My Top 10 Weekend Groundhopping Destinations

My Top 10 Weekend Groundhopping Destinations 

Getting the most from spare time off work or enjoying a casual break for those of us lucky enough to be retired is always an attractive proposition. Those of us who love our groundhopping understand just how valuable time is, especially when it comes to fitting in multiple matches.

Therefore, finding cities that offer such options with lots of clubs of all standards is much desired. Ideally, with sightseeing, good food and drink, accessibility, and nightlife, with affordable travel and hotels rounding off a general tick list. 

Much of which cities or regions are preferred is down to personal choice and what standard of football those travelling are prepared to drop down to. Some prefer a couple of big games, while others enjoy doubles or trebles, ideally at new venues.

Here, in no particular order, are my favourite 10 destinations for my long weekends away when I lived and worked in London before moving to Thailand, with some kind of rationale behind the selections. Please feel free to comment or ask any questions. 

As a teaser, I’ve added links to the blog page to the club of my favourite outing in each city, which will give you some indication as to my eclectic tastes as well as other links to somewhere I consider worth visiting while in the city or a related video from my YouTube Channel, often with football influences.

Incidentally, please subscribe to my YouTube Channel, free of charge, where there are heaps of football videos, along with travel adventures around Thailand, which covers football in many titles, as well as exploring other destinations.

1.     Dusseldorf

Probably my most regular go-to destination. Regular value flights to both Dusseldorf and Cologne/Bonn offering excellent value. While Cologne is seen by many to be a more attractive city, Dusseldorf’s Aldstadt beats it hands down in terms of a night out after games, in my book.

Like the Northwest of England, there are so many clubs to watch at all levels within an hour or so, with train fares usually included in match tickets. Lots of games kick off at different times, so doubles and trebles are sometimes possible on a weekend, with choices too on a Friday night.

It's somewhere that will always be special to me as Fortuna v Bayern Munich was my first ever overseas match, and I have enjoyed so many great times in the area, including adjoining cities with the German Football Museum in Dortmund, a recently added attraction. A great atmosphere was enjoyed at several stadiums.

2.     Bangkok

Bangkok. On a weekend? Well, yeah, I know what you’re saying, but it’s not as impossible as it sounds, though it is probably best to stretch a visit to 10 days if travelling so far to get two weekends in. 

The Thai League has three pro divisions, with Thai League 3 regional including some local derbies. There are also a couple of amateur leagues for local football which have surprisingly well-appointed venues, while the semi-pro league from March to May each year for election into T3. As for the food and nightlife! And quality hotels are inexpensive.

Always something to watch throughout the year in a wonderful city, with my favourite side being very close to the tourist areas, where fans are earthy and have fun home or away, and the fan zone outside the stadium is what I think to be Bangkok's best beer garden.

3.     Bilbao

A city which often goes under the radar in groundhopping circles. There is often a Friday evening opportunity with Santander and San Sabastian not too far away. The valley reminds me of Newcastle, with a big river and lots of lower-league clubs on either side of it. 

Under-age games start early on Saturday and Sunday mornings, along with a sprinkling of lower league fixtures. Ideal opportunities for those groundhopping addicts where food and drink are usually available at the venues, an ideal way to shake off the excesses of the previous evening in a city famous for its snacks and drink around great fans. An ideal location for a couples weekend too.

 

4.     Glasgow

Many prefer Edinburgh to Glasgow, but to me, the western Scottish city has more heart and soul for a night out when a great atmosphere can be enjoyed. It’s easy to get to the capital in an hour where there are generally more Friday night opportunities, with Glasgow’s hotels making a significant savings.

 

You need to get lucky for doubles, but with more clubs becoming savvy and sharing their artificial pitches, it is no longer unusual. A great city with some tremendous venues where football is a true passion and the mandatory scotch pie and Bovril should always be part of the day out, no matter what size of club or stadium is being visited.

 

5.     Barcelona

Barca is not dissimilar to Bilbao with its spread of fixtures through the junior ranks and local clubs. Endless opportunities of doubles and trebles, depending on how far down the scale you are prepared to go. Some extremely underrated venues, too. 

Needless to say, Barcelona is an incredible city to visit. Sightseeing and strolls around the various districts with stops for food and drink more than make up for any Monday night unavailability. And there is more than one major club in town.

 

6.     Newcastle

The Geordie capital just sneaked into my list thanks to the Northern League and other feeders below it now including more Friday night fixtures and more spread-out weekend kick-off times than once before, often to accommodate the chance of fans heading to the main attraction of the weekend.

