Welcome to Volume Two of my blog which covers all clubs and stadiums outside the English League System along with the wonderful people responsible for keeping them going and their maintenance.

Since I was a little lad I've been fascinated in football and more so where games are played. With my love of travel and curiosity of the game I wanted to visit as many grounds and see games wherever possible.

I was fortunate that my Dad also loved the game and spent so much of his spare time taking me to matches. As I got older the boundaries widened owing to my location and increased wages to Europe and indeed the world. The sight of a stand or a floodlight pylon in the distance immediately heightens my senses and eagerness for a closer look.

I hope this site gives you the chance to share in my pleasure and experiences and maybe one day set you on the road to adventure. If you get half as much out of the hobby as I've done, I can guarantee some great memories, good friends and stories to pass on to future generations.

Give your local club a try today. They'll be delighted to see you!

Everlasting thanks primarily to my late and very much missed and dearly loved parents; my Dad Bob Bernard and my Mum; Ann, who put up with endless years of football chat and my brothers Nick and Paul who gave me the chance and encouragement to do what I have. Thanks to all my friends who offer encouragement and Sally and Stan who inspire and give me great pride. Stan is showing a keen interest in my hobby as he grows into a young man!

Please feel free to post any comments (please use sensible language - I want everyone to be able to enjoy reading) or ask any questions relating to visiting grounds or events. If you want to see any ground reviewed please let me know. It will take quite some time for everywhere to appear, but make sure you keep having a look as the site is continually updated.

If you click on a lot of the pictures you will get a larger version on your screen.

I have also added links to video clips on YouTube where appropriate for those of you who are bored of reading or are filling in time at work. I haven't always gone for the most obvious choices, but items that will be in some cases unusual but always historically interesting.

Click here to see volume one of HAOTW for everything in the English League System.

Rob Bernard

London

May 2020

Monday 7 September 2015

TSVgg Stuttgart-Münster (Germany)


TSVgg Stuttgart-Münster is a sports club from the Münster district of Stuttgart in Germany. The club has sections for athletics, pentanque, badminton, health sports, handball, ski & hiking, dance, table tennis, fitness, volleyball as well as football. The club were formed in 1875.

Münster progressed as C-Klasse champions in 1918-19 on the start of a fine run of honours for the team. The B-Klasse title was collected in 1920-21 prior to winning A-Klasse in 1923-24 to progress to the Kreisliga whose title was lifted in 1928-29.

The club reached the Bezirksklasse, the second highest in Württemberg winning the league championship in 1941-42, 1942-43 and 1945-46 before a fourth title followed in 1948-49. Münster reached the 2. Amateurliga before dropping back to A-Klasse.

The A-Klasse title was lifted in 1953-54 to offer a brief reappearance in 2. Amateurliga. The 1960’s saw the team drop down a couple of levels before climbing back to finish as A-Klasse runners-up in 1971-72.

A-Klasse was won in 1977-78 as Münster climbed to the Landesliga. The team continued at similar levels of competition until the 2003-04 campaign when they finished fifth in the national ninth tier Kreisliga A1 where an improvement of one place was achieved on 2005-06.

The league title was won in 2008-09 with Münster finishing their first Bezirksliga campaign for many years in mid table prior to climbing to fifth in 2010-11 and then becoming champions in 2011-12 to climb to the seventh tier Landesliga where they were placed in Staffel 2.

However, the step up proved too severe as the team returned to the Bezirksliga after just one season. A runners-up birth in 2014-15 elevated Münster into the play-offs where they fell just short. Relegation was avoided on goal difference in 2016-17.

The warning wasn’t heeded as the team went down in bottom place twelve months later despite the goals of Bernhard Kreis. There wasn’t much improvement in 2018-19 under coach David Biedemann as Rene Weinhardt top scored in the Kreisliga A1 season.

Münster were just outside the relegation places when the 2019-20 season was halted owing to the COVID-19 pandemic under player-coach Sascha Rauhut.

TSVgg Stuttgart-Münster will compete in the Kreisliga A Staffel 1 Stuttgart in the 2020-21 season.


My visit

Sunday 16th August 2015

I had a morning to fill in Stuttgart before heading to a couple of matches later in the day. My research of the local football set up and the transport system highlighted a few venues it was easy to call in at. I was totally blind as to what standard the grounds would be.


The rain was falling heavily and I was on my penultimate ground of four before I needed a change of shirt. My England 1982 retro top was soaked and I’d foolishly gone out without another layer.

The U Bahn line 14 dropped me at Münste Viadukt, which was just a few yards from the entrance to the Stadion am Viadukt Rasen. As I approached it soon became apparent that players were turning up for a game.


The large car park backed up to the near goal. Behind it was a tremendous multiple storey old brick clubhouse with changing facilities on the bottom floor. The pitch was surrounded by a rail. 

Down one side there was just a small space before the fence separated the ground from Neckartalstrasse. The far side had a small banking with covered facilities towards the far end. I didn’t have time to explore but it looked like they could include the traditional catering facilities.


Having left the ground to walk back to the station I was passed by a couple of players getting off a train from the other direction all ready for their match. I looked up and was astounded by the size of the huge EnBW steam energy plant built over the transport tunnel and into the hill.

I headed on to the next venue; that of near neighbours Stuttgart-Canstatt.

On returning home I found out that the game I would have seen if I’d hung around was a friendly game between Stuttgart-Münster II and ASV Botnang II, which ended in a 5-2 win for the visitors.


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