Finnish groundhopping

[John Rambo]

I found this weekend a good one for a visit.

23.8 FC Haka vs. FC Honka, Tehtaan Kenttä, 17:00 (Veikkausliiga)
24.8 VPS-j vs. FC YPA, Kaarlen Kenttä*, 16:00 (Kakkonen)
24.8 VPS vs. IFK Mariehamn, Hietalahti, 18:30 (Veikkausliiga)

*Kaarlen kenttä is a proper athletics stadium and has a capacity of 5500 people. Finnish National team has also played there against Bulgaria in 1988.

Does your friend have a blog like this groundhopper?

Haven't been to any of stadiums for myself but at least Tehtaan Kenttä and Hietalahti are good football grounds in Finnish standards.

It's also worth noticing that now that Haka won't be able to play in the UEFA Cup and MyPa playing in the Intertoto Cup there will probably be some rescheduling of matches. Also TPS is playing in the UEFA Cup instead of Intertoto and FF Jaro could still get an Intertoto place via Fair Play.

...and VPS also played Veikkausliiga at Kaarlen kenttä for a while. This weekend would definitely be my choice for him.

About Hietalahti, it's built in 1936 and the tracks between the stands and the ground were removed in 1995. Hopefully these are the last times to see it in it's current form since new homeground or proper renovation have been under consideration for a while now.

[Herkkä Pipari]

Turku and surroundings

Pe      01.08      1800      VG-62      -      LTU

Pe 01.08       18.30       Masku - JyTy       Masku Taponketo

La 2.8.08  klo 16:00    SalPa - IFFK    Salon UP

 La      02.08      1500      FC Boda      -      PIF                

La      02.08      1730      TPK      -      SCR        Yläkenttä

Su     03.08      1500      Wilpas      -      TuTo 

Ma 4.8. klo 18:30 FC Inter - TPS

Ti 5.8.08  klo 18:30 KaaPo - Sinimustat    Kaarinan Keskuskenttä

Ti 5.8.08  klo 19:00 ÅIFK - P-Iirot    Urheilupuiston yläkenttä

[baccalino]

this match riggin in your oppinion? ta mate just go and get it done lad YNWA me liverpool fc tattooooooooo and me liverpool fc arse tattoooo pau pau vittu i did a sky sporttt intterview me am a celebrity 

[Mxyz]

MASSIVE!!!

26.7. FC Lynx - Tervarit (Saarenkylän Kenttä) III
27.7. 18.30 RoPS - FC Inter (Keskuskenttä) League
---------------------------------------------------------
30.7. xx.xx FC Santa Claus - FC Lynx (Saarenkylän Kenttä) III
31.7 xx.xx FC Muurola - RoPS Farmi (Saarenkylän Kenttä) III

Saarenkylän Kenttä = modern fakegrass stadium with great facilities
Keskuskenttä = LEGENDARY field with authentic atmosphere, real oldschool place MUST SEE!

Take a few days off, enjoy the exotic surroundings of Rovaniemi and fall in love!

[Lorenzo]

Take a few days off, enjoy the exotic surroundings of Rovaniemi and fall in love!

You can drive kelekka all night long.

[sammaluus]

Just to point out few remarkable grounds in Helsinki. Olympic stadium and Velodrome in Helsinki are old and traditional football stadiums, both build in late 30's for the 1940 Olympics, which due the WWII were cancelled. First one hosted HJK for years, the later one was home of Ponnistus until it was relayed with artificial grass in the late 90's. Since then it has been used by american football team.Both are nice examples of functionalism in architecture.

[Nahka_Tapsa]

Take a few days off, enjoy the exotic surroundings of Rovaniemi and throw up incontrollably for the rest of the trip.

Fixed it.

[TampereOwl]

I just got an email from a Norwegian guy who needs your help:

Wow! I must say I am impressed and grateful over the very fast and gentle mail you sent me. Working for a biotech-company in Norway, I will attend a Peptide Conference in Helsinki next week. I arrive Friday 29aug, and leave next Friday 05sep.

