retired_ivonta

im enjoying this story, keep it up :thup:

retired_jgirl87

Thank gonch19. :thup:

retired_jgirl87

23rd August 2003:

Our first league match at home today and Szczakowianka are the visitors. Jozwiak injures himself in the warm-up, so Dziuba starts on the left and Mr Gorniak asks me to play on the right wing, but to cut inside when possible.

The crowd is hardly settled before Kowalczyk has them jumping to their feet as his shot smacks against the post after only 40 seconds. But, yet again, we concede the first goal as Lamch deflects a cross onto the head of the opposition centre-forward who scores after 6 minutes. The chances come thick and fast for us after that. Gawronski hits the post, Dziuba curls a free-kick onto the bar and Klep hits a 25 yarder inches over the top. But injuries interrupt our search for an equaliser as our two strikers Gawronski and Folc collide and both must leave the field after 30 minutes. I move up to the forward line with substitute Tomasiak, whilst Berensztajn comes on to the right of midfield. It takes a few minutes for the changes to settle in, but Klepczynski ends our unease as he thumps in a cracker from 25 yards. We then go into half-time leading 2-1 as Berensztajn fires in a low shot which the keeper blocks, but Kowalczyk nets the rebound.

Berensztajn is having a major influence as the second half begins. He doesn’t confine himself just to the right wing, but moves around causing trouble all across the park. At 62 minutes Tomasiak benefits from Berensztajn’s vision as he runs onto a lovely through-ball and curls it past the keeper. At 66 minutes I receive a delightful chip from Berensztajn and move in on goal. The keeper gets a hand to my shot, but there is just enough power for it to trickle over the line and take us to a 4-1 lead. Near the end Kowalczyk goes on an amazing dribbling run the length of the field, but his shot clips the outside of the post and goes wide. Our home supporters are well pleased with our win and we are loudly cheered from the ground.

After the match Klep continually describes his goal to anyone who will listen. He is so excited because that was his first league goal for his home-town side. My goal wasn’t as spectacular, but it was my first league goal also. We make a bet that whoever scores in future will have dinner bought for them by the other one at “The Peasant’s Feast”.

Polish Division 2 – Round 3
Radomsko 4-1 Szczakowianka
Klepczynski 43, Kowalczyk 45, Tomasiak 62, Mathieson 66

27th August 2003:

Yet another first for me as we have a mid-week game under floodlights. This will be the first time I have played a proper match under lights and our opponents are Pogon Szczecin. Injuries mean more changes. Gawronski is fit after his clash with Folc, but Folc isn’t. Tomasiak gets a knock in training, so I stay up front, Berensztajn starts on the right after his great game on Saturday and Lato replaces Dziuba on the left.

This is a truly awful match, both to play in and to watch. Pogon have no thought of attacking – they have come to stifle our creativity and go home with a point. The midfield is crowded and service to Folc and me up front is non-existent. Berensztajn finds room to get a pass away to Kowalczyk after 19 minutes and he doesn’t let us down with his fourth goal in four games. Pogon finally launch a decent attack after 42 minutes and it results in an equaliser. Borkowski makes a fine block from a header, but he cannot reclaim the loose ball and it is whacked into the unguarded net. 1-1 at half-time and that is how it stays until the final whistle. There are two half chances for us in the second half. I hit the side netting from acute angle and Gawronski has his shot blocked as he is about to fire it towards an empty net. For the first time since I joined Radomsko I am very disappointed with my personal performance. In the change-rooms afterwards, my team-mates are also disappointed, especially with the tactics that Pogon employed. We make a vow that we will do our best to thump them in the return game later in the season.

Polish Division 2 – Round 4
Radomsko 1-1 Pogon
Kowalczyk 19

retired_jgirl87

30th August 2003:

For the first time since my arrival in Poland I am travelling to the capital of Warsaw, 180 kilometres to the north. Our opponents are Stasiak Opoczno, but they located in a rather drab industrial suburb to the south, so I don’t get to see some of the beautiful Old City. Gawronski is fit to play, so I return to left midfield and Lato drops to the bench.

