Chemnitzer 2-4 SV Meppen, Wednesday 31st July 2019

Chemnitzer 2-4 SV Meppen, 3.liga, att. 4,978 (Stadion Chemnitz)

Welcome to ....

With 15 minutes to the match and stuck in the scrum of the ticket queue (why only have 2 sales windows open for standing tickets?) and the rain tipping down, coming to Chemnitzer didn't seem such a clever idea.  Especially as one only had a short-sleeve shirt.  But the rain stopped as abruptly as it started, I was served and was still comfortably in for kick-off.  Stop the moaning to yourself!

The ticket queue.

This was my second visit to Chemnitzer, in the city formerly known as Karl Marx Stadt.  Previously, five, six years ago, the stadium was basic to say the least.  One small propped cantilever stand straddling the halfway line and three sides of open terracing.  Not ideal for rain, and not ideal for atmosphere.  Plans were afoot for a new completely covered stadium and here we were, it was built, on the same footprint as the old stadium.

Looking snazzy on the outside.

Chemnitzer have now been in their stadium 3 years.  They've kept the old entrance, but everything else has been knocked down and rebuilt: both side stands are now all-seater (with exec facilities in one - what is this fad with cutting out a chunk of stand so people can stand about?).  The home end is terraced while the away end, as at various other new German stadia, is mainly given over to seating, despite an overwhelming demand to stand.  For example, tonight, all SV Meppen's fans were standing in the one-third of that end given over to the visitors.  However, maybe Chemnitzer has the best of both worlds, as the middle section appeared to be seating/safe standing.  (There was another area like this in the Main Stand.)

The Wernergruner Business Club, in the heart of the Main Stand.

Does all-round cover help the atmosphere?  Well, depends on if the fans sing, of course.   But I couldn't help feel that at the old ground, it would be pretty miserable when it rained.  Mind, visiting at the start of a season, I normally see a stadium at its finest.  However, the chants were simply lost in the ether.  Today was much better.

The Chemnitzer crew made some noise.  I was given a ticket amongst their ultras, but snuck off to the side.  I like atmosphere, but I also like actually seeing the game.  Plus, Chemnitzer fans don't entirely agree with my political beliefs, if recent shenanighans with their HooNaRa ('Hooligans Nazis Racists') leader are anything to abide by.  How ironic, in a city formerly named after Karl Marx.

Looking towards the ultras, in the centre section.

It was an exciting game, 2-4 to the visitors, despite the home side leading twice.  Chemnitzer, three games in and one point, look a side in trouble to me.  They were susceptible to the counter every time and all four Meppen goals reflected this.  The opener came as Meppen, clean through, smashed it past the keeper's head; the 2nd, the keeper pulled off a brilliant save from the same player before the latter re-composed himself and smashed it past the keeper's head again.  No need for subtlety.

Saves me looking up the goalscorers.

The 4th was a cool backpost volley from a deep right wing cross, while my favourite was undoubtedly the 3rd.  A low right wing cross was missed by onrushing forwards and the Chemitzer right back, running back, wellied the ball with his left foot into the net.  Under no pressure.  I think he was just trying to put it out for a throw or corner but got it haplessly wrong.  His face was a picture.  (Note: the scoreboard didn't credit it to their own player.  But it did happen - it was right in front of me.)

In with the old; behind the home end.

Chemnitzer had opened the scoring, a player sticking out a leg to divert a flick-on from a corner.  Later, within a minute of Meppen's (first) equaliser, Chemnitzer re-took the lead as their tall, gangly (never a footballer) left winger controlled the ball for the first time in the match and pulled it across goal for an easy finish.  At this point, the crowd was buzzing and scarves twirled around the ground.  But within minutes it was 2-4 and many fans headed for the exit.  The season looks one of dread.

The Damage:
€13 ent
€3 beer (400ml)
€3.50 bratwurst
€1 programme
= €20.50

The Tunes:
Bagsy Me (Wannadies)
Behind the Counter with Max Richter (Various)
Big Balloon (Dutch Uncles)
Big Calm (Morcheeba)
Biggest Bluest Hi-fi (Camera Obscura)

Stayed at:
Hostel Mondpalast, Dresden (€19)

community4you Arena panorama

Workers of the world!

Not coming to a park near you.

The main entrance.

The SV Meppen coach.

AKA the home end.

Those were the days!

The teams come out.

Another week, another protest.

The sparsely populated (expensive?) Main Stand.

The Meppen hardcore.

Looking towards the away end.

Front of the Main Stand.

'Alternative' is the 'norm' in East Germany.

Meppen miss a late free kick.

SV Meppen 1-2 1.FC Magdeburg, Wednesday 2nd August 2017

SV Meppen 1-2 1.FC Magdeburg (3.liga, att. 8,389)

Welcome to ...

