1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig (Germany)

  

1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig is a German football club based in the city of Leipzig, who were formed on the 26th May 1896 as the football department in the Allgemeine Turnverein 1845 Leipzig Sports Club.

The club had been formed by a merger of a couple of teams before they went separate again in 1900. VfB Leipzig became one of eighty six clubs to form the DFB (German FA) in Leipzig.

VfB reached the first ever final of the German Football Championship in 1903. In a remarkable final, they came up against DFC Prag, who were a team of German ethnicity from Prague who were permitted to compete. The sides travelled north to the Adolf-Jäger-Kampfbahn home of FC 93 Altona in Hamburg for the match.

The evening before the game, the Prag players embarked on a pub crawl around the city. Experts made them favourites to win, but their indiscipline came back to haunt them. The game was delayed because there wasn’t a ball in good enough condition. 

When Altona produced a ball the game ended 1-1 at the break. Leipzig went on to hammer their opponents 7-2 to become the first ever German champions.

In 1906,1.FC Pforzheim were defeated 1-0 in Nuremberg to complete a second championship. Viktoria Berlin ruined Leipzig dreams in 1911 as they won the 1911 final in Dresden. 

However, VfB were to bounce back as they beat Duisburger SpV in the 1913 final in Munich to make it three German titles. VfB fell at the final hurdle the following year against SpVgg Fürth in Magdeburg.

German football was re-organised in 1933 under the Third Reich with sixteen top tier regional divisions. VfB Leipzig were placed in Gauliga Sachsen where they performed satisfactorily without qualifying for the final rounds.

However, the club went on to lift the Tschammerpokal, which was later known as the German Cup. Schalke 04, the dominant side of the era, were defeated 2-1 in front of 70,000 fans at Berlin’s Olympic Stadion.

Following World War Two, VfL were dissolved by the ruling Russian authorities in East Germany. Members reformed the club as SG Probstheida in 1946. They changed their title to BSG Erich Zeigner Probstheida and then BSG Einheit Ost before they merged with SC Rotation Leipzig in 1954 and played in the DDR-Oberliga, East Germany's top division with mediocre results.

In 1963 the two foremost Leipzig clubs, SC Rotation and SC Lokomotive Leipzig were merged, which led to two new teams being formed. SC Leipzig, who were the continuation of the old club, while BSG Chemie Leipzig went their own way and played on as a company team. 

SC Leipzig became 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig in 1965 as the fortunes of the club changed aong with the name. The team ended as DDR runners-up in 1966-67, which was the fourth season that ‘Lok’ competed in Europe in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. 

Wins over Djurgårdens IF, R.F.C. de Liège and Benfica led to a last eight tie against Kilmarnock, where they went of to the Scotsmen 2-1 on aggregate.

More European campaigns followed. Lok had a fine run in the UEFA Cup of 1973-74. Torino, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Fortuna Düsseldorf and Ipswich Town were all seen off to reach the semi-final stage, where they lost out to eventual runners-up Tottenham Hotspur.

In 1975-76 Lok lifted the FDGB-Pokal East German Cup when FC Vorwärts Frankfurt were defeated 3-0, which was repeated in 1980-81 when the same opponents were seen off 4-1 at Stadion der Weltjugend in East Berlin.

FC Barcelona eventually knocked the team out 4-2 on aggregate of the UEFA Cup at the last eight stage, after earlier round victories against Politehnica Timişoara, Swansea City and Velež Mostar.

Further FDGB-Pokal’s came in 1985-86 when Union Berlin were hammered 5-1 and 1986-87 as Hansa Rostock were dispatched 4-1. The later of those successes came in a great season as Lok also reached the 1987 of the European Cup Winner Cup. 

Wins against Glentoran, SK Rapid Wien, FC Sion and Girondins de Bordeaux set up a showpiece against Ajax in the Olympic Stadium, Athens. A single goal from Marco Van Basten broke Leipzig hearts.

