DJ’S JOTTINGS – NUMBER 9 (CZECH and SLOVAKIA)

The main problem with booking cheap flights a long way in advance is that the football fixture lists are subject to change, usually due to the whims of TV coverage. Thus our Ryanair flight to Salzburg was followed by a lengthy drive east to Bratislava and then up to Brno, when we could have flown direct to Brno in the first place.

The Czech Republic and Slovakia had what was termed ‘the velvet separation’ in 1993, similar to what is currently happening with Serbia and Montenegro. The Slovak capital, Bratislava, is in the South-western corner of the country close to the Austrian and Hungarian borders. Cross the River Danube then have to stop and ask some traffic police for directions. While waiting for them to finish writing out tickets (not for us by the way) we notice floodlight pylons half –a-mile down the road. Nevertheless, the traffic police in their souped- up Ladas, insist on giving us an escort to the ground.

Our game is at Inter Bratislava, but take the opportunity to look at Slovan’s ground that is almost next door. Slovan won the European Cup-Winners Cup in 1969 and the ground is also used as the national stadium but the home team now find themselves in the second division. ASK Inter Slovnaft Bratislava (Slovnaft are a chain of petrol stations) play at the Paslenky Stadion. They have had several different names and have generally lived in the shadow of Slovan and struggled to find an identity or fan base of their own. In recent years however, they have had the upper hand with consecutive league and cup doubles in this millennium.

The stadium has a single continuous tier of seating round the almost obligatory running track. Only the main side is covered and the total capacity is just over 13,000. The massive floodlight pylons in each corner dominate the ground.

Entrance costs about £1 and a programme is the equivalent of 20p. With beer at just over 50p for a half-litre and a giant pizza for a couple of pounds not a huge amount of Crowns are spent. The game against MFK Ruzomberok is pretty poor, the visitors winning with a goal after just 5 minutes.

Drive up to Brno for our overnight accommodation, in comparative luxury at the Best Western International Hotel. A pleasant evening is spent, mainly at the beer hall style Pegas home-brew pub / restaurant.

The main reason for coming over to Brno was the opportunity to watch three games on the Sunday.

Drnovice is a village about 40 miles north-east of Brno. It is next door to the larger town of Vyskov and is an unlikely place for a decent sized football ground. FKD are now in the second division but have been in the top flight fairly recently. The Futbalovy Stadion Drnovice holds just over 7,000. It is a three-sided ground with similar elevated, covered, seated stands on the two sides and 4 deep steps of terracing at one end with an electronic scoreboard perched on a flat, grassed area behind. The floodlight pylons are the most interesting element of the ground. They lean over at an alarming angle and appear to have been designed by HG Wells.

£1.25 for entry. No programme but team sheets available from the press area. It is quite strange watching a game at the very early hour of 10.15. Visitors Hradec Kralove are second in the table and come from behind to gain a slightly fortuitous 1-1 draw, watched by about 600 spectators.

Back to the western fringes of Brno for our next game at FC Dosta Bystrc Kninicky. This is at the third level of Czech football, divided into two regions: Bohemia and Moravia, Prague and Brno being their respective centres. The Stadion Pod Prehradou has an attractive riverside setting. Another three-sided ground with a barrel shaped building similar to Walton & Hersham’ s indoor tennis centre at the far end. Decent sized stand with seating and standing areas on the far side. Elevated beer garden on the near side with 6 steps of crumbling terracing in front. The pitch is surrounded by post and rail neatly decorated in the club colours of green and white. About 90p for entry with a free programme. The third placed home team take on 6^th in the table 1 FC Znojmo. Dosta Bystrc Kninicky create (and miss) a lot of chances, including a penalty, before Znojmo score the only goal late on.

Our last game is in the Gambrinus Liga (top division) and sees I FC Brno take on Tescoma Zlin. The 12,500 capacity Mestsky Stadion is a few kilometres north of the city centre. Separate elevated stand on one side has 8 rows of covered seating. About 20 rows of uncovered seating opposite. This continues to the end sections where seats are spaced out on the concrete steps, possibly to allow standing in-between. Imposing light pylons once again. £2 admission and 40p for a programme. Brno are towards the foot of the table, Zlin half-way. The home team play some decent football but have to settle for a point from a 1–1 draw, watched by about 3,500 spectators.

Fine meal of goulash with dumplings and potato cakes in the evening and time for some sightseeing before our return on the Monday. Although the standard of football was not the best in Europe, a very enjoyable place to visit and pandering to my Scottish heritage, nice and cheap.