End of year round up
Well, it's been a funny old year with it starting up when football started up after the winter break in Ukraine with a trip to Kharkiv for a game between Metalist Kharkiv and Vorskla Poltava and finishing on Boxing Day with Cambridge United v Histon. In between I went to 43 games, 25 in Ukraine and 18 in England. Not a record breaking year in any account, but not bad given the financial burden of late, although it should be poited out due to ludicrous ticket pricing most of the games in England were step 5 affairs. Anyway, here's a quick review about which of my trips hit the highs and which hit the lows in a rollercoaster year in more ways than one.
Highlights
First of all obviously was the trip that spawned the website, a fine game between Metalist Kharkiv and Vorskla Poltava. Going on the train and drinking copious ammounts of alcohol in Ukraine is always an adventure, but when you get to the other end and hang out with lads like Han and Vasya and witness 3-0 win it always makes the long journey worthwhile. Other great days out in Ukraine included a trip to our favourite club CSKA out in Konchezaspa, unfortunately for me and Phil they lost 2-1 to PFK Sevastapol and were all but relegated to the regional 2nd league on that day, fortunately though the local madheads still remembered us, even though we were something of an oddity for the younger fans and we also found a great bar over the road serving Slavutych. Another good trip where the beer wasn't quite so good was out to Boryspil where we saw Knyazha ease past Veres Rivne in a season that would eventually see them going past CSKA in the opposite direction. The people at Knyazha supply you with a free programme and allow you to drink, stand and sit where you like. The fans know about as much about football as a post 2003 Chelseas fan, but let's hope they learn and that the Austrian investors who also own FK Lviv don't get bored. The maddest of all trips though was undoubtedly when we travelled a very long way to see Obolon 2 lose 2-1 to Dynamo 3. The game only saw about 12 locals turn up, although it did prove that towns like Borodyanka still exist in Ukraine and good for them!
In terms of footballing quality 2 games stick out from the time in Kyiv. Dynamo Kyiv looked a much improved team, but it was 2 games that they didn't win that stand out in the mind. Firstly on 2nd August they lost 2-1 to Metalist Kharkiv in a fiercly fought game that the boys from the first capital deserved to win and just 4 days later Drogheda United gave them a fright in a 2-2 draw that could esily have been won at the death by the Irish club. However, things with the 2 clubs couldn't be much different to how they are now with Dynamo going on to anhilate Spartak Moscow in the grudge match of all grudge matches (8-2 on aggregate) to qualify for the Champions League proper. Dynamo are now top of the Ukrainian Premier League and in the UEFA Cup. If it hadn't been for the unsporting behaviour of Arsenal (the English variety) they might have made it to the knock out stages. Drogheda on the other hand are in severe financial trouble, which is a really big shame. I should also mention Arsenal Kyiv, as although none of their games exactly stick out as classics the fans, especially Ewig and Bo always made a trip to their games enjoyable.
So, on to England and the rip off ticket prices have seen me concentrating on non-league football. I have to be thankful for having Ely City on my doorstep, although they sometimes leave a lot to be desired with regards to quality it's usually an enjoyable day out. The first game was a 1-1 draw with Harwich and Parkeston. The best game was a 3-1 victory over Needham Market and another highlight has been meeting long time fan Mick at the 3-2 defeat against Wisbech Town. I should really apologise to Scott and Rod for subjecting them to 2 horrendous defeats against Histon Reserves and Kirkley and Pakefield respectively. In terms of good football the best 2 games have been Burton Albion in a 5-2 victory over Lewes, back in August. Since then Lewes have really struggled, while the Brewers could go into the league, hopefully Nigel Clough won't be tempted away by Forest or Derby. Another highlight was the Boxing Day game between Cambridge United and Histon. It ended in a 2-2 draw and had all the passion and excitement of games of old and reinded me of how I fell in love with football in the first place.
