I first watched ladies football in May 2007 in Gillingham in Kent. England beat Northern Ireland 5-0 and author Shaun Schofield also attended. We agreed that day that we should head to another away match so we waited a few months and made plans to head to Belarus. Northern Ireland would have a World Cup qualifier there, in a city called Bobruisk. Shaun couldn't make it in the end so I went alone, almost becoming part of the team posse and I was the only away fan at the match!
I watched the team train and enjoyed the team talk by manager Alfie Wylie. I was also presented with a signed shirt by team captain Stacey Hall. A valued possession. I then soaked in the pre-match atmosphere in the tiny, but clean Sparta Stadium (home of Belshina Belarus) and sat myself down as the only Northern Ireland fan at the match. If any moment in my life convinced me of my desire, passion and love of being on this planet, then that all hit me forever in urban Bobruisk. Don't Stop Living would from then on be my phrase. A phrase which I coined in August 2001 while in Toronto, Canada.
I wasn't the only Irishman in attendance however as I had met Owen the night before in a hotel - he is an Irish Australian who happened to be in Belarus at the time and staying in the same hotel - with him was Albert from Australia - also a random traveller. They came and sat with me and supported Northern Ireland for the day! The match itself was very one sided with Belarus 1-0 up at half time and coasting to a 5-0 win at full time. I sang for 90 minutes endlessly as the only away fan and needed a bit of local police protection from the locals. Must be the first time that has happened at a ladies match!
I had to wait outside the stadium after the game and was mobbed by about 30 kids from Belarus who had warmed to my madness and crowded round me looking for presents. In the end all I gave was a Northern Ireland bottle opener to a kid who was happy to receive it. These kids were obviously still very poor and drenched in the aftermath of the soviet regime, still not commercialised like Western Europe. So I felt sorry for them, but could not give them anything more. I then caught the bus with the team back to Minsk, where I enjoyed the sights of Victory Square, the Parliament Building and the token Irish pub (random going all this way and then trying the Irish pub - the first pub I saw opposite the government building and called Drozhzhy United!!), which I popped in for a pint.
So an epic trip to the country of Belarus came to a close and I headed to Warsaw in Poland next!
Stats:
Belarus 5-0 Northern Ireland
(Kazeeva 26, Tatarynova 49, 90, Davydovich 57, Kuzniatsova 80)
Beers I drank - Krinitska, Dnyaprouskaye.
Bars Visited - Minsk Airport Bar, Hotel Minsk, Drozhzhy United Irish Pub.
I watched the team train and enjoyed the team talk by manager Alfie Wylie. I was also presented with a signed shirt by team captain Stacey Hall. A valued possession. I then soaked in the pre-match atmosphere in the tiny, but clean Sparta Stadium (home of Belshina Belarus) and sat myself down as the only Northern Ireland fan at the match. If any moment in my life convinced me of my desire, passion and love of being on this planet, then that all hit me forever in urban Bobruisk. Don't Stop Living would from then on be my phrase. A phrase which I coined in August 2001 while in Toronto, Canada.
I wasn't the only Irishman in attendance however as I had met Owen the night before in a hotel - he is an Irish Australian who happened to be in Belarus at the time and staying in the same hotel - with him was Albert from Australia - also a random traveller. They came and sat with me and supported Northern Ireland for the day! The match itself was very one sided with Belarus 1-0 up at half time and coasting to a 5-0 win at full time. I sang for 90 minutes endlessly as the only away fan and needed a bit of local police protection from the locals. Must be the first time that has happened at a ladies match!
I had to wait outside the stadium after the game and was mobbed by about 30 kids from Belarus who had warmed to my madness and crowded round me looking for presents. In the end all I gave was a Northern Ireland bottle opener to a kid who was happy to receive it. These kids were obviously still very poor and drenched in the aftermath of the soviet regime, still not commercialised like Western Europe. So I felt sorry for them, but could not give them anything more. I then caught the bus with the team back to Minsk, where I enjoyed the sights of Victory Square, the Parliament Building and the token Irish pub (random going all this way and then trying the Irish pub - the first pub I saw opposite the government building and called Drozhzhy United!!), which I popped in for a pint.
So an epic trip to the country of Belarus came to a close and I headed to Warsaw in Poland next!
Stats:
Belarus 5-0 Northern Ireland
(Kazeeva 26, Tatarynova 49, 90, Davydovich 57, Kuzniatsova 80)
Beers I drank - Krinitska, Dnyaprouskaye.
Bars Visited - Minsk Airport Bar, Hotel Minsk, Drozhzhy United Irish Pub.
About the Author:
To read more quirky articles like Ladies football in Belarus head to Jonny Blair's fantastic website called Don't Stop Living for constant travel stories and tips.. Check here for free reprint license: Belarus 5-0 Northern Ireland ladies.
No comments:
Post a Comment