Handy for other cities such as Sunderland, with even Edinburgh accessible if there are no other Friday night options. A great area and a hotbed of English football, with a cracking social scene to match. It’s not far from the sea either, with an excellent transport system making everywhere accessible.

 

7.     Prague

Another magnificent destination with endless food and drink options, some amazing sightseeing, and a great place to stay offering magnificent value for money. One of Europe's great cities for a long weekend, it is easy to wander around. There is also no shortage of passion on a matchday.

 

The big attraction to me about Prague is that the lower leagues have kickoffs at 10.15am on a weekend as well as some late start times, with the major clubs sides under 19s playing on a Monday afternoon when I visited. There is even a club that plays regularly on a Sunday morning near the centre of town where the fans sing about their famous sausages.

 

8.     Vienna

Oh, Vienna. as Ultravox sang. Another classic city with a great history well worth chasing up. Absolutely no danger of going hungry or thirsty, in a place I thought was like an up-market city in Germany. 

Again, lots of clubs with numerous kick-off times, with Friday night offering plenty of choices to get the weekend underway. I found games in a Christian League on a Monday night to tick off another venue, while Bratislava is only an hour away on the train for those wanting even more out of their visit.

 

9.     Brussels

Many people are put off by Brussels, considering it to have gone downhill and is rough around the edges. I thought it a good place, again with no shortage of food and drink and accessibility to so many other cities within an hour or so.

Lots and lots of venues, some being real classics with grandstands like the old non-league days and grounds in England. Passion was always in abundance on my visits, with an earthy edge to affairs in some stadiums often missing elsewhere.

 

10.  Berlin

Last but certainly not least. Berlin. History is everywhere you look, especially in the east of the city, including their football clubs as they tried to deal with the old regime. Another destination with great links to other nearby football towns if looking to fill a fix. Great nightlife and accessibility make it a perennial favourite. 

As with many other German cities, matches galore from Friday evening through to late Sunday afternoon, at all levels, including the chance to tick off the iconic Olympic Stadium as well as experience the passion of a real fans owned club.

The Travel Adventures of Rob B! YouTube Channel

 

Chao Anouvong Stadium (Vientiane)

Chao Anouvong Stadium, also known as Laos National Stadium, is a stadium that was built in 1950 and is located in the centre of Vientiane, the capital of Laos.

From 2008 the venue was used for matches of several sides in the Lao League, with Lao Army FC winning the title that season. The 2008-09 season in the league was x called off as players from each participating club had been called up to represent the nation’s under-23 side in the SEA Games. 

Vientiane FC, former champions in 2005 and 2006 are one of the clubs who used the stadium for their home matches in 2010. The New Laos National Stadium was built outside the city in 2009, which saw several clubs use that as their base.

The 2013 season saw the Anouvong Stadium play host to the home games of Lao Lane Xang FC, Hoang Anh Attapeu, and Eastern Star FC. SHB Vientiane was formed in 2013 as SHB Champasak before changing its name in 2015 while moving into Anouvong Stadium.

They disappeared off the radar in 2016 with Lao Toyota becoming tenants of the venue. DK FC moved in for the 2017 campaign, remaining there the following season, before the stadium no longer staged Lao League games, with the newer arena being preferred.

The stadium was still used by locals looking to keep fit and running on the track, but it fell into a state of disrepair. However, Japanese investment saw the start of a refurbishment from the start of 2025 which would see facilities renewed and the whole complex to be renovated. 

Much of the work would allow more disabled athletes to compete and train as accessibility would be improved and it would become barrier-free.

My visit

Thursday 26th December 2024

Boxing Day means football to me, no matter where in the world I happen to find myself. The Lao League was on its mid-season break having adopted the European calendar post-Covid. I tried in vain to try and find any friendly games taking place. 

Not to worry. Vientiane had been an outstanding night out, one of my better Christmas Day evenings. Our hotel was interesting, to say the least, and was probably as well we were only there for one night. I’m glad my wife and I have a good sense of humour.

It was the first time I’d slept on a bed propped up by a pile of bricks. It certainly meant that some early morning walking to blow away the cobwebs was no inconvenience as I left Taew to pack ready for my return. 

Chao Anouvong Stadium was around ten minutes away from our accommodation. I feared the worst as I walked along Rue Nokeokoummane and saw locked gates ahead as I walked past the National Tennis Club. However, a small pedestrian gate was open.

