating me!