Blues are Vi-KINGS of Slagelse
FC Vestsjælland 1-2 Lyngby (30:05:10)
- Click on photos to enlarge image -
FC Vestsjælland 1-2 Lyngby (30:05:10)
- Click on photos to enlarge image -
The EFW doors are wide open to most ideas. So when the family Pedersen of Copenhagen invited me for a day out to a Division 1 game in Slagelse (that's Slagelse!) on a rainy afternoon in May, I was all over it like a cheap suit. I'd met Ivar Pedersen at the New Firm Game back in March. This time around, I was to be joined by his sons; Hans & Kris plus Ivar's newphew Anders Petersen for the perfect Sunday.
Ivar chose to drive us the 100km or so to Slagelse. As it happens, I'd also been invited by the away team to travel on their supporters coaches. The Blue Vikings were subsidising travel for their fans and giving them free beer and cheap tickets in a bid to get a large and vocal travelling support in what was an important match - it worked. Ivar had also packed a ready supply of beers though so it was a win-win situation for EFW. Just how we like it.
Blokes being blokes, the five of us in the car were best mates within about two minutes. I am now the font of all knowledge on all things Danish football after spending a day with those guys. We fought only to get in our stories and funnies as made our way to Slagelse (fond of saying that place aren't you - Ed) which was a viking stronghold back in the day. Both teams with viking links then - tick.
Now I've been to lots of football grounds but one with a bar in the corner which took the form of a viking helmet? That was new on me and what's more it was bloody marvelous. There just aren't enough pubs in stadiums that are made to look like a viking helmet in my opinion. The ground also had two banks of terracing which probably wouldn't have passed any health and safety regulations but as it was, they were largely empty for this match as it was absolutely chucking it down and so the 1,253 punters all gathered in the main stand - with a roof.
Old sandy terracing which is semi-dangerous - tick.
Thirsty old work this Danish football lark.
Singing in the rain. The home ultras.
The Blue Vikings.
What with surrounding trees, terracing, novelty bars and ready supply of Harboe beer being served - I couldn't have cared less about the rain. This was the perfect Sunday and no mistake. The only thing nagging me was the Danish curse of popcorn. Popcorn does not belong at a football match Denmark. If you want popcorn - go to the cinema. If you really want to talk food, then what about garlic. Apparently, Danes have garlic on everyday aside from Wednesday & Saturday because those are the days they have sex. Arf.
Lyngby are a club on the way back after a few years in the doldrums. Their old nemesis and neighbouring club B1903 seized to exist in 1992 and merged with KB to form FCK (FC Copenhagen). They came back and rid Lyngby of their best players and guy who was also putting money into the club left as well to become Chief Executive at FCK. Lyngby filed for bankruptcy and were demoted several divisions. Since then, despite seeing their best players regularly disappear they're back and in with a sniff of top-flight football again. They also need a new ground as theirs isn't good enough at the moment (great knowledge our kid- Danish Div 1 Ed).
Roared on by about 200 away fans, Lyngby won this game with the last kick of the ball. Their fans gave their anthems a throaty airing and Hans Pedersen (age 11) dug me in the ribs and reminded me that he'd predicted that very result. Hans is already a football guru. Good on you mate! He's our new Danish EFW correspondent.
Patrick Mortensen and his pals in the background.For the first time in what seemed like weeks, we weren't subjected to the Black Eyed Peas at the full time whistle. Wembley Stadium are all about that song "cos tonight's gonna be a good good night....I've got a feeling ooohh oooohhh..." It's living proof that football fans will sing and dance along to any old rhubarb minutes after winning a promotion play-off final at the home of football.
After stopping off for some emergency beers on the way back into Copenhagen and several airings of the Amateur Transplants I was biding farewell to my Danish pals and back for a night out in town which inevitably ended up with 25 locals singing traditional drinking songs long into the night.
When I started EFW two-years ago, my vision was to unite some like-minded fans from around Europe. Those who prefer a beer and a laugh to a fight. I've met some great people on this journey. The Pedersen family and the lads I met in Malmo the day before were great company. Here's to European Football Weekends all round in 2010/11. Join us for the ride why don't you?
Popcorn on sale in the club shop.
Pub in the corner is a viking helmet, terracing, old skool floodlights and a few trees. What's not to like?
Hans across Europe. EFW's Danish correspondent.
Cheers lads! Kris, Hans. Ivar and Anders.
Pass us another beer.
Leafy surroundings.
14 comments:
If you've built up a thirst for some Danish football then you could do worse than head to this new website:
http://footballindenmark.co.uk/
Some great info there from the makers of The Ball is Round Blog (www.theballisround.co.uk)
"When I started EFW two-years ago, my vision was to unite some like-minded fans from around Europe. Those who prefer a beer and a laugh to a fight."
