Perfectly Parma

I have been to Parma a few times, and always enjoyed it immensely, but oddly this was the last major Emilia Romagna stadium for me. I can now follow the train route through the region headed north from Cesena (5 games, first 1987); Forli (2); Bologna (2); Modena; Reggio Emilia (3), and now Parma. Parma … Continue reading Perfectly Parma →

Bouncing Back in Bisceglie

I recently had to completely redraw a trip to Italy when it became apparent Finland was following Estonia in closing its borders to Russia, thus precluding my girl from getting a land exit, and that time, the alternative of a flight via Istanbul had reached the realms of silly money. There are a lot of … Continue reading Bouncing Back in Bisceglie →

Florentine Days

I have been invited to write a piece for the Hearts v Fiorentina match programme on 6th October. This is my submission. The rolling hills of the Tuscan countryside have long been inspiration for painters, writers, photographers and tourists alike, all seeking pastoral beauty. The capital of the region, Firenze (Florence) is of course the … Continue reading Florentine Days →

All Terni Tussle

I finally made it to Terni! More than two years after an aborted trip to the city, courtesy of the pandemic, I promised myself I would still head in that direction thereby honouring my original plan of where I would take in my 200th game outside the UK. In a non Covid world, the 2020 … Continue reading All Terni Tussle →

Duecento Trasferte

In early April 2022 I finally got to the 200 games watched overseas mark. It has, pretty much like everything else in life, suffered from a pandemic delay. In an ordinary world the 200 would have popped up in March 2020, when a trio of matches were pencilled in for Fano, Perugia and Terni. That … Continue reading Duecento Trasferte →

A Ding Dong in Grosseto

Over the last two pandemic hit season’s, my subscription to Eleven Sports in Italy and with the fabulous catalogue of choice from the entire fixture card of Serie C (third tier) to watch, it became a vital escape from the rigours of keeping loved ones safe, as well as continuing to nurture dreams of a … Continue reading A Ding Dong in Grosseto →

Good Wind blowing

If someone had said to me when the final whistle went at the magnificent Stadio Sinigaglia, Como in late January 2020, that it would take 26 months and a few days for me to be watching another game outside the UK, I would have done what the Romanians did to Ceaucescu! That would of course … Continue reading Good Wind blowing →

Genoa Nervy

The current Serie A campaign has been anything but kind to the clubs of Liguria. For the first time in nearly a century, the most north westerly coastal region of Italy is providing three clubs to the top flight, for a second season on the trot too. Only Lombardy can equal the trio of representatives, … Continue reading Genoa Nervy →

Oh Siena

The classic trio of Italian cities for tourism are of course Roma, Firenze and Venezia. Each and everyone of them is absolutely amazing, and certainly if you have never been, even to one of them, I would implore ticking that box. Curiously, football in cities of great beauty rarely converts too much in the way … Continue reading Oh Siena →

D Tales

The summer of 2021 had its usual round of financial issues in Italy. It was probably to be more than expected, after all, if a normal close season is chaotic, a season without matchday income was always going to be an even more fraught passage of time. When the dust settled, the situation wasn’t as … Continue reading D Tales →