Unterhaching 1-0 Schweinfurt, Tuesday 4th August 2015

Unterhaching 1-0 Schweinfurt (att. 1100)

So good they named it twice...

Unterhaching is a strange place.  On a map, it looks no more than a suburb of Munich, but catch the S3 there and you find Munich ending…lots of fields…and then some flat-roofed estate in the middle of scrubland, THAT’S Unterhaching.  Like Stevenage – and with a similar lack of pubs and amenities.

About as characterful as Unterhaching (the place) gets.

Still, the stadium is easy to find.  You can see it from the train inbetween the stations of Fasanenpark and Unterhaching.  It’s then maybe 15 minutes walk, through scrubland if you chose the former station or avenues of flats if the other.  Whatever you do, don’t follow the crowd (cos there won’t be one).  Unterhaching have fallen on hard times from their zenith, a one-season stint in the Bundesliga, and now reside in the 4^th tier regionalliga Bayern.  Today, 1100 rattle around a 15,000 capacity stadium, paying €6 to stand (€15 to sit).  The club can hardly be making any money and a quick recovery looks remote.

The box office.

It’s worthy of a visit though.  They’ve closed 2 sides until better times, save for opening the corner for the away fans.  (‘Schwein on tour’ – brilliant!)  The large Nord terrace languishes at one end while the smaller Süd terrace (both open air) is the main home end, housing a couple of hundred spread out loyalists and an ultras faction of a dozen.  Let’s hope they never consider the futility of it all.  There was also no need for the cheerleader to have a microphone.  He simply stood, with his back to the pitch, exhorting his comrades to sing blithely into the sky.

Those Schweinfurters

By the side of the pitch there’s two all-seater stands, one, a modern no-mark effort while the other is the complete opposite; a curved stand with a zig-zagged roof.  You don’t see them anymore, least not in England. I think Arsenal, Charlton and Wolves used to have one back in the day.  This stand maybe covered 2/3 of the touchline.

The zig-zaggedly roofed main stand.

I stood on the terrace and watched the action for a little while. Ike German teams further up the pyramid, they were all for passing it out of defence…tap, tap, tap…then once in the opposition half another simple pass would go astray, like they had a mental block once entering enemy territory.  I queued for a beer, from where you could still pretty much see the action.  Weissbier!  While everyone else enjoyed a ‘helles’ I went for the Bavarian speciality.  No tap here though – the staff opened a 500ml bottle and poured it into a 330ml beaker.  I guess the rest went to whoever bought the next weissbier.  Then, while waiting for my wurst (a Cumberland-type thing in a bun), a cheer went up: Unterhaching had scored.  I take my eyes off the pitch for a second and I miss a goal.  Players retreat to their own half, the ref points to the centre circle and a minute later the scoreboard remained 0-0.  Turned out it was disallowed.

Come on you Reds!

At half-time I have a nosey at their souvenir shop’s offerings.  2 different badges and at €1 each, I’ll take both.  And another beer and wurst (it being my main meal of the day).  The second half was slightly more upbeat and ‘haching finally notched: Schweinfurt keeper and defender clatter into each other, allowing a home midfielder to ghost in and head the ball on the bounce into an empty net.  Suitably scrappy.  Schweinfurt then carve open a couple of opportunities themselves from which they couldn’t even hit the target.  Far from a classic, but Unterhaching are happy enough, a first win in five attempts.

Take yer pick. 

Away: about 60, most bunched together and chanting.  Ultras are alive and kicking in theregionalliga! The Damage:
€1 badges (x2)

€6 ent

€3 cumberland sausage in a bun (x2)

€3 weissbier (x2)

= €20 (£16)

The firemen enjoy a stand to themselves.

The corner terrace 

The clubhouse?

Match action? Pre-match action?

Us and them.

The home end.

The ultras wave their flags.

In the shadows...

The Alpenbauer Sportpark Alps.