You know, I think we are way more than the general public/press give us credit for. We are, in the true and every sense of the words, the real silent majority. Until now. Now, we have you to tell out story :)
Love this! I actually got "famous" in Denmark about 7 years ago after "managing" a club called Nykøbing (now Lolland) Falster Alliancen in Championship Manager, and setting up a silly website devoted to my exploits. Ended up featuring in the Ekstra Bladet (their version of the Sun or the Daily Mirror) twice! I met a few of their fans across there when I visited - really nice guys. Unbelievably, I decided to teach myself the language too - I now speak it to a reasonable level, which is no mean feat.
Planning to support Denmark at the WC, and will hopefully be visiting Copenhagen to catch a World Cup group game, since I've found out there's some ridiculous rule preventing Scotland from taking part...
Oh, and did you know that Denmark released the best EVER World Cup song in 1986? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqysBSRmShw
Their song for this tournament isn't bad either and they earn points for making an effort to sing on it - have a look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a-VNA3ZfXU
So many decent places to explore at this level as well. Can thoroughly recommend a game at Greve, Roskilde and my personal favourite AB who could be back in the top division next season (and I can get the bus from outside my flat straight there).
I am glad the boys from Footballindemark looked after you Danny - I hear their HQ is a bit poncy though
Sounds almost perfect.
But popcorn? And I thought sunflower seeds were bad.
I knew you brits were an obsessive breed. You have your infamous hangups on sex, swearing and politicians behaving like humans - e.g. by having sex or swearing. But popcorn?! Just because you didn't invent popcorn at football doesn't mean it's not a good thing. As Hans will tell you, popcorns are fantastic ballistic missiles, getting the message accross without causing the injury or leading to an early departure from the grounds. The real reason, obviously, is that it's a moneymachine for the club. They charge about £2.50 for popcorn costing ca. £0.30 to produce, with the labour mainly consisting of parents to the younger years. The salts causes more beer to be drunk (as if you need an extra excuse) and thus it's all cash to the struggling clubs.
Always nice watching football in Denmark. Beer and sausages are the main fuel causing a great atmosphere.
Thanks for taking the time to leave comments lads.
@AciJub - With regards to having a pop at popcorn (see what I did there) I wasn't being overly serious. I have to have a moan at something during my reports, otherwise readers think I walk around in a utopian bubble all my life. I realise popcorn is actually the saviour and lifeline of Danish football clubs and as such LEWES FC branded popcorn will be doing the rounds at the Dripping Pan next season.
Some people have been asking me about the cost of stuff, given that Scandinavia has a reputation of high prices so..
Flights - I flew from Gatwick to Copenhagen with Easy Jet for £54 return including all taxes.
Beer - In Copenhagen, a pint costs between £3.50-£6.00 depending on where you go. Anywhere around the centre will be expensive, venture a bit further out and you'll be mixing with locals rather than tourists and it's obviously cheaper accordingly. Beer in the ground at this match was £3.50 a pint.
Food - A sit down meal in Copenhagen will cost between £11-16 in a mid range restaurant. There are loads of 7-Eleven shops in town for cheaper eats and hot dog stands are everywhere you look for that post-pub, spilling everything down your shirt experience.
Match tickets - For this match (Division 1) they cost £9 each. For the FCK v Brondby match I went to in March they were around £30 or less.
Hotel - I can't help you here. We stayed in a luxury apartment belonging to www.footballindenmark.co.uk and thanks a million to them for that.
@DannyLast : You wanna moan about something, I would have thought the weather would be pretty f*&%¤#+ obvious! And after all, you guys are supposedly the world champs at that - "Coming home, the pissing rain is coming home" ;]
BTW, you must also have noticed the difference in traffic on the stands during the game. In England, you can sit(!) and watch a whole game and max. a couple of weak bladders make their way during play. In Denmark it's a constant running back and forward. Me think having beer available inside the station might have something to do with it. Can you believe I was not accepted at Police Detective academy?
Thanks for your report from Slagelse and another well deserved (irony) Lyngby win!
On my way out I noticed they had a charcoal grill inside the viking helmet which gave me some teepee illusions. Rumors are floating that prior to the elite construction of FC Vestsjælland in 2008, they had an Indian as mascot and pipes at 50 kroner a piece. All now replaced with popcorn.
Hope your socks are dry by now!
@Anders - I came up to the fence of the away section at half time and asked for you but nobody could locate you. I suspect you were under the stand smoking some of those aforementioned Indian pipes!
@Anders/AciJub - Re. the rain, I couldn't have cared less. There is nowhere I'd rather be on a wet Sunday afternoon than at a Danish Division 1 match "soaking" it all up.
:) I should have had a pipe or two tonight when Lyngby lost the game we had in hand. Free admission and almost 3000 turned up resulting in 20 minute lines for beer. People were furious!
We'll have a talk later. I'll for sure be back to watch more Blue Square South after my winter adventure to Purfleet and Thurrock:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andershviid/4206839648/in/set-72157604487564932/
Lewes is for sure relevant on my list for the next London adventure.
Btw - it's me in the rain just behind the corner flag, wearing the italian-scout-look-trenchcoat.
Popcorn at football matches is (turgid) nonsense and the 11 year old Danish kid looks like a young DJL.
Assorted late night musings from Northern Florida.
Good night to you now.
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