Hallescher 3-0 Rot-Weiss Erfurt, att. 11,326 (3.liga)
 |
| Welcome to .... |
Seems I still haven’t learnt my lessons re: being in possession of a map of the necessary quality to get to the game. Still I normally like a challenge, but, arriving at Halle with 19 minutes to kick off and an inadequate map, meant there was no way I’d see the start. Also, it was too late to even follow any fans. Through educated guess work (though it took me 10 minutes to scout the surrounds of the station and catch my bearings) I headed in roughly the right direction. 20 mins and another educated guess later, I turned right and after a block or so I could hear the sound of a football crowd. And within a minute of that, there was no mistaking it, the home team had scored. 4th match of my tour and I’ve yet to see a home goal…but I’ve heard one.
 |
| The home end celebrates a later goal. |
I got there 20 minutes in, bought a match ticket from the ‘fancenter’ (there's
one on each corner of the ground lateness was no barrier to security though who
gave me the body search of my life, so far) then told me I couldn't take my
shoulder bag into the stadium so into a metal container it went and I was given
a ticket like visiting a cloakroom. How glam!
So in I went and found myself in Hallescher's ‘fancurve’ (home end).
 |
| Looking towards the away corner. |
The match ticket was €12. More than I expected. However, I saved on wurst and beer cos you could only pay by stadium card, and I didn’t have one. God, these things get on my wick. All the rage in Holland, it means the floating fan can either buy a card and add money on to a specified (high) amount, spend as high a % as possible of it (cos you ain’t getting’ any change, pardner)…or go hungry. Being a) a man of principle and b) an anti-social b****** who didn’t fancy the rigmarole of a conversation, I went hungry.
 |
| The Main Stand. |
The match? 3-0. As I said, I missed the
1st goal, but the 2nd was a well-worked set piece, the
near post flick-on from a corner ending with the ball poked in at the back post
through a ruck of players. The 3rd
was screamer of a free kick from way-too-far-out-to-try-it. I dunno who was more surprised – me or the
keeper.
As for the fans, lots of noise, including a choreographed chant between the
fancurve and the ‘GP Papenburg Tribune’ in the second half and I was ideally
placed, having moved to the corner for a better view and some SHADE. It was a roaster!
 |
| The winners take their bows... |
The stadium was small, but perfectly formed, and nearly a sellout with a 12,000
capacity. The stadium has been rebuilt
inside the walls of its former home, which gives it a very smart look. They’ve got rid of the old track around the
pitch, and now it’s a modern, cantilevered stadium, with three sides of seating
(save for a standing area in one corner for the away fans) and a terraced home
end. Just make sure you know your way
there!
The Damage:
€12 ent
= €12
 |
| ...and the losers take theirs. |
 |
| Hallescher fancurve |
 |
| Behind the goal. |
 |
| A bit more sparse in the far corner. |
 |
| Fans clamour to salute their heroes. |
 |
| Fans' social club. |
 |
| After the match...drinks ahoy! |
 |
| Back of the main stand. |
 |
| A perfect match of old and new. |
 |
| Statues outside the stadium. |
 |
| A grand entrance. |
 |
| The main event...a hoarding in town. |
No comments:
Post a Comment