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It is late afternoon in rural Poland as I walk through the outskirts of the town of Radomsko. I’m looking to get a cheap room for the night. I pass a sports field and there’s a group of guys playing a football match. Suddenly the ball comes toward me and I know I shouldn’t be a smart-ass, but I juggle it a few times and volley a left-footed pass 30 metres straight to the nearest guy’s feet. I turn to walk on and someone calls out in Polish. “Damn, I was too smart and now someone has taken offence.” I don’t understand Polish anyway, so I just keep on walking. He calls out again, this time in English, “Hey Australia.” I remember the Australian flag sewn onto the back of my pack. I turn and look at the guy. “Football, good player?” he questions. I nod and he points at my left leg. “Left good?” I nod again and he points to the field. “Play football”, he commands. “Okay”, I reply, realising that it is the first thing that I have said.
I’m wearing shorts and trainers anyway, so it’s not too difficult to play. I am given a yellow bib and shown the left side of midfield. A quick count of the players shows that it was 11 versus 10 until I arrived, so I am just evening up the teams. I don’t want to get into any more trouble, so I concentrate on getting the ball and giving a simple pass to a team-mate. A couple of tackles also win me the ball, but I pass it quickly before I lose it. These lads aren’t world superstars, so I’m not too much of a liability to my yellow-bibbed team-mates. Everyone seems to be getting tired, so it must be about to end soon. I’m about 25 yards from goal when the ball bounces my way and I think “What the hell, I’ll smack this one.” I hit a sweet left-footer right in the top corner and even I’m fairly chuffed at this effort.
There is a loud clapping of hands behind me and a large fellow, about 50 years old, exclaims something in Polish whilst looking in my direction. Then he calls out something else and all the players jog over to him. The first guy that I talked to motions me over as well. I stand there while he talks to the players, then he points at me and speaks more Polish. I shrug my shoulders and look to my English-speaking companion. “This our new manager, Mr Gorniak. He say you play tomorrow against Opava.” I shake my head saying “No”, but he continues, “Is friendly, any man play.” I nod my head in agreement. That seems to be that, the training is finished and everyone starts to leave.
The English-speaker comes over to me and offers his hand. “Me Adrian Klepczynski, you call me Klep. Hello”, I reply, “my name is Gavin Mathieson. He continues “Welcome to Radomsko. You stay my family tonight.” I never knock back free accommodation when it is offered, especially when I’m getting a bit on the skint side. We walk about a mile to Klep’s house where I met his family. They show me to a small, simply furnished room where I leave my pack and then we sit down to dinner together. I have a very enjoyable night as the family ask me lots of questions, Klep translates, I answer and he translates my answers back in Polish. Later on, Klep, his father and I knock back several shots of vodka and discuss the chances of RKS Radomsko for the upcoming season. I crash out in my little room around one o’clock and sleep very soundly.
4th July 2003:
The next day I wander around town while Klep is at work. I see a few of the lads from training the previous evening. They shake hands with me and say “Hello” which appears to be the only word of English they know. We laugh and grin at each other stupidly as there is nothing else we can say, then I wave to them and continue my walk around town. At six o’clock I meet Klep and we head down to the stadium. He has the same size feet as me, so he lends me an old pair of his football boots. We get changed and Mr Gorniak throws me the number eleven shirt. He gives me instructions which Klep translates. “Play left midfield, play like training yesterday, that very good.” I give Mr Gorniak a thumbs-up and then its outside to warm up before the friendly match against Opava.
