Post by sandbachhatter on Dec 19, 2016 12:00:47 GMT
Morning all.
Sorry this is a bit late - I'm having real trouble with Photobucket at the moment, so will have to try and include the photos later - here is Market Harborough's fine entry for Week D, our last of 2016:
Let us take a journey through some of the lesser known countries on the European football stage.
Those that (as far as I am aware are not regulars at major finals) but are always included in the draws for the European Championship or World Cup. Should they be, or should they have their own pre-qualifying competition is not for discussion here, but maybe that should be a discussion thread somewhere else in Heaven.
So off to mainland Europe, I could have included Scotland but now not Wales or Northern Ireland. But in the interests of equality I shall move out of the British Isles.
Closest to us – probably Luxembourg – and the well known football club from Dudelange. Here we find F91 Dudelange - unsurprisingly the F91 stands for the fact that they were only formed in 1991. They were an amalgamation of the three Dudelange teams and of course took their place in the league of the highest rated team: Alliance.
They play in the 2558 capacity Stade Jos Nosbaum. Their club colours are red-and-yellow vertically striped shirts, with red shorts and socks.
Prior to the merger the last time any of the three entities won the league title was 1964/5, and since 1991 they have won the title twelve times (and they do not even play in the capital). There’s something in merging teams together. Maybe Man-Stock County was not a bad idea (awful joke – no offence meant!!!)
They have qualified for the Champions League on twelve occasions but have never progressed past the 3rd qualifying round. Since 1999 if not in the Champions League they have qualified for one of the European competitions.
So now to move eastwards, almost as far east as we can go, to Moldova And the representatives are FC Dinamo-Auto Tiraspol.
Despite their name they do not play in the city of Tiraspol but in the village of Tinauca a couple of miles outside of the main city. There are two large clubs in Tiraspol: Sheriff and FC Tiraspol and so they are the smaller cousin (bit like Stockport to the Manchester clubs I suppose)
Playing at the Dinamo Auto Stadium which boasts an impressive capacity (if not particularly impressive looking) 1300 places. To me it looks more at home at Step 4 or 5 of the English non league, but then which of them would have what looks like a stately home at one end.
They managed a credible 5th place in the National Division last season but have never qualified for a European tournament.
Finally we head back west, to one of the perennial no-hopers of San Marino (yes they do have a league system of 15 teams). Split into 2 divisions Gruppo A and Gruppo B. We shall head into Gruppo B to Domagnano or FC Domagnano to give them their full title.
Yes they were formed in 1966, and play at the massive Campo Sportivo di Domagnano (capacity 500). Although they have a small ground most of the top flight matches in San Marino are played at one of 4 grounds chosen randomly. Domagnano’s ground being one of them, but in the interests of fairness they are often drawn away. Due to the lack of grounds the clubs play both Saturday and Sunday in the league season (try telling the Premiership clubs that),
Domagnano are a successful side in San Marino and have actually qualified for the UEFA cup on three occasions losing at the first attempt each time.
They are the only club in San Marino to have had a Peruvian play for them: Frelino in 2007.
So please take your pick from Luxembourg, Moldova and San Marino – and when England draw the respective country in a qualifying tournament then think of these teams but which one is your favourite. I know which is mine.