Lok never won the DDR-Oberliga. They ended as runners-up in 1985-86 and 1987-88 to just miss out on three occasions. The great days from 1985 were achieved under Head Coach Hans-Ulrich "Uli" Thomale.

In 1990 Germany re-unification took place, with the football leagues merging the following year. After a successful play-off campaign in a transitional season, Lok were placed in 2. Bundesliga.

The club changed their name to VfL Leipzig and the move seemed to pay dividends. The club played their matches at Zentralstadion and in 1992-93 the team finished in third place to win promotion to the top flight Bundesliga.

Their spell lasted just one season as they finished last and were relegated under the watchful eye of Jürgen Sundermann. In 1998 VfB had slipped down to the third tier Regionalliga Nordost, before slipping down another rung to the NOFV-Oberliga Süd in 2001.

The club were bankrupted mid-season in 2004. Results were annulled and the club dissolved.

Out of the mess, the club fans formed 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig, The team was placed the eleventh tier Kreisliga 3 Leipzig. The superb supporters got behind their side and an amazing crowd of 12,421 flocked to the Zentralstadion for the game against Eintracht Großdeuben's second team.

A merger with SSV Torgau allowed the club to compete in the seventh tier Bezirksklasse Leipzig Staffel  2 for the 2004-05 season, where they finished as champions. In 2007 Lok, who by now had moved into the Bruno-Plache-Stadion in their traditional heartland, won the Bezirkspokal in 2006-07 as well as winning their league.

In 2007-08 Lok competed in the fifth tier Landesliga Sachsen as their rise continued. After finishing as runners-up to FC Erzgebirge Aue II, the club won another promotion in the play-offs as FC Schönberg 95 were defeated on away goals, with 10,000 fans attending the leg at ‘Das Bruno’.

A bit of fortune landed in the 2011-12 season as Lok finished in sixth place, but they were promoted to Regionalliga Nordost as the reserve teams of FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt, Dynamo Dresden and FC Carl Zeiss Jena were not allowed to be promoted.

Lok were relegated at the conclusion of the 2013-14 Oberliga Nordost season. During the following season the former German international Mario Basler was employed as the Director of Sports. 

The team vied for a promotion place until the final day. Lok went 2-0 down and fans stormed the pitch causing an abandonment of the game and the end of promotion dreams for Heiko Scholz’s side.

There was no mistake in 2015-16 as Lok were promoted as champions to climb to the fourth tier Regionalliga Nordost, where they settled in with a tenth place in 2016-17 as Daniel Becker finished as top scorer.

Lokomotive improved to sixth in 2017-18 under head coach Heiko Scholz with Paul Maurer scoring the goals. The placing was replicated in 2018-19 thanks in part to the strike partnership of Matthias Steinborn and Ryan Patrick Malone for coach Rainer Lisiewicz’s team.

Lok were joint top with a game in hand when the 2019-20 season ended owing to the outbreak of Coronavirus. The team of coach Wolfgang Wolf, who was appointed in October 2019, were crowned as champions before missing out on promotion on away goals in the play-offs against SC Verl.

1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig will play in Regionalliga Nordost in the 2020-21 season.

My visit

Sunday 11^th October 2015

Leipzig was bathed in cool bright sunshine when I arrived on the train from Berlin at 12.15pm. My plan of attack was to head out of town to see SVV Markranstädt take on FSV Zwickau in the Sachsenpokal before heading to the Red Bull Arena for Germany’s concluding Euro Qualifier against Georgia in the evening. Before that, I had another task.

The name of Lokomotive Leipzig brought back memories to me as a young lad growing up as a football fan when midweek matches were confined to highlights on a Wednesday night, or goals being shown the following Saturday on Football Focus or On The Ball.

Teams from the Eastern Bloc seemed full of mystery. The papers reported stories of rowdy fans and English teams going through all kinds of hardships to conquer the evil communists.

As I was in Leipzig I just had to visit the home of Lok, even more so since the old Zentralstadion was now gone in its previous form.

My international match day ticket gave me free travel in the area for the day, so once I’d followed the signs I was soon on board the 15 tram towards Probstheida. The journey took me through the main square and past the Opera House before getting to the outskirts and seeing the imposing Monument to the Battle of the Nations.