I play out wide on the left, but I don’t see a lot of the ball in the first half. We are slightly the better team and our forwards create a couple of chances whilst our defence is fairly solid. Our attacking midfielder Kowalczyk looks dangerous when moving forward and he scores twice, once after 41 minutes with a low shot from the edge of the area, and secondly right on half-time with a close range shot. Early in the second half we concede a headed goal from a corner. The Opava full-back has been marking me well and he cuts out several passes made towards me. I have a couple of heading contests, but heading is not my best feature. I get one decent chance with the ball at my feet and I pass to Tomasiak who hits the post with his shot. We have a corner soon after and Kowalczyk heads it home for his hat-trick. After 65 minutes Mr Gorniak waves me to the sidelines and I am subbed by Lato. I sprawl out on the ground trying to get my breath back. I’m fairly knackered because it’s been about two years since I’ve played a proper match, but this has been great fun.
Radomsko 3-1 Opava Kowalczyk 41, 45, 62
12-08-2004, 12:13 PM
RKS Radomsko - My Education In Polish Football Post #2
The day after my first match started with a massive hangover. The players and supporters had celebrated at the stadium and later at a restaurant whose name in English was “The Peasant’s Feast”. At least the mounds of potato pancakes I had eaten had helped to absorb some of the alcohol. I had met a couple of people who spoke English and we had some good discussions. I wondered how the celebrations would go if Radomsko won the league, instead of just a friendly game.
6th July 2003:
Radomsko train 4 nights a week, so there was that to look forward to this evening. In the meantime, my days were free and I took the chance to acquaint myself with the town. My temporary hometown was working-man’s town, close to the coal mines and the main employer was a massive steelworks on the other side of town from the Klepczynski’s home. The townspeople obviously loved their football and were passionate about their team. I made a mental note not to treat the next couple of friendlies lightly before I moved on. The fans of Radomsko deserved my best efforts.
9th July 2003:
I’ve got rid of the stiffness in my legs from my first game five days earlier and I’m looking forward to our next friendly against Korona. Mr Gorniak has kept me working at left wing in training and I think he plans to use me for the remainder of the friendlies.
I start out wide on the left, but again most of our passing moves are through the centre of the park. There are not many chances created in the first half, but after 33 minutes Korona work a good move down their left and the cross is converted with a diving header from their centre-forward. We are struggling to get into the game during the second half and I see Lato warming up and getting ready to come on, so that should be the end of the match for me. However Kowalczyk has picked up a slight knock, so Lato swaps with me on the left wing and I am told to move into Kowalczyk’s position in the centre behind the two strikers. I’m immediately more involved in play, but there is little time to dwell on the ball. At 73 minutes we get a free-kick on the edge of the box and Klep heads the ball back across goal. It lands at my feet and as I go to turn a defender slides through me from behind and I fall to the ground. The whistle blows and the referee is pointing to the penalty spot. I pick up the ball and place it on the spot for the kicker, but no-one moves forward. Klep tells me to take the kick, so I step back and then side-foot the ball past the keeper. I resist the urge to run away in wild celebrations, but my team-mates all congratulate me. From this point on, neither side can produce the winning goal, so we both settle for the 1-1 draw.
Radomsko 1-1 Korona Mathieson 73 (pen)
13th July 2003:
Ruzomberok are the visitors for the third friendly of the season. They are a non-league team like the others that we have played recently. Klep tells me that he believes Mr Gorniak expects us to win this match to show that we are progressing with our plans for the season ahead.
After my performance in the slot behind the strikers last match, Mr Gorniak asks me to play there from the start today. I feel a bit lost in the centre as the play seems to bypass me a lot. I get a few touches, but nothing significant happens as Ruzomberok look more intent on defending. Early in the second half I forget my defensive duties at a corner for a moment and in my haste to get back and cover I get tangled with my opponent and he falls rather dramatically to the ground. The ref gives them a penalty and moments later we are 1-0 down. Lato is having a shocker on the left, so he is subbed off and I am directed out there. I feel better having a bit more room and ten minutes from the end Klep and I work a good passing move before Klep’s pass into the box is prodded in at the near post by Gawronski. Ruzomberok push hard for a winner as the game nears the end and we are defending desperately. A mistimed tackle get me a yellow card, although I don’t have a bloody clue what the ref says as he books me. Luckily the resulting free-kick goes wide and that is about the last noteworthy piece of action in the match.