There has been rain and this is the first wet pitch that we have played on this season. I have several good runs and passes early on and their full-back is rather slow, so he is giving me plenty of room to make sure I don’t get in behind him. I push the ball past him yet again, but this time he follows through with his tackle and clatters right into me. I get a whack on the ankle and have to leave the pitch for treatment. He gets a yellow card for his trouble. From the resulting free-kick, Berensztajn curls it to the near post and Kowalczyk heads well, but the keeper blocks it. However it goes straight back to Kowalczyk who pushes it into the net. I limp back onto the field to join the celebrations and then I start to run the injury off. Just on the half hour the opposition are reduced to ten men when Prokop and one of their strikers get into a shoving match. Both are booked, but their player continues to argue and is shown a second yellow, followed by the red card. At 38 minutes we get another free-kick near goal and we work one of our rehearsed routines. Berensztajn plays it to me on the left and I shape to cross it as our attackers move towards goal, but instead I roll it back across the edge of the penalty area. Klep is lurking there and he hits a first time shot that flies through the mass of bodies and bulges the net.

Our 2-0 half-time lead is soon 3-0 as Lamch sends a long pass from defence directly to my feet. I run at the heart of the Stasiak defence and as their sweeper commits himself to a tackle on me, I slip a pass to Kowalczyk who calmly carries the ball forward and beats the now unprotected keeper. At 80 minutes Gawronski works well on the right and crosses for Folc to volley us into a 4-0 lead. Ten man Stasiak get a consolation goal for their efforts when a low free-kick skims along the wet turf and bounces off Borkowski, leaving their sole striker to tap into the empty net. In injury time we deservedly go to a 5-1 lead when Klepczynski hits a 25 yarder against the post and, as it rolls along the goal-line, Folc smacks it home.

After the match Mr Gorniak is ecstatic and he congratulates all of us individually. He asks Klep to tell me that he is extremely pleased at my progress and that I am becoming an important member of the team. After that Klep reminds me that he has scored yet again and I owe him dinner at “The Peasant’s Feast” restaurant.

Polish Division 2 – Round 5
Stasiak Opoczno 1-5 Radomsko
Kowalczyk 14, 48, Klepczynski 38, Folc 80, 90

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Podbeskidzie | | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 3 | +8 | 13 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Blekitni | | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 7 | +6 | 12 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | *** | RADOMSKO | | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 5 | +8 | 11 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Jagiellonia | | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 8 | +3 | 10 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Tloki | | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 5 | +6 | 9 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Zaglebie | | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 5 | +6 | 9 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Arka | | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 8 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Pogon | | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | -1 | 8 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Ruch Chorzow | | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 9 | -3 | 7 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | KSZO | | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 7 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Belchatow | | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 7 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Stasiak Opoczno | | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 12 | -4 | 4 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Cracovia | | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 10 | -5 | 4 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | LKS | | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 9 | -6 | 3 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Piast | | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 | -5 | 2 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Aluminium | | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 10 | -6 | 2 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Polar | | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 9 | -8 | 1 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Szczakowianka | | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 7 | -1 | -1 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| </pre>

retired_sroch3032

Luckily enough I am half polish so I don't have one of those crazy last names

For some reason I thought I had seen this story before in another forum. The CM5 forum maybe?

KUTGW :thup:

retired_eneko5613

This story has a nice style. I already find myself regularly coming back and looking for new updates, which I find only happens for a few stories.

So, in summary, keep up the good work!

retired_brinker317

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Spav:
Thanks PM and binny. :thup:

The best part is writing out all those Polish surnames. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Slovakia is just the same

This is excellent :thup:

retired_jgirl87

Thanks to everyone for the support. :cool:

retired_jgirl87

2nd September 2003:

With a two week break before our next match, I have some extra time on my hands. This is the chance to get a few jobs done. My small room at the Klepczynski’s home is starting to feel cramped, so Klep and I have decided to move out and share an apartment together. There is a newly completed complex near the stadium and we have rented a two-bedroom furnished apartment. I spend the next few days moving in and buying some additional items. I have just enough savings from my first two months wages to buy a computer so that I can play my favourite game – Championship Manager 03/04.

6th September 2003:

About six of us – the younger players – go to the new sports bar “Sportz One” to watch Poland play in Latvia in a Euro 2004 qualifier. Poland wins 3-0 and Emmanuel Olisadebe scores a hat-trick. The local girls are flirting with us because they know that we play for Radomsko and we have a top night partying with about ten of them. I must say that it helps to be a bit different from the locals. My Australian accent helps to get the girl’s attention and there is one in particular that catches my eye.

10th September 2003:

Back to “Sportz One” tonight to watch Poland play Sweden in Chorzow in another Euro 2004 qualifier. This time Poland wins 2-0 with a Zdebel penalty and a Wichniarek goal. We shouldn’t be drinking tonight as we have a game in three days, but Balecki is still recovering from his groin injury, so he drinks more than the rest of us. He gets so drunk that he gets into a fight and we have to jump in and help him. I get a whack on the cheek for my trouble, but I did have that satisfaction of throwing a punch that stuns one of the guys we are fighting, dropping him to the floor for a moment. Luckily the management support us and kick the other guys out.