A few minutes later we went past the official Lok supporters shop just before the Probstheida stop. Off I went at full speed; down the wrong road!

After a few hundred yards on Chemnitzer Strasse with no sign of a stadium I cut through back onto the main Prager Strasse. There is usually a way to work things out and the Franzosenallee tram stop offered me a solution as it had a local map. I was soon back on track.

Approaching the main gates down Connewitzer Strasse I feared that I wasn’t going to get inside the Bruno Plache Stadion. All gates seemed to be locked. Then I noticed a sign leading to the clubhouse. In I walked and soon found a way up the steps to the terracing behind the goal.

Das Bruno was exactly what I was expecting. A good old fashioned seated Main Stand stood behind an open paddock down one side. The rest of the ground had open terracing around the shale track with curved ends. Yellow and blue crush barriers and the beautiful green trees made it a real picture to this purist.

Time was getting on so I took as many photos as I could before returning to Probstheida to catch a tram towards my afternoon match.

Apparently when Lok score in Das Bruno, a train noise and whistle is blasted out over the PA system. There’s only one way to find out!

New York City (USA)

New York City FC is a professional football club in the USA who were formed on the 21^st May 2013. Major League Soccer (MLS) was expanding its league for the 2015 season and required two extra clubs, but the idea of a second New York MLS club back in 2010.

Initially the league opened up talks with Fred Wilpon, the owner of New York Mets baseball club and with owners of the reformed New York Cosmos football club. Wilpon finances were hit in the Madoff investment scandal, while Cosmos joined the second tier North American Soccer League in 2013.

MLS commissioner Dan Garber had previously hinted about an existing European club owning an MLS franchise. FC Barcelona were briefly interested in taking the franchise for a Miami based team, but the bid fell through.

In August 2002, Barca’s vice president of the time, Ferran Soriano became the new CEO of Manchester City. Garber got back in contact regarding a New York franchise. Rumours amassed that the new club had been registered before an announcement was made that City would become the twentieth MLS franchise under the ownership of City Football Group and Yankee Global Enterprises; the owners of New York Yankees baseball club.

The plans for a new stadium in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park had to be abandoned after protests from the nearby Mets and because it would be on current parkland. Instead plans were announced to build a stadium in the Bronx close to Yankee Stadium by 2018. In the meantime the club would play home games at Yankee Stadium.

Former Manchester City and US international player Claudio Reyna was made director of football operations in charge of recruiting the coaching staff and players for City’s inaugural 2015 season.

Reyna appointed former Real Salt Lake boss Jason Kreis as head coach in 2014 to allow him time to travel to the UK to acclimatise himself with the workings of owners Manchester City.

Manchester City bought Melbourne Heart in 2014, the Australian A League club and changed their name to Melbourne City. New York named Spanish superstar David Villa as their first of three designated signings. He was immediately loaned out to the Melbourne club.

In July 2014, Frank Lampard’s signature was captured after his contract ran out at Chelsea. In a controversial move Manchester City took the England international on loan for the English 2014-15 season, meaning a late arrival to the 2015 MLS campaign.

In July 2015 the Italian midfield maestro Andrea Pirlo was signed. The clubs first ever regulated match came against Scottish side St Mirren with Villa scoring the clubs first ever goal.

Large crowds flocked to Yankee Stadium but the team went eleven games without victory after a promising start. New York Cosmos defeated City on penalties in the US Open Cup.

New York City FC will play in the MLS Eastern Conference in the 2015 season.

My visit

New York Yankees 6 Chicago White Sox 1 (Sunday 27^th September 2015) MLB American League (att: 38,690)

While visiting New York, it would have seemed silly as a huge sport fan not to take in some action at Yankee Stadium. As New York City didn’t have a home fixture during my time in the city, it was left to my first ever baseball game to get my fix.

My trip was going brilliantly. Even the cock up with Greyhound buses that meant the abandonment of my day visit to Boston on the Saturday was more than made up for with sightseeing and the match at Fordham Rams.

