DJ's Jottings
The last weekend of January brought a trip to the sunnier climes of southern Spain. Ryanair flight to Jerez where decorative sherry barrels are piled up around the airport, then a hire car drive north to Sevilla, capital of the Andalucia region and the country’s fourth largest city. Stuck for a while in the maze of narrow cobbled back streets but have plenty of time to see the old town: orange trees, horse drawn carriages, cathedral, palace and tapas bars. Temperature goes up to about 18 degrees, but drops to –6 overnight!
Sevilla’s Sanchez Pizjuan stadium is in the commercial district of Nervion a couple of km’s from the centre. Opened in 1958 and named after a previous club president, the ground has staged many Spanish internationals and it’s use in the 1982 World Cup included the France v. West Germany semi-final.
Focal point of the stadium is the main entrance that has a grand mosaic containing badges of all visiting teams. Inside, there is continuous seating all round in two-tiers. Only one small section on the main side is covered so it’s just as well that the rain falls mainly on the plain. The ground is supposedly all-seater but for this game tickets must have been oversold and many are left standing in the gangways.
The club was formed in 1905 by British employees of Rio Tinto mines, but within two years a dispute with one of the directors led to a breakaway group setting up fierce cross-town rivals, Real Betis. The first local derby in 1916 was marked by outbreaks of violence all over the city. Sevilla have won the Spanish League once and the Cup three times but have received no major honours since 1948. In the 80’s and 90’s they recruited a number of expensive foreigners. Many, such as a by then cocaine addled Diego Maradona, were flops. A few were more successful. Croatian Davor Suker finished top scorer four years running.
The visitor’s today are Barcelona, seven points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the ‘Primera Liga’ and seeking their first title in five years. Sevilla are on top in the first half but cannot take their chances and are made to pay after the break. With World Footballer of the Year Ronaldinho in fine form, ‘Barca’ go on to win 4-0, silencing the flamenco hand clapping from most of the 45,000 crowd. Admission cost 40 Euros for the cheapest seats (with prices going up to 90 Euros) and a free programme was handed out
On the Sunday 12.00 and 5.00 p.m. kick-offs allowed two matches on the coast to be seen. Atletico San Luqueno play in one of the seventeen regional ‘Tercera’ divisions (4th level) and are to be found in the town of San Lucar de Barrameda. The Estadio El Palmar has a reputed capacity of 5,000. Up to 9 rows of seating arranged in several different sections along one side. The other side and one end have three steep steps of terracing. Just flat hard standing at the remaining end. The only cover is for the Press and VIP boxes above the seating areas. Outside bars with tables and chairs are to be found at the rear of the side and end terracing.
10 Euros entrance, no programme and the home team edge past AD Cartaya 1-0 in a fairly average sort of game watched by around 500 spectators.
The final match attended was a Division II promotion clash between FC Cadiz and SD Eibar. The Ramon de Carranza stadium is only about 100 yards from the seafront and a fine sandy beach.
Current ground capacity is reduced to 14,000 due to development works and it’s practically a full house for this encounter. The main side has a slightly curved, fully covered, all-seated stand. Large steep open terrace at one end. Small section of temporary open seating at the other end. Behind this and on the far side large two-tier stands are rapidly taking shape, ready Cadiz hope, for Primera Liga football next year.
Pay 29 Euros for a main stand seat. Free programmes handed out though most people sacrilegiously use them to put over the nut droppings on their seats. Enjoyable game in which Eibar take the lead. Cadiz soon equalise and dominate the rest of the first half, but fade after the break and cannot take control even when the visitors are reduced to ten men. Eibar soak up the pressure and snatch a late goal to win it 2-1.
End