The courtyard had a statue, and the whole place looked like an ideal inner-city venue. It showed signs of staging big events with the ticket office windows the front wall still intact, if requiring some attention to them. Access inside the arena was simple, and several early morning joggers were using the track. 

It was certainly a mess, but with the investment and plenty of work, it could be revived. Personally, I hope it returns as a venue for the Lao League. Who wants to travel several miles out of town when there is somewhere within walking distance of the city centre?

I headed back and found a superb coffee shop under what looked like a decent hotel, with my latte piping hot and croissants available, something not always the case in Thailand. The French influence on Laos certainly seemed to live on.

 

All About the Blog

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 their maintenance and keeping clubs going.

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 as possible and see games where I can. 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 that this site gives you the chance to share in my pleasure and experiences and 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 to do what I have. Thanks to all my friends who offer encouragement along with my wonderful wife Taew who must be confused as to why I go to what she must consider meaningless matches.

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. 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.

Volume one of HAOTW for everything in the English League System can be seen by clicking on the link.

For those wanting to discover Thai football, a dedicated blog, Thai Football Fever is the place to go.

Rob Bernard, Sisaket, Thailand

Thailand Football

 

All Thai clubs, matches and stadium visits plus games at neutral venues can be read about at

Thai Football Fever

Berwick Rangers (Scotland)

 

Berwick Rangers FC is a football club from the Northumberland border town of Berwick-on-Tweed in England who have played most of their football in Scottish competitions as the town has changed nationality several times through border wars throughout history before finally remaining English from 1482.

The club goes right back to the 7^th January 1881, when a side led by local businessman and town councillor Peter Cowe would gather to train on the Bull Stob Close pitch prior to their first game against Alnwick.

It was 1884 before the constitution of the club was formed while Pier Field was considered a temporary home. ‘The Wee Gers’ became champions of the Northumberland League at the turn of the century after they began playing at the Meadow Field in Tweedmouth.

In 1905 Rangers were affiliated to the Scottish FA, entering the Scottish Border League and then the Border Amateur League from the commencement of the 1908-09 campaign. A move to the East of Scotland League followed in 1919. 

A ground now known as Old Shielfield Park was sourced, adjacent to the current venue and home for several seasons of Tweedmouth Rangers FC. Several attempts to join the North Northumberland League were turned down over the years.

Berwick became members of Scottish Football League C Division (North & East) in 1951 ending in midtable under manager Bobby Ancell. The following season saw an improvement to third place, but the club had a continual coming and going of team bosses which affected consistency. 

In 1954 the club moved into the new Shielfield Park after going out in the quarter final of the Scottish Cup the previous season against Rangers, with a stand being purchased from Bradford City’s Valley Parade home was installed. The Borderers were placed in an enlarged Division B, which was renamed Division Two a year later.

In 1955-56 and 1956-57 the team reached the fifth round of the Scottish Cup going out in an away tie to Ayr United and then at home to Falkirk. Danny McLennan arrived as manager for a three-year period to be succeeded by Jimmy McIntosh and then Ian Spence who both served for similar lengths of time. 

It was under Spence that the side reached the semi-final of the League Cup going out 3-1 to Rangers. The Glasgow giants were on Berwick’s radar after goalkeeper Jock Wallace took over as player-manager.  

13,365 packed into Shielfield was Rangers were defeated 1-0 in the first round of the Cup, which would cost some their careers at Ibrox. The Wee Gers went out in the next round as approaching 30,000 fans attended the tie at Easter Road against Hibernian. 

Harry Melrose replaced Wallace who went on to have an excellent coaching and management career, but it would be under Dave Smith that the club finally won something of note when they became the third tier Division Two champions in 1978-79 in a period which would see Eric Tait become the record appearance holder.

Their spell in the second level lasted two seasons, with success being rare thereafter. Third places were achieved in 1983-84 and then again in 1995-96 under the stewardship of Tait following a runners-up spot in 1993-94 through the endeavours of Tom Hendrie. However, only the champions went up that season owing to league re-organisation.

 

Promotion with Paul Smith in charge of the team was achieved in 1999-00 before the team went back down in 2004-05. The 2005-06 season saw Rangers in the fourth tier Third Division where they reached the play-offs under John Coughlin, losing to Ayr United.

There was no mistake the following season as Berwick went up as champions but dropped straight back down twelve months later with Michael Renwick being at the helm for most of the campaign, as once again competing financially was difficult.

