Believe it or not I hadn't realised it was the 24th October until I looked up at the indicator board when I arrived at Cesky Brod train station, the significance being it was my birthday. 43 today!
SK Cesky Brod play in the B division of the fourth level of Czech football, there being three divisions on this rung of the pyramid.
As grounds go this was a little delight, as hopefully you will agree, where I had a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon watching the home side eventually win by the odd goal in three against visitors Decin.
This is the entrance to the ground.
We get in at one of the corners behind the goal, there is open standing at this end.
But we are going to head round the other way, clockwise. From this first corner we look over to the main stand.
As we start our tour there is this refreshment hut on our left.
Beyond, down this side is open hard standing, with rows of raised uncovered seating behind. With steep, tree lined banking atop them.
It certainly looks a bit unusual to me.
Up on that strange staircase is a man filming the match.
Here is a shot of him perched up his tower.
We look over toward the main stand as the players 'meet and greet'.
Time to kick off.
Past the plastic seats it becomes terracing, with a few choosing to stand higher up on the banking.
From up on the steps we look towards the club buildings at the other end.
Here we look across to the main stand again, from up on the raised open seats.
Moving on it's open standing, with a raised walkway, and one bench on it, fully utilised!
Behind the goal are the changing rooms, and nearest to us, the bar.
From this corner we look across the pitch.
Netting protects the building s behind the goal.
From here we see the open side, and how wooded it actually is.
By the goal we see over to the main stand side.
In front of the changing rooms is a club noticeboard.
The man we see is standing in front of the entrance to the changing rooms, with toilets to the right.
Some of the visiting team coming out for the second half.
Ditto the home side.
With the match officials dashing out too.
We're now on our way toward the tree lined far side.
Another corner flag snap, looking over to the rows of open seats.
Down the side, toward the stand, is hard standing.
From here we look back at the club buildings behind the goal.
Almost at the main stand, with the back of the dugouts next to us.
Now we're almost in front of the stand. Take a good look and clock the metal round thing on top of the wall in front of the seats on the left.
It's on the end of a long pole, and looks a bit larger than a football at the end...
I presume it is for hooking balls out of the stream that runs immediately behind the stand the full length of the pitch!
This is the home dugout.
The dugouts are out of this shot, either side of the main stand, which we look at here.
Back on the spectator side again here, we look toward the stand.
From in front of it we glance over to the goal at the end we came in.
Next we look over the halfway line to the open seats.
Now we're sat up in the main stand, from where I watched most of the match.
Wooden benches to our right.
Now eyes to the left!
Couldn't resist a stretcher snap!
Back down the front, time to continue our walk round the ground.
At the end of the main stand we look back into it.
Past the stand we go past the away dugout, capturing a stylish local! ;-)
Tree lined open standing continues to the corner.
From here we look to the open end at this part of the ground.
Hard standing, with one step of old terracing behind.
My final corner flag shot, the open seating in the background.
We finish our tour with a little bit of second half action, with main stand as backdrop.
On the way out we pass the adjacent out of use swimming pool.
It doesn't look as though it's been used for swimming for a long time. It might seem strange but it looked appealing in it's rundown state, which is why I snapped it.
If ever you get the chance I couldn't recommend a visit here more. It's less than a hour by train from Prague & perfect for a birthday treat! ;-)
Saturday 28 November 2009
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