MATCH 1700 - Thursday 6 July 2017

 SEASON 2017/18

Qualifying Rounds 2nd Round

Venue:  Bangor University Stadium

On holiday in the North Wales and we are fortunate to be able to attend a UEFA Europa League tie although it is a 40 minute drive west this time to the City of Bangor.  Third year in a row we have managed to add a new ground to the list, previously attended The New Saints just over the border into Oswestry, Shropshire and also Bala Town in Rhyl.

MATCH 1650 - Thursday, 7 July 2016

SEASON:  2016/17

QUALIFYING ROUND - 2nd leg

Venue:  BELLE VUE STADIUM



my ticket

BALA TOWN    0    AIK STOCKHOLM    2

Scorers:  Avdic, Strandberg

New season for me starts in Rhyl, North Wales with a UEFA Europa League qualifying tie.  The small compact all seater ground is the venue - a new ground to add to my list.

There was small but lively crowd of fans from Sweden and as previously experienced they were all friendly and well behaved.

AIK fans

Having won the first leg 2-0 AIK completed their overall victory with another 2-0 win on the night, which saw them progress 4-0 on aggregate. 

The pre-match line up

Personal note: New ground no. 96 and two new clubs nos. 201 & 202

Link to:  Official UEFA.com stats

MATCH 1609 - Tuesday, 7 July 2015

Season: 2015/16
UEFA CHAMPION LEAGUE Qualifying Round 2nd Leg
Venue:  Park Hall Stadium

Match ticket

The New Saints (Wales)  4  B36 Tórshavn (Faroe Islands)   1

Scorers: Wilde(3), Williams; Cieślewicz

My most random match ever, still a new ground visited and two new clubs to add to the list.  The champions of Wales v the champions of the Faroe Islands played in Oswestry, England!

The basic end of UEFA Champions League football

http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/season=2016/matches/round=2000630/match=2016703/index.html

UEFA flags

B36 bus

The stadium turnstyles & VIP area

Our view from the "Gazebo" stand

Kick off

New Stand

Near the end of the match

MATCH 1591 - Saturday, 7 February 2015

Season: 2014/15
ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP
Venue:  LIBERTY STADIUM (1)

SWANSEA CITY    1    SUNDERLAND    1

Scorers: Ki;  Defoe

37 hour marathon to follow Sunderland to Swansea and visit a new ground!  Trip started just after 8pm on Friday with a train into Glasgow, then overnight travel on the Megabus sleeper service to Cardiff. The final leg of the to journey to Swansea was completed by train plus the local No. 4 bus from town to ground. We eventually arrived home at 9am on Sunday.

This was my first match in Wales therefore a new ground.  The modern Liberty Stadium is neat to say the least, holding just over 20,000.  There is a good atmosphere at the away side of the ground.

As for the game it wasn't a classic so the goals were welcome.  A typical Defoe strike out of nothing opened the scoring giving Sunderland a half time advantage.  The equaliser came in the second half from ex-Celt Ki Sung-yueng.

Personal note:
14th country to watch football in.
67th top division match in England
33rd Sunderland match in 8 different grounds
2nd Swansea match (other one in Carlisle Apr 2008)

Cardiff, 7.30am

Swansea Train Station

The away support