SCG (Sydney)

The Sydney Cricket Ground, often referred to as the SCG, is a sports stadium in the Moore Park suburb of the capital of New South Wales, which was first opened in 1851. Over the years, it has staged many sports, with cricket, rugby league, and Australian Rules the most prominent.

Football has also played a part at the iconic venue. In 1923, one of the earliest notable soccer events took place at the SCG as a New South Wales representative team played against the visiting English FA XI. A 3-2 defeat against New Zealand was the men’s first appearance at the ground in the same year.

The SCG hosted matches involving the Czechoslovakian club Bohemians on their Australian tour in 1925. They were presented with a kangaroo as a mascot, which became their club emblem. The Sydney Showground, next door to the SCG, and now Fox Studios, became the main football venue in the city.

Occasional games, usually the ones likely to attract a larger crowd, continued to be played at the SCG, with matches also being played at the Sydney Sports Ground, just north in Moore Park. In 1965, Everton played against an NSW team at the SCG during their Australian tour. Over 26,000 fans attended.

After Australia's debut at the FIFA World Cup in 1974, interest in soccer soared. The SCG was used for international friendlies and high-profile club tours. In 1980, a 2-1 England win against the Socceroos saw 45,000 fans attend, while Australia’s friendly against Northern Ireland was also played there.

England returned for a game in the Trans-Tasman Cup in 1983, in what is likely to have been the last hurrah. The rectangular Sydney Football Stadium opened in 1988 to replace the Sydney Sports Ground, with most matches being played there as well as it becoming home to Sydney FC in the A-League.

The Sydney Football Stadium was demolished in 1998 to be replaced by a new version, which opened in 2022. During the period of redevelopment, the SCG hosted major Sydney FC fixtures, including the derby against Western Sydney Wanderers in May 2021, with a crowd of 17,121 attending.

My visits

Australia v England (Friday 13th December 2002) Australia VB Tri-Nation Series

Friday 13th was an apt date for another England defeat. Despite this, it was a decent game with Australia chasing down the tourists' 251 for the loss of 3 wickets with 5 overs remaining. Nick Knight’s unbeaten century was the match highlight.

I was staying in the Captain Cook Hotel across the junction from Moore Park on what was a scorching day as I nursed a huge hangover. I’d enjoyed so much beer the evening before that I was talked out of getting a Scarborough FC tattoo by some good lads who befriended me.

My seat was upstairs under the sun in the Doug Walters Stand. It was hot. Thankfully, a family sitting by me got their kids to occasionally spray me with water. My head hurt for the second day running the next day as I headed north on a flight to Brisbane.

Australia v England (Thursday 2nd – Monday 6th January 2002) Fifth Test

An incredible five days spent at the SCG and one of my favourite ever matches. Not least because England won by 225 runs. Mark Butcher and Michael Vaughan both scored wonderful centuries while Andy Caddick took 7 wickets in the Aussie second innings. Steve Waugh dramatically equalled Donald Bradman's century total.

So many happy memories with my much-missed mate, Crusher, his cousin Paul, and his son and friend. We travelled to town each day from Helensburgh, had drinks at the Captain Cook and generally had a great time. It was Crusher’s birthday on the final day, adding to it all.

Happy days with Crusher, RIP

The SCG was a wonderful cricket ground back then, with the legendary Hill and the two magnificent pavilions, which should be there for many more years to come, adding tradition. I was lucky enough to meet Derek Underwood on the tour. He said unequivocally that the SCG was his favourite ground.

Australia v England (Tuesday 2nd – Friday 5th January 2007) Fifth Test

The final Test of a real Ashes hammering as the Aussies completed a 5-0 whitewash, winning the game by 10 wickets. There were still plenty of consolations for this tourist to grab hold of, as I went along with a party organised by Middlesex wicket-keeper David Nash.

It was fun and the group were good company. Melbourne had been a capitulation on the pitch but a hoot off it, sometimes a parallelled shambles. Our Sheraton Grand Hotel by Hyde Park in Sydney was superb, as were our seats upstairs in the Brewongle Stand.

The nights out were good too, while the Test also provided some memorable moments, with the legendary Aussie stars, Justin Langer, Glenn McGrath, and Shane Warne all playing their final Test. A second innings collapse did for the tourists, predictably enough.