Radomsko 1-1 Ruzomberok Gawronski 79
12-08-2004, 12:17 PM
RKS Radomsko - My Education In Polish Football Post #3
To complete training tonight we have a full-scale match for 45 minutes. As Lato and I both play left wing, we are placed on opposing teams. However Lato switches to the right midway through the game. He makes several harsh tackles on me, and then when I nutmeg him, he deliberately chops me down as I go past. I pick myself up straight away and confront him. He pushes me in the chest and I push him back. Before we can come to blows, we are pulled apart by team-mates. “Watch yourself, moron”, I yell. He probably says something similar to me in Polish. Luckily Mr Gorniak is not there at the time, or it may have been curtains on my short stay at Radomsko.
19th July 2003:
The final friendly of the pre-season will be a tough encounter. The visitors are Wisla Plock from Division 1 and they have claimed a UEFA Cup berth based on their league position last season.
We have our best start to a match yet this season and we are all over Wisla Plock. At 16 minutes our keeper Borkowski thumps a long clearance down the middle and their centre-half heads it straight to Klep. He hits a beautiful 30 yard pass first time into the path of Kowalczyk who is free behind the defence and he calmly pushes it under the advancing goalie. Straight from the kick-off we win back possession and Kowalczyk’s flicked header sends Gawronski clean through. Another piece of calm finishing and we are 2-0 up. I see Mr Gorniak pumping his fist in the air with delight. But Wisla Plock are not in the top division for nothing. The start to play the ball around and we are chasing them, not able to get any decent possession. Prokop makes a terrible blunder when he has a free-kick at the back and tries to pass it across the goal. His miskick falls in no-mans land between Borkowski and their centre-forward. In a race for the ball, Borkowski loses and it’s back to 2-1. It stays that way until half-time.
Within two minutes of the restart it is 2-2 as Nowak is outjumped at a corner and his opponent heads home. 53 minutes and we are behind as their speedy right winger makes it to the bye line and sends over a perfect cross which eludes our central defenders and finds a forward who heads it in at the far post. I then get my second booking in consecutive matches when my elbow is deemed to have been raised in a heading duel. At 69 minutes we get a rare corner on the left and it is my job to take it. There is a mass of players at the near post, but my kick goes over them and finds Klep at the far post. His header loops over the keeper and brings us level at 3-3. He runs over to me, grinning like a madman and we celebrate with the rest of the team. In the last 10 minutes both teams have a goal disallowed for offside. Folc has his goal ruled out after I am deemed to be offside, although I was on the far side and not interfering in my opinion. Wisla Plock’s offside goal was fairly obvious and is not hotly disputed. In the end we are very happy with our 3-3 draw.
After last nights game, Mr Gorniak asked Klep and I to return to the stadium today for a discussion. We go to his office and take a seat. Mr Gorniak says a little speech and places a four page document in front of me. I turn to Klep for the interpretation. “Mr Gorniak say you good player, he say you please sign contract, play for Radomsko.” I look at the paperwork in front of me and then back to Klep. “What does this say?” I ask him. He reads it for a minute or two, then replies, “Is like my contract. You play one year Radomsko, then you can go. If you want play one more year, Radomsko have first choice or can make transfer fee to new club.” So this was it – do I continue with my trek around Europe or do I commit myself to a year in southern Poland? I had come to Europe for adventure and to sample the lifestyles there. What better way then to become a temporary resident of a new country, to work and get paid to play football into the bargain. I pick up the pen and sign on the final page. We all stand and Mr Gorniak comes around from his side of the desk and gives me a big bear-hug which knocks the wind out of me. He laughs as I gasp for air, and then holds out his hand. We shake and he says in English, “Welcome to Radomsko.”
My new team-mates:
As we get ready for our first official match of the season, I’ve put together my impressions of my new team-mates here at RKS Radomsko in Polish Division 2.
