Post by sandbachhatter on Nov 28, 2016 10:15:38 GMT
Here we go then, our first batch of weird and wonderful soccer teams from around the globe - who gets your vote?
AKHISAR BELEDIYESPOR
Turkish ‘Süper Lig’ side, Akhisar, were formed as recently as 1970, and play their home games at the 16,000-seater ‘Manisa 19 Mayis Stadium’, which they share with their arch rivals Manisaspor. They only moved to the ground in 2012, following promotion to the top flight, because their old home, the equally-catchy ‘Akhisar Sehir Stadium’ was frankly a bit sh*t, and didn’t meet top-flight requirements. They are currently planning a new 13,000-seater stadium of their own.
After winning over the weekend, they have crept from 16th (top of the relegation zone) up to the dizzy heights of 12th. Such is the tight nature of the league, they lie only three points behind 7th.
Nicknaked ‘Agikolar’ (which translated to English is apparently ‘Agikolar’), they traditionally play in green and black vertical stripes, with black shorts and green socks. They do, however, switch to yellow every so often, if the mood takes them. Their away kit looks a bit like Argentina’s home strip, and their third kit is all white. No, it’s better than all white, it’s fantastic!
The current squad boasts former-Hammer Ricardo Vaz Te, as well as Colombian International – and Wigan Athletic favourite – Hugo Rodallega
Their fans are some of the friendliest and best-behaved in the country (although, this is Turkey we’re talking about).
Vote for this Turkish Delight now!
AKTOBE (FC AKTOBE)
If Akhisar don’t float your boat, how about FC Aktobe from Kazakhstan?
Currently sitting in a comfortable 7th place in the Kazakhstan Premier League (albeit 25 points away from the runaway leaders), Aktobe are also comparatively new to the world of soccer, being formed slightly earlier than Akhisar, in 1967. They have undergone a few name changes throughout their history, but settled back to Aktobe in 2005.
Their rather-unKazakhstani ‘Central Stadium’ holds 13,500, making it slightly larger than EP, but they are top flight don’t forget. So, to be honest, that’s pretty crap.
Nicknamed ‘The Red and Whites’, Aktobe amazingly play in all orange. No, of course they don’t. In fact, they look like a Kazakhstani Stoke City, which is frankly terrifying prospect. Being huge fans of the colour red (well, they did use to be part of the Soviet Union), their away kit is entirely of this colour, although it fades from a deep maroon to a lighter shade the nearer you get to the player’s nipples.
They have no major players of note, as far as I can see, although they do have a goalkeeper called Pavlov, who presumably struggles to concentrate, every time the referee blows for offside.
They are 187th in UEFA’s club ranking, one place behind Norwegian side Tromso, yet one ahead of Arsenal Kyiv (from the Ukraine).
As their countryman Borat would say, ‘Aktobe is very nice!’, so vote for them!
ARARAT YEREVAN (FC ARARAT YEREVAN)
Of course, no list would be complete without an Armenian entry, and who better than Armenian Premier Leaguers, Ararat Yerevan?
Nicknamed ‘White Eagles’, on account of their slightly Nazi-esque club crest, they were formed far earlier than our other two clubs this week, exploding onto the global football scene in 1935 (which may explain the club crest I guess).
Boasting that they are ‘the most popular football club in Armenia’, which surely means their 14,000 capacity ‘Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium’ is fit-to-burst every home fixture, they have only won the title once, in 1993, since the Armenian Premier League was formed the year before (following the break-up of the Soviet Union). They have, however, won the ‘silver prize’ four times, and the ‘bronze prize’ once, because Armenians seemingly like to treat their football like a f***ing sports day.
Despite the utterly boring ‘white with black shorts’ at home, and ‘red with a bit of white, plus red shorts’ away, their stadium is fantastic and looks like a rollercoaster which was abandoned at some point during the 1970s:
There is no one of note within their playing squad, but amazingly only Marat Daudov (Ukrainian midfielder) and Nassim Kpehia (Ivory Coast midfielder) don’t have names which end in ‘yan’, the other 22 players all do!
Ar-mean, surely that’s a good enough reason to vote for them?!
Voting closes at midday on Friday!