Saturday 26 February 2011

Shoreham

Shoreham play in Division One of the Sussex County League. I popped into their ground during the 2009/10 season, on my way to see The Hamlet at Worthing. I had previously seen a game here for a Friday night first team match about three or four years ago. It is a small enclosed ground in the corner of a recreation ground.



This is the entrance, where you pay to get in.



The pay booth, from inside.



The entrance is set in the corner, there is this area of cover behind the goal to our right.



The seats are along the side to our left, which is where we are heading.



Before we reach them there is the clubhouse.



Entrance through here.



Set back behind this corner is the changing room building.



We are currently at the corner, looking over to the open dugouts side.



In front of the clubhouse is open hard standing.



Past the bar now, we look back at it.



Then we reach the seated area, which is strangely set back a little.



Before we see them, it's a glance back to the covered end.



Now we are at the seats under the cover. They look quite recent, I could be completely wrong, but I wonder if they were purchased from the old Goldstone Ground, when it was demolished, as they look fairly new, & it's local, in the right colours?



The Club name is proudly emblazoned along the top.



I'm not sure how recent the seats are, but the cover they are under is clearly older, & they have been bolted on yop of the concrete. The work looks too recent to Goldstone seats actually. Note the scrawl in the concrete at the front.



1973? Was that when the cover was erected? Did this man do the work?



From here we look over to the dugouts, across the halfway line.



Looking back there are seats piled in the corner. Still to be put in, or did they just buy too big a job lot?



There are quite a few of them.



A bit of a 'junk yard' in the other corner. Note also the sign on the wall.



The thought is nice, but it looks rather neglected...



Now in front of the stand, from the other end of it. This is a strange game here, in front of it. Were the dugouts here once? What are they trying to build?



More unused seats up against a shed, past the stand.



Hard standing continues to the corner, with car park to the left, behind it.



From here we loo kbehind the next goal, which is open.



The next corner flag shot.



A glance back, before we move on.



This is the view into the ground, from the way into the car park.



Open paved hard standing behind the goal.



This is strange, they must have very big moles around here!



From behind the net we look back to the stand.



Through the net we look down the pitch.



Before we head on along the path to the corner.



Next we are heading along this side.



A concrete path to the dugouts.



A bit unusual, in that you can't get past this point, no squeezing behind the dugouts.



Here they are, from on the pitch.



Directly over the halfway line, to the stand.



Then more open hard standing, past them, to the next corner.



From the side we see over to the cover behind the goal.



Glancing back down the touchline.



And now behind the goal, where the path continues.



This is the wooden area of cover behind the net.



From under it we look to the dugouts.



And, behind the net, to our left.



A few steps along, we have a clearer shot of the stand.



Then beyond we come to the corner where we came in, & end our brief circuit of Shoreham.

Friday 25 February 2011

HC Eaton Pardubice; Czech Republic

HC Eaton Pardubice play in the top flight Extraliga of Czech ice hockey, & I saw a game here on Monday 25th October 2010. They play at the CEZ Arena. The venue wasn't sold out, so there was no crush, like the night before at Brno; so I could sit down and quietly enjoy the match!



Which way is it? Follow the sign!



Here we are, outside the arena. Note the sculpture on the right.



This is the shop & ticket office.



Fixtures high on a billboard round the side.



Not hockey connected, but this caught my eye, on a post by the rink.



The arena map.



Back in the evening, for the game.



This is the sculpture outside.



Outside, pre-match, there are now an array of refreshment stalls.



Programmes were availabl. Here they are, one draped over every seat. I didn't realise this, & saw a few people reading them in the concourse, once inside. I went on a mad search for them ,eventually seeing one dumped in a bin & fished it out. With hindsight I realised why I got a few strange looks!



Lights down, the teams are coming out!



That's better. I'm quite high up, but more than happy with my seat.



To my left are the 'hardcore' fans behind the goal.



Spotlights on ice!



The fans behind the goal...note the drums in the centre.



Another look over the ice.



This is the main Czech hockey website.



It's one of the intervals now, & time to do a circuit of the concourse. One of the mascots is here.



Smile please!



Then he patiently poses for me!



One of their greats on the wall.



Luckily the plaque tells us it's Martin Cech, who sadly died in a car crash, while on their books, in 2007.




This was their hockey shop.



A home fan shows off his anti Sparta Praha scarf for me!



Another one enjoys a beer during the break.



The venue is also home to a basketball team.



There are also a series of billboards, recording the rebuilding of the arena in 2001.



They continue a fair way along.



This is the last one, which shows the finished article.



There are several food & drink hatches around the concourse.



And with it, some specific ice hockey Coca Cola advertising.




There are also several large size hockey photos.





Also this, with lots of names on the wall. I'm not sure what this was for though, unfortunately.



Obviously a great day!



Another bar area.



Either he's changed his shirt, or theres' two of them!



I now dive in toward the far end, to get some shots of the arena, from differing angles.






There are breaks during periods so that these scantilly clad girls can clear the shaved ice in the box. I assume this is done so that adverts can be shown for the live TV coverage.




Back with the drummers behind the goal.



And a bit of action on ice.





Tipsport sponsor the league.



Another look round, inside the arena, during the next interval.





Let the last period commence!



Eaton are the team sponsors.



Fight, fight, fight! ;-)



Continental 'seven' on the board.



Four official on ice. There's only two, or three, at English games.



Ready to celebrate at the end...



But a bit more hockey first...




And that's it! Game over! A massive score in Czech hockey, the highest I've seen over there.



Teams line up at the end.



The traditional post-match handshakes.



Then the victorious home side salute their fans.



Who have stayed back to return the gesture.



Then it's off to the changing rooms.



And I'm back outside, to queue for some food, before heading back to the train station & my hostel bed in Prague!