Goalkeepers:
Tomasz Borkowski GK 27 First choice keeper who started at top league Legia Warszawa, but couldn’t break through there. Fourth season here for the dependable club captain.
Krzysztof Kozik GK 21 Backup keeper in his first season after signing from fellow 2nd Division side Aluminium. Will challenge Borkowski and looks one for the future.
Marcin Markiewicz GK 29 Third choice keeper and wants to move on. Is currently on the transfer list and will only play in an emergency.
Defenders:
Artur Prokop SW/D RC 30 Solid, if not spectacular, centre-half in his fourth season and should perform consistently all year.
Artur Kowalski SW/D C 31 Another dour defender, has spent his entire career at Radomsko and will be a regular this season.
Artur Lamch D RC 33 The third of the defensive Arturs and from the same mould as the previous two. Second season here and will finish up his playing career soon.
Marcin Nowak D RC 24 Nowak is a younger version of his three central defensive contemporaries who is in his sixth season. Should figure regularly.
Adrian Klepczynski D/DM RC 21 My new friend Klep can play in defence or midfield. Mr Gorniak uses him as a defensive midfielder and his reading of the game is excellent. Third season for this home-town boy.
Robert Kurek D/DM RC 31 Backup defender about whom little is known. I don’t think I’ve ever heard him say anything.
Krzysztof Smolinski D RL 24 Full-back in his first season from lower league Hetman. Mr Gorniak plays a 3-2-3-2 system, so full-backs don’t get much time on the park. May provide cover for the wingers.
Lukasz Chmielewski D L 21 Reserve team player who will struggle to step up to the seniors. Not expected to get much game time.
Midfielders:
Michal Osinski DM R 24 New signing from non-league Siarka, but may not be up to the task. Provides cover on the right of midfield.
Damian Wicher DM LC 20 Another reserve player yet to make the grade. Has requested a transfer and will be allowed to leave if a bid comes in.
Rafal Dopierala DM C 25 In the sixth season of his second spell at the club. Backup for Klep and Leszczynski and will not disappoint when called upon.
Zdzislaw Leszczynski DM C 34 A long career is coming to an end. Totally professional journeyman who tackles hard and runs tirelessly for the team and is surprisingly gifted as a banjo-player at after-match get-togethers.
Dariusz Filipczak M RL 29 Currently transfer-listed after falling out with Mr Gorniak during the first training session of the season. Personal problems with drinking are said to be the root of his troubles. Likely reserve player only.
Jaroslaw Lato M L 26 Was a regular on the left of midfield last season which was his first at the club. I’m not his favourite player and he will take my position as soon as he can. Solid, but can be predictable at times.
Rafal Balecki AM RC 22 Broke through at the end last season with 6 games and 2 goals. Can do the unexpected. May well become a regular this season.
Bogdan Jozwiak AM RC 33 Veteran midfielder who started at top league Widzew Lodz, but was badly injured. Returned with Radomsko and is in his seventh season. Hard-working team man and will start on the right of midfield.
Andrzej Dziuba AM L 19 Left winger who was the club’s youngest ever player. Brilliant first season at 16 years of age, but lost his place to Lato last year. Ready for a comeback, but has to get past myself and Lato in the pecking order.
Gavin Mathieson AM/F L 20 That’s me, recently-arrived Australian wunderkind. Not really, actually I’m so surprised to be here and I’m treating this as a big adventure. Naturally left-sided and I can whip in a mean cross.
Jacek Berensztajn AM C 29 (1 cap) First season at the club and just recovering from a knee reconstruction. A stint in Austria in the mid-90’s saw him win an international cap, but his career has been downhill from there. Unpredictable.
Forwards:
Mariusz Gawronski F RLC 23 Technically gifted forward, but lacking in pace. Late arrival into football and is ready to become a regular in his third season. Also the practical joker of the club. I’ve already had the toes cut out of my socks.