 

Being more than average interested in football, I always try to attend some matches when I am traveling abroad. It is not just the football itself that attracts me, but the whole atmosphere before (pub visit etc.), during and after the games.  I feel that I get to know more of the city I visit by doing this, than to wander up and down the main street. I must admit that I don’t know much about finnish football, but I have used internet to increase my knowledge. I found out that Helsinki has one team, HJK, in the “Premier” division, and three teams, Viikingit, PK-35 and KäPä, in the next division.  What is the general atmosphere and attendences on match-days for these teams? Unfortunately, it looks like HJK are playing away, so it looks like I must focus on a Viikingit match. I saw on Wikipedia that they are a typical working-class club and that this is reflected in the supporter-base, which enjoys a certain fame in Finland. That’s a club that sounds interesting to me.

Is there any other clubs in Finland based close to Helsinki worth visting?

 

Apart from football, I enjoy visit good pubs and live venues for rock gigs, more than the typical stylish and trendy nightclubs and bars. Do you know if there are any live venues or rock clubs playing rock, punk/oi/indie etc. music in Helsinki? As for pubs, I have been advised something called Pickwick pub.

(Being from Norway, I am of course also a wildlife person, and always enjoy a trip out of the city and into the wood. I know Finland are famous for their lakes and woods, but I don’t know how the scenery are outside Helsinki.)

 

In Norway I am a keen supporter of the Oslo team Vålerenga (season ticket holder 1992-2003), which had Aki Riihlati playing in 2000-2001. He was a hero among us supporters. After I moved out of Oslo, and to a city called Skien, I have started to attend Odd Grenlands matches. They have the finnish player Tuomo Könönen in their squad.

 

Again, I must say I am grateful for your very gentle offer of helping med with an itinerary. I can see from your internet-page that you support Sheffield Wednesday. Well, that is a strange choice, I must say..As for myself, I have always had a soft spot for Cardiff City, the bluebirds..

[Elias]

I just got an email from a Norwegian guy who needs your help:

I'd say there's no other options than go to see Jari Litmanen in Tapiola (hopefully he will feature in the match). FC Honka - FC Lahti 31.8!  Bus number 105 from Kamppi should do the trick.

E: And because Honka is playing against Viking tomorrow that Norwegian guy can study the team if the match is televised in Norway.

[Zaroza]

29.8.2008 klo 18.30 Klubi 04 - HIFK Finnair
30.8.2008 klo 15:00 PK-35 - JJK Pukinmäki
30.8.2008 klo 15:00 KäPa - AC Oulu Käpylä

and of course the Honka - Lahti game.

[Ehis]

I'd say there's no other options than go to see Jari Litmanen in Tapiola (hopefully he will feature in the match). FC Honka - FC Lahti 31.8!  Bus number 105 from Kamppi should do the trick.

E: And because Honka is playing against Viking tomorrow that Norwegian guy can study the team if the match is televised in Norway.

and number 109...

[Svensson]

For the norwegian guy:

Friday 29.08.
Second Division match Klubi04 - HIFK
-Kick off at 18:30 at Finnair Stadium and you can get the tickets at the gate for 8 euros. Next to the Olympic Stadium and an easy walk away from the city centre. The ground of HJK Helsinki and as it happens Klubi04 is their reserve team. Should be a good atmosphere with a lot of HIFK (Helsingfors Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna) support.

Saturday 30.08.
First Division match KäPa - AC Oulu
-Kick off at 15:00 and the tickets for 5 € (?) at the gate. KäPa, or Käpylän Pallo, is a small club from a part of Helsinki called Käpylä (surprise!). You can get to the ground with bus or tram. KäPa are heading back to the 2nd division while Oulu are fighting for promotion. Nice, friendly and very local atmosphere.