Australia v England (Tuesday 9th January 2007) T20 International

I was nearing the end of my tour and my tether by the time I got to bed. The day started well enough as I met with John, and we headed to the Captain Cook Hotel. We met the remainder of the Nash family, who had organised the tour

I went with David Snr, as he needed to collect some signed pictures that John Buchanan, the Aussie coach, had got signed for his sons’ benefit year, and he didn’t know where to go, as I remarkably found the right place. I was sitting apart from the rest of the group, but had paid a lot less for a better seat by using the ticket agency in charge.

Cricket Australia had kindly charged the Barmy Army a surcharge for each ticket. The atmosphere was uncouth. KFC sponsored the game and had a group at the front. The leader had a loud hailer to try and “pump up the atmosphere” as we had made far more noise than the Aussies throughout the series, which was a standing joke amongst England fans.

England somehow managed to plummet to new depths and took a proper hiding, losing by 77 runs. I was not happy. The Aussie PR machine did not aid my mood. In England, there is a bit of music played when there’s a 4, 6 or a wicket. In Sydney, the music only stopped when the bowler ran in.

It was noticeably later when England were batting to disrupt any semblance of concentration. If you didn’t like modern dance music, it was murder. I may as well have watched it at a Kings Cross rave. The Aussies hadn’t missed a trick throughout. They had earlier banned the Barmy Army bugler in Brisbane.

They split up all the England fans to minimise volume. The press had been spiteful, and the umpires had bordered on being tapped up. Every time the Aussies scored a boundary, which was a lot, an image came up on the scoreboard saying “Tonked” followed by an image of Matthew Hayden, who was disliked intensely by England players and fans alike, gesturing as to how far the ball went.

It was part of the “Tonk a Pom” campaign sponsored by Ford. On the lesser occasions that England scored a boundary, the scoreboard remained blank. Other witty campaigns included a big electronic board high on a building on the way to the SCG, which constantly changed and gave the number of alleged Pom complaints about Tooheys beer.

Nando's slogan was “Our chickens are like the English. Big, white and plump. The PA man was brash and biased. I longed for Johnny Dennis’s professionalism back at Lord’s.  The players had been poor, but circumstances didn’t help. I avoided the pub after the game and left before the end. I received abuse on the bus back into town instead. It was a CRAP night.

The Gabba (Brisbane)

The Brisbane Cricket Ground, commonly known as the Gabba, first opened in 1895. The name Gabba derives from the suburb of Woolloongabba, in which it is located. Over the years, it has hosted athletics, Australian rules football, baseball, concerts, cricket, cycling, rugby league, rugby union, plus pony and greyhound racing.

Football has also been played regularly at the venue. The first men’s international game was back in 1923 when Australia defeated New Zealand in front of a crowd of 7,000. After a couple more matches, games were played at the Brisbane Exhibition Grounds, which still stages regular sport.

Football returned to the Gabba in 1947 for an Australia v South Africa friendly before two matches were played there in the 50s. The rectangular Lang Park then became the venue of choice in the city, although friendly games involving leading English and Scottish clubs were played at the Gabba.

The Gabba served as a temporary home ground for Brisbane Roar in the early A-League years before their move to Suncorp Stadium, as Lang Park had become. Brazil played their three group games in the 2000 Olympics at the Gabba, along with their quarter-final in the redeveloped stadium, by now home to Brisbane Lions in the AFL.

My visit

England v Sri Lanka (Friday 20th December 2002) Australia VB Tri-Nation Series

My six-week break from working for the MCC at Lord’s Cricket Ground was certainly eventful. England had already lost the Ashes series before I touched down in Brisbane, after visiting Sydney, Perth and then enjoyed a week-long break in New Zealand before watching a defeat at the SCG in the opening game of the tri-series. 

My base was Helensvale at the home of the family of my Aussie pal Jarvo, with other workmates Martin and Harry already there. I had a ball getting on with everyone and doing as much sightseeing and mixing as possible before we took the train into town for this game.

What happened was we drank an awful lot, even before going inside the Gabba, which only had the lower tier open for spectators, and we then continued unabated for several hours. Thankfully, England won their first game of the tour, seeing off the Sri Lankans by 43 runs.