Unter! Haching!

T'other end.

Cannon or players' tunnel?

The sun sets over 'haching.

Full time, 1-0.

One last clap.

Look at that curvature.

The ultras hail their heroes.

Wurzburger Kickers 5-0 Buchbach, Tuesday 29th July 2014

Wurzburger Kickers 5-0 Buchbach, regionalliga Bayern, att. 1,725

Welcome to ...

Good to start off the holiday with a trek and you get that if you walk to the ground.  Head straight out of the station, through the old town, hang a right and you should be at the river (possibly where their famous old bridge is - I did).  Now, in hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have crossed, but I wanted to look at the weir. Anyway, I crossed the bridge, turned left and kept walking.  I walked parallel with the river (which I couldn’t see for buildings) until such time as I deemed it apposite to turn 90° right when I saw some Kickers fans at the local tram stop (#3 and 5 kept passing me by).  So I followed them up the hill, gave a man €9 to let me in.  A cursory glance in my bag, he saw my bottle of water but let me in anyway.

Who can resist a weir?

Now, what I hadn't said was during that long walk to the stadium with neither a glimpse of floodlight for relief/hope, I needed the toilet, badly, so most of that walk was taken with looking forward to a trip to the water closet.  I could feel it was a big job.

I made it to the stadium as the match kicked off and sat down at the top of a terrace marked ‘Gaste’, though how many were actually away fans I'd never find out - they never scored.  The ‘urge’ had also gone.  I’d ‘corked’ it.

Sat on the terrace, texting.

The match passed.  It was essence of Sunday league, but with a crowd.  The pace was plodding, as typified by an old looking stocky bloke wearing the Kickers captain's armband. Yet they were not awful enough not to score.

As the Kickers’ defence tippy tappied it at the back, me wondering at what point they'll then launch it to the opposition and they do: one defender heads it off the other, a Kicker is through and he lifts it nicely over the on trotting keeper.  Easy.  2-0 was an in swinging free kick where all the attackers looked 9 ft tall and the opposition were pygmies. Bang.  3-0?  3-0 I never saw.  I’d done my mathematical calculations.  It was better to squeeze one out now in an effort to have a beer and bratwurst for the second half.  I was too quick.  I missed the goal and was still back before the first half ended.

Looking down the touchline.

At half-time I had a little look at the club shop/kiosk. No woven badges but I can have a couple of free fixture lists and a colour magazine.  The beer and bratwurst I quaffed and I make no further comment on the latter save to say I preferred my first one cos they'd cut the sausage into two, rather than leave each end hanging out of the bun. Just saying.

Second half, I ambled down the terrace by the side of the pitch and I saw 4-0 from the halfway line, a soft 25 yarder curled away from the keeper, who did his best ‘flying pig’ impression to no consequence.  5-0 I never saw as I took the odd pic.  Perhaps someone puts these things on YouTube?

So laidback, everyone's sat down on the terrace.

I went and sat near the ultras, 100 or so of them, at the back of the main stand.  An odd choice in that anyone who wants to join them has to walk all the way around the pitch so they are not in contact with the fans in other areas.  When up close, I could swear some chants were started by a 10 year old.  Certainly sounded like it.

The ultras wave their flags.

The walk back?  Cross the big bridge next to the stadium, over the river, then turn left.  Proceed along the river bank, through parkland, till you hit the city centre.  (Of course, this walk can work in reverse.)  Good view of the castle on the opposite side of the river.  Wurzburg looked charming in parts, though still not as charming as I expected (high expectations!).  Still, I'd go back and spend more time here.

The Damage:

€9 ent

€3 beer (x2)

€2 bratwurst (x2)

= €19

The Tunes:

Metallica (Metallica)

Days Are Gone (Haim)

Situation Comedy (Euros Childs)

Welcome to ...(II)

Kickers' entrance.

Welcome to ...(III)

The exec facilities (and ramp to the toilet!)

