16 Czechoslovakians #16 Vysočina Jihlava

Last weekend’s groundhop was a rare solo venture on a Friday night, primarily due to a weekend of various work commitments. Given those commitments, I was unable to stick around in Jihlava for too long, though the brevity of my visit to both the city and the stadium didn’t diminish its impression on me.

 

I headed straight from work to Zvonařka to catch the bus to Jihlava – a journey of around an hour and a half that seemed to fly by. To my delight there was still plenty of daylight to appreciate the glory of the Moravian countryside as it turned into Vysočinian (that’s probably wrong but please humour me) countryside. The bus even went past the ground of third tier side Velké Meziříčí – a club I hope to tick off in the not too distant future.

 I’d made it to Jihlava with just over an hour until kick-off, and instead of heading to the nearest pub, I went for a little stroll instead. Given the bus station’s proximity to the ground, it made sense to check out the surroundings before heading there. It was a pleasant if chilly stroll through various parks, the hockey stadium, a statue of Tomáš Masaryk and a Lidl.

 

Okay, so I don’t have much to say about the city beyond the general aesthetic, but it was pleasant enough. I’d spent the bulk of the trip inside the stadium, which was mightily impressive – from the gargantuan floodlights to the strangest stand I think I’ve ever seen in football. Given its location in the highlands, the temperature dropped pretty quickly in a short space of time.

I’d love to say it was worth sitting through, but the game as a spectacle was a drab goalless affair against fellow mid-table side MFK Chrudim. While it was nice to have the Czech second tier back, a goal would have been nice.

 

All that said, it was certainly worth the visit, even if it was only a brief one. The ground would easily slot into my top five favourites that I’ve seen a game in, and hopefully I’ll be back in the near future.

 

Who are ya?

Jihlava’s journey began in 1948, with the club donning the PAL Jihlava moniker for their first season. Various names followed, such as Sokol Motorpal Jihlava (1949-53) and Spartak Jihlava (1953-93), before a merger with SK Jihlava saw the club become PSJ Motorpal Jihlava in 1995. This was to change for a final time in 2000, as the club became FC Vysočina Jihlava.

 

Before independence, the club had only plied its trade in the lower leagues, with the club occupying the Moravian-Silesian Football League (the third tier) from 1993 to 2000, when the club marked its name change with a promotion by finishing 2^nd.

 

Their stay in the second tier would last five years, before the club gained a first promotion to the top flight, again finishing 2^nd. 2005-06, however, saw an immediate return to the second tier, despite the club’s best efforts to make the magnificent Stadion v Jiráskově ulici suitable for top tier football. 2004 also saw the club reach the semi-finals of the Czech Cup – the furthest it has ever gone in the competition.

The club would finish around the upper reaches of the second tier over the course of six seasons, until they gained promotion again in 2012, finishing 2^nd once again. This time their stay in the top tier would be five seasons, with the fifth season culminating in another 15^th place finish.

 

Despite a 2^nd place finish in 2018, it wasn’t enough for an immediate return this time. Since this relegation, Jihlava have been a solidly mid-table side in the second tier, though if any stadium is worth visiting in Czech Republic, it’s most definitely Jihlava. Perhaps the better times are just around the corner.