Radoslaw Kowalczyk F RC 30 Last season’s top scorer who is at his best playing behind the strikers. Agile, pacy and dangerous to the opposition when running from midfield. Should be excellent in his fourth season.
Sebastian Tomasiak F C 24 Backup striker who has been on the brink of regular football for the last three seasons. Will get plenty of games this year.
Marcin Folc S C 21 Expected regular in his fifth season. Not a prolific scorer, but does get plenty of assists and is a great team player.
Lukasz Smialek S C 21 Reserve striker who may go on loan to gain first-team experience.
Cezary Stefanczyk S C 19 Another young striker, similar to Folc in style and looks to be good in the air. May get a few games as the season goes on.
Przemyslaw Wegier S C 21 Yet another reserve striker who is looking for a loan stint to gain first-team experience.
12-09-2004, 02:35 PM
RKS Radomsko - My Education In Polish Football Post #5
A function is held at the stadium to celebrate the start of the new season. My new home stadium is called Brzeznicka and it has a capacity of 5,000 with seating for 3,500. There are about 2,000 people in the main stand this evening. The players are introduced to the fans and presented with their jerseys for the upcoming season. I am presented with the number 19 jersey and I feel slightly embarrassed by the cheers that I receive from the supporters. The club chairman Mr Sliwakowski makes a rather long-winded speech which we all have to put up with. Later on, officials, players and supporters all mingle together on the pitch. There is vodka, schnapps and beer for all, but we players have to be restrained as we have the first round of the Polish FA Cup in a couple of days. People talk to me, even though I can’t speak Polish, and I reply in English, which they can’t understand, but it is all good-natured and humorous. I am starting to feel like a native of Radomsko already.
22nd July 2003:
Hutnik are based in Krakow, Poland’s third largest city and 120 kilometres to the south of Radomsko. They are in the regional league below Division 2, having been relegated 2 seasons earlier. The players are feeling tense during the 2 hour bus ride as this is our first serious match of the season. My stomach is churning as we arrive at the Hutnik stadium.
We have the line-up that Mr Gorniak has played in the last couple of friendlies. The nerves are still showing as Hutnik settle quicker than us and we are suddenly 2-0 down in the first 15 minutes. Lamch loses the ball on the right and a cross is headed in by their tall striker. Only a couple of minutes later Klep is booked for a late tackle and the resulting free-kick is headed in by the same lanky player. After 24 minutes we win our first corner and I go over to try an in-swinger from the right. Folc meets it at the near post with a glancing header and it flies into the net. 1-2 and our nerves are settled by the goal. But only 3 minutes later Kowalski and keeper Borkowski get in a terrible mix-up and Kowalski knocks the ball in for an own-goal. Borkowski then has to make two great saves before half-time to stop the score blowing out further.
The half-time break seems to have taken the momentum out of Hutnik’s play and we are evenly matched in the first period of the second half. At 59 minutes Klep makes up for his contribution to their second goal with a lovely cross-field ball to Jozwiak who is cutting in from the right. He controls it on the edge of the box and hits a sweet low shot past their keeper. Hutnik are stunned and Gawronski presses home the advantage with a bustling run down the right wing. Suddenly he is inside the last defender and he looks up for someone to cross to. I have come in from the left and his cross finds me on the penalty spot. It’s on my right side, but I volley it cleanly and keeper doesn’t even have time to dive. It is 3-3 and we all run to Gawronski to congratulate him for his superb set-up play. There is still 30 minutes to go and both teams want to get to get a winner, but the 90 minutes eventually arrives without another clear chance being created. Both sides gratefully accept the breather before extra-time begins. We are both more scared of losing then risking going for a winner and the first 15 minutes is suddenly over. 3 minutes into the second period I intercept a pass from their tiring full-back. I don’t feel capable of running far, but I see Gawronski with his arm raised, moving into the centre. I chip the ball in and Gawronski takes his time to pick his spot before powering a header into the top corner. We lead 4-3 and we manage to play out the last period of play without incident to win the match and move through to the next round of the cup. Gawronski is deservedly man of the match for excellent performance.
