Random games you've seen.

Wanted to post this but didn't know where, then figured other posters would also have random games they've seen in various places.


Here goes.....


Yokohama Marinos versus Yokohama FC in Nissan Stadium (formerly known as Yokohama International Stadium, where Ireland played Saudi Arabia, as well as the 2002 World Cup Final)

My team, Yokohama FC, the lesser of the two Yokohhama teams, in their first season in J1 (and soon to be J2 again), were trounced 8-1 by Marinos, who featured 2 current Japanese internationals in their side, in the Yokohama derby, the second derby of the season. Yokohama FC pulled off an unlikely 1-0 win at home in Mitsuzawa Stadium about 5 months ago.

Attendance 53, 916.

I was at Crewe v Brentford this Easter Monday. Crewe won 3-1 to confirm Brentford's relegation into the League 2, and it was Dario Gradi's last home game in charge of Crewe. There were about 5,000 there.

B36 Torshavn B v HB Torshavn B in the Faroese 2 deild.

Finished 2-1 to the evil HB, with a winner in the 93rd minute. About 100 there, free admission and three ex-full internationals on display (2 Faroese and 1 Danish). Excellent game technically and surprisingly enjoyable.

It was followed by an U-14 game between Tvoroyri and (I think) B36, with Tvoroyri winning 3-2. Another superb game, with some quality goals.

Have also been to three games in the North - Newry 1-3 Glentoran, Institute 0-0 Newry and Newry 0-0 Lisburn Distillery. Just coincidence that Newry were involved all three times!

Think the only other games I've been to without an Irish connection were Liverpool 2-1 Wimbledon in 1996-ish and Liverpool 0-2 Derby around 1998.

A couple of years ago I went to see the Impact de Montreal v Seattle Sounders (2005). It was the 2nd leg of a play-off IIRC and I think Seattle won 2-1. Attendance: roughly 10,000.

Another random game I went to was DC United v N.England Revolution in 2004. It was the semi-final 2nd leg of the MLS championship play-offs. It finished 3-3 at the end of 90 minutes (and on aggregate) and for a brief moment lots of people started leaving until the announcer told them there'd be extra-time! Attendance: 22,000 I think.

I've also been to two Montpellier home games in different years (they lost both times, to Bordeaux and Rennes), and last August went to see 1860 Munich v Kickers Offenbach (I actually went to see the Allianz Arena, I didn't really care if was Bayern or 1860 at home).

Unterhaching against Kickers Offenbach in the German 2nd division penultimate game last year. 'haching had to win to ensure they had a chance of staying up. After an hour it was 1-1 and 'haching were down to 9 men. Somehow they held on and even managed to score the winner in the 88th minute. Only prolonged the agony though cos they were relegated a week later in Rostock.

This season, already out of the German FA Cup and in the regional south league they have 3 points from 3 games. Pretty it ain't!

I've been at 2 France v Italy matches. The Euro 2000 final in Rotterdam, where Wiltord equalized with the last kick of the 90 minutes and Trezeguet got the golden goal winner, and the Euro qualifier in the Stade de France last September, 8 weeks or so after the World Cup final. That was one of the best matches I've ever been at. France won 3-1.

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Originally Posted by disko

Unterhaching against Kickers Offenbach in the German 2nd division penultimate game last year. 'haching had to win to ensure they had a chance of staying up. After an hour it was 1-1 and 'haching were down to 9 men. Somehow they held on and even managed to score the winner in the 88th minute. Only prolonged the agony though cos they were relegated a week later in Rostock.

This season, already out of the German FA Cup and in the regional south league they have 3 points from 3 games. Pretty it ain't!

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Not looking good for Bundesliga Drei next season, then?

yeah, 'haching seem to be in the same position as Spurs. Too much pressure! Ah, they'll still make Bundesliga 3 i reckon. They only have to finish in the top 8 or so.
They are playing Bayern II at the weekend. A must win really. Imagine some of the FC Hollywood amateurs could actually get a run tonight against Barca in the Mehmet Scholl testimonial and then face 'haching at the weekend!

I'll be in Deutschland at the weekend, so I'll keep an eye out for that! I'll go to Hertha v Stuttgart on Saturday. Might pop down to Cottbus on Sunday for Energie v Bochum if I'm not doing anything else.

For years all my travels seemed to hinge on the local side being away, so I have learned to change my travel plans:)

Games in the past year would include
Denmark 3-1 Australia (intl friendly) in London - good game, Denmark were "solid if unspectacular", but did score one cracker
Newcastle Jets 2-0 FC Sydney (A League) - great crowd, strange but positive atmosphere, rubbish football played by rubbish footballers in a rubbish league - Kilkenny would beat these wasters - and I don't mean City:eek:
Lyn Oslo 2-0 Sandfjord (Norwegian Tippeligaen) Good game, fairly decent crowd, standard not dissimilar to eL Premier, but fitter and better in the air.

I've plans to take in three league games in the next fortnight: two in Denmark and one in Sweden after the match on Wedenesday.

ireland versus romania back in the charlton years. good times for irish soccer back then. when steve staunton was doing something he was actuallyy capable of.

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Originally Posted by fitzyjr

ireland versus romania back in the charlton years. good times for irish soccer back then. when steve staunton was doing something he was actuallyy capable of.

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Hardly a random game......

I'm classed "the football hure" amongst the City support for my propensity to take in random games.

