European Football Weekends

A warm welcome to EFW debutant, Millwall fan Guy Collings....

Over the last couple of years I have discovered the joys of watching European football across the continent and have simultaneously discovered the joys of EFW. Why not combine the two I thought and share my own experiences in the same way I enjoy reading of the many and varied EFW escapades.

This season has witnessed some great trips to places as diverse as Zagreb, Lisbon and Eindhoven. Looking for something different I hit upon the idea of Sweden. Why wouldn’t I? The season had just kicked off, it wouldn’t be snowing and it’s always seemed like such a nice place. After all, I drive a Saab so I have a real affinity with the place already. A bit of t’internet research and a quick response to an e-mail sent to IFK Goteborg led me to pick out the clash of the Swedish titans, IFK and Helsingborgs IF, as the place to start. Can I buy tickets on the day I asked. ‘Sure you can, we would love to welcome you to our beautiful stadium’ came the reply. Being ever wary of pitching up hundreds of miles from home and not being able to get in, I took the easy way out and purchased two main stand tickets through the link on their very easy to follow (thanks to Google translate) website for 220 SKR, about £22 each. Rather handily I was able to download the match tickets and print them off at home. Nice.

A ridiculously early start from Lincolnshire saw my erstwhile travelling companion Hutch and I arrive at Stansted at 5.30am and after parking in the long stay car park (which judging by the length of the shuttle bus ride is probably in Hertfordshire) arrived just in time to attempt a take off at 6.45. I say attempt because in over 30 years flying around the world I have never experienced an aborted take-off before. It was a little unnerving to feel the brakes slammed on as we hurtled along the runway. ‘Welcome to Gothenburg’ announced a wag in the cockpit as we came to an abrupt halt. Alas some bright spark on the ground had left the cargo door unlocked. Well what should I expect for a flight costing £40 with free web check in?

Luckily no further incidents befell us and we were soon in downtown Gothenburg sampling the sights and the local hostelries. The city is quite compact and a number of bars are situated on the main drag Kungsportsavenyn. We settled for the quaintly named ‘Dubliner’ and settled in for a few jars. If the aborted take-off wasn’t enough to induce heart failure, the price of beer certainly did the trick. Two pints of Spitfire came to 124SKR, about £12.40. Yes that’s right, £6.20 a pint!



Significantly lighter in the wallet and the head, we made our way to the main event. The stadium is called Gamla Ullevi and forms part of a bigger complex only 5 minutes walk from the central station. The stadium replaced Gothenburg’s old ground a couple of years back and is a purpose built arena with a 16,000 capacity. A quick jar in the supporters bar underneath the main stand led to some friendly banter with the locals who found it very strange that we had travelled from England to watch a match between two teams neither of us supported.

IFK had started the season badly and had lost both opening games. Helsingborgs however had won both of theirs picking up from their runners up placing last season. Already there was talk of this being a six pointer for IFK as defeat would further sap confidence of a young team and leave them in the relegation places. The ground was probably two thirds full with Helsingborgs bringing around 600 fans with them on the 3 hour train journey up the coast, which when combined with the IFK scarf waving ultras making a fair racket made for a feisty atmosphere.



The game itself was very open with both sides looking dangerous coming forward but a little shaky at the back. Rasmus Jonsson stood out on the left for Helsingborgs as did Elmar Bjarnason on IFK’s left flank. It was no surprise then when a surging run from Bjarnason saw him square the ball for the delightfully named Andreas Drugge to poke the ball home. Cue mild hysteria. It was at this point that I noticed two flags over in the opposite corner. I’ve no idea who Ragnar is or what presidency he or she is standing for but I wish them all the best. And why Stadler and Waldorf are there too was equally baffling. Strange people these Swedes.



Half time came and went with IFK 1-0 up. The only reason the lead had not been doubled was thanks to a quite brilliant reflex save from the Helsingborgs keeper Hansson (Alan to his mates). IFK were on top for the first twenty minutes of the second half with Alan in great form again making two more outstanding saves. You just knew that as they hadn’t scored, the inevitable would happen. Alas, it did and an inswinging corner was nodded home by the rather tall and unfeasibly blond centre half Peter Larsson. Simple. Helsingborgs came into the game and looked far more likely to sneak a winner and it came as no surprise when, as the 90th minute loomed, their centre forward Alexander Gerndt (the only lad on the park whose name didn’t end in ‘son’) rifled home an unstoppable left foot rocket from just outside the box. The Helsingborgs fans behind the goal went as wild as Swedes seem to get and waved their scarves around feverishly in celebration.

