"Schuetz-ae-wiese! Schuetz-ae-wiese!" - It's a regular chant heard from the Winterthur faithful at home games. Before I became a Winti fan, I'd never heard of the name of the ground being incorporated into a fan chant or a song (Winti have done both). I still don't know of any other team doing this so the Schuetzi is obviously well-loved by the fans.
So what is it about the ground? Well, as everyone knows, you can't beat a Spaceman!
It's no Bernebau or even Gigg Lane Stadium, but it also isn't an awful multi-sport facility where binoculars are needed to watch your football. It's a traditional, purpose-built football ground, and what's more it's the only purpose-built football ground in Canton Zurich.
The nearest behind-goal terrace to the main entrance is the domain of the noisiest home fans, starting with the Sirup-Kurve. The Sirup-Kurve is a mini-stand for the clubs younger supporters. It's equipped with drums, bells and whistles to get them making noise. We like to train them early in Winti!
Moving along the terrace, the main Winti fan-groups each have their own traditional areas, starting with the Fanatics, then the Seemer Jungs and finally the Bierkurve. Most of the noise comes from this terrace and also be on the lookout for some "Choreo". Winti fans are some of the more inventive in the Swiss Leagues and often prepare great choreographed routines for the entrance of the teams.
In the far corner of the Bierkurve, you come to Salon Erika and that Spaceman. Salon Erika is a unique "art-meets-football" Salon situated in the ground. Its a bit hard to describe, but we like it!
The first long terrace has two tiers, and is home to another fan-group, the Ost-Block. At the end of the Ost-Block terrace you come to the Sulzer Hochhaus, a 26 storey, 90m high-rise that dominates the ground. We affectiontionately know it as the suicide tower. A facility every ground needs to provide fans for that match when they are 0 : 4 down at home, down to ten men and the rain is driving in your face!
The terrace behind the far goal is the domain of our visitors. I can't say too much about it as I've never been there, apart from mentioning an amusing incident when a home-streaker saw the very empty visitors' terrace as his means of escape from perusing security guards. Unfortunately he failed to vault the fence having already thrown his clothes bags over and was nicked in rather embarrassing fashion. He got a straight 10 for planning, but lost it all in the execution I'm afraid!
Tour over and we're back at the Libero bar near the main entrance. This is the social centre of the club, where there's always banter, music and the beer required for precise post-game analysis in the "Dritte Halbzeit" (Third half of the match). The analysis can go on long into the night!
Eating
Anyone who has read this blog before will realize that I've covered FC Winterthur somewhat differently to the other clubs we have visited. No points scores for Winterthur nor is any particular match covered. The fact is that I watch Winterthur every time that I can, home or away so choosing a match seemed strange and when it comes to points, well, I'm biased!
But when it comes to food, I can honestly say that in terms of choice, Winti knock anyone else into a cocked hat! and the quality isn't bad either!
Beer and sausage is a staple diet at all German and Swiss football grounds. Winti offer three types of sausage, not including hot-dogs. Thuringer is a long, thin German pork sausage; the Olma-style Bratwurst is a local veal sausage and then there's cerevalats if you fancy something a little more spicy. They are all cooked freshly in front of you and are delicious. A sausage with bread will cost about 5-6 SFr.
Then we move to pizza. A pizza van with a built in wood oven cooks pizzas for you just like you'd get at the local pizzeria. They are 12 Francs each with toppings any combination of cheese, ham, mushroom and pineapple.
Pork is something I would heartily recommend to eat in any German-speaking nation. They are simply better at pork than the English. At Winti, there are pork skewers basted in herb butter and served with a bread roll as well as a ciabatta stuffed with pork with a sauce of you choice. Both are great and 10 Francs or less.
You can add to this burgers and even fish and chips. Loads of choice at reasonable prices. As is the beer, at 5 Francs a pint, cheaper than you'll get in town.
Getting There
The Schützenwiese is a short walk from Winterthur main station. Simply go through the main subway under the station and when you come up the other side, walk staight on past St. Paul's church. Look left as you pass the church and you will see floodlights. Go there! Another landmark for the stadium is, of course the suicide tower (Sulzer Hochhaus). Head for that!
From the Töss end of town (Ibis hotel), it takes about 15 minutes on foot. Walk towards the city centre. Look for the Sulzer Hochhaus. The Schützenwiese is signposted, but go to the Hochhaus and you are there.
Winterthur, the City
Were it not for the lack of a major stretch of water, be it a lake or a river, Winterthur would be featuring much more on the tourists' agenda for Switzerland. But we're not complaining. Sure, tourists bring in revenue, but they make the place noisier and more untidy too!
Winti boasts a very large predestrianized area in the centre of town stretching from the station all the way through the pretty old town. Eating out is pricey but much cheaper than its illustrious neighbour, Zürich. A decent restaurant meal will cost 20 to 50 SFr a head.
Take-aways are available all over town. I'd recommend Döner Kebabs (they are better then you get in England) and traditional German take-aways like Bretzels and sausages. A kebab will cost around 12 SFr with Bretzels and sausages coming in under 8 SFr.
When it comes to the nightlife, Winti has plenty of bars. Try Paddy O'Brien's Irish bar, not far from the station for a wide range of beers, although a little on the pricey side. There are plenty of clubs with the Salzhaus, near the station topping my list.
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