Watched games in 14 African countries, Australia, Chile, Bolivia, Brazil and that's just in the last 14 months.

Most random game on that trip was in Uganda. We nearly got signed as Irish players who played with Babaz Livingstone and ended up at a clan game where the tribe that didn't each grasshoppers was playing the lads that didn't eat cows ears.

5,000 at it, we were the only whites. Mental craic and we went on a two day bender with the support afterwards. Slept in a tin hut in Kampala lost the sight in me right eye for a day from the dodgy booze. Heady days.....

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Originally Posted by Maribor

I'm classed "the football hure" amongst the City support for my propensity to take in random games.

Watched games in 14 African countries, Australia, Chile, Bolivia, Brazil and that's just in the last 14 months.

Most random game on that trip was in Uganda. We nearly got signed as Irish players who played with Babaz Livingstone and ended up at a clan game where the tribe that didn't each grasshoppers was playing the lads that didn't eat cows ears.

5,000 at it, we were the only whites. Mental craic and we went on a two day bender with the support afterwards. Slept in a tin hut in Kampala lost the sight in me right eye for a day from the dodgy booze. Heady days.....

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(clap, clap, calp) well done.

I saw the main derby in Slovenia Olimpija Ljubljana v Maribor (the club not the poster). Robert Prosinecki was playing and the Maribor fans took exception to his being talented and a Croat and frequented the pitch with several invasions directed at him. The ultras of both fans breached their enclosed areas and managed to disperse into the general populace. When I heard a thud behind me and saw a lad being dragged to the ground and cuffed by the riot police I knew it was time to bolt it and that was the first half. Think it ended in a draw. I saw Olimpija and Prosinecki a few other times and he was an absolute joy to watch. I've also seen a few games with Olimpija's resurrected version NK Bezigrad in the Slovenian fifth division handing out some serious spankings to Sunday league standard teams with ex internationals in their ranks.

Bezigrad stadium in Ljubljana is an interesting stadium, it's dug into the ground in bowl format with a running track and a high cage. Behind one goal is a neo classical structure with cloumns in which the top officials sit perched on like a Roman governor: http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium...a_bezigrad.jpg . There's full grass growth between all the rows of seats too and this was Slovenia's national stadium until 2004.

Not a senior game but when we were in Iceland, the Irish representatives ,Tralee, Reached the u15 World Childrens Games final against the Austrian representatives.

Bout 20 city fans went to cheer them on. They lost 2-0 but some quality players. Their goalkeeper was class.

Zvezda Irkutsk vs. Tekstilshchik Ivanovo in the Russian 3rd tier last summer. Game ended 1-1. Zvezda have since been promoted to the 2nd division.

Sporting Lisbon v Braga (Spoting won 1-0)


and a fair few games in Czech Rep, mainly Slavia Praha and Bohemians Praha

Neilstown Rangers vs Cherry Orchard 1993 u16s

Mate scored a hatrick altho a bit mad this is actually true (theres a point/quiz at the end). Neilstown were 2 down at half time mate said to manager "stick me on and i score a hatrick", which he did :eek: Neilstown won 3-2. About 400 at the game in The Lawns.

6 irish internationals played in that game, name them :D


kdjac

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Originally Posted by kdjaC

6 irish internationals played in that game, name them :D

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Andy Reid, Wayne Henderson?

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

B36 Torshavn B v HB Torshavn B in the Faroese 2 deild.

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Not forgetting the free scarves we got for telling them we'd
set up the Irish branch of the B36 Supporters Club :)

I saw QPR v Middlesborough many years ago when visiting
relations in London. Bernie Slaven was playing for 'Boro.

Saw the FA Trophy final in Wembley one year, Wycombe v Runcorn.
Martin O'Neill was managing Wycombe at the time and Steve Guppy
was their main man.

Went to see Karlskrona IF against someone in the Swedish lower leagues
last season.

Went to see a good few Sydney Olympic games when I was living over there.

Been to a few West Ham and Celtic games.

Went to an Italy v England schoolboy game many moons ago just so I could say I'd been to Wembley.

Loads from my living in London days
Southend v Brentford in a league 1 level game a few years back
Crystal Palace v Sheff Utd
Charlton v Norwich
Fulham v Palace
Watford v Wimbledon
Most Random....
Chelsea Reserves v Watford Reserves. The Chelsea side included John Terry, Jody Morris & the Finnish bloke now at Birmingham.
Overseas games
South Melbourne v Perth Glory (pre A league and I had adopted South Melbourne as their ground was a 5 minute drive from where I was living)
Kaizer Cheifs v Spurs in a pre season friendly a few years ago, was living in Cape Town and am a Spurs fan so probably shouldn't count but watching football in Africa is not for the faint of heart.

Saw FC Arhus lose 3-1 at home to Sonderjylland in the Danish 1st Division here saturday. Place was just a pitch with trees and picnic benches around it! Have to say it was a good game. Also a bouncy castle and a cafe where you could get beer.

Sunday saw Randers draw 1-1 with FC Nordsjaelland. They didnt look up to much for a team top of the league here. Strangest sized programme have ever got.

Rovers played them in 1968 in the Cup Winners Cup. Almost 8,000 at it which is pretty good for a town with a population of 56,000.

They announce over the PA system if a player gets booked!

Have seen games in the States, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, France and old first division and championship 1 in ingerland. Plus the two teams in glasgow! And various games at four World Cups.

KOH

Saw Real Mallorca v Inter last year in a friendly while on holiday