In 2015, the ETS family will be rolling into Finland by car for a few weeks in midsummer. I've previously mentioned the trip here complete with references to dogging... Anyway, Mrs ETS is fully aware that I'll be looking to take in as many games as possible (preferably with the dog), plus I've already committed to Finland v Hungary along with matches hosted by TPS, Union Plaani, KuPS and Roxbury JK, the football club devoted to the film A Night At The Roxbury. Seriously.
The VIP section at Union Plaani - I've been promised it for a match
I've had a few days off work over the Christmas period, with time on my hands to plan how ETS will be approaching the new year. So I've decided to do a lonely hearts advert, hoping to do some good lower down the Finnish football ladder. Essentially, I'd like to use my profile and work with one or two lower division clubs (who won't be direct rivals) to give them a bit more publicity, tell their stories, hopefully celebrate their successes and maybe make them a few Euros as well. I'd also like to visit these clubs during my summer visit and encourage others to do the same.
I opened the idea to my Twitter followers on Monday and already had some suggestions for clubs all over the country. Some of these have been very interesting, but I'd like to hear from anyone else, especially the fans of such clubs which would have a particularly good atmosphere.
Will we both be allowed into a game? Or is it because Woody is black?
I'm not after anything from this initiative, purely a chance to find out a little more about Finland, meet some new friends and hopefully get myself a replica shirt. As a board member of a seventh-division English club, I know the challenges of reaching new fans.
Feel free to let me know via any of the usual channels!
Riku
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Edit 02/01/2015 - I've had several replies to this post, including the following clubs:
FJK (Forssan Jalkapalloklubi)
Kungliga Wasa
FC Vaajakoski
Salon Tervarit
FC Brändöpojkarna
Club Latino Español
FC Åland
AC Balls
Turun Weikot
Grankulla IFK
BET (Blue Eyes Team, Jyväskylä)
SC Kufu
Puistolan Urheilijat
Tam-UK
MPS (Atletico Malmi, Helsinki)
Kungliga Wasa
FC Vaajakoski
Salon Tervarit
FC Brändöpojkarna
Club Latino Español
FC Åland
AC Balls
Turun Weikot
Grankulla IFK
BET (Blue Eyes Team, Jyväskylä)
SC Kufu
Puistolan Urheilijat
Tam-UK
MPS (Atletico Malmi, Helsinki)
PS Kemi
Jokerit FC
FC Melody
Warkaus JK
SC Wolves
Jokerit FC
FC Melody
Warkaus JK
SC Wolves
Happy to receive more suggestions, I'm currently in the process of planning my trip... Hoping to make a decision soon!
You should support Fc Kemi from Kemi, Lapland. This season they were very close to get promotion to kakkonen but This time FC Santa Claus were better. The team is full of own grown junior players. Fc Kemi Has also so called "junior technique house" which replaced their old club house.
ReplyDeleteHow about Warkaus JK, a team that had to give up on Kakkonen a couple years ago because they didn't have enough players and the farm deal with JJK didn't work out because of their problems. After that they had to start in Nelonen and they won it straight away. Now thry're playing in Kolmonen of Eastern and Middle Finland, not too well but steadily. Also, Varkaus, their hometown is an old town used to relybon its factory industry, which is now devlining. Some media help would maybe cheer up the life there.
ReplyDelete