 

2012-13 saw another stab at promotion through the play-offs but East Fife proved too strong for Ian Little’s outfit. Colin Cameron took over as manager and his side reached the quarter final of the Cup in 2014-15 losing 4-0 away to Hibernian.

The struggles in the league became desperate at times, especially as a play-off had been introduced between the bottom side in the fourth tier and the winners of the clash between the Lowland and Highland Leagues to secure Scottish League football.

 

After two finishes third from bottom, Berwick ended in last place in 2018-19. Cove Rangers won the two-legged tie which led to the team from Shielfield being relegated to the Lowland League. Little returned for the first couple of seasons back in non-league as the team ended twelfth and then tenth.

Stuart Malcolm took over in the hotseat overseeing an improvement of two places, before seventh place was achieved in 2022-23.

Berwick Rangers FC will play in the Lowland League in the 2023-24 season.

My visit

Tuesday 13^th July 2021 

I had a week on annual leave from work and knowing I would be moving fulltime to Thailand soon after, I decided to have a tour around parts of England. The restrictions from the coronavirus pandemic were gradually being lessened but care was still needed when planning.

I’d had a day and night in Scarborough, seen rugby league in Keighley followed by watching England in the final of the Euros against Italy in a Leeds hotel room before a blank day cricket wise at Chester-le-Street. It still led to a boozy day in the company of great mates.

On to Newcastle where the excesses meant an early night. Up bright and early I wanted to make the most of the day. I had hoped to see football in Berwick in the Charity Cup at The Stanks in the town, but a brief visit on the train would have to suffice.

The town seemed pleasant enough and very picturesque in parts, having previously only seen it from a window on passing trains. It allowed me time to explore properly and get some exercise in the bracing seaside air. Having completed sightseeing it was time to cross the river into Tweedmouth.

It was a fair old walk to Shielfield Park, so I wasn’t enormously happy to arrive and find the venue totally locked up. I tried using my selfie stick the wrong way round to get some snaps over the walls of the stands when I saw a car approaching.

 

My luck was in. It was the groundsman who kindly let me go inside before he gave me a proper tour and insight of the club telling me the struggles attracting players, especially since they dropped out of the SPFL and became a Lowland League side.

All done, I gave my thanks and headed back down the hill to the river and back into Berwick grabbing some lunch and then relaxing and taking photos of The Stanks prior to my train back which was followed by a siesta and then beer prior to heading to the Hebburn Town v Whitby Town friendly.

SG Unterrath (Germany)

Sportgemeinschaft Düsseldorf-Unterrath 1912/24 e.V, or SG Unterrath as their commonly known, is a West German football club representing the Unterrath district to the north of Düsseldorf, who were formed following a merger in 1993.

The football department is the foremost part of a sports club. They were formed from the merger of Unterrather Fußball Club, formed in 1912 and Rheinwacht Unterrath who could be traced back to 1924. The club also has sections for tennis, judo, gymnastics, handball, badminton and swimming.

SG Unterrath play at the Franz-Rennefeld-Weg district sports facility in Düsseldorf-Lichtenbroich, whereas Rheinwacht were formerly based at the Sportplatz Herdecker Straße in Rath. The football club works in a partnership with 1. FC Köln.

It’s unclear exactly what level the new club began in. Amin Younes who would go on to play for Borussia Mönchengladbach, Ajax and Napoli as well as the German national team started his career at the flourishing SGU youth section between 1997 and 2000.

The 2003-04 season saw Unterrath lift the Düsseldorf Gruppe 1 Kreisliga A title before finishing sixth in Niederrhein Bezirksliga, Gruppe 1 twelve months later. This was improved upon in 2005-06 with a third place finish.

The team continued to finish in the top five for the following four seasons. The consistency was backed up with SGU ending the 2012-13 campaign in third spot prior to a couple of disappointing seasons.

Midtable became the norm at Franz-Rennefeld-Weg until the 2019-20 saw the lifting of the Bezirksliga Gruppe 1 as Khalid Al-Bazaz and Carlos Penan led the scoring charts for the side coached by Suat Tokat.

SGU were promoted to the sixth tier Landesliga Gruppe 1, despite the season ending early owing to the outbreak of Coronavirus, prior to SGU sitting in eleventh place when the 2020-21 season also ended early owing continuation of the pandemic.

Deniz Top was in charge of the team for the 2021-22 season.

