Slavia Ruda Slaska - Stadion Ernest Pohl

Slavia Ruda Slaska

Stadion Ernest Pohl

Ernesta Pohla 1

41-700 Ruda Śląska

Poland

Ground Number: 1350

Saturday 21st September 2024

Slavia Ruda Slaska - Gornik Piaski

Klasa okręgowa grupa: śląska IV (Katowice-Sosnowiec) 

SLAVIA RUDA SLASKA - A BRIEF HISTORY

The club can trace its origins back to 1919 as Strzała Ruda, but they changed their name in 1924 to Slavia Ruda. Obviously, they had to hibernate during World War II. They retained their name for a few years but in 1949, they changed their name again to ZKS Górnik Ruda after 2 merger with Naprzód Ruda. Finally, in 1958 they adopted their current name of Slavia Ruda Śląska following another merger. They currently play in the Klasa okręgowa grupa: śląska IV (Katowice-Sosnowiec) which sits at the sixth tier of Polish football. Sadly, I could not find much information on the club aside from this.

MY VISIT

I have seen games in 17 countries so far but the most frustrating fact that it should have been more. Lack of confidence, experience and at the time a lack of helpful apps like Google Maps, Futbology and the like. It's always the ones that pass you by that are the most frustrating and in most cases, I'd revisited a lot of the countries that I'd been to on family holidays to watch football. There were a couple of annoying ones. Like when we went to Malta in 2009, I could have gone and seen a club game at the national stadium but our accommodation was 30 miles away and the transport was not good according to the tourist info. The year before I could have easily gone to a Cracovia match at their old stadium but there was no one willing to come with me. That was in the days before I was a hopper, so I wasn't too fussed. The hare I had for dinner that night was excellent anyway and so it was only when I started hopping in Europe that it frustrated me.

I was determined to put things right and so this September I booked a trip to the Czech Republic and Poland. From my Friday night game at Hlucin I went back to my accommodation and got on with this first blog. I'd had an early morning so didn't get as far as I wanted as I opted to catch up on sleep. I awoke naturally just after 6 and grabbed a shower and some breakfast before getting my things together and leaving. It had been a lovely stay but it was time to leave for pastures new. It was a five-minute walk to the bus station and a ten-minute wait for my first bus. I'd allowed half an hour leeway for delays and it was a good job I did as my coach was leaving 15 minutes earlier than I thought when I woke up. Thankfully, the transfer to another bus went as planned and I got my coach on time. There is confusion when I get to Platform 2 as instructed by the screen and I am greeted by numbers 1 & 3. The train numbers don't correspond either. It later turns out that these are tracks and as I didn't want to board the wrong train. In the end, I give up as the next train is in an hour due to a cancellation and get a taxi instead for a still reasonable £11. I was there 20 minutes before kickoff, paying around £2 to get in.

 

Slavia Ruda Slaska were 2nd in the table and they were one of the few sides to play last week despite the floods as they triumphed 2-0 at Cyclone Rogoźnik. Gornik Piaski were 6th and also going well, their last game was a fortnight ago, also at Cyclone Rogoźnik where they won 2-0. Gornik Piaski started brighter and had missed a gilt-edged chance following a great cross within the opening five minutes. Slavia Ruda Slaska thumped the bar on ten minutes, from the resulting melee, a penalty was awarded and then converted to see them 1-0 up. They then carved out another chance, and blasted just over soon after that. They went 2-0 up, right on halftime, sweeping home from a cross. A well-worked move on 68 minutes made it 3-0 and it was as good as game over. On 74 minutes, Gornik did pull a goal back, a low shot at the back post from a cross. The three-goal lead was restored on 78 minutes, the striker having plenty of space and time to net past the goalkeeper. On 89 minutes it was 5-1, a thumping low shot from 30 yards which flew in the back of the net.

THE GROUND

STADION ERNEST POHL is a quirky venue and quite unlike any I have been to before. To start with, its location is very isolated in the middle of a forest, though this is a little over 20 minutes from the train station. As such, there is plenty of parking. As for the ground itself, only one side is available to fans. This is a large terrace with seats bolted on in some places that stretches the whole length of the pitch. In the centre is a press box, this is the only part that provides any cover but it is of a classic design. Basic snacks and drinks are provided via a van outside. I did see lots of merchandise on fans, but none on sale. There is a club building which houses the dressing rooms and other facilities further down the road.