The highlights were Steve Harmison making his ODI debut and Nasser Hussein chipping in with 79. Off the pitch, memories are vague, but I do remember celebrating on the way to a car, in which someone offered us a lift, and seeing Richie Benaud stop at the junction for us.

We headed on to Fortitude Valley, which was lively, helped by being the day many were knocking off for the Christmas holidays. We were extremely subdued the following morning, trying to recover on the South Bank before the train back. I quite liked Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and the Gabba.

 

MCG (Melbourne)

Football at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, often known as the MCG, or simply The G, can be traced back to 1883. Records are unclear, but it’s likely to have been part of early intercolonial or local competitions during the emergence of association football in Victoria

Regular games continued to be played there, with perhaps its most prestigious being those in the 1956 Olympic Games when the MCG became the host stadium. 86,716 fans attended the final to see the Soviet Union defeat Yugoslavia 1-0.

The now demolished Olympic Park became the home of football in the city as far as the national team was concerned, before moving to Lakeside Stadium in 1998. In 1997, the men’s Socceroos national team drew 2-2 with Iran in front of 97,000 fans at the G in a World Cup qualifier.

After the turn of the millennium, the national team played more matches there. One of the most emotional moments in Australian football history came in 2006, when Australia defeated Greece 1-0. A crowd of 95,103 celebrated Australia’s 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification thanks to a goal from Josip Skoko. 

In 2013, Liverpool defeated Melbourne Victory, with an attendance of 95,446. Several other prestigious friendly games continued to be staged in front of huge crowds. Because of its capacity and prestige, the MCG was considered to host a future Australia Cup Final, though it wasn’t selected in the end.

My visits

Australia v England (Sunday 15th December 2002) ODI

Staying in the city, not far from the G, I went to the international debut of Jimmy Anderson in a one-sided contest that Australia won by 7 wickets, chasing down England’s 117 all out. Shane Warne sustained a bad shoulder injury, leading to him taking banned tablets to help with his weight while out injured and incurring a ban.

The ground had a large open area on its city side after the Ponsford Stand had been demolished in readiness for the development of half the arena. I was in the members area and Long Room thanks to my boss at the MCC at Lord’s Cricket Ground contacting those at the MCC in Melbourne.

Australia v England (Thursday 26th – Monday 30th December 2002) Fourth Test Match

A huge occasion, on the bucket list of most cricket fans. The Boxing Day Test, with the ground virtually full to its limited capacity. The hosts eventually got over the line but not without a few scares on the final morning. 

A wonderful experience, at least after the first day when I arrived in full suit expecting to be in the members area again, only to collect my tickets and find out I would be in the open. Not ideal as I had no cash until lunch after some reckless activity in the Crown Casino the previous evening which necessitated a walk all the way back to my basic hotel in South Yarra.

I watched parts of the game from the old Olympic Stand as well as different areas in the Great Southern Stand. The standout performances were Justin Langer scoring 250, Michael Vaughan 145, with the vastly underrated Craig White scoring runs and taking wickets.

Sunday 24th December 2006

Back in Australia to watch the final two Tests of a series, once again already decided I thought it a good idea to go on the Melbourne Cricket Ground tour. It was very busy with England supporters. Very good, it was too.

I enjoyed it, apart from the fact that Warwick Armstrong, the only captain to have won an Ashes series 5-0, up to that point, was hardly mentioned, even though the Melbourne Cricket Club had employed him for a vast part of his life. He, however, was a bit of a scoundrel. 

My knowledge of the country and its sports had increased in the intervening years since my previous visit, and now I understood just what a huge part Aussie Rules football played at the G. Quite possibly more so than cricket, especially since the completion of the new stand to enclose the ground.

When finished, I headed back into the city to go up the Rialto Tower, which had incredible views for miles, followed by a couple of beers with Jim and John, a couple of cricket mates of England and Middlesex and then dinner with the rest of my tour group.

Australia v England (Tuesday 26th – Thursday 28th December 2006) Fourth Test

An utterly embarrassing defeat in just three days, as Australia won by an innings and 99 runs. There were some very ratty Englishmen heading back into town afterwards. It's as well that the time spent in Melbourne was so good.