SG Unterrath will play in Niederrhein Landesliga Gruppe 1 in the 2021-22 season.

My visit

SG Unterrath 1 Duisburger SV 3 (Sunday 8^th August 2021) Friendly (att: 50)

My latest weekend to North Rhine Westphalia for football and socialising was going tremendously well. Public transport had behaved impeccably allowing me to attend three matches on both Saturday and again on the Sunday.

I’d already attended a youth match at Viktoria Buchholz and then the 3. Liga game between MSV Duisburg and TSV Havelse. I’d thoroughly enjoyed the experience of being among vocal fans, with three points at stake, as most of my other fixtures were friendlies.

Dodging out when the linesman put up the board for stoppage time allowed me to get a move on back to Duisburg Schlenk station to allow me to catch the train a few stops south to Düsseldorf-Unterrath where my arrival was greeted with a heavy downpour.

Fortunately, perhaps with thought to the 1pm kick off at MSV, Unterrath put their start back to 3.30pm. This allowed me to take shelter while the rain abated and then walk along Theodorstraße and then into Franz-Rennefeld-Weg, which took around ten minutes.

The football ground was on the right hand side of the complex past the clubhouse, tennis courts and indoor sports hall. Once again admission was free. The teams were having their final huddle before kick-off as I entered.

I was immediately impressed with the ground. It only had a path of flat standing behind either goal with high fencing preventing stray shots leaving the ground, but both sides had terracing with benches at regular intervals. The near side had a cover over the halfway line.

The dominant feature was actually just outside the ground. A huge sign atop a tower advertising the OBI Garden Centre. Past the far side was more terracing leading down to the second pitch, which would allow me some bonus action.

In the meantime, I concentrated on my main match which had official linesmen. Some of my other games had just the referee controlling affairs, or as at Werden-Heidhausen the previous evening, club volunteers just giving throw ins.

The 3G pitch was of the darker green variety, which often indicated it was getting on in years. It was crowned towards the centre spot. The players all looked fit and physical. They weren’t my favourite type of games as it made it appear that the pitch wasn’t big enough.

Duisburger came close to opening the scoring when Bünyamin Burak Sari got through but put his shot against the top of the crossbar as he collided with home keeper Kaido Ikeda, injuring himself in the process.

The visitors looked the better side to me in the initial stages of a good technical match without too many chances materialising. Unterrath’s Japanese forward Yukichi Sasaki went on a decent run but saw his shot saved by Duisburger custodian Rene Bloch.

I’d moved across to the far side to position myself in such a way on the terracing so that I could keep an eye on both pitches. The under 19 A Junioren match grappling for attention was into its second half with SV Eilendorf the away team.

Back on the main pitch DSV’s substitute George Wiedemann pounced on a bad back pass but couldn’t finish before referee Thorsten Lechtenberg blew for half time. This allowed me to concentrate fully on the age group encounter for fifteen minutes.

The weather was windy with showers, which wasn’t great for the 45 or so watching the game without any cover. I maintained my position of balance as play got under way on the main arena.

Unterrath had obviously had a good talking to by coach Deniz Top at the break as they came flying out of the traps to take the lead two minutes after the restart. A low cross from skipper Mustafa Kalkan was tucked away by Sasaki. The match needed the goal and then opened up.

My secondary entertainment had a grandstand finish when Said Tchacoura of Eilendorf scored a late equaliser to make it 2-2, celebrating by putting his finger to his lips as though he had been receiving some feedback throughout.

With that game done I moved round near the benches under the cover where the visiting coach Dennis Jerusalem was most vocal. His team drew level on fifty three minutes through a fine individual goal from Deniz Hotoglu.

Ten minutes later Hotoglu put his side ahead when he nipped in to finish. Duisburger looked on top again despite the best efforts of the impressive Sasaki for SGU. I’d say the game about a non-league step 3 or 4 standard back home in England.

With a couple of minutes remaining, I decided to call it a day rather than waiting an extra half an hour for a train back to the city. I missed Hotoglu complete his hattrick. I couldn’t complain at the amount of action I’d crammed in. 

 

Back at Düsseldorf I bought some ropey chicken and chips for tea before a siesta put me in good stead for an evening of reflection down the Altstadt. It was far quieter than the previous evening, but that suited me fine.

A couple of brewery stops and ending the evening in Fatty’s Irish Bar a perfect way to finish off what had been an excellent day. And I had no rush the next morning. That was really perfect!