The Exec End.

Looking towards the Main Stand.

Behind the far goal.

A sparse terrace.

The Main Stand.

The Main Stand (II).

The view from the Main Stand.

Match action in front of the dugouts.

The corner perch.

A Buchbach player is interviewed...by his parents.

The Main Stand sneaking out.

Kickers.  For life?  Or a lifetime sentence?

The players go towards the ultras at full-time.

A last look at the terrace.

The Buchbach bus awaits the losers.

1860 Munich II 0-3 Augsburg II (Wednesday 14th August 2013)

1860 Munich II 0-3 Augsburg II (Regionalliga Bayern)

Welcome to ...

One of the vagaries of the German league (like the Spanish league) is that you can go and see your reserves in the league pyramid. Hence how I find myself watching Munich 1860s Under 23 team.  But more than that, if you’re lucky, you’ll get to see them at Grünwalder Straße, spiritual home of 1860 Munich (and their stadium till 1995) and home of Bayern up until 1972 and their own move to the Olympiastadion.

Outside the stadium

You can see why this stadium still appeals to many 1860 fans.  Sharing with Bayern, 22,000 1860 peas rattling around the Allianz Arena pod, capacity 69,000.  The Grünwalder is tight, compact, hemmed in all 4 sides and a super venue for footie.  While it could never again be a 50,000 stadium, with clever design it could easily be 35-40,000 again.  

Having said that, it looks like the local authorities are trying to make it difficult, reducing one end to a small, re-aligned terrace (though there’s room behind).  The main stand could be knocked down and rebuilt as a two-tier structure, while the opposite stand, covering barely half the touchline, would have to go.  Let’s have a two-tier affair with as big a terrace downstairs as you can fit (like the Millerntor).  This leaves the huge end behind one goal.  Could that be wholly re-opened as it is?  Or is only safe enough for a few hundred these days?

Ground plan (note old terrace on left)

Anyway, it was obvious from the fans tonite what high regard the Grünwalder is held in.  Fans’ chants incorporated the name, as did t-shirts.  Moving to the Allianz is like QPR moving to Wembley.  Around the Grünwalder are bars, businesses, shops…even a jazz café.  (I know the latter cos they were in full swing – sorry – afterwards).  The Allianz has…a bit of scrub, a long barren walk and inevitable super complex.  Characterless.  Like a trip to Pride Park, Derby.

It wasn’t cheap though.  Or not as cheap as I expected a Regionalliga Bayern game between two reserves teams to be.  €8 to stand, €12 to sit.  I opted for standing place, a small paddock in the open next to the small stand.  The concrete steps were brand new, very steep and were it not for the fences covering that touchline, you could afford yourself a nice view.  Woe betide any action on that touchline though.

Police...at a reserve game???

Even better, as many did, you could stand on an ACTUAL terrace, overlooking the ‘terrace’ of the steps.  Great view, a ledge to pop your beer on and an indoor bar behind.  Perfect for a reserve game this place, not sure what it’d be like at a busier game in the pouring rain. No sausages, but I treated myself to a huge brezl and they also had weissbier (Paulaner).
Having said that, it looks like the local authorities are trying to make it difficult, reducing one end to a small, re-aligned terrace (though there’s room behind).  The main stand could be knocked down and rebuilt as a two-tier structure, while the opposite stand, covering barely half the touchline, would have to go.  Let’s have a two-tier affair with as big a terrace downstairs as you can fit (like the Millerntor).  This leaves the huge end behind one goal.  Could that be wholly re-opened as it is?  Or is only safe enough for a few hundred these days?

