Tammelan Stadion (old)

Ground: Tammelan Stadion (old)

Visits: 1

Date: 25th June 2019

Match: Ilves - Kokkolan PV 4-2 (Veikkausliiga)

Attendance: 4 882

In 2024 the redeveloped Tammelan Stadion was finally ready.

The main match on this tour was Ilves v Kokkolan Pallo-Veikot (KPV) at Tammelan Stadion in Tampere. Seven years ago, as I along with my friend Maik was waiting for a train to Jyväskylä, I actually visited Tammelan Stadion. I really liked the ground and it has been on my “to do” list since then. My day started in Kotka though and after two hours by bus (to Helsinki) and the 1h 45 min by train I arrived in Tampere shortly after 2pm. My hotel was next to the station and after checking-in I then made the short walk to Tammelan Stadion. Apart from the colour of the seats I don´t think the ground has changed at all since my visit seven years ago. Tammelan Stadion was opened in 1933 and has an official capacity of 5,050. At the moment four different teams are playing at the ground and the grass pitch has difficulties to cope with that many games. There are plans to redevelop the ground into a modern football ground (with an artificial pitch) but as I understand it those works won´t start until next year at the earliest. I took a few pictures of the ground at its current state before having a very late lunch at a nearby restaurant.

KPV, who won the title in 1969, are in Veikkausliiga for the first time in 30 years but they are currently bottom of the table and will have to fight hard to avoid relegation. Ilves on the other hand are one of five clubs within two points at the top. Ilves won the title in 1983 and is a well supported club. I was back at the ground 50 minutes before kick-off and enjoyed seeing so many fans outside the ground. The official attendance was given as 4,882 but I doubt that many were inside the ground. The visitors from Kokkola were supported by 15-20 fans and in the 12th minute they could celebrate. By half-time Ilves had equalized though. The second half started with a bang, three goals in six minutes. 1-2 (47), 2-2 (49) and then 3-2 in the 53rd minute. 20 minutes later Ilves scored again to win 4-2. The top of the Veikkausliiga table is now even tighter and it will be interesting to see who will lift the trophy in October. I finished off my day with a delicious dinner at an Italian restaurant before returning to my room where I quickly fell asleep.