We drifted back into the city centre and found somewhere to spend some more of the second mortgage before our bank balances were saved by the pub closing at 10pm! What? Yes folks, be warned, Gothenburg winds down at 10pm on a Monday night. Even the seven eleven closed at 10. The following morning saw some more ale quaffed before a wander around the city admiring the incredible looking people this city boasts as residents. Two coffees were taken on the harbour side and this only set us back £2.70 per cup. Bargain! Alas our time in Sweden came to an expensive end and we flew back to Stansted, already planning our next trip. Norway appeared top of our list with one of those teams I always loved the name of being the favourite. Viking Stavanger here we come.......

Someone in the EFW Brilliant Ideas Dept. is in need of a serious pay rise - again. On this chilly but sunny Spring Scandinavian Sunday, they'd suggested we visit two games, in two different countries within the space of a couple of hours. Oh, go on then, if you insist.

After a Saturday evening of football (Odense BK) and beer (Copenhagen) in Denners; Mr Fuller, Big Deaks and I were ready to give Sweden a try. A short train journey through the snow filled countryside up to Helsingør was followed by an even shorter ferry trip over to Helsingborg.

A shot of Gammel Danks isn't normally the way I choose to open my drinking account for the day but our new best friend Henrik - who was running the bar on said ferry - insisted. He gave each of us a free shot each, which we duly washed down with a bottle of Mariestads. When in Sweden as they say, or were we still in Denmark? It took less than 20 minutes to cross between the two countries.

After a very steep and sweaty climb up through the town, you arrive at the Olympia Stadium. The first thing that smacks you between the eyes is their agreeable floodlight arrangement. 2 x old skool standard coupled with 2 x beauties that angled in at 45 degrees. I'd been in Sweden a shade less than 20 minutes and I was already in love with Helsingborg and their quirky little floodlights and free shots policies.


The love was set to extended. The three of us we welcomed with open arms by the club officials. We marched triumphantly down a red carpet (no really), picked up our press passes and were ushered into a lounge and offered some warm food by the delightful staff. It may have taken the form of the world's smallest ham and cheese toastie but this was just terrific. The only beer on offer was a low alcohol effort weighing in at 2.1%. Swedish football has recently experienced a bit of 80's style hooliganism by all accounts and as such, civilised beer drinkers have to suffer.

Inside the ground the HIF fanatics choose to sit (sit!) in section 37 of the main stand. This despite the Olympia having two small banks of terracing behind each goal. A strange choice to my mind but they get a great view from there, have a roof and made a great noise throughout the game. The attendance in total was a little disappointing at just under 7,000 but this was the earliest ever start to a Swedish football season, HIF's legendary star attraction Henrik Larsson was no longer playing and the cold may have put a few fans off.

IF Brommapojkarna (BP for short - phew!) had turned up with one (one!) away fan. Five FIFA Stars and some IKEA vouchers to him for making the long trip. Oddly enough, their number swelled to a massive four during the second half so they'll have to share the prize. BP are probably most famous for their enterprising youth system. All players tend to be home grown and they are the largest club in Europe in terms of number of active teams of all ages. So they're into playing rather than supporting down in that particular Western part of Stockholm.

As the game kicked off, it was unusually hard for me to concentrate on my job of enjoying the football and pretending to take notes. Sat two rows in front of us was actual Henrik Larsson! Big Deaks had told me he'd said hello to him about ten minutes beforehand but I just thought he was taking the piss.


Both Larsson and the vociferous HIF ultras kept us entertained for the opening 20 minutes, which was a good job because the football was a bit dull and we were Helsing-bored of that early on. That all changed 28 minutes into this opening game of the season, BP keeper (Nordfeldt) decided enough was enough already. He inexplicably handled the ball outside his area and then just for good measure, he booted the ball out of the stadium. 1 x yellow card swiftly followed by 1 x red. What a loon!

I can think of worse ways of spending half time than chatting away to "Henke" and eating free muffins but that is what we did. Larsson was a gentleman and if he's not managing either Celtic or HIF in the next year or so I'll eat my viking helmet. The muffins were great as well. Correct amount of moisture and minimal crumage.

Annoyingly, we had to leave shortly before the end of the game to get the ferry back to Copenhagen to arrive at the FCK v Brondby match in time for kick off. Inevitably, we missed a goal accordingly. So if any HIF fans out there can talk us through Mattias Lindström's 91st minute winner - can you get in touch please.

So, thanks a million to Helsingborgs and their fantastic hospitality. If you're ever in Sweden, or Denmark for that matter just nip on the ferry and go and pay them a visit. Skål!