HJK Helsinki; Finnair Stadium, Helsinki,Finland.

I returned to Helsinki at the end of July 2009, for another match with the Dulwich Hamlet Supporters' team, against our good friends from 'Forza HJK' & although I had everything covered really from the Finnair Stadium the previous year, I have added a few more here:

Here are some flags flying outside, prior to their Europa League game against a Lithuanian side.



A shot of 'pikey corner', where you can look into part of the stadium for free! It is up above, in front of the Olympic Stadium.



Food and drink is available under the stands.



See if you can spot our Dulwich Hamlet banner, and not the small section of terracing behind the goal.



Here is our flag, flying proudly in support of our Helsinki friends.



The terraced bit is occupied by their 'ultra' type 'hooligan-wannabe' group of fans!



I'm not sure if this poster is related to their activities or not! If anyone sees this who can offer a translation I'd be most grateful!



Finally, from this new set, some of the 'Forza HJK' group of fans.



Below is my original post, from 2008:

My first ever visit to Finland, and a visit to HJK Helsinki; thanks to their fans agreeing to play the Dulwich Hamlet Supporters' Team.
Their Finnair Stadium was hosting the Finnish Amateur Football Championships this weekend. And-amazingly to an Englishman-their actual stadium was in use, as well as the surrounding pitches. It had an all-weather surface, but we were told that grass is due to be laid for the UEFA Womens' European Championships next year.
We were playing on the Sunday, and then watching the HJK First Team in the evening, before heading back to Tallinn, in Estonia, by boat. I had booked into the cheap, but perfectly adequate for me, Olympic Stadium Hostel, adjacent. I didn't find time to get into the Olympic Stadium itself (not sure if you can) nor go up the Olympic Tower, which was open; which would have made for some cracking photos. There was also a Sports Museum, which I never had time to see.
But the HJK fans were so welcoming that there is no doubt that we will return to play them in a couple of years or so time. So I will do all the Olympic stuff then.
The bonus of staying at my hostel was that I could wander into the Finnair Stadium, which was fully open as part of the amateur football weekend, so I will now take you on a tour of the stadium.



A map of the ground. I start off behind the stand at the left
hand side; then walk around the one at the top, before
enetering the ground at the bottom right hand corner.



This is a view of the stadium, from an adjacent ground, which we
will look at later, and this is behind that stand 'on the
left hand side'.



I don't know how old the ground is, nor how long HJK have
played here, but it is all very modern.



And also home to the Finland Football Association.



These are gates in the corner





And I stroll outside behind the main stand, the club shop
being in the middle.



This is the corner I enter the ground. These are
seats behind the goal, but I walk the other way, in a clockwork
direction.



From the corner this is the view down the side.



And looking back behind the goal. Opposite you can see
part of the main stand, clearly the biggest area in the ground.



A view from around the half way mark of the seats.



And glancing back from the end. I didn't know when I took this,
but this would be roughly the area we would watch the match
from.



Behind the goal, which was the end I started off from, when
outside.



Glancing through the pillars at the back, I attempt
an unusual shot or two.





Behind the goal again.



Having moved on, behind the goal, I glance back down the side.



Tucked in behind the goal is presumably the score from the
last game. Or someone being psychic? As this was the very
score by which HJK won by on Sunday evening!



Behind this stand is an open refreshment area. You can see
the Olympic Stadium complex behind.



Back into the seats behind the goal, and here is your first
real glimpse of the main stand.



And looking back across, with the sportshall, by the training ground
pitches, visible behind.



Looking up at the 'posh boxes'. note the flowerpots!



Down at pitch level, by the dugouts.



And looking across to the corner where I entered the ground.



Now I start to move up into the main stand, and look down
on another entrance to the ground.



With a view over the pitch, as I climb the steps.



Looking down along the lower tier.



This is the upper area.



A decent view from up here.



And looking down behind the goal, both ends almost identical.



The press seats, in the upper section.



And having walked back along this side we get another
glimpse of the end we have seen.



I go right to the back to give you a view from 'up in the gods';
not that high at all really.



One of my favourite shots out of this group, looking down
again behind the goal.





And a last look downwards to the pitch...



Before I'm back down pitchside at the other end, where
I entered the ground, as we leave the ground for today.



Back the next evening for the big match.
This was the programme.



And the HJK yearbook.



And our match tickets, complimetary ones kindly arranged
by our Finnnish counterparts.



The majority of the crowd were either behind the goal here



With a sprinkling of fans in the main stand opposite



With most supporters down the same side as us, which was
strange, as the sun was in our faces for the whole game, with
no shade!



Another snap of the crowds behind the goal.



A snap of under the stands



Somewhere under roandabout here!



We had a great time, as guests of the Forza HJK supporters',
and this was one of their flags.



Behind our corner was a sort of 'pikey hill', for those
too tight to pay to get in!



Our flag proudly on display.



These are some of the lot we played football against.