Sunday 31.8.
Veikkausliiga match Honka - FC Lahti
Kick off at 18:30 and tickets 10-18 € from the gate. At Tapiolan Urheilupuisto in Espoo, you get there easiest with a bus (number 109) from the busterminal at Kamppi in the heart of Helsinki. Should be a good game with a vocal away support and the legend Jari Litmanen on the pitch.

Monday 1.9.
Beatles Night at rock club Tavastia
The most legendary finnish rock club there is, in the heart of Helsinki (Urho Kekkosen katu 4-6). Tickets for this event 12 euros at the door. Probably nothing special on this monday, but then there are nothing else to do either and you see the club at the very least. The pub next to the club, Ilves, is quite good too.

Tuesday 2.9.
First Division match FC Hämeenlinna - Viikingit
Take the train to Hämeenlinna (a city between Helsinki and Tampere), check http://www.vr.fi/heo/eng/index.html for timetables. The ground is just about at walking distance from the station, but you might need to take a taxi to find it. Tickets at the gate, don't know about the price (8-10 € ?)

Wednesday 3.9.
Nuuksio National Park
Not quite Holmenkollen, but the thing Helsinki has to offer in the wildlife departement. You can find out more at http://wikitravel.org/en/Nuuksio_National_Park

As for pubs in central Helsinki, don't go to any Pickwick pubs (are there any left btw?).

The Irish pub O'Malleys at hotel Torni is nice (but quite quiet), Aussie Bar in Kamppi too (very crowded), Praha and Molly Malone's are decent pubs in the centre and Elmo is good for tv sports. Gentleman's Club is the place if you need to see strippers. Molly Malone's and Lost&Found if you wanna party late.

[TampereOwl]

That's some service you're providing there svensson.

I didn't realise the klubi-hifk game was then, will forza hjk or sakilaiset turn out?

[Thouni]

I didn't realise the klubi-hifk game was then, will forza hjk or sakilaiset turn out?

Not many Klubi-supporters will be there. But I´m quite sure that this time Stadin Kingit arent the onlyones making noise at this game. I´ve heard that the notorious HJK Kannattajat Since 2007 will be there. So it might turn out to be propa nawty.

[Kikkelikeijo]

Not many Klubi-supporters will be there. But I´m quite sure that this time Stadin Kingit arent the onlyones making noise at this game. I´ve heard that the notorious HJK Kannattajat Since 2007 will be there. So it might turn out to be propa nawty.

 

[Capo]

I´ve heard that the notorious HJK Kannattajat Since 2007 will be there. So it might turn out to be propa nawty.

 

[TampereOwl]

I shall tip off Danny Dyer immediately.

[äägee]

Not many Klubi-supporters will be there. But I´m quite sure that this time Stadin Kingit arent the onlyones making noise at this game. I´ve heard that the notorious HJK Kannattajat Since 2007 will be there. So it might turn out to be propa nawty.

I shall tip off Danny Dyer immediately.

This totally made my day!

[penisjatke]

Just remember to tell this norwegian guy not to wear any designer clothes or he'll be "vapaata riista" around the stadiums. 

[Jari Sporttila]

Not many Klubi-supporters will be there. But I´m quite sure that this time Stadin Kingit arent the onlyones making noise at this game. I´ve heard that the notorious HJK Kannattajat Since 2007 will be there. So it might turn out to be propa nawty.

Actually, it must be revealed at this moment, according to a secret source, I`ve been told, that HJK Kannattajat since 2007 are preparing a breathtaking belly tifo for this very event.

[Bunuel]

Football is already well covered so here's some gigs for your mate

30.8. Sista Sekunden, Kamikatze, xSpecies Traitorx, Abnormi (hardcore punk in a squat), Squat Rajasaari (Rajasaarenpenger 12), 4e

30.8. Retaliator, Code 1, Hoist.. (two british and two finnish Oi! bands), Ravintola Wossikka (Sulkapolku 3), 20e

4.9. KTU (american psychedelic rock in a notorious rock club), Tavastia (Urho Kekkosen katu 4-6), 22e