Salzburg Liebe: Ascending in Austria

Words: Mike Bayly

Images: Mike Bayly

I had modest ambitions as a teenager. Find a white-collar job, play football recreationally, and raise a family on a new-build estate near the Merry Hill shopping centre in the West Midlands.

Fast forward to middle-age and those adolescent dreams were never realised. I often ponder what this once aspirational future might have been like. Would it have made me fulfilled? Probably not.

I’ve always had a profound sense that life falls short of expectations whatever path we take. I can’t be alone in this.

The German language even has a word for this world-weariness: Weltschmerz.

Having reconciled myself with an unattainable state of perpetual fulfilment, I make a point of partaking in activities that offer existential respite.

Few things provide greater pleasure than documenting European football culture. Particularly in Salzburg State, Austria. My recent visit – the third in six months – has seen my relationship with this part of the country blossom from casual acquaintance to full-blown love affair.

©Mike Bayly/ Terrace Edition. SC Bad Hofgastein vs FC Kaprun.

Salzburg’s principal attraction (to a football photographer at least - classical music and baroque architecture enthusiasts may disagree) are the dozens of spectacular lower-level football grounds scattered across the alpine region.

Below the Bundesliga and 2.Liga, the Austrian pyramid is regionalised. Within these semi-professional and amateur leagues are some of the most stupendous football venues in Europe.

With fixtures often scheduled on different days and at different times, multiple games can be experienced over a weekend.

After arriving with the intention of watching two matches over the Saturday and Sunday, further research on ligaportal and Europlan - both essential resources for peripatetic fans on the continent – swelled this itinerary to four, all within easy reach of Salzburg Hauptbahnhof railway station.

My first stop on the Saturday was SK Bischofshofen of the Regionaliga West (Tier 3), dramatically set against the Tennen Mountains and the St. Rupert Mission House. A late addition to my plans, it required leaving at half-time to catch the train to my next destination, SC Bad Hofgastein of the Landesliga Salzburg (Tier 5).

I realise this is frowned-upon in groundhopping circles (especially if someone has the temerity to claim 45 minutes as a ‘tick’) but I’ve never considered myself a groundhopper, even though watching four games in two days whilst wearing a rucksack and carrying a SPAR carrier bag may convince the casual observer otherwise.

©Mike Bayly/ Terrace Edition. SK Raika Golling vs TSU Bramburg.

Bad Hofgastein (‘bad’ donating a Spa town in German) in the Gastein Valley is primarily known for its skiing. Among ground enthusiasts, the town is more revered for its football stadium, regarded as one of the most scenic in Austria.

Due to a spell of unseasonably cold weather, the surrounding mountains remained snow-capped, adding to the photogenic quality.

At risk of being hyperbolic, it ranks among the most incredible football settings I have experienced. The only blot on an otherwise spectacular landscape was missing the scheduled train back to Salzburg and waiting two dusk-filled hours at a deserted railway station for the next connection.

While seeking sustenance from an overpriced platform vending machine (the neighbouring restaurant was closed) it dawned on me that Austria’s ski resorts effectively shut down during the warmer months.

Still, it’s infinitely preferable to loitering around an empty British seaside town on a winter’s evening, an experience our rail network has regularly bestowed on me.

Sunday’s games were a lot more local, taking in an early kick off at SK Raika Golling, before heading to nearby rivals SV Raika Kuchl, both members of the Salzburger Liga at Tier 4.

SK Raika Golling was an unplanned bonus game, and a club and ground I knew little about. As it transpired, it was perhaps the most rewarding experience of the weekend.

Having learned a few basic German phrases by means of introduction, it came as something of a surprise to be greeted by a club representative with a South London accent. It transpired he moved to the town (Golling an der Salzach) after meeting an Austrian woman and decided to volunteer with the local football club. He was clearly smitten with the place. I understood why.

Looking out from the clubhouse decking towards Hoher Göll, the pitch immaculate in the late April sun as the players warmed-up, I felt a sense of complete contentment. A contentment I struggle to find outside of football photography. It is a feeling worth travelling thousands of miles for.

Prior to kick-off, thick cloud gathered overhead. Devoid of depth and colour, the mountains looked like they had been crudely photoshopped into the sky.

While the 0-0 game wasn’t exactly a classic and the weather turning colder, the warmth of the hosts stayed with me. The club treasurer and head coach took the time to chat and enthusiastically asked when I would be back.

I felt an instant camaraderie. Whatever our cultural or national background, football is a shared love that bonds us.

©Mike Bayly/ Terrace Edition. SK Bischofshofen vs Reichenau.

By the time I arrived at SV Raika Kuchl, I wondered if I might experience mountainous backdrop fatigue. It is possible to have too much of a good thing: my strudel consumption over the weekend testified to that.

My concerns were misplaced. The Andreas Wimmer Arena is another gem, albeit the grey weather conditions didn’t do it justice.

The ground’s proximity to the railway line also allowed for some unexpected photo opportunities. There’s a visceral joy in seeing a Railjet or freight engine hurtling alongside the pitch during a game. For the record, this doesn’t make me a trainspotter, either.

I left Salzburg feeling simultaneously happy and sad. An emotion the German dictionary seemingly doesn’t have a word for. Happy that I captured football in incredible surroundings and was made so welcome by hospitable strangers who ran clubs at the heart of their communities.

Sad I was departing somewhere that, if only fleetingly, makes me feel fulfilled. Recapturing this feeling is a primary motivation for continuing my travels. There are numerous other scenic countries – Italy, France, Switzerland, Iceland – I hope to visit in the fullness of time.

For now, exploring Austria is my modest ambition. It make me see the world in a more positive light. That is enough for me. I’ll be planning another trip when the season restarts in July.

Dr Johnson can keep London. I know that when I am tired of Salzburg, I will be tired of life. I won’t be tired of Salzburg for a long time to come.