Geordie Al's Groundhopper Scrapbook: Kickers Offenbach 2-0 SSV Ulm, Monday 29th July 2019

Tuesday 30 July 2019

Kickers Offenbach 2-0 SSV Ulm, Monday 29th July 2019

Kickers Offenbach 2-0 SSV Ulm, Regionalliga Sudwest, att. 7,041 (Sparda Bank Hessen Stadion)

Welcome to ....

Monday nights in Germany are usually characterised by a live for TV Bundesliga 2 game. Tonight it was Arminia Bielefeld v St. Pauli (the latter being Sky Germany’s version of Dirty Leeds in terms of number of games shown). However, much as I’d like to see St. Pauli in action, I’ve been to Arminia, so, instead I chose the regionalliga sudwest match starring (relative) giants Kickers Offenbach.

Outside the Main Stand

‘Kickers Offenbach’. I’m sure I heard this team’s name in my childhood, long before ‘Borussia Dortmund’ or ‘Schalke’ were even invented. Or am I mixing them up with Stuttgart(er) Kickers? I don’t know. The mind plays some awful tricks. Whatever, the name just evokes SOMETHING. But they were in the Bundesliga in 83/84, so maybe. And from research, I knew what to expect, a 20,000 brand new stadium (a temple to all things concrete), a decent sized crowd…and an easy journey from Frankfurt.

A concrete jungle.

The fastest service from Frankfurt Hbf was 11 minutes, making Offenbach a virtual suburb of Germany’s financial centre (don’t tell them that though). Get off at Offenbach Ost station, turn left outside the station, first left and it’s about a 1km walk. Or jump on one of the fan buses which meet you as you exit the station. Even at this level, the Germans provide everything.

SSV greet their following.

Kickers are a club with aspirations further up the league ladder. Occupants of Bundesliga 2 as recently as 2007-08, they have been regular members of the upper echelons, but have fallen on hard times as they were refused a 3.liga licence at the end of 2012/13, less than a season after opening their new (rebuilt) stadium. The most famous ‘player’ at their old stadium? David Bowie, in 1983. Wish I’d seen that.

Bowie never saw it looking like this.

The Stadion am Bieberer Berg, or Sparda Bank Hessen Stadion, still has 4 distinct stands, though it’s all covered and feels much more enclosed, with the wings partitioned. It’s very similar in design to Rot-Weiss Essen. However, where it differs is that their main terrace is along the touchline rather than behind the goal. This terrace is split into 3, so I bought a ticket for the central section (going ‘large’; it was one euro cheaper in the wings). And in a crowd of 7,000, I’d say around 5,000 were on this terrace, a ratio not unusual in Germany.

At least one part of the stadium is busy...

The visitors numbered 43 at their highest count, a number which yo-yo’d depending on how many were buying beer. Despite being ‘regional’, it’s a long way to Ulm, on a Monday evening. Was this game on telly too (surely not)? Arriving early, I took my dinner (beer and wurst) to the top of the terrace and watched as the stadium filled. Another advantage to arriving early is you get to see the ultras’ preparations. I particularly admired the low budget ‘Stop’ signs Kickers had made, replate with ‘OFC’ lettering, all cardboard, sticky-tape and plastic pole. Blue Peter would be proud.

All you need is sellotape, cardboard and a plastic pole.

Writing this two days later, I can’t remember the goals. 2-0 in a game littered with misplaced passes, as I recall. Was the 2^nd a rebound after the keeper saved it? Maybe. I think the 1^st was not long after half-time, so it was a good job I’d made a beeline for the refreshments right on the ref’s whistle. I still missed the actual start of the second half, but once Kickers had scored (and the ultras had showered themselves with beer launched into the air – 4^th tier, FFS!) the party could get going. For this level of football, there is some atmosphere at the Bieberer Berg. Will this season be the one that sees them return to the professional ranks?