Augsburg fans

Anyway, it was obvious from the fans tonite what high regard the Grünwalder is held in.  Fans’ chants incorporated the name, as did t-shirts.  Moving to the Allianz is like QPR moving to Wembley.  Around the Grünwalder are bars, businesses, shops…even a jazz café.  (I know the latter cos they were in full swing – sorry – afterwards).  The Allianz has…a bit o scrub, a long barren walk and inevitable super complex.  Characterless.  Like a trip to Pride Park, Derby.
It wasn’t cheap though.  Or not as cheap as I expected a Regionalliga Bayern game between two reserves teams to be.  €8 to stand, €12 to sit.  I opted for standing place, a small paddock in the open next to the small stand.  The concrete steps were brand new, very steep and were it not for the fences covering that touchline, you could afford yourself a nice view.  Woe betide any action on that touchline though.

The (lack of) view from the terrace.

Even better, as many did, you could stand on an ACTUAL terrace, overlooking the ‘terrace’ of the steps.  Great view, a ledge to pop your beer on and an indoor bar behind.  Perfect for a reserve game this place, not sure what it’d be like at a busier game in the pouring rain. No sausages, but I treated myself to a huge brezl and they also had weissbier (Paulaner).
The match, for the most part, was stultifyingly awful.  The teams would go sideways-backwards-sideways before still somehow managing to lose it, or else they’d be tempted into an English-style hoof up the field to no-one.  If any of this bunch get a 1^st team game, it has to be a centre half or defensive midfielder, cos there was nought else.  Still, it’s always amusing to watch a player struggle and not give up hope on your own footballing career yet.

Part of the 'terrace above the terrace'.

The 1860 centre forward wasn’t big, lacked pace and could not control a ball to save his life.  Every time he got the ball in a promising position he panicked, overran the ball and watched it dribble out.  Being slightly stocky, and of beard, he didn’t even LOOK young.  Was he really under 23?
From out of nowhere, 30 mins in, Augsburg went one up.  I’d just decided to count how many passes it took each side to lose the ball when, 15 passes later (12 in their own half), a 1-2 ends in a 25 yard
looping effort that went in off the bar.  Was the keeper out of position?  Or too short?  Not good enough?  I’d check all 3.  Also, where had this Augsburgian been hiding all match?

So white and perfect it could be a model.

The second half was more of the first, only with Augsburg dominating possession.  While being distracted by bl**dy kids chasing each other around the terrace, I managed to look up in time to see Augsburg bullet another one in from around the penalty spot, defenders everywhere ‘cept near the ball.

Augsburg made it 0-3 on 75, another 1-2 in the box allowing the forward to flick it up with his right and bury it with his left on the volley.  THAT is how much time he has, however good a finish it was.  There’s still time for the ref to make it 0-4 with a dubious penalty award but the keeper finally saves one and it finishes 0-3.

The atmosphere was better than I expected.  The TSV Munich (reserve) 1860 ultras kept up some decent sound (in the big stand) WITHOUT a drum.  Still, the biggest cheer of the night was when the tiny ballboy finally managed to hoist the ball back over the fence at the 10^th time of asking (that I saw – it may have been more).  The fans (maybe 150 if them) carried on singing, the score didn’t matter.  And anyway, it was only a reserve match.  Who cares?  As for Augsburg’s fans, there were around 60 – probably those who live in Munich, I’d guess.

The 1860 II ultras

Afterwards I had a little tootle round the stadium.  The police were in great attendance, to my surprise, though when you see half a dozen 1860 yoofs baiting the away fans, are they doing it BECAUSE the police are there?  There were 50+ Augsburg fans (none of whom looked like they wanted a fight) so who was it all for?

Attendance: 959 (Städtisches Stadion an der Grünwalder Straße)
The Damage:
€8 ent
€3 giant brezl
€3.50 beer (Paulaner)
€3 beer (normal)
= €17.50

Programmes were €0.60 (yes, 60 cents) but I didn’t see one on sale till too late.

The big stand.

The little stand...plus re-aligned terrace.

Concrete heaven

The clubhouse

The penalty is saved

Through the ___ window

Is that a police control tower dumped on the terrace?