And the final whistle signals not just the end of my digital tour
of the Finnair Stadium with you, but one of the most memorable
days i've EVER had with the Dulwich Hamlet Supporters'
Football Team, in almost twenty years of the team!



For more photos you have the follwing from the Forza HJK site here, here, & here.

Plus a few, some copied in this post, from my own Supporters' Team blogsite here.

Helsingen Ponnistus 1887; Helsinki, Finland

A simple municipal ground, so it looked from the passing tram. But what caught my eye was the fact it had a small stand, so I felt I had to check it out!
Luckily there was a match poster stuck up, so I managed to establish that Helsingin Ponnistus play here. Though I have no idea what level of the Finnish footballing pyramid they play at, nor what the actual name of the ground is, so I'd be grateful if anyone can work it out and let me know!

The rather tatty noticeboard at the entrance.



This was on a door to the closed pavilion building. My only 'clue' as to who plays here!




A view across the pitch, to the changing rooms. A drab brick building.



Looking up the pitch, from by the goal. Note the open seating to the right of the post.



Here is a closer view.



But this is the stand on the other side that caught my eye in the first place, which was enough to make me break my tram journey.

Olympic Swimming Pool, Helsinki, Finland

Some snaps of the Olympic Pool, by the Olympic Stadium, in Helsinki. I didn't go in here specifically to snap it for this site. But we went here to relax after our Supporters' match with the HJK fans, so I couldn't resist whipping it out. My camera that is! ;-)

An Unknown Stadium, Helsinki, Finland

This lovely little athletics stadium is set in the park, behind the Olympic Stadium. I passed it on the tram into the town centre, and jumped off later to take some photos. I wasn't disappointed!
I could picture myself here on a lazy, long Finnish summer evening, as dusk doesn't seem to come, watching a provincial athletics meeting. Nothing could be more civilised unless ot was used for a football match!

Hopefully someone will be able to put a name to this palce for me!

I loved this wooden entrance. And amazed by the lack of graffiti or vandalism.



Going through the gates it looked basic as I turned my head leftwards.



But glancing in the other direction...beautiful! A little wooden stand at the far corner, with a traditional pavilion in between!



This was a recent poster on a noticeboard, I was hoping this was the name of the track, but having just goggled it no such luck!



Plenty of flat stnading for spectators down the straight.



The pavilion. Very nice.



Abd the wooden stand.



Smart & clean, wish it was a football stand!



At the far end is another entrance similar to the one I entered from.



And a superb view of the stand from the bend.



Along the other straight is some open benches. Who on earth would sit here, rather than the wooden stand?



And finally a glimpse across the pitch, sadly no football markings on them.

FIM Ground, Helsinki, Finland

The FIM ground is the ground used by the Junior teams of HJK Helsinki, & adjacent to the main Finnair Stadium, with the changing rooms being below the stand behind the goal. I thinks it's true to say that none of us expected to play on such excellent facilities when we fixed up a match with the HJK fans!



There were several steps of terracing down both sides, and these snaps were taken during a weekend long Finnish Amateur competition.



This is down the other side, note the sportscentre behind the trees.



I couldn't resist showing a joint HJK Helsinki/Dulwich Hamlet supporters' team photo.



The other side of the sportscentre are two more full size all-weather pitches, but with no spectator facilities. This is a view looking down on them, from a footpath, on the way to my hostel.



And another view a few yards along, with the Finnair Stadium behind.



A look across these pitches, from inside the Finnair Stadium with the tournament in full swing.




I happened to see this team, I wish I'd asked them who they were, it's so rare to see another team in Pink & Blue!

Atlantis FC; Helsinki, Finland

I revisited the home of Atlantis in July 2009, & was fortunate enough to catch a game there.
I took a few more snaps, but I'd really covered it the year before.
I also got a some wonderful 'overhead' shots from the top of the Olympic Tower, at the adjacent Olympic Stadium.

This is the game in progress, with the HJK Helsinki stadium behind.



Looking arcoss the pitch, with the two teams lining up.



This is from the top of the twer, looking down on the open benches.



Here I manage to get the bigger Finnair stadium next door in the picture.



And in the final one I get the majority of the pitch in view.



The rest,below, is my orignal posting from 2008:

First glance at this photo shows a basic football pitch. But it's a lot more than that. For this is Toolon Pallokennta; home of Atlantis FC. It is right next door to the Finnair Stadium; And has the Olympic Stadium above it.
There are teo pitches here, this is the one furthest away from the Finnair Stadium, and presumably the training pitch.



There is a large spectator bank down one side, this extends some of the way up to the second pitch, you can see the fence seperating the two in the middle of this photo.



It is clearer in this picture, from up in the benches.


Here is a similar view, but further along, where you can see the Finnair Stadium in the distance.



I am guessing this is the entrance to the changing areas, with the Olympic Stadium Tower behind.



This photo gives a good view of the benches at the main pitch.



Just dugouts, and this observation building on the far side.



With the scoreboard in the far corner.