I was in the town of Poperinge in April 2011, the main reason to visit two of the many Commonwealth War Graves, & take photos of the final resting places of two Dulwich Hamlet players who died in the First World War. While there I took the opportunity to visit the local football ground, a shared venue for KFC Poperinge , in the second flight of the West Flanders region, which is sixth level nationallly; & KBS Poperinge, who are higher, playing in one of the regional fourth divisions. I was questioned, halfway round, by a groundsman, fortunately he spoke English and was very friendly, & interested in what I was doing!
The ground is set back from the main road.
You can see this here as we look toward the main stadium.
As we approach it there are outer pitches, this one is railed off, has some hard standing, and dugouts,as we note behind the goal..
And down the side.
Dugouts on the far side.
Larger ones behind it, as this is the other side of them.
This complex also has a strange rubbish bin!
We are now at the entrance, the two buildings, on the left & right of the ticket booth, is a seperate clubhouse for each club.
Where you pay on a matchday.
Going past them, we are in the corner of the ground, with the main stand opposite.
Looking left, it is the KBS clubhouse down the side, & it is this way we shall stroll round, clockwise.
Past that clubhouse is this stretch of covered terrace.
Main stand on the other side.
Here we look back behind the goal, past the corner where we came in. That is the KFC clubhouse end.
Also glancing back down our current side, at the other bar.
Now we are at the covered terrace.
Beyond it is more open standing, with a flat grassed area behind it.
Another look to the main stand.
Here we see the terrace from the other end.
And the other side of the barrier, on the pitch.
Past the terracing now, almost at the corner.
'Corner flag' shot.
Open, paved, hard standing behind the goal.
The covered terrace, through the goal.
And directly up the pitch, between the posts.
Same spot, leftward, toward the seats.
At the next corner now.
Time to head down the side, toward the stand.
One of the dugouts.
Here is the main stand.
From up in it we look to the open end, to our right.
And over to the covered terrace.
Left, along the rows of backless plastic bucket seats.
Moving along it, we can see the other dugout further down the touchline.
Glancing back along the stand.
Another shot of the terraced side, from the end of the seating.
Last shot inside the stand.
Another from on the pitch itself.
Back out in the open, approaching the second dugout.
Turning round, the stand from the side.
Dugout at last!
The KBS clubhouse, across the pitch.
The KFC one, from the side of the ground.
At the corner, both the covered terrace & stand in the picture.
Now behind the goal, KFC bar approaching.
The main stand, from behind this goal.
Hard standing in front of this clubhouse.
Their scoreboard above the windows.
Our tour finished, back to where we began.