My Sunday morning was spent getting in some invaluable exercise as well as sightseeing as I hired a bicycle and went round 11km of Central Park in just over an hour. I felt really good after a shower and change as I jumped on board the B subway train to Yankee Stadium/161 Street.

Advice from friends had warned me of the expensive concessions inside the stadium. I’d already been bit in that department at the Red Bull Arena a couple of nights earlier. I found a deli where I purchased a bacon cheeseburger, kettle chips and water for far less than one beer inside.

I had taken time to have a brief look at Heritage Field, which is where the original Yankee Stadium had stood until 2010. Dubbed ‘The House that Ruth Built’, it now had a few baseball diamonds for community use. Several bars were over the road under the railway bridge, with many souvenir stands. I purchased a Yankees sun hat, joking that the NY stood for North Yorkshire.

My ticket was for the fourth tier of the stadium, but entrance was permitted through all gates, which led to a huge concourse at the rear of the first tier. I couldn’t gain access but The Great Hall provided patrons with executive facilities behind the home plate area. The seating tiers were continuous up the sides, curving slightly beyond the foul poles. The open bleachers area is separated by a huge scoreboard, with a smaller one either side. Memorial Park stands underneath, where great Yankee players are honoured with the practise bull park areas at either side. It reminded me a lot of the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Eventually I found my seat. I had to break half way round for the Star Spangled Banner. I couldn’t have entered at a further gate from where I need to be. I was certainly ready for my lunch when I got settled. It was a bit disappointing to see such a meagre attendance. There is no way that the official figure was accurate. The stadium has a capacity of 49,642. You can judge from my photos for yourself.

The faint line markings of the City football pitch were still visible from my view. I would have been sat right above the north goal. Capacity for City games was set at 33,444 for the regular 2015 season. It would have been interesting to see how it worked out.

My friends were correct about the concessions. It was $11 for a pint of beer, and some of the food was top dollar prices too. I had made a wise move. The silly thing was if the beer was cheaper I’d have indulged; a point I made in an email when Yankees asked for my feedback.

The game itself turned out to be one sided, not that I was bothered. I loved the game. I’d got a basic grasp of it, while fully appreciating it must have had many nuances that weren’t immediately obvious. It was a continuous gripe of mine; sports fans who slate other sports without trying to give them a fair chance. Baseball was so similar to T20 cricket in my book. My biggest fear was that I’d get totally hooked and get involved with the many statistics just like my first love.

Like every sport I’ve ever experienced, it was soon aware that baseball was far better off seen live from the stands. You simply get to see everything. Not just what the TV director wants you to see.

It was rookie pitcher Luis Severino who set of the win for the twenty seven time world champions, who still required a couple more victories to seal a wild card place in the end of season play-offs. Severino fired six scoreless innings as the Chicago batters struggled.

The Yankees went 1-0 up in the first and the score remained the same half way through the sixth. The lead was extended to 3-0 as Dustin Ackley hit a solo home run and Scott Heathcott ran in from third base.

Severino was rested with Justin Wilson taking his place on the mound. Avisail Garcia got the White Sox back into the game with a home run, but Yankees did not take lone to reassert their authority.

Jacoby Ellsbury fired a run scoring-single and two runs in the eighth on a Greg Bird run-scoring and a Heathcott sacrifice fly. The crowd even got a brief appearance from fan favourite Alex Rodriguez as he batted for Bird in the seventh. 

Traditional songs were played between innings to keep everyone involved and entertained. YMCA saw the crowd and the groundsmen dancing along. God Bless America came following the introduction of a World War Two veteran. If only we saluted heroes and showed a bit of patriotism in the UK! The staple anthem of Take Me Out to the Ballpark saw fans swaying arm in arm. It was all top stuff. I was sold.

Frank Sinatra’s New York New York boomed out as Yankees sealed the win, not needing to bat in the 9th inning. I had loved every minute of it and decided that Yankees were the team for me.

