Blog Archives
Benfica
One of the "big three" that wins everything in Portugal, Benfica are also past European champions and play in a lovely, modern stadium that was the inpsiraiton for Arsenal's Emirates Stadium. LOCATION: Lisbon, Portugal CONTACT: slbenfica.pt, (+351) 217 219 500, #EPluribusUnum NICKNAMES: As Águias (The Eagles)
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Glory years in the 1960s and 1970s built the club a large following, and while they haven't won anything lately, they have a large and usually full stadium with an excellent atmosphere in a hotbed of German Fußball. LOCATION: Mönchengladbach, Germany CONTACT: borussia.de, +49 1806 1819 00, #DieFohlen NICKNAMES: Die Fohlen or The Foals due…
Union Berlin
This over-achieving club, best known for years at the working-class team in East Berlin, is now the only Bundesliga club in the country's capital. LOCATION: Berlin, Germany CONTACT: fc-union-berlin.de +49 30 - 65 66 88 100, #fcunion NICKNAMES: Die Eisernen (The Iron Ones)
Real Sociedad
In a beautiful seaside city in the Spanish Basque region, playing in a lovely and modern stadium, Real Sociedad is also now a Champions League team for the 2023-24 season. So this club on the rise should be part of your Spanish travel plans. LOCATION: Donastia / San Sebastián, Spain CONTACT: realsociedad.eus, 943 46 28…
Exeter City
Exeter City are a supporter-owned club in a beautiful cathedral city not far from London, and they have the biggest standing-only terrace in the Football League. LOCATION: Exeter, Devon, about 2.5 hours west of London by train. CONTACT: exetercityfc.co.uk, 01392 411243, #ECFC NICKNAMES: The Grecians, which maybe goes back to an 18th-Century re-enactment of the…
Rangers
Rangers has a long storied history and loves to remind people it is the most successful football club in Scotland – mainly because there’s only one possible rival to that position. Rangers are a well loved club constantly battling their Glasgow neighbors Celtic for trophies. LOCATION: Glasgow, Scotland CONTACT: rangers.co.uk, #RangersFC NICKNAMES: The Gers
Feyenoord
One of the three giants of Dutch voetbal, and the current champions, Feyenoord also play in a classic old stadium in a remarkably modern city. LOCATION: Rotterdam, the Netherlands CONTACT: feyenoord.nl, #feyenoord NICKNAMES: De club aan de Maas (The Club on the Meuse)
Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Bayer is a solid if unspectacular Bundesliga club with a beautiful stadium in a not very interesting city. But it sits in a nest of German Fußball, one of several clubs that offer an easy day out from the beautiful city of Cologne. LOCATION: Leverkusen is in the North Rhine-Westphalia region, 15 minutes by train…
Bradford City
A very traditional club best known for a past tragedy, some remarkable cup runs, and a massive fanbase for a club this size. LOCATION: Bradford is about an hour north of Manchester by train. CONTACT: bradfordcityafc.com, 01274 770012, #BCAFC NICKNAMES: The Bantams, which officially is a small breed of chicken but certainly looks more ferocious…
Wrexham
Until recently an ordinary, if very historic, non-league club, Wrexham has been swept up into the worlds of big money, television, marketing and celebrity. LOCATION: Wrexham is in North Wales, about two hours by train from Manchester or 1.5 hours from Liverpool (both with a change on the way). It's 3.5 hours and two changes…
