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marleyhib
29-09-2011, 11:33 PM
I went to a Bundesliga game last weekend Koln v Hoffenhiem and was just totally amazed at how good it was.

Fantastic stadium, transport links (trams that work) and a great atmosphere. I could smoke (some might not agree but each to their own), I could stand up and order a beer and people would pass it down the line, a great mixture of folk in general, lots of families and an end full of ultras that sang all game.

If you treat your fans well, respect them and realise that its they that are the club - then you have a recipe for success and they respect you back.

Together we are stronger I guess, I want to see Easter Road full - I also want to see Hibs (and the government) create an environment that allows us to build something special like I know we can.

green&left
30-09-2011, 08:23 AM
I went to a Bundesliga game last weekend Koln v Hoffenhiem and was just totally amazed at how good it was.

Fantastic stadium, transport links (trams that work) and a great atmosphere. I could smoke (some might not agree but each to their own), I could stand up and order a beer and people would pass it down the line, a great mixture of folk in general, lots of families and an end full of ultras that sang all game.

If you treat your fans well, respect them and realise that its they that are the club - then you have a recipe for success and they respect you back.

Together we are stronger I guess, I want to see Easter Road full - I also want to see Hibs (and the government) create an environment that allows us to build something special like I know we can.

Experienced the exact same at Eintracht Frankfurt. The setup over their is fantastic.

Prices ranging from 10,eur to 50,eur. Stood on the terrace with 6000 fanatics ranging from the Ultras Frankfurt to groups of older guys, men with their wives, younger ones taking their girlfriends etc. You could smoke, there was people walking up the terrace steps selling beer. The self-policing was fantastic aswell. Stewards chilling down the front with a fag, police made themselves visible but happy to sit back.

Meanwhile over in Scotland........

An away day with Eintracht is defo on my list aswell. Football special train for 10,eur return (even your 600+km round trips), 1,eur bevvy getting sold on the train. Standing tickets for 10-15,eur. Compare that to Inverness/Aberdeen away, £20-30 return train ticket, grown men getting searched boarding the train for alcohol, £25 tickets to be treated like sh*te etc.

SPL is living in the darkages. Could do alot worse than try the Bundesliga model over here.

Andy74
30-09-2011, 08:26 AM
Experienced the exact same at Eintracht Frankfurt. The setup over their is fantastic.

Prices ranging from 10,eur to 50,eur. Stood on the terrace with 6000 fanatics ranging from the Ultras Frankfurt to groups of older guys, men with their wives, younger ones taking their girlfriends etc. You could smoke, there was people walking up the terrace steps selling beer. The self-policing was fantastic aswell. Stewards chilling down the front with a fag, police made themselves visible but happy to sit back.

Meanwhile over in Scotland........

An away day with Eintracht is defo on my list aswell. Football special train for 10,eur return (even your 600+km round trips), 1,eur bevvy getting sold on the train. Standing tickets for 10-15,eur. Compare that to Inverness/Aberdeen away, £20-30 return train ticket, grown men getting searched boarding the train for alcohol, £25 tickets to be treated like sh*te etc.

SPL is living in the darkages. Could do alot worse than try the Bundesliga model over here.

It's not really the SPL that can do much about replicating this. It's a completely different social and economic system

mim
30-09-2011, 08:36 AM
It's not really the SPL that can do much about replicating this. It's a completely different social and economic system

Correct Andy. It's called civilisation. :wink:

In Bavaria, beer is categorised as a foodstuff - that's my idea of civilisation. It's quaint to see building workers cooling themselves down with their 'lunch'. :greengrin

Viva_Palmeiras
30-09-2011, 08:42 AM
Serious question: did the police have guns?

HUTCHYHIBBY
30-09-2011, 08:48 AM
Been to 3 vastly different games over there, Germany v Scotland in Dortmund, Hertha Berlin v Bayern Munich and Hibs game in Essen each one outstanding for their own reasons, although the Essen Supporters Club at the stadium was probably the highlight. When we were in Cologne 3 of us got drinking with a young German student couple and ended up at the girls mum and dads next day for tea, her old man was a tank commander in WW2 and had the biggest collection of bagpipe records, it was a very weird, drunken night!

kennyh
30-09-2011, 09:05 AM
We had a fantastic time 2 years ago at a Frankfurt game. Totally different to anything I have experienced in the UK and I have been to most of the major grounds watching all sorts of teams in action. FF was fantastic, the whole day is an experience, transport is free to the ground and I think all day in the city if you have a match ticket. Wee bars all the way along from the train station to the ground. As a few of us had Hibs tops on one local came over and stood beside us trying to suss out who we were supporting, when we spoke to him and told him we were Hibs over to see FF he was delighted, his English was poor, but much better than any of our german of course. His favourite line was Fk the Rangers, come to think of it it was his only line !!!. We pissed ourselves at his attitude and his pals which was totally anti Rangers. He took us to his supporters branch in the main car park where they set up for the afternoon and they gave us loads of beer and shots of local hooch. As we didnt have cards to buy booze inside the ground they took care of that too. They told us where to go at HT and when we got there 6 pints of lager were waiting.