I took my time getting out and then looking at the tributes to the legendary Yogi Beara who had passed away a few days earlier and the information board detailing Babe Ruth’s impact on the club. It was a pretty special history all right.

Despite the warning of the prices and a bit corny, I headed for Stan’s Bar to try one or three local beers as the quality music blasted out. It really did feel like I was in New York. I found a cheap chicken shop, which was better value and quality than anything in London just around the corner before taking a train home for a siesta to recharge for a few drinks in town on my last night.

To see my clips from Yankee Stadium, click on the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBG572hhC1U

Fordham Rams (USA)

Fordham Rams is the name of the varsity sports teams of Fordham University in New York. The University was established in 1841 as a private and independent concern affiliated to Roman Catholicism. As in 2015, Fordham enrolled 15,000 students across three campus across New York State; Rose Hill in the Bronx, Lincoln Center in Manhattan, and Westchester in West Harrison.

The Rams have men’s teams for baseball, American football, golf, squash and water polo. Women compete alone in softball, rowing and volleyball, whereas both sexes have teams in basketball, cross country, football, swimming and diving, tennis and track and field. All teams compete in the NCAA; the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the Division One Atlantic 10 Conference.

Amongst the famous alumni to have graced Fordham’s teams in sports are Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Frankie Frisch, Bill Chadwick who is in the Ice Hockey Hall of Fame and legendary American Football coach Vince Lombardi.

Non sporting greats to have studied at Fordham include Denzel Washington, Alan Alda and Lana Del Rey.

Fordham Rams Soccer will play in the NCAA Division 1 Atlantic 10 Conference in the 2015 season.

My visit

Fordham Rams 0 New Jersey Institute Technology Highlanders 0 (Saturday 26^th September 2015) NCAA Division One (att: approx. 120)

It’s strange how plans can go astray leading to unexpected findings if you are prepared to communicate and be open minded and experimental.

I awoke in my room at the West Side YMCA by Columbus Circle in New York all ready to catch the Greyhound coach at 7am up to Boston to sightsee and then attend the MLS game between New England Revolution and Philadelphia Union.

Pre planning had included getting in touch with the Midnight Runners supporters group who had arranged me a ride to Roxborough with Revs fan Jim Encalada for the pre match tailgate party. I’d even written the foreword for my blog page.

It is fair to say that I was not exactly amused when I arrived at the Port Authority Bus Terminal to find disgruntled passengers who were scheduled on the 4.15 bus, only the driver hadn’t turned up. Add in those who were now gathering in hope of a seat on the 7am service and you get the picture. The latest rumour suggested that the first bus to depart would not be until at least 8am, not that there would be room for everyone.

I went upstairs to the hopelessly undermanned enquiry desk. Eventually it was agreed to pay me my return bus fare. I took a complaint form in the hope of retrieving the expenses for my match ticket up north as well as my trolley bus tour ticket.

I sat in Central Park trying to work out what entertainment I could take as my replacement. Facebook was my friend as I uploaded a video and request for friends near the web who may offer suggestions. I was annoyed as much as anything as I’d got out of bed at a silly hour and broken off a top night in Rudy’s to make sure I made my ride. There was no merit in moping. I went back to my room to catch up on some sleep.

Suggestions had come in all shapes and sizes during my snooze. Ice Hockey in Brooklyn, American Football in New Jersey and Baseball at Yankee Stadium. Some had just left pub details to watch the Premier League and Rugby World Cup.

However, the winning suggestion came from my cricket pal Chris Felton. He pointed me in the direction of Fordham Rams. His tip was the 3pm encounter at Jack Coffey Field between the Rams and Monmouth Hawks. After checking the Rams website I saw that this was the US style of football, but at 7pm the soccer teams were taking on NJIT. This was good!

The pubs showing the rugby between England and Wales wanted a $20 cover charge, so this was dismissed. Instead I enjoyed lunch and a fantastic look around the south end of Manhattan, taking in Battery Park, Bowling Green and the Financial District. The full time rugby score confirmed I’d made a good choice.

