Sport Utcai Stadion
Sport u. 2
Budapest
1087 Hungary
Ground Number: 1396
Sunday 9th March 2025
BKV Elore 0-0 Monor SE
Nemzeti Bajnoksag III Delkeleti
BKV ELORE - A BRIEF HISTORY
BKV Előre Labdarúgás was established in the summer of 1912, at the initiative of some enthusiastic sports-loving officials of the then BKVT (Budapest Public Railway Company). After playing friendlies for the first few years, they joined the MLSZ (Hungarian Football Federation) just as war broke out. Football activity was severely restricted but BKV Elore managed to reach the second level of the wartime competition. From 1926, they changed to blue and yellow kits instead of burgundy and white. In 1928, they won the championship and were now in the highest division of the amateur championship. Several titles were won in the next few years. The team of the 1930s is considered one of the best in the club's history. In 1931, they beat the Hungarian national team 4-1 in a training match, They also knocked out Hungarian giants Újpest from the Hungarian Cup. In 1934, they reached the final of the competition but lost to Soroksar. It took two replays and one of the games attracted a crowd of 15,000. At the time, this was a record crowd for a final in the 16th season of the competition. They also won the “Champion of Champions” tournament, played in Geneva, Switzerland.
In 1940, they reached the top tier NBI but would only last for a single season, narrowly going down as the best of the four relegated teams. They also had a near miss the following season, getting into the promotion places but missing out in the playoffs. The mid-40s saw success in wartime competitions and two third-place finishes in the NBI but they were demoted due to off-field matters. The second tier NBII Eastern was won in 1949 but the club would only last in the top tier for a few seasons. Reorganisations and mergers meant a turbulent time for the club and they would not grace the top tier for a long time, alternating between the second and third tiers. A high point was winning the NBII in 2001 but they were not allowed to take their place in the top tier. They also reached a couple of Hungarian Cup semi-finals during this time. However, fortunes declined and they were relegated from the NBII West group in 2014 and the club continues to play in the third-tier NBIII in various regional groups.
MY VISIT
Back when I first decided to go to Budapest, it was the ground of BKV Elore that I really fell in love with. The stand looked amazing but I was unsure what time the kickoff would be. It would eventually be confirmed as 14:00 with Honved standing out on their own at 17:00. There was some competition though. ESMTK had come recommended first of all and that was the easiest in terms of getting to Honved. But then Csepel was recommended and although a fine-looking stadium, it did have an athletics track. It was also the most geographically awkward of the three, though I had no issue using an Uber. Basically, my plan was to get into Budapest around 10:30, dump my bag at the hotel and then go for an early lunch and a couple of drinks in Budapest's city centre before the first game. With Elore being that tad closer to the city centre, the decision was made on Thursday that I'd be going there. The free entry was a bonus, more so to save me pissing about getting cash out than the tiny amount saved. I was hoping to get some merch at both of my games, so reached out to the club's Facebook page to enquire.
There was no reply by Sunday morning. I'd had a good time in Vienna, despite a few hiccups. It was also a great value-for-money city. All in, once I'd paid for travel to the airport, flight, Vienna travel and two nights hotel, it worked out at £140 or £35 a game. Cheaper than many of my domestic trips. My alarm went at 5.50 with the backup a few minutes later. I was up, packed, showered and out by 6.35. It was an easy trip on the Metro to the main station with me there 40 minutes ahead of departure time. My train to Budapest was going to be delayed, but the time kept changing. I got a lovely cheese pretzel from a place called Anker along with a drink. The delay turned out to be less than 15 minutes in the end. The fare was around £14 from what I recall and it included a free drink as well as charging and WiFi. The trip was used to get future plans in place, namely Tuesday at Shirehampton and the first half of Scotland next weekend. The train journey was very pleasasnt with me getting to Budapest at 10:30. It was a few minutes walk to my room and I was glad to be able to check in early, dump my bag and kill time until it was time to leave at 11.35.
The Hungarian ticket machines and signage are not as user-friendly as the ones in Vienna but Google Translate gets me through. The Metro is the simplest method and I'm also able to buy my ticket for the next 24 hours for £5.30. Like most metro systems aside from London, I'm able to use my phone whilst underground and it's baffling how a developed country does still not have a data connection on the Underground. It was only a few minutes walk to the excellent Madhouse craft beer bar where the Hungarian cider from Budapres was great. A second different cider followed along with some chicken wings as I was now peckish. I declined to draw some cash out. Most of the machines looked scammy rather than proper banks. With no entry fee at Elore and a ticket secured at Honved, there was no need. The chicken wings were great and well-presented. All in all, £22.58 for the lot, not bad at all. It was then a metro ride via Lidl where I got a soft drink and snacks before getting to the ground at 1.35.
BKV Elore were down in 12th and were in mixed form. Their last game had been a 1-0 loss at Tiszafoldvar. Monori were 5th, and they beat Szegedi 3-2 in their last game. Monor were the side producing all the chances, coming close on a number of occasions. Elore started to get back into it but never really tested the keeper. Overall, it grew into a tedious game though, with no real efforts on goal. It was the visitors that came close again late on, but their finishing was wayward. It was inevitable that my first game in Hungary would be a dull 0-0 but it had been a good place to visit all the same.
THE GROUND
SPORT UTCAI STADION (Sport Street Stadium in English) is a classic ground which has seen better days. That's what gives it it's charm though. Spectator accommodation is restricted to one side. The huge stand could hold about 3,000 and is comprised of mainly bench seating. There is a bar underneath but no merchandise. The stadium is a bit fiddly to get to on public transport with changes required, the nearest Metro stop, Ferenc Puskas Stadion is around 15 minutes walk away. You pass various places including a Lidl on the way and trams stop just across the road.
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