Polish FA Cup 1st Round
Hutnik 3-4 Radomsko (after extra time) Folc 24, Jozwiak 59, Mathieson 61, Gawronski 108
23rd July 2003:
I meet Klep, Folc and Balecki at the canteen of the steelworks where they are all employed. During their lunch-break, the draw for the 2nd round of the Polish FA Cup is made and it is televised by State television. All 14 teams from Division 1 join the 18 remaining teams as the 16 ties are drawn. Midway through we are drawn first as a home team and then our opponents follow. It is Zaglebie, who are in Division 2 with us. Klep tells me that they are the early season favourites to win Division 2, so a tough game is expected. If we win this game, we have the 3rd round to follow 4 days later.
When we get to training that night, Mr Gorniak announces that we have another friendly to play. Earlier in the day, Division 1 side Lech Poznan had called as their friendly planned for Saturday had fallen through, so that gives us a game this weekend instead of a break.
26th July 2003:
I have been selected on the bench for today’s friendly against Lech Poznan. Having started every game, I actually feel annoyed that I am not selected to begin, although it will probably mean I will be fresher for our FA Cup game. However there are several other changes to give some of the fringe players a game.
Lech Poznan has won all their friendlies so far and they are fitter and faster than us. Kowalski is caught dwelling on the ball after 15 minutes and loses possession. Lamch attempts to win the ball back with a desperate tackle, but only directs the ball into another forward’s path and he drills it past our keeper. We don’t see a lot of the ball for the remainder of the first half. Lech underline their superiority with a dynamic move that cuts our defence to shreds and leaves Borkowski stranded as the ball is tapped into an empty net two minutes before the break.
It’s 0-2 at half-time and Mr Gorniak is not happy. I’m glad that I don’t understand Polish as he gives the team his first bollocking of the year. We start much better in the second half and we are now giving Lech Poznan a run for their money. At 58 minutes we execute a perfect counter-attack as a Lech corner is cleared to Folc on the left. He hits a beautiful cross-field pass to Tomasiak who runs through to the edge of the box and clips it over the advancing goalie. I replace Lato at 66 minutes and I’m itching to get a run at their tiring defenders. Balecki comes on to the right wing at the same time and he creates our equaliser at 74 minutes with a lovely jinking run before sliding it through to Berensztajn who slams it past the keeper from twelve yards. I think that we deserve a draw based on our second half performance, but Lech show their first division pedigree with a classy move that is topped off with their substitute striker rounding Borkowski and pushing the winning goal into a unguarded net eight minutes from time.
Radomsko 2-3 Lech Poznan Tomasiak 58, Berensztajn 74
12-09-2004, 03:24 PM
RKS Radomsko - My Education In Polish Football Post #6
I’m starting to come to terms with the daily going-ons of being a member of a semi-professional league football team. Word of my push-and-shove match with Lato 2 weeks ago has reached Mr Gorniak’s office. At the same time, an enquiry was received from another club regarding Lato’s availability for a transfer. Klep tells me that Radomsko were prepared to sell Lato, except that the clubs couldn’t agree on a fee. He said that my arrival had made the decision to transfer Lato a possibility. Now Lato will have double the reasons to dislike me. Not only has he lost his first-team place, but he has now missed out on a transfer as well.
2nd August 2003:
It is a quiet start to the match. Nothing of note until 25 minutes when Lamch’s long ball is flicked on by Gawronksi and Folc nips in front of his marker to crash the ball against the post from 12 yards out. The rebound falls to a defender who panics and slices his clearance straight up in the air. Folc gratefully accepts the second chance and slams the ball home. We are playing really well and Zaglebie are not in the game, but we cannot extend our lead. We reach half-time leading 1-0.
