Thursday 3 November 2011

SK Slovan Kunratice; Prague, Czech Republic

SK Slovan Kunratice was my first port of call on my October 2011 trip to Prague, in the Czech Republic, which was my tenth visit to the country. They play in the top division of the Prague area leagues, which is the fifth step in the Czech pyramid.

A basic two sided ground, but none the worse for it, the game was entertaining & it was a great start to my holiday.



The corner of the ground from outside, club name on the fence, above the noticeboards. The entrance is up the side road, to the right.



A close up of them.



Going up the sideroad, past the ground, is the clubhouse.



Past that is the car park.



Along the side of the club house is the booth to pay to get in. Popular beer Bernard sign jutting out from the building.



The other side of the pay table is the scoreboard.



Inside, immediate left is the changing rooms & clubhouse, past it, in the same building.



In the changing room corridor are a number of old club flags and pictures. I love historic artifacts like these.



There was also a cabinet selling souvenirs, but I couldn't find anyone to buy something off of, sadly. Maybe next year...



Some more old pictures...









Past the changing rooms was a door into the clubhouse, this was the bar.



Even more old club memorabilia on the walls.



Back outside now, as if we have just entered the ground, ahead of us is the pitch, this end behind the goal is raised above the pitch, which presumably was once on a slope, like the road alongside, but levelled. See where the rail turns in the right of this picture, this is the 'open tunnel' to the pitch from the changing rooms.



The other side of the tunnel is more 'picnic' style benches, with an awning over it.



Here you can see how far above the pitch we are. But we're not going behind this goal yet, as we shall walk round the ground clockwise, so shall turn back to the tunnel.



Here are the steps down to the pitch. In the background you can see the covered enclosure along the side.



The pitch rail turns tightly at the corner, you can see how the standing along the side slopes downwards.



No hard standing underfoot, just grass.



Our first corner flag angle of the ground, looking over to the dugouts side, where there is no spectator standing.



Now we're along the side, where the flat grassed standing gently slopes down to the cover, by the halfway line.



From this side you can clearly see how far the fans are above the pitch, standing-or sitting on the benches- behind the goal.



Well they say non-league football is watched by 'one man & his dog'..here they are behind the goal! ;-)



Moving onward we continue to go downhill. Not the gantry on the roof, where the game is being filmed by the club.



Smoking is still very popular in this country, with ashtrays along the pitch perimeter.



Almost at the 'shed' now, dusty underneath, as the grass can't grow under there.



The camera team up above.



Simple corrigated cover.



Dry shale under it.



Looking back along the open standing area.



The dugouts opposite, framed through the gantry supports.



The dugouts, a bit closer, over the halfway line.



Past the filming gantry, there is a 'rope' across this side at the end of the cover. This is as far as any supporter can go.



Just the touchlines beyond.



Nothing at all behind the goal.



Turning round we look back up under the cover.



It's half time now, so I duck under the fence to take a shot of the shed from on the pitch.



Catching the attention of the man behind the camera!



Smart club sign below their vantage point.



As it's the interval I walk round the pitch.



At the corner, the back of the 'Slovan' sign we saw when we arrived.



No space for anyone to stand behind this goal.



Before we move on a glance back along the covered side touchline.



And the covered part once more.



Behind the goal is the bus stop I got off at, a short 15 minute ride from the nearest Metro station.



Past the goal now, main side as background.



To the next corner, again just the touchline, no fans allowed over here, the dugouts further up.



Behind the dugouts is a smaller second pitch.



Here are the dugouts from the front.



Over the halfway side from the 'closed' side.



moving on to the next dugout, note the old fashioned stretcher against the fence, and the football stand, to the left of the picture.



Moving along the touchline to the spectator area behind the goal, at the clubhouse end.



Which we see again here, by turning slightly to the right.



The back of the dugouts on the second pitch.



Getting closer to the raised end.



Here we are now at the last corner flag.



A quick look at the dugouts on the pitch behind.



Before we are behind the goal, where we began our stroll round the ground.



Dumping ground for old pitch grass cuttings, second pitch beelow, in this corner.



By the main pitch, at the bottom of the grass bank, looking over it.



Up the slope we see down the 'closed side' touchline.



Now moving toward the clubhouse.



Sausages being cooked outdoors.



Pricelist.



Almost back to where we began.



Which was about where the tunnel is.



This is the game I was here for.



So let's see some photos from the match itself.



















Sponsors on the back of the lino's shirt.





















The final score...a good home win, time to leave.



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