The MTA Metro-North train to Fordham left from Grand Central, so that killed another sightseeing must at the same time. What an amazing building the terminus turned out to be. Milan has an impressive station, but this was something else. After a bite to eat I found the correct track.

The journey took just over twenty minutes to the Bronx. Fordham station was in a state of flux. To get off we had to walk over temporary bridges to reach the far platform to make an exit.

East Fordham Road looked quite a hub of activity outside. The Bronx obviously had some very good areas. Within a few yards I came across an entrance to the campus. I told the guard that I was there for the soccer and he was most helpful offering directions.

Fordham University Rose Hill Campus was a stunning place. The grounds had plentiful greens and some magnificent architecture. Happy looking students were going about their business as I cut my way across the campus, taking a look at Murphy Field, the home of Fordham softball and then going past the historic Rose Hill Gymnasium.

The Rams website had appealed to ‘Fill the Jack’ for the football in the afternoon. The team had won 54-31 and pictures showed that supporters had responded to the call. It didn’t look like the soccer team garnered the same enthusiasm.

Jack Coffey Field had just one large open grandstand for 7,000 spectators. Metal benches flanked a section off maroon seating with a media centre at the top. The rest of the field was open, with a scoreboard behind the north goal with Houlihan Park baseball field joining on the far side.

Admission was free, as was a four page programme, which were both unexpected and happily received. None of the concession stands under the seating were open; nor was the souvenir hut.

The pitch which had earlier staged the ‘other’ football had pitch markings for both sports on the artificial Fieldturf surface. I found this a little confusing. I just hoped that the officials didn’t. It took me back to when American Football was at its most popular back in the early 90’s. I was playing ‘soccer’ on a field with duel markings to stage a later game for Scarborough Warlords when the referee incorrectly gave me offside when I set off clean on goal from my own half. He’d confused it with a ten yard marking.

The first thing that struck me was that the beautiful hot sunny day was now turning into a cold night. I was hopelessly underdressed in just my Scarborough away shirt and cargo pants, without the bottom half. I even had to take my Yorkshire cap off to add to the chill during the singing of the Star Spangled Banner.

The teams were introduced in true American style before kick off. Rams in all white with a maroon diagonal band started off well against the all red clad Highlanders who played in the Sun Belt Conference. The visitor’s junior keeper Marco Luna, flapped at an early effort which hit the crossbar. Doberman from Sergeant Bilko fame was my first thoughts. I was sure I was about to see goals.

Just like many of my bets back home, I was way off. Both sides played some fine fluent football without testing the goalkeepers often enough. It was a good standard of football. Rams had many continental recruits in their line up.

It is always very difficult to make comparisons to league’s in other countries. This was even harder owing to the age of the players. How would they do against grizzly old pros across Europe relying on their win bonus?

It appeared that a certain amount of rolling substitutions were permitted, which I’m definitely not against. It would certainly allow managers and coaches across the globe to keep their players interested and involved.

A fine acrobatic effort just failed to put the Rams ahead, as the crowd slowly grew. By this point I was suffering with the cold. How I wished that I’d taken some extra layers with me.

Just before the break, Rams Ghanian goalkeeper Rashid Nuhu pull off two good saves in quick succession from Victor Kausch to keep the scoreline blank at the interval.

At this point I decided enough was enough.

I headed back to Fordham station and caught the 8.06 train back towards town. Being the ingenious and inventive traveller I am, I saw that the train stopped at 125^th Street. I also noted that several lines stopped there before proceeding to Columbus Circle, right by my hotel.

What I didn’t account for was that there were three 125^th Street Stations. The one I required was at the other end of it. I got out in East Harlem. It was only a block’s walk to the subway station, but that Lou Reid, was a ‘Walk on the Wild Side’.

Relieved to be heading into town I eventually got out at 57^th Street and walked along the south side of Central Park before having a warming a shower and change before heading down to Rudy’s for some much needed refreshments.

The following morning I caught up with the final score, which was still blank after overtime and read the website reports.

My visit to Fordham was certainly never planned, but I will not forget the day for a very long time!