We had bought tickets for one of the main stands and alhough it was FF we had loads of Hamburg fans around us. I think Hamburg scored to stop FF getting into Europe late on and attitudes to opponents fans never changed, they sat side by side simply trying to sing louder than the others. We all know had that been in the UK, the Hamburg fans would have been walloped all the way out the ground (probably before a crucial goal had been scored)

Both ends had terrace, FF had ~6000 Ultras who never stopped singing, supporting and encouraging the other two stands to join in which they did with great enthusiasm. The Hamburg fans were terrific too, they maybe had ~1000 in a terrace section with 2-3K in seats in their section but they easilly had another few K dotted around the ground.

Low key policing, it was only visible when the Hamburg Ultras were marched along past us to get their train. I dont think police go in the Ultra section as they self police. There are nutters that attend but fighting is well awy from the grounds.

I would highly recomend anyone who has a chance to attend a game in Germany to do as it is far and away a better Fan experience than anything here in Scotland or England.

GGTTH

TheEastTerrace
30-09-2011, 09:13 AM
I did three games in Germany a couple of weeks back

Was at St.Pauli vs. 1860 Munich first weekend, then Bayer Leverkusen vs. FC Koln and Schalke vs. Bayern Munich the next weekend.

Have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed going to all the games. Completely different to, and much better than, attending football in the UK. Football fans in this country are viewed with suspicion everywhere they go, particularly by the police. In Germany, football fans are far more tolerated as going to the football is a big part of the country's social fabric and is a regular social activity for a large number of people - men, women and children. Probably because it is affordable for one. The fans have a massive say in the way clubs are run due to the 50+1 rule - Borussia Dortmund fans boycotted their derby away to Schalke because of rising ticket prices. In this country, we just sit back and moan about price hikes, but do hee-haw about it.

Facilities are second to none, you can have a beer in and around the ground, the ultras sing for the entire game making it a great atmosphere, transport to and from the grounds are excellent, and generally it is a great vibe.

We have lots to learn in this country.

TheEastTerrace
30-09-2011, 09:17 AM
Serious question: did the police have guns?

Not that I could see but they were in protective armour/uniform. I found them to be very good at their job. I went to Leverkusen-Koln derby, not a jot of trouble in sight going to and from Cologne. The police were on the S-Bahn but they were chatting away to supporters and I think there is a respect between the two. Not saying there isn't a minority of idiots who probably are up for a scrap.

ac1
30-09-2011, 09:33 AM
We go on football trips every couple of years or so and have been to watch Barca at the Nou Camp, Inter at the San Siro (went to Atalanta vs Sampdoria the day after as well), Roma at the Olimpico as well as Old Trafford to see Man U a couple of times (no abuse please lol!).

We are looking into our next trip for around March and were looking into Germany but have heard that its difficult to get tickets?? Is it possible for 3/4 people to get tickets for a decent game involving the bigger sides? Not meaning two of the giants playing against each other as such but maybe Bayern/Dortmund or Schalke against a smaller side?

We were either going try to go to Germany or go to see Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. We also noticed that Easyjet are starting to do flights to Naples and Napoli would be a good atmosphere as well!

TheEastTerrace
30-09-2011, 09:47 AM
We go on football trips every couple of years or so and have been to watch Barca at the Nou Camp, Inter at the San Siro (went to Atalanta vs Sampdoria the day after as well), Roma at the Olimpico as well as Old Trafford to see Man U a couple of times (no abuse please lol!).

We are looking into our next trip for around March and were looking into Germany but have heard that its difficult to get tickets?? Is it possible for 3/4 people to get tickets for a decent game involving the bigger sides? Not meaning two of the giants playing against each other as such but maybe Bayern/Dortmund or Schalke against a smaller side?

We were either going try to go to Germany or go to see Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. We also noticed that Easyjet are starting to do flights to Naples and Napoli would be a good atmosphere as well!

For two of the games I went to in Germany, I emailed a fan club. St.Pauli because they don't do online sales so emailed the 'Fanladen', and I emailed the Schalke 04 fan club who sorted me a standing ticket for the Bayern game. I got my Leverkusen ticket online through their website.

I've heard getting Dortmund tickