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| Hundertwasser's Pink Palace |
I counted 3 bridges on my way to the 'MDCC Arena' from the city centre, as I gazed at the trams going past to the game (#15). I'd elected to see a bit of the city centre, and tidy place it is too, including Hundertwasser's last architectural masterpiece, the Grüne Zitadelle (Green Citadel). What a building this is - though 'Pink Palace' might be more apt. And you'd think I was here just for the football! (Reminds me, must check how the Super Reds have opened their account back in England: Christ, lost 4-0 at home. I'm pleased I'm here!)
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| Crossing the Elbe |
What an odd time it must be for 'regionalliga' sides like 1.FC Magdeburg: your biggest game of the season is potentially your 1st - a DFB Pokal 1st round home tie against higher league opposition. In this case, another East German side, Cottbus. There were 12,000 odd there today. It's doubtful they'll get another crowd like it all season. Even odder, Magdeburg's ACTUAL highest attendance of the season would have been the full house (26,000) that turned out for a FRIENDLY - Borussia Dortmund. Who are these people who'd rather watch a friendly than a competitive game?
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| A bottle collector counts his luck (before being run over). |
I have never seen empty bottles flung with such abandon as I did in the walk up to the MDCC Arena. These Magdeburgans (?) absolutely couldn't give a s*** about their own town, drinking their beer, then chucking the empty into bushes, or over the bridge into the river. Or leaving it right in the middle of the road. At least have the good grace to leave them by the pavement for one of the many 'bottle collectors' to claim it for the deposit. Have some pride in your town. Don't s*** on your doorstep (or, if you do find one there, wait for your mate's mum to clean it up, as once happened at uni). ***can I say, we were carrying said mate's piles of stuff up for him; we're not all bad.
Got to the ground, plenty of police, including those 'Dark Knight' characters, tooled up to the eyebals, dressed in all black (inc. facemasks, so all you see is their eyes) and leg protection, like Robocop. I was dripping with sweat. They looked the epitomy of cool; do they have in-built air-con?
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| Robocop |
The stadium itself was pretty much as I'd seen in photos - a one-tiered pre-fab concrete structure with a propped cantilever roof, holding 27,000. The only discerning features were terracing in diametrically opposite corners and a press/executive building jutting into part of the stand, meaning that some seats either side have been taken out cos they can't see one goal. Not sexy.
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| Not sexy |
Unlike the lady who served me my bratwurst. Resplendent in leather bustiere, with her cleavage pierced. Yes, you read that right. Her cleavage, the bit just above her chest. Now, either you run a million miles from such a woman, or you're a member of your local S&M club. Me? I couldn't possibly say. At another refreshment kiosk I counted 4 ladies with tatts, while inside the ground was the largest collection of topless shaven-headed men this side of G.A.Y.
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| The toilets (graffiti intended). |
For mementoes, Magdeburg proved one of the best yet. Not one, but two supporters' club kiosks, as well as the official one. I picked me up a cracking postcard celebrating some 1.FCM match in the 70s (the glory days?) I 'ummed' and 'arred' over a t-shirt, gave myself time to think (do I REALLY need another t-shirt?) and, sure enough, the kiosk was closed at half time and after the game. Nevermind.
The 1.FCM ultras put in a decent effort, with a giant banner being surrounded by fans waving blue and white flags. I was thinking the chants might fall down, being that half these were fans were making their annual pilgrimage, but everyone seemed to know the words.
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| There's always one... |
Cottbus brought a fair few too; at 3 hours or so away, it was a virtual derby for them, positioned as they are on the Polish border. Two divisions lower, Magdeburg made life difficult for Energie, though for an hour, one team could choose the right options, but dcouldn't execute, while the other team chose all the wrong options (when they had the ball) and got everyone behind the ball (when they didn't). However, just as I was looking forward to extra time and the possibility of penalties, Cottbus nicked it. The home side ceded possession in their own half, Energie broke down the right and a low cross was tapped into an empty net from no range at all. There were still 1 mins left but 1.FCM were a spent force, barely able to close down an opposition side calmly stroking the ball around and seeing out time. Several Magdeburg players looked distraught at the end. They knew they'd done themselves proud but, sadly, it wasn't enough.
Attendance: 12,044 (MDCC Arena)
The Damage:
ent €11.50
badge €3
postcard €1
programme: €1.50
beer (x2) €8
bratwurst €3
'zine: free (picked up off floor)
Total: €28
The Tunes:
Lost Horizons - Lemon Jelly
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| Everyone's favourite Weimar Chancellor |
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| Welcome to ................ |
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| Advert for the big match |
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| 1.FCM ultras |
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| Nothing to worry about here ... |
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| Smoke bomb in the away end |
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| Storage for the banner |
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| Anti-pitch invasion moat |
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