Lowlights
To be honest there weren't that many lowlights in Kyiv, although I still have serious issues with the majority of Dynamo Kyiv fans. My mates are all Arsenal fans, so that goes someway in explaining it though. Arsenal the team are capable of some sublime football, as a match in March where they lost to Shakhtar 4-2and a victory of 3-0 over Vorskla illustrated. They are also capable of some of the most unpassionate uninspiring football ever. The last game of the season in June where Arsenal and FK Kharkiv played out an appaling 0-0 draw (Kharkiv needing a draw to stay up) illustrated what's often wrong with post Soviet football, but there were several occassions where they put in lacklustre performances when they wanted points. I suppose the lowest point was going to an Obolon game sober. The game was a 1-1 draw with Dnipro Cherkasy apart from it ruining Obolon's promotion prospects, a promotion many would argue they don't want, being sober made you realise how screwed up on booze most of the so called fans are and what a load of self important tossers the officials of what was the friendliest club in Ukraine have become.
In England there haven't been too many low points either, although going to several Rocester and Ely City games means that the quality hasn't been the highest. Apart from the power cut during the Ely City game with Great Shelford and the plot still going on like a soap saga (despite winning the replay 5-1 after the game had already been twice rescheduled Ely may still have to play it again after fielding an illegible player) nothing has really got me down. I do have to say that I have nothing but bad feelings towards the morons who run and support Cambridge City and their financial meltdown can't come soon enough as far as I'm concerned. The only other lowpoint was when Rod came. It was great to see Rod and I feel a bit bad about subjecting him to such a poor game of football. What got on my wick though was that before the game we attempted to see the Wolves v Birmingham. We were with Sean and taking him into any of the pubs in Ely that don't have Sky isn't a problem. It is however for one that does The Flying Horse. When we rolled up they informed us they had the game on but wouldn't serve us as we had an under 18 with us ( a 4 year old to be precise). Fair enough if the pub was heaving with zulus, or we were drunk, but when you have a pub with a couple sat at the other end of it and one middleaged bloke looking worse for wear at the bar then maybe the chance to at least treble your takings and a bit of common sense might prevail, sadly not.
Anyway, I don't know what the New Year might bring with regards football, although for me it should kick off on January 3rd, when Ely City take on CRC
Highlights
First of all obviously was the trip that spawned the website, a fine game between Metalist Kharkiv and Vorskla Poltava. Going on the train and drinking copious ammounts of alcohol in Ukraine is always an adventure, but when you get to the other end and hang out with lads like Han and Vasya and witness 3-0 win it always makes the long journey worthwhile. Other great days out in Ukraine included a trip to our favourite club CSKA out in Konchezaspa, unfortunately for me and Phil they lost 2-1 to PFK Sevastapol and were all but relegated to the regional 2nd league on that day, fortunately though the local madheads still remembered us, even though we were something of an oddity for the younger fans and we also found a great bar over the road serving Slavutych. Another good trip where the beer wasn't quite so good was out to Boryspil where we saw Knyazha ease past Veres Rivne in a season that would eventually see them going past CSKA in the opposite direction. The people at Knyazha supply you with a free programme and allow you to drink, stand and sit where you like. The fans know about as much about football as a post 2003 Chelseas fan, but let's hope they learn and that the Austrian investors who also own FK Lviv don't get bored. The maddest of all trips though was undoubtedly when we travelled a very long way to see Obolon 2 lose 2-1 to Dynamo 3. The game only saw about 12 locals turn up, although it did prove that towns like Borodyanka still exist in Ukraine and good for them!