For SV Meppen, a team in northwestern Germany close to the Dutch border, times are good. Elevated to the national 3.liga, crowds have increased five fold, so it was with some trepidation I set off without a ticket.  I could always go in the away end.  Surely Magdeburg won't bring many on a Wednesday night?  Wrong.

Not much space to be had in the away end.

I arrived early, early enough to set up camp (the tent was making its first team debut) and then have a stroll to the stadium.  I really was early, too early to buy a ticket.  Police and hamburger men were setting up but with no sign of the ticket booths opening I walked back to town, another 20 minutes away.

Meppen is a pleasant enough place.  Every other business was a café.  I purchased of a couple of postcards from the tourist information and enjoyed an apfelstrudel before doubling back to the Hansch Arena.  By now fans were making their way, down the only road from the town centre which leads to the stadium.

The Big Match.

The ticket office was busy, but organised, and I was served promptly.  With a choice of standing areas, I elected for the southwest paddock.  Surely the ultras would be behind the goal?  Wrong again, though I cosied up towards the halfway line away from the liveliness.

The Hansch Arena is a little quirky, as the southern terrace is tight to the byeline, while the northern terrace (which is half given over to the away team) is elliptical.  I'm not sure why. There's no other evidence to suggest there was a running track here.  The pitch is bordered by stands with seating above and a paddock below.  The east stand is the more modern, larger and cantilevered.  The West has stanchions but is darker and more atmospheric.

The elliptical away end, earlier that day.

The ground looked packed, though with a crowd of 8300 this meant it was barely half-full.  Two things: Firstly, this is what happens when you cover the fencing with banners and everyone moves up the terrace.  Also, how the hell does this ground hold 16500?  With difficulty, I'd say.  The seats looked sold out, apart from a few gaps in the away sector. 

Space in the away seats...

Magdeburg brought 1000+, very impressive.  Their fans were perfectly orchestrated and to see these professional opponents must have put into perspective how far Meppen have come. Maybe this nervousness was why the Meppen full back played a suicidal back pass straight to the Magdeburg centre forward, who was taken out by the keeper for a pen and a booking. 0-1 after 4 minutes.  Could it turn into a drubbing?

Penalty despatched.  0-1.

Fortunately not.  In an open game, Meppen piled forward and should have had 3 before they did get one, scrambled in off a corner.  At half time I went looking for a programme (again).  Everyone else had one.  Musta been on sale outside.  I had another sausage and beer instead and took a pew behind the goal.  The best thing about my ticket was I could go anywhere in the Southern end while you needed to show a ticket to get on the south west paddock.  However, I didn't fancy battling through the crowd to reclaim my old perch and, besides, I wanted a different view.

It was never the best view.

The home side continued to show attacking verve and missed a couple of easy opportunities (not easy enough) and Magdeburg won it when a cut back was buried, low.  Meppen coulda…shoulda….scored 5 or 6.  That they didn't doesn't bode well in my book.  Playing well and losing is what makes for a relegated team.  Time will tell.

Meppen ultras wave their flags.

There’s also still no admiration for the rise of Red Bull supported Rasenboll Leipzig, the fans of both sides chanting ‘scheisse RB’.  The only other thing of note was the security, in particular, the proliferation of police vehicles.  I passed 9 vans and a motorcycle on my first journey back from the stadium.  Also, the supermarket, normally open till midnight had been closed at 8:30 to prevent fans grabbing more beer afterwards.  You can never be too careful with these football fans.

Inventive ball-carrying system.

I walked back, intending to pick something up from the tent and then go for a beer.  Instead, the rain started falling (doesn't it always when you camp?) and I found myself all cosied up.  Tomorrow, maybe.

The Damage:

€10 ent

€3 beer (400ml x 2)

€2.50 bratwurst (x 2)
€10 tent pitch

= €31

The Tunes:
Achtung Bono (Half Man Half Biscuit)
Fabric 84 (Mathew Jonson)
I’m New Here (Gil Scott-Heron)
Aman Iman (Tinariwen)
Four-Calendar Cafe (Cocteau Twins)

Hansch Arena panorama.

Behind the goal panorama at full-time.

An old sign for the stadium.

Back of the East Stand.

Ticket booth.

Stadium plan.

Grafitti!

Everyone seemed to be wearing #5...

The home end.

Matchday parking.

East Stand and terrace, pre-match.

Putting up a banner.

East Stand.

Welcome to...(II)

Pre-match entertainment.

Scoreboard.

Sausage and wurst stall.

West terrace.

The teams come out.

Magdeburg have a message for someone.

Looking toward the away end.

Full-time debriefs.

The players' tunnel.

Full-time.