Bertrix Spotter

Progrès Niedercorn v Differdange 03

Royal Entete Bertrix v RCS Verlaine

Next morning and I was apprehensive to see that there had been heavy snowfall overnight.

A final run above the river took me to the hauptbahnhof.

Where a National Express operated service was awaiting.

This took me down into Köln.

Where a Brussels bound ICE was awaiting.

My hope was that the snow would diminish as we headed west, to where today's games were, but this didn't seem to be the case.

I had staff coupons for Belgium which aren't valid on the international trains, so it was off at the border station of Aachen.

Onto a vintage SNCB AM70 unit.

And over the Belgian border to Welkenraedt.

Onwards was top and tailed Class 18s on load 13 on a Eupen - Oostende intercity service.

This took me to Liège-Guillemins where it was an onward service to Luxembourg.  Until now, I'd never realised that the CFL class 3000s are identifiable by having a maroon stripe down the side, whilst the identical SNCB class 13s have a blue stripe.  I cannot understand that I have knowledge like this yet somehow remain single.

Find of the day was a folding carriage key, tucked in the seat cushions.  These are much better than the rigid British T-key.  I tried to get the guard to take it but she insisted it belonged to an SNCB guard and showed no interest in passing it to one, so it is now part of my on-call kit.



A traipse down a very snowy Amblève valley meant I had little or no hope that my intended game would be on.  However, approaching the capital, and the snow came to an abrupt halt.

After stashing away my luggage, I headed off west, now through encouragingly green countryside.

This took me to the junction station of Pétange.

I'd hope for a spin out on the adjacent steam railway, but this had succumbed to the weather.

So it was instead a continental version of one of the hazards of attending non-league by public transport; TBRGVWOS, or for the unacquainted, the B-road grass verge walk of shame.  This is often required to reach inaccessible grounds.  Previous reports will tell that it is compulsory that at the most remote part of the walk, you will always pass a pair of toothless simpletons, usually shirtless but always clutching cans of cider.

Luxembourg did not let me down.

I was slightly perturbed that we arrived into, then appeared to immediately depart, my intended destination of Niederkorn, a village adjoining the major steel making area of south west Luxembourg.

It used to be that the thing to look out for to find a ground were towering floodlights amidst rows of terraced housing.  The equivalent for modern grounds is to look out for a Kia dealership, as the the sort of industrial estate that thrifty Koreans choose as their base, is also where whichever supermarket chain has bought the football clubs old ground, has got a cheap deal for land for the replacement ground.

Once again, Luxembourg did not let me down. 

And so the Adams Park of the lowlands was found.

It was quite a complex with a grass second pitch...

..and also a 4G training pitch.

Progrès Niederkorn 1 v Differdange 03 2, Luxembourg National Division

Progrès Niederkorn were formed in 1919 and have spent most of their existence in the top two divisions of Luxembourg football.  This has included a few title wins, as well as some European forays, though without any success.

Differdange 03 are the current incarnation of the legendary Red Boys Differdange.  The latter were pioneers of Luxembourg football, with numerous title and cup wins.  There used to be classified adverts in When Saturday Comes annuals for Red Boy Differdange lamp shades.  By 2003, they were in the mire and merged with AS a Differdange to form the current outfit, which saw promotion back to the top division and European qualification.

I've spent almost three minutes googling Stade Jos Haupert and I can't find anything about it.  It is in about the same area where I've previously seen Niederkorn play in the late 1990s, definitely on the Rue de Bascharage, but it looks a completely new ground and I can't find any pictures of it prior to the last couple of years.

The only structure in the ground was this main stand.

Blocking access around one corner of the ground was what appeared to be the team bus.

However, it turned out to be mobile hospitality boxes.

The actual club cars showed differing approaches.  The home team going with an affordable sporty little rival Korean offering.

With the away side going for the family offering, but with enough dents to infer it had had a few scrapes with my fellow TBRGVWOS from earlier.