In terms of footballing quality 2 games stick out from the time in Kyiv. Dynamo Kyiv looked a much improved team, but it was 2 games that they didn't win that stand out in the mind. Firstly on 2nd August they lost 2-1 to Metalist Kharkiv in a fiercly fought game that the boys from the first capital deserved to win and just 4 days later Drogheda United gave them a fright in a 2-2 draw that could esily have been won at the death by the Irish club. However, things with the 2 clubs couldn't be much different to how they are now with Dynamo going on to anhilate Spartak Moscow in the grudge match of all grudge matches (8-2 on aggregate) to qualify for the Champions League proper. Dynamo are now top of the Ukrainian Premier League and in the UEFA Cup. If it hadn't been for the unsporting behaviour of Arsenal (the English variety) they might have made it to the knock out stages. Drogheda on the other hand are in severe financial trouble, which is a really big shame. I should also mention Arsenal Kyiv, as although none of their games exactly stick out as classics the fans, especially Ewig and Bo always made a trip to their games enjoyable.
So, on to England and the rip off ticket prices have seen me concentrating on non-league football. I have to be thankful for having Ely City on my doorstep, although they sometimes leave a lot to be desired with regards to quality it's usually an enjoyable day out. The first game was a 1-1 draw with Harwich and Parkeston. The best game was a 3-1 victory over Needham Market and another highlight has been meeting long time fan Mick at the 3-2 defeat against Wisbech Town. I should really apologise to Scott and Rod for subjecting them to 2 horrendous defeats against Histon Reserves and Kirkley and Pakefield respectively. In terms of good football the best 2 games have been Burton Albion in a 5-2 victory over Lewes, back in August. Since then Lewes have really struggled, while the Brewers could go into the league, hopefully Nigel Clough won't be tempted away by Forest or Derby. Another highlight was the Boxing Day game between Cambridge United and Histon. It ended in a 2-2 draw and had all the passion and excitement of games of old and reinded me of how I fell in love with football in the first place.
Lowlights
To be honest there weren't that many lowlights in Kyiv, although I still have serious issues with the majority of Dynamo Kyiv fans. My mates are all Arsenal fans, so that goes someway in explaining it though. Arsenal the team are capable of some sublime football, as a match in March where they lost to Shakhtar 4-2and a victory of 3-0 over Vorskla illustrated. They are also capable of some of the most unpassionate uninspiring football ever. The last game of the season in June where Arsenal and FK Kharkiv played out an appaling 0-0 draw (Kharkiv needing a draw to stay up) illustrated what's often wrong with post Soviet football, but there were several occassions where they put in lacklustre performances when they wanted points. I suppose the lowest point was going to an Obolon game sober. The game was a 1-1 draw with Dnipro Cherkasy apart from it ruining Obolon's promotion prospects, a promotion many would argue they don't want, being sober made you realise how screwed up on booze most of the so called fans are and what a load of self important tossers the officials of what was the friendliest club in Ukraine have become.
In England there haven't been too many low points either, although going to several Rocester and Ely City games means that the quality hasn't been the highest. Apart from the power cut during the Ely City game with Great Shelford and the plot still going on like a soap saga (despite winning the replay 5-1 after the game had already been twice rescheduled Ely may still have to play it again after fielding an illegible player) nothing has really got me down. I do have to say that I have nothing but bad feelings towards the morons who run and support Cambridge City and their financial meltdown can't come soon enough as far as I'm concerned. The only other lowpoint was when Rod came. It was great to see Rod and I feel a bit bad about subjecting him to such a poor game of football. What got on my wick though was that before the game we attempted to see the Wolves v Birmingham. We were with Sean and taking him into any of the pubs in Ely that don't have Sky isn't a problem. It is however for one that does The Flying Horse. When we rolled up they informed us they had the game on but wouldn't serve us as we had an under 18 with us ( a 4 year old to be precise). Fair enough if the pub was heaving with zulus, or we were drunk, but when you have a pub with a couple sat at the other end of it and one middleaged bloke looking worse for wear at the bar then maybe the chance to at least treble your takings and a bit of common sense might prevail, sadly not.
Anyway, I don't know what the New Year might bring with regards football, although for me it should kick off on January 3rd, when Ely City take on CRC
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