Our seats were upstairs in the Great Southern Stand, offering a fantastic, if distant view. Shane Warne bowled Andrew Strauss before lunch to collect his 600th Test wicket in front of a crowd of over 90,000. Andrew Symonds went on to score a century, aided, it must be said, by the awful umpiring of Rudi Koertzen.

An excellent feature was being able to walk around the concourse upstairs and meet up with friends located elsewhere to enjoy drinks at the lunch interval. The MCG was an amazing place.

 

Stadium Australia (Sydney)

Stadium Australia, known as Accor Stadium from 2020 in a sponsorship deal, was originally Sydney Olympic Stadium when it opened in 1999 and for the following couple of years.

Its first football saw the group games in the women’s tournament in the 2000 Olympics, as well as several men’s matches, including the final, which saw Cameroon defeat Spain in a penalty shootout. The stadium then closed for a year as its capacity decreased, but its roof extended.

In 2001, it became the Telstra Stadium and staged its first games of the Australia men's national soccer team, known as the Socceroos, who played several matches at Stadium Australia over the years. From 2001 through to 2017, they played twelve competitive international matches there.

Among the notable games was a 1-0 win against Uruguay in 2009, as John Aloisi’s famous penalty sent Australia to their first World Cup since 1974 at the rebranded ANZ Stadium. In 2013, a 2–2 draw with Oman and a 1–0 win against Iraq, with a Josh Kennedy header, clinched qualification for Brazil 2014.

The 2015 AFC Asian Cup Final saw Australia beat South Korea 2–1 in extra time to win their first Asian Cup. A Mile Jedinak hat‑trick in 2017 against Honduras was enough, along with a 3-1 extra time win against Syria for Australia to reach the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Since those games, the Socceroos have not returned to Stadium Australia for senior men’s matches beyond 2017. Subsequent qualifiers and friendlies have been played at other venues such as CommBank Stadium, Western Sydney Stadium, Canberra, Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, and more. 

In 2023, the stadium attracted a crowd of over 75,000 for the opening game in the Women’s World Cup as Australia defeated Ireland, as well as a semi-final and then the final when Spain defeated England 1-0. Several prestigious club touring friendlies have also been hosted.

The stadium has hosted cricket, regular NRL rugby league home games of several clubs, as well as the annual Grand Final, along with AFL Australian Rules football, rugby union, and concerts among its other events.

My visit

Sunday 7th January 2007

I was in Sydney, nearing the end of my Ashes cricket tour, which I had travelled with a party organised by Middlesex wicket-keeper David Nash. England had capitulated in the two Tests we went to, at Melbourne and then the SCG, leaving us time to contemplate the performance and do some sightseeing.

Being the type to get out and about, I decided a trip on the train out to Olympic Park was in order, so I left my room at the Sheraton Grand Hotel and had a walk about, dropping my belongings at the Y (YWCA) hotel in Wentworth Avenue, which was somewhat of a downgrade for a couple of nights.

At Circular Quay, I grabbed a lovely pie for the ferry ride to Homebush, home of the Olympic Park. I went to the top of the Novotel ($4) to get a great view of the impressive area. Its drawback for me is that it was 15km from the city and it took an hour to get there. 

The stadium tour, which I decided to go on, was OK, as was the stadium, but I’d seen better. The guide was a reasonable sort, but obviously not a cricket fan and was brainwashed with the idea that big is best, regularly waxing lyrical about how he worked at the MCG during the Commonwealth Games.

He told me that they wanted Test cricket at Stadium Australia. We had an honest exchange as I put him straight. I attempted to explain the words “history” and “tradition” to him, but I was wasting my time. He may as well of been American. 

I was given 2 complimentary tickets for the 20/20 game between NSW and Tasmania the following Wednesday. The stands cleverly moved on hydraulics, so the playing area changes from rectangle to oval, although the playing surface was predictably awful because of this.

It was something that the designers of London’s Olympic Stadium had in mind, and is used at Stade De France. After a potter around looking at the rest of the rather desolate area, as it was at the time, I took the train back into town, requiring a change at Strathfield.

My original plan had been to go to watch Sydney FC in the A League, but unfortunate circumstances had meant a friend had to return home suddenly, so I made use of his concert ticket to accompany another pal and go and see a Roseanne Cash gig at a beautiful, intimate theatre as part of the Sydney Arts Festival.

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.

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