Sparta Krc; Prague, Czech Republic

I saw a game at Sparta Krc in October 2005. At the time they were playing in the third level of Czech football, which has two divisions. The game I saw was a 1-0 victory for them at home to the B side (as in reserves) of Ceske Budejovice, in front of a crowd of 108 on a Saturday morning.
Since then they progressed to the Second division, but then had to use the Evzena Rosickeho Stadium. This proved to be a step too far, & in the summer dropped down to the top division of the local Prague leagues, which is at level five.

It is a ground that typifies lower level Czech football for me. It speaks of former glories, that have long gone, & hark back to some of our old, long disappeared amateur grounds in the London area.



The sign above leads down a small road, and this turns toward this gate, which is the entrance to the ground.



Through this & you see the main pitch area. The goal straight ahead is a training one, place on grass behind the actual pitch goal, which you can just see to the left of the photo.



To the left is this access road, up to the car park, and club buildings. The grass bank to the right is the top of the terrace along the side of the pitch.



Down at pitchside, the corner where we came in, we look over the pitch, we see the open terrace on the far side, where the dugouts are.



This is the magnificent crumbling terrace along the side where we are. A path at the top, with some benches. You can see the club buildings at the end, with a grass bank and trees where the ground curves round.



Terracing like this would have been condemned a long time ago back home! Which is why I love the Czech Republic!



Here's another shot from the top of the terrace, along it. Look along the benches and you will see a gantry.



This is where they film matches from.



Another angle of the terrace, from the bottom.



In the corner, at pitch level, is the tunnel into the changing rooms. Up above you can just see the bar & food area.



From down here we look back down the terrace.



From down here we look over to the grass banking behind the goal. The 'ugly' brick wall has a busy road on the other side, hence the advertising hoarding on the right hand side. But look carefully BEFORE that, tucked behind the tree, a partially obscured round thing, over the road barrier....



Now we look over the pitch, to the dugout side, where we get a better look at the other vast stretch of open terrace. I realise there is no corner flag, but I couldn't resist a 'corner flag' shot!



Back up top now, tables and chairs in front of the refreshment area, the blue railings on the right are right above the players' tunnel.



This is the refreshment/bar area behind.



From up here we look over the pitch once more.



With another shot across the terrace we've just covered.



Moving behind the goal we look down to the near goal, with the far terrace on the side.



Similar place, but to the other terrace.



The banking, with trees, curves, before more old open terracing.



And back up behind the goal...remember that obscured round thing? It's actually the most amazing scoreboard I've ever seen!



Along the concrete at the bakc is plenty of graffiti, some more artistic than other efforts. Here are a couple of the better examples:




High up in this corner, a good few yards back from the trees, I take this picture looking over to the ground.



To the left of the previous shot is this old pitch, with a dirt one set behind it, at a lower level.



An all-weather pitch is being laid at the other end of this higher pitch. Presumably it will cover the whole full pitch area when completed.



Heading on, to the other side of the main ground, we look across this, similar, atretch of terrace.



Down at the front we can see the dugouts.



There are a row of old wooden benches along the top.



Set behind this terrace is an old dustbowl of a muddy pitch.



There are the remains of an old railing down the side of it.



Dugouts on the far side, I still can't resist a corner flag shot!



Back again to the main ground, we look down the terrace, toward the curve at the end, no banking, just railed.



Down the front we can see the dugouts.



Almost at the corner we look over the touchline, behind the goal. You can see the entrance where we came in on the far side.



Almost completing our circuit, we are behind the goal, where the rail bends round.



We are a long way from the pitch, I doubt if anyone watches a game from here!



We end our visit looking over the pitch, directly behind the goal. A superb venue, and a Saturday morning one. A perfect place to start a 'double' or even 'treble' if you ever decide to 'hop' in Prague!