Monday 27 October 2008

Your European Football Weekends

I've received so many photo's from your European Football Weekends that I've decided to break them down into countries. Thanks for sending them in and keep them coming.

HOLLAND

Belgian EFW legened Pat went to the semi finals of the Dutch Cup between FC Twente Enschede v NAC Breda. This is their version of the Anfield gates.

I don't like stadiums that are named after products. I am prepared to wave this theory when a club names theirs after a local beer though eg the Grolsch Veste.

Pat tells us the atmosphere inside for this match gave him a semi.

FC Twente Enschede fans with their flag of Steve Mclaren who let us not forget has guided them to dizzy heights and lives in an old windmill in the hills of old Enschede.

Pat also went to see Cambuur Leeuwarden v Excelsior Rotterdam (27:03:09) in the Dutch Eerste Division.

A cracking match with a cracking atmosphere which isn't always the case in this division.

Thankfully the ref dished out two red cards which sent the home crowd into a bit of a frenzy.

Oh you've got to love this! Our mates from Belgium -Steven and Pat (does he ever work!?) - went to see Kozakken Boys v VV Bennekom (28:02:09). Here's Steven with the EFW logo!

The Kozakken Boys play in the top tier of Dutch amateur football.

The lads went there because they liked the name. Perfectly sound explanation in my book.

Nothing special about the game according to Pat but they had a great day out. That's what it's all about lads! All to often the actual football gets in the way of a good day out.

Hold on a second - what have we got here!? Only a cheeky Kozakken Boys clock outside the stadium. Simply splendid!

Right pay attention at the back. This is one of the three grounds that we'll be visiting in the great EFW meet up in October 2009. It's the Willem II Stadion in Tilburg. Our pal Gary Marson went there (04:02:09) to see them go down by the odd goal in three to Volendam.

Gary met up with Willem II fan Joris at the match. Hopefully Joris is the man who is going to point us in the right direction to a few nice pubs in Tilburg for our meeting. Beer and European football - what is not to like!?

Gary also took the opportunity to take in the local derby in Rotterdam. Feyenoord v Sparta (03:02:09). Here are the Sparta fans.

Andy back in Holland shock! This time he was at the Philips Stadion for the PSV v NAC Breda match. They love an acronym in The Netherlands don't they!? It finished 2-2 (24:01:09).

EFW regulars Andy (Motherwell) and Ray (Brentford) attended the Utrecht 3-3 Sparta funfest (25:01:09) at the Stadion Galgenwaard.

Ray told me that there was an interesting 'aroma' in the air. This may have explained why Andy and Ray were the two most excited chaps in the ground as the goals were flowing in. Everybody else was just 'too relaxed' to care.

They both love the laid back approach to Dutch football. Something we'll be soaking up in for our EFW meet up in Tilburg later this year.

We're off to the Goffertstadion courtesy of our man Patrick who attended the NEC Nijmegen v Udinese match in the UEFA Cup (18:12:08).

Merry Christmas from Patrick!

The home fans were superb throughout.

The travelling Udinese ultras.

Patrick went to this match the day after going to...

...Feyenoord v Lech Poznan in the UEFA Cup. Not a bad couple of days eh!?

FANtastic! Lech Poznan took around 5,000 fans to the match and sung from start to finish.

Lechers won 1-0...

....which must have pleased this lot.

Kilmarnock fan Murray went the Vitesse Arnhem v PSV match at the Gelredome (14:12:08).

The PSV fans. Bit of a disappointing turn out eh!?

Here's Murray soaking it all up.

Patrick - who is our becoming our resident Dutch correspondent - jumped across the border again this Friday from Belgium into the Netherlands to bring us these photos from Excelsior Rotterdam v FC Dordrecht (22:11:08).

The travelling FC Dordrecht fans.

The Stadion Woudestein hosts Dutch Jupiler League action. Jupiler for the uninitiated is a beer and of course they sell it in the ground. Which is nice.

Check out the moody weather. Dedications what you need.

Our chum Patrick nipped over the border from Belgium to Holland (07:11:08) to see FC Dordrecht take on FC Den Bosch.

FC Dordrecht are nicknamed 'Schapekoppen' which amusingly translates to 'Sheepheads'.

The travelling Den Bosch fans in the corner.

Sadly, the scoreboard at the GN Bouw Stadion is a regular affair. Unlike....

This is one of the best things I have ever seen at a ground. It's the scoreboard of Dutch Eerste Division team Telstar. Everytime a goal is scored a basket is launched up the scoreboard. This picture proudly boasts of their 4-1 victory over Go Ahead Eagles (26:10:08)

Aside from the scoreboard, this loon also entertains the fans at Telstar. Go on my son!

Either they are building a new stand at Telstar or the Go Ahead Eagles fans didn't take too kindly to their defeat.

Thanks to our friend Patrick (Royal Antwerp fan) for sending these in. It's called the Schoonenberg Stadion if you ever want to pay a visit.

Ray (Brentford fan) sent these in from his recent Dutch European Football Weekend. This was taken at the Feyenoord v NEC match (05:10:08). For sure it was a good game.

Why, if it isn't our old friend the floodlight at the de Kuip! Our second entry for this little number.

Ray also visited the Philips Stadion to see PSV take on De Graafschap (04:10:08).

Whisper it quietly but we all have a floodlight fetish don't we!? If not then this shot of one at the De Kuip, Rotterdam may help turn you. Feyenoord fans get to marvel at this every other week.

Andy and his brother take in Ajax v Feyenoord.

PGN 'happy as Larry' at the Gelredome, Arnhem before the England v Italy U21s fixture.