Today's obscure music had moved into the 1990s with the teams coming out to Haddaway.  I'll let you guess which of his many hits it was.

There were signs that some sort of snow clearance had been required.

There was quite a sizeable contingent from the away side.  Although route planner does show it as only a four minute drive for the 'Iron Sons'.

Max and David turned out to be two English ex-pats who were attending the game.  They are most definitely not welcome anywhere near me in the future, as I had to endure a half-time long whine in the clubhouse in the vicinity of Maxine, about how it is impossible to find a driving instructor in Luxembourg, who will only give lessons in an automatic.  Tediously dull doesn't describe them adequately.

The local police turned up in branded woolly hats and stood around talking to each other without showing any sign of interest in the supporters or the game.

Another @keepers_towels in attendance.

And also a rather shy @nonleaguedog.  If there was an account called @cuntswhoturnupuptwominutesintothegameandstandinfrontofyouandrefusetoputtheirumbrellasdown, I'd have a whole gallery of photos to show.

The away side took the lead in the second half.

The home side equalised.

Before the lead was restored.

The game finishing 1-2 to Differdange.

This time I headed back to Niederkorn station, and a push-pull double decker set back to Luxembourg City.

With a few minutes to spare in the capital, a quick wander to the forecourt found the docking stations for the electric buses. Basically, whilst waiting at their stops, a pantograph extends down from the gantry to contacts on the vehicle roofs, which charges them for their next journey.

I was back to the station and back onto SNCB traction with a Brussels bound bung unit.

However, the snow had started again and a quick check found my intended game at Libramont was off, as were all games in the Luxembourg division of the Belgian Amateur League.

However, there was an option of hopping over to Bertrix for a third amateur division game, which was still showing as being on.  So it was off my bung unit at Libramont, and onto a Namur bound AM08 unit on the right.

Which took me to Bertrix, where the other branch unit was reversing.

I was sceptical that this game was on, and also not greatly enthusiastic as it was a ground I'd seen a game at before.  However, walking through the village there were definite signs of activity.

  
However, the pitch that I'd been to previously was in darkness.

Instead, the game was being played in the adjacent athletics stadium, which was a new ground for me.



Royal Entete Bertrigeoise 1 v RCS Verlaine 1, Belgium Third Amateur Division

Bertrix were formed in 1935, stepping up to the national leagues in the fourth division in the 1950s.  It soon dropped down to the provincial leagues but the 1990s saw a rise again to the national set up, and a promotion to the third division, where it remains today, mainly because it turned down promotion.

Verlaine is west of Liege and de Royal Cercle Sportif were founded in 1940.  Like Bertrix, post war they joined the national leagues but immediately dropped out and have only very recently returned.

The Stade Jules Guillaume, named after a diplomat who contributed the Treaty of Versailles, who said that Belgians are dull?  That said, I'd never been so pleased to see a game, separated by 20 foot of running track.

This stadium also had a decent sized stand.

Although the descending fog was starting to make it invisible from the far touchline.

To this evenings crap football music..

...the teams emerged.

As did a @keepers_towel

Taking advantage of the fog, I snuck through the railings to get a closer shot from the athletics track...

...as well as from the shot-put pit...

...and finally, an old favourite, watching a game from a long jump pit.

The damning evidence of my travels.

The home side took the lead, predictably at the far end, which was closer to Luxembourg than it was my viewing position.

The away side then equalised.

Half time and an opportunity to inspect the winter preparation around the slightly unusual feature of the ground @non-league_raised_planting_beds.

A wander around to the main stand side revealed that everyone was just watching from the running track anyway.

This meant a closer view of the second half action.

Especially as the fog had now cleared.

The game ended 1-1.

I retraced my steps back to Libramont, with its snow filled platform water fountains.

Departing on the train up to Namur, and there were some very evident floodlights from Libramont's ground.

Sure enough, a change in status for some of the games.  I wasn't too concerned, as I'd got in a decent game at a new ground.

And finally into Namur, which was my overnight for the next couple of evenings.