13th September 2003:

It’s good to have a game again after the break for the internationals. Cracovia of Krakow are the visitors to our Brzeznicka stadium today. Our good start to the season has given a warning the other teams in Division 2. Consequently the visiting teams don’t come with much ambition to win, but rather to stop us winning.

Cracovia play like Pogon did a few weeks ago – they pack the midfield and get players behind the ball as much as possible. At 13 minutes Lamch plays a terrible ball across the back line and lets in their only forward. Prokop valiantly chases him down and lunges just as he shots. The shot is deflected away, but Prokop twists his knee and must be replaced by Nowak. We only get two shooting chances in the first half and they both fall to me. The first one is a shot from 20 metres which clips the outside of the post and the second one is a similar effort which clips the bar, although the keeper probably had it covered. 0-0 at half-time and the second half is more of the same. We only get two more chances on goal with Klep shooting wide from 15 metres and Kowalczyk volleying over from 12 metres late in the match. Apart from the shot that Prokop injured himself blocking, Cracovia have no other attempts on Borkowski’s goal. There are a few boos from the crowd near the end, although I think it is more out of frustration at Cracovia’s tactics than our unsuccessful attempts to break through.

Polish Division 2 – Round 6
Radomsko 0-0 Cracovia

retired_jgirl87

17th September 2003:

Tonight we are in Lubin to play local side Zaglebie. It was a three and a half hour, 230 kilometre bus ride to the west over some very poor roads and all the players are grateful to get out and stretch their legs. It is a huge stadium that holds about 25,000 people, but there would be no more than 2,000 fans here.

No changes to the team from our mid-week game as we kick off the match. All goes quietly until the 12th minute when the Zaglebie keeper clears long down the park. Folc, Gawronski and I are all miles offside as Klepczynski collects the ball in the centre circle and lobs it all the way back into the Zaglebie net. It is a magnificent effort and we rush to congratulate Klep on what must be the goal of the season. But the linesman has his flag up for offside and the referee agrees with him. The ref is immediately surrounded by Radomsko players. How could Folc, Gawronski and I be interfering when it was a lobbed goal and we were thirty yards away at the time it went in? The ref refuses to change his mind and gives Klep a yellow card for dissent. We are furious and this terrible decision has given a nasty edge to the game as we take out our anger on the Zaglebie players. It is an untidy game that reaches half-time at 0-0.

Early in the second half we go a goal down. Smolinski wins the ball at left back and passes sideways to Folc who is down from the forward line helping the defence. He stupidly tries to dribble the ball out and is caught in possession. Our entire defence is caught on the wrong foot as Zaglebie sweep forward and it is a simple task to draw Borkowski before slotting the ball into an unguarded net. Gawronski then limps off, so I push up front and Dziuba comes on to the left of midfield. At 76 minutes we get a deserved equaliser. Dziuba beats two men on the left and knocks over a cross which my marker and I contest. The ball drops to the ground near the penalty spot and Folc makes up for his earlier error by quickly prodding the ball past the advancing keeper. A couple of minutes later and the anger in the game finally erupts. Twice since I have been playing up front, my marker has caught me with his elbow. I get another elbow in the side of the head and I’ve had enough. I lash out with my right boot and catch the centre-half in the shin. He falls down, screaming in pain, even though my kick wasn’t that hard. Instantly, there is a scrum of pushing, yelling players. Prokop and Kowalski pull me away for my own protection as the referee and linesmen struggle to gain control. It takes a couple of minutes to calm things down and then the ref calls me over. He says nothing, but pulls out his red card and I am sent off. “Asshole”, I yell at the guy that I kicked and I turn and walk off. Luckily for me, my team-mates hold on with ten men and we get a 1-1 draw.

Polish Division 2 – Round 7
Zaglebie 1-1 Radomsko
Folc 76

18th September 2003:

Before training tonight, Mr Gorniak calls me and Klep into his office. He tells me that he is very unhappy with my lack of discipline. I have received an automatic one match ban and the disciplinary tribunal will be meeting next Tuesday to consider the referee’s report and a possible additional suspension. As well, Klep picked up his fourth yellow of the season and he also gets an automatic one match ban. Next time anything like this happens, we will both be fined for our actions. But for now we are both out of Saturday’s visit to Arka of Gdynia.