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Before visiting Prague, I realized that I had never really paid attention to the logo of the local Bohemians. The name itself is one thing. There is also a club in Dublin with the same name. But the fact that I had somehow missed the kangaroo in the logo surprises even me, because I generally consider myself a pretty observant guy, especially when it comes to football-related matters.
It is a fascinating story. In 1927, the team went on a tour of Australia, where they were given two live kangaroos. Unfortunately, the animals did not survive the journey back to Europe. The logo, however, has remained unchanged to this day, almost a hundred years after that tour.
“Stadium” is probably a slightly generous term for a ground called Ďolíček. It is more like a somewhat larger football pitch, with one proper stand and a residential block on the opposite side. During the match, there were supporters in scarves standing on several balconies, watching the game with considerable interest, while also wearing slippers and paying nothing for the privilege.
The narrow spacing between the rows of seats, and between the seats themselves, significantly reduces the comfort of watching the match. Even more irritating, however, is the constant traffic between the stand and the small outlets underneath it, because every few moments someone is either going for beer or coming back with beer. Well, this is the Czechia, after all.
The match did end with the least desirable scoreline in football, but it was not short of emotions. There was even blood. One of the home defenders suffered a painful head injury and for a few minutes looked like a soldier from Poland’s old Military Internal Service, which was nicknamed “the Bandages” because of the distinctive white rims on their caps. The injury turned out to be more serious, however, and soon afterwards the player had to leave the pitch, accompanied by loud applause from the crowd. It always fills me with a certain optimism when spectators appreciate heart, and often blood, left on the pitch.
There were also some verbal exchanges between the local ultras and the travelling supporters, although I found it difficult to understand what exactly the issue was. It has to be said that the black-clad Hradec Králové fans came to the Czech capital in decent numbers and did not spare their voices. They had no access to beer, though, so in a sense they were somewhat disadvantaged.
Before the match, I bought myself a green shirt with the kangaroo logo on it, and I will proudly wear it from time to time, although probably not on the streets of Hradec Králové.