I haven’t seen much of the ball in the first half, but it is out on the left regularly during the second period. Joswiak crashes onto his shoulder early in the second half, injuring himself, so Balecki comes on. He continues his recent fine form with several good runs down the right wing. At 58 minutes Balecki cheekily back-heels the ball into the path of Kowalczyk who holds off his marker and scores with a low shot at the near post. It’s 2-0 and victory is just about assured several minutes later when Gawronski is hauled to the ground in a rugby tackle by the last defender as he is about to be clean through. The referee shows the Zaglebie defender the red card. At 70 minutes Kowalski sends a beautiful 40 yard pass out to me on the left wing. I have plenty of space to run with the ball and as the defence moves across to cover me, Folc is left free. I slide a pass through to him and he fires it home from 10 yards. 3-0 and we are through to the next round of the cup.
Polish FA Cup 2nd Round
Radomsko 3-0 Zaglebie Folc 25, 70, Kowalczyk 58
3rd August 2003:
It’s Sunday, the day after our cup win. The players meet at Brzeznicka to watch the draw for the 3rd round of the Polish FA Cup. This time we are drawn away. Our opponents are Unia Skierniewice, who are the giant-killers from the previous round. They are a non-league side, but they beat Division 1 team Wisla Plock 4-1. We had met Wisla Plock in an earlier friendly and drawn 3-3. Despite this, the mood of the players is one of quiet confidence. If we can win this game, we will have reached the quarter-finals of the cup, which is no mean feat for a club of our size.
6th August 2003:
This time we travel north 100 kilometres to the town of Skierniewice, which is very similar in size and population to Radomsko. Their small stadium is already nearly full as we arrive 90 minutes before kick-off and head off to the visitors dressing-room.
Mr Gorniak changes his usual 3-2-3-2 formation to 4-1-3-2 to give us more cover at the back. Klepczynski is moved to left-back which means that I may not have to do as much defending as I have in my earlier games. There are about 4,000 people in the crowd, more than I have ever played in front of before. The home fans are making a lot of noise, but in one corner a group of several hundred people wearing the blue and yellow of Radomsko are trying to match them. The locals have something to cheer about first as they take the lead after 13 minutes. Prokop appears to be held of the ball, allowing a clear run for their second striker who scores with ease. But 3 minutes later, Jozwiak finds Folc who curls the ball in from the edge of the penalty area. At 19 minutes we lead 2-1 as Lamch overlaps down the right and crosses to the near post where Folc gets a slight touch. It is enough to divert the ball away from my marker and I am able to slide in at the far post to prod the ball home. That has silenced the home fans. We are playing well now and we extend the lead to 3-1 just before half-time when Folc runs onto my through ball and slides it under the Unia keeper.
As the second half begins, I think that one more goal for us should kill of the challenge of Unia. Kowalczyk takes us to a 4-1 lead when he volleys in Gawronski’s cross after 55 minutes. With 25 minutes to go Mr Gorniak brings on Smolinski and Dziuba and I push up into Gawronski’s forward role. Mr Gorniak obviously sees this as the chance to try out a couple of other players. But the substitutions upset the rhythm of our play and Unia’s Nigerian striker scores twice in four minutes with a close range shot and a header from a corner. The score is back to 4-3 and the Unia fans are urging their team on. At 71 minutes a long clearance finds me on the left and a quick counter-attack is on. I loft a long pass to the right and Folc takes it on his chest, slips past his marker and rifles it into the net. That seems to put an end to Unia’s challenge and we control the rest of the match to run out 5-3 winners.
Polish FA Cup 3rd Round
Unia Skierniewice 3-5 Radomsko Folc 16, 40, 71, Mathieson 19, Kowalczyk 55
7th August 2003:
There are several hundred people at our Brzeznicka stadium on Thursday to celebrate our cup win from the previous day and to see who we draw in the quarter-finals. All eyes are glued to the television screen as the draw is made.
Lower League Odra Opole draw Division 1 Legia Warszawa
Division 1 Groclin Grodzisk draw Division 2 Arka Gdynia Division 2 RKS Radomsko draw Lower League Korona Kielce
Division 1 Wisla Krakow draw Lower League Slask Wroclaw
We now have to wait until October for the quarter-finals. These games are played over two legs. The players are all extremely happy with draw and as we celebrate, there is much talk (so I’m told by Klep) of us going all the way to the final.
12-11-2004, 04:29 PM
RKS Radomsko - My Education In Polish Football Post #10
Tomorrow we begin our league matches. There are 18 teams in Division 2 which means a 34 match league season. The top 2 teams are automatically promoted to Division 1 whilst there is a two-legged playoff between third from top and third from bottom in Division 1 for the final place. At the other end of the table, there is relegation for the bottom 4 teams down to non-league regional football.
9th August 2003:
Our opponents on the opening day of the league are Aluminium from the city of Konin, 120 to the north-west of Radomsko. We are in good spirits after the Polish FA Cup matches and I sense that everyone is confident of a successful season ahead.
Aluminium fire in a couple of long rang efforts early on, but Borkowski is not troubled. However, that is no longer the case at 20 minutes when Kowalski is booked for his challenge on the edge of the box and the Aluminium captain curls his free-kick over the wall and into the top corner. We are a goal down and struggling to get into the match. Gawronski takes a knock and has to be subbed by Tomasiak. We battle to contain the opposition and go in at half-time just 1-0 down. Jozwiak has not been good on the right of midfield, so he is replaced by Balecki. Mr Gorniak tells me to get more involved or I will be subbed shortly as well. He is not very happy.
Aluminium are still playing confidently at the start of the second half, but then we get a lucky break when Kowalski’s long clearance skids past a defender and Tomasiak is clear on the right. He crosses to the near post and Folc scores with a magnificent scissors-kick from 12 yards out. 1-1 at 55 minutes, but we are still second best at the moment. Mr Gorniak decides that my contribution to the match is over and I am subbed by Dziuba at 63 minutes. With 10 minutes to go there is a massive scramble between several players in our penalty area and an opponent goes flying to the ground. A penalty is awarded and Klep is booked for protesting his innocence. Borkowski throws himself to his left to stop the penalty, then gets up and acrobatically palms away the rebound shot for a corner. Aluminium’s frustration at not taking the lead reduces their superiority. A second yellow card and consequent sending off for one of their defenders means that we are able to hold on for the draw.
We have a second away game, this time against LKS of Lodz. This means a short bus trip 70 kilometres to the north and a chance for many of our fans to come to this local clash. Balecki has suffered a bad groin injury at training and will miss a couple of months, so Klepczynski shows his versatility by playing right midfield and Smolinski comes in at left-back.
The game is only 10 minutes old when our defensive midfielder Leszczynski is injured, so Klep drops back to the holding role and Jozwiak comes on to the right. We continue our habit of conceding the first goal in a match when LKS score at 30 minutes following an error by Prokop. But in injury time at the end of the first half Kowalczyk runs onto Gawronski’s headed flick and calmly slots it under the keeper to make it 1-1.
As we start the second half, I feel that a certain fluency is finally coming into our play. Kowalczyk is a having a blinder in his attacking midfield role and he has two goals disallowed for offside as we start to press home our superior play. The midfield and defence are starting to give myself and Jozwiak plenty of ball on the wings and we have LKS chasing us all over the park. Finally, at 82 minutes, we get the reward that our play deserves as Klep slides an inch-perfect pass into the path of Kowalczyk and he side-steps the keeper and slots in the winner. After the match Leszczynski may have a sore leg, but that doesn’t stop his enthusiasm as he dedicates a banjo solo to man of the match Kowalczyk on the bus journey home.
RKS Radomsko - My Education In Polish Football 
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