Grovelling apologeeez for the late posting of this U19s game, which woz played one week ago in Brussels, but this IZ The Geordie Times, wot did yoo expect!😵💫⬇️
Ground number 375 (376 includin Motspur Park from ootside)
Date of first visit: 1st October 2025
Stade Joseph Marien, Forest, Brussels, Belgium
Royal Union Saint-Gilloise U19s 2
Newcastle United U19s 0
UEFA Youth League game 2
Attendance: 1,500 (estimated). 50 or so Toon fans (plus 20 or so watchin from a fire escape on a big hoose owerlookin the groond and from behind a fence bordering a forest!)
“YOU NEEDED A MASTERS DEGREE TO BUY A TICKET FOR THIS GAME!”
USGs forst team arn't allowed to play Champions Leegue games at their own stadium az it isnt deemed suitable by UEFA, with just one 100 year old dilapidated main stand, with the rest of the groond open to the elements!
This iz why wor game against them woz played at Anderlecht's Lotto Park on the other side of Brussels!
However!---there were nee such issues with their U19s UEFA Youth Leegue game bein played there v NUFC U19s, some 4 hours before the main game!
This woz great new for 'The NUFC mad-sad groundhoppers' who had been to Anderlecht before to watch The Toon, but have NEVER been to the Joseph Marien Stadium in the Forest district on the southside of Brussels!
The anly problem woz actually gettin a fcukin ticket for the game!
To get one you had to:
1: Create an accoont on their website
2: Enter a 10 digit password usin letters, numbers and astericks
3: You needed to photograph your passport in front of you IF you could find the Onfido option to verify its YOU! (Photos of your passport were NOT deemed good enough!)
4: Then you needed to download it to your wallet IF it would let you!?
(I had to get help from somebody who iz clued up on these things (Steev) az I havvint got a masters degree in ticketing!
But even he took 20 minutes to find the Onfido option to download it to mee 'telling bone'!---📱 "Horray!"
Honestly! it would be easier to buy a ticket for the Champions Leegue final than for this Under 19s game! (Why did they make it so fcukin hard to buy a ticket for a minor game?)
Anyway!---enough of that!
We stopped in a hotel in Kortrijk, which iz a smaall town a few miles away, az it woz much cheaper than the hotels in Brussels (100 euros for 2 neets) --- (Brussels iz a shithole anyway!)
After arrivin by train to Brussels Sud (South) we got a tram to Forest, where USG play and wor forst 'port o call' woz a bar near the groond caalled 'Pita Corner', before movin on to 'Union's Taverne' ower the road from the main stand, which woz covered in scaffoldin'!
The bar woz canny full with a mixture of USG and Toon fans (who must of aall had masters degrees!)
It woz soon time to heed to the match, where a gadgy checked wor phone tickets with a scanner and 'hey presto' we were in the groond!
The groond consisted of a dilapidated 99 year old main stand (built 1926) with open terracin on the far side and bucket seat terracin behind both goals, which had nee cover eethaa!---Its hard to imagine that this iz the home groond of the Belgian champions!? (see photos) There woz a forest suroondin the terracin' which iz why this area of Brussels iz caalled 'Forest' —we assumed!?
We took wor seats which were simple wooden planks on conrete terracin' and I had a great view of a metal roof post in front of me! (see top photo!)
It didnt take the home side lang to open the scorin, when in the 6th minute Hamoutahar evaded the challenge of Toon defender Scott Bailey to run into the box and fire into the net, to give USG youngins the lead!---
Sean Neave nearly levelled things a few minutes later, but hiz lobbed effort woz saved by the Union goalie!---Anthony Munda aalso went close to equalisin, but hiz shot woz blocked by a defender!
It woz mostly USG on the attack for the rest of the half az wor U19s stuggled to contain them!
SPOT THE THIN PLANK 'SEATS'
The crowd numbered aboot 1,500, mixed with USG, Toon fans and USG club staff, who were aall in the ancient stand ---and the anly other 'spectators' were 14 or so on a fire escape of a large hoose on the hill above the groond!---Plus half a dozen or so in the forest behind, glimsing a view of the action from behind a fence! ⬇️
In stoppage time of the forst half USG doubled their lead when Kieta heeded past George Mier in wor goal! HT 2-0 to them!
NUFC U19s played better in the 2nd period with Sean Neave running doon the pitch to hit a sweet shot that woz deflected behind for a corner early on!
Neave then hit the post late on with a curling shot, but it deflected to safety and wor hosts held oot for the 2-0 win!
On the final whistle we caught a tram and Metro to Anderlecht for the main Champions Leegue game, which kicked off some 3 hours after this one finished!
A match report on that game can be foond lookin for 'ground 143 revisited'!
PS: NUFC U21s are in action tooneeet v Boston United at their Jakemans Stadium in The National Leegue Cup!
Az The NUFC mad-sad groundhoppers have been here before, we won’t be gannin!
(We anly gan to these games if it’s a groond we havvint previously visited!)
