Welcome to the latest instalment of the Gloucester Groundhopper blog,
We immersed ourselves in the Women's European Championship 2022 for this blog. Finland Women, who had already been eliminated from the competition, faced off against Germany Women, who wanted to win their group. The match was held at Milton Keynes' stadium, the home of the League One team. The location was The Stadium MK, and it undoubtedly held out a lot of promise.
First, we made a pit stop at the Turing Key Pub, where I enjoyed one of the best burgers I've ever had. We made the decision to visit the football stadium since Bletchley Park, the location of the codebreakers who contributed to our victory in World War II, is only about 15 minutes away. We decided to venture to the IKEA that was directly across from the stadium after exploring the area and indulging in their renowned meatballs. We then made our way to the stadium.
Its All In The Name
MK has the moniker 'the Dons,' which comes from the word Wimbledon. It's an attempt to shoe horn Wimbledon FC's history into that of MK.
Some Notable Former Players
Dele Alli
Lewis Baker
Jimmy Bullard
Nicky Maynard
James Tavernier
Some Notable People From Milton Keynes
Dele Alli- Footballer
Ian Poulter- Golfer
Greg Rutherford- Long Jump Gold Medalist
Ben Chilwell- Footballer
Alan Turing-played a significant role in the creation of the modern computer. Also helped crack the enigma code
A History Lesson From AFC Finners
Milton Keynes were founded in 2004 to take over Wimbledon's place in the Football League's League One pyramid. Their first season was a struggle, and they only made it to the last day of the season by the skin of their teeth. The following season, they were relegated to League Two. In 2007, they relocated to Stadium MK, a 30,000-seat stadium.
They spent several years in League Two, with Paul Ince leading them to their first piece of silverware in 2008, when they won the Football League Trophy, and they quickly followed up with a double when they won League Two to secure promotion.
Karl Robinson, the club's manager since 2010, was appointed as the league's youngest manager at the age of 29. He would lead the club for six years, and in 2014, he led them to a 4-0 league cup victory over Manchester United. After finishing second in League One, they were promoted to the second division for the first time.
Robinson left soon after the club was demoted back to League One. They were relegated to League Two in 2018, but secured promotion to League One the following season.
And here's a fun fact: Dietmar Haaman, the club's Champions League-winning midfielder, completed his playing career as player-coach at the club.
Honours
🏆Football League One (Runners-up: 2014–15)
🏆Football League Two (Champions: 2007–08) (Third-place (promotion): 2018–19)
🏆Football League Trophy (Winners: 2007–08)
🏆Berks & Bucks Senior Cup (Winners: 2006–07) (Runners-up: 2005–06, 2017–18)
🏆Portimão Cup (Winners: 2004)
Matchday: Finland Women 0-3 Germany Women
It is simple to find the stadium because it is marked with numerous "MK Dons" signs when you get there. The newly established city's centre is around a 15-minute drive from the stadium. It turned out that parking is accessible on most matchdays, so this shouldn't be a problem if you decide to attend the ground. However, we chose to park at the stadium, which cost £10 for the entire day.
We made the decision to follow our customs and stroll around the stadium and check out the gift shop. Since the club shop was closed, we were unable to see the items that Milton Keynes has to offer. However, the euros shop had a wide selection, including foam fingers, matchday programmes, and replica shirts. The stadium is located on an industrial complex that is home to numerous stores and eateries, including McDonald's, Frankie & Bennies, and a Turkish restaurant.
The tickets were purchased at the European Championships website. The tickets were then immediately sent to our phones after we each paid £15 for them. We then entered the stadium after scanning our barcodes. The ground is very beautiful; it's clear that careful planning and cutting-edge design went into its construction.
It is quite comfortable because all of the seats are padded, and unlike most stadiums, there is also a lot of room between them. The locals were incredibly friendly and supportive. It was genuinely a pleasant experience. We didn't eat any of the food, but it looked extremely delicious. The ground appeared to provide a variety of foods, including burgers, pizzas, and packets of crisps.
The energy was electric, with many young children having the time of their lives. It was a little cringey when a Mexican Wave took over the ground, but it was great to see so many people having a good time. We were able to get a picture of ourselves shown on the big screen, which was entertaining.
Teamsheets
Finland Women
Manager: Anna Signeul
Katriina Talaslahti
Elli Pikkujamsa
Emma Koivisto
Adelina Engman
Juliette Kemppi
Emmi Alanen (c)
Nora Heroum
Heidi Kollanen
Natalia Kuikka
Linda Sallstrom
Eveliina Summanen
Substitutes
Anna Tamminen
Paula Myllyoja
Ria Oling
Anna Auvinen
Olga Ahtinen
Essi Sainio
Amanda Rantanen
Jutta Rantala
Germany Women
Manager: Martina Voss-Tecklenburg
Merle Frohms
Sophie Kleinherne
Lena Lattwein
Marina Hegering
Svenja Huth
Alexandra Popp (c)
Sara Dabritz
Guilia Gwinn
Linda Dallman
Klara Buhl
Sara Doorsoun
Substitutes
Kathrin-Julia Hendrich
Sydney Lohmann
Laura Freigang
Almuth Schult
Nicole Anyomi
Tabea Wassmuth
Lina Magull
Ann Berger
Julia Brand
Germany had a huge early advantage and came dangerously close to taking the lead in the first two minutes. When a cross came in from the right, Alexandra Popp moved toward it. Germany completely dominated this half, thus it was amazing that it took them so long to score. The first goal came after 40 minutes. Kleinherne headed in her maiden international goal from two yards out after receiving a cross from the right by Gwinn.
The second goal was scored shortly after the break. Alexandra Popp headed in a second cross. Finland played more aggressively in the second half, but it was Germany who further increased their lead. When Finland failed to clear the ball after it came from the left, it dropped to Anyomi, a substitute, who took a touch and fired into the bottom corner to make it 3-0. After this goal, the camera showed Bastian Schweinsteiger in the stands, who was apparently only a few feet away from where we were sitting, but eh. The final score was 3-0.Finland will be leaving the Euros after having a rough time, while Germany will play Austria in the quarterfinals, and if they play with the same skill and finesse as they did against Finland, it will be difficult for them not to be considered one of the favourites to win the competition.
Scores On The Doors
Atmosphere: 8/10
Food and Drink: 7/10
Stadium: 8.5/10
Welcome: 8/10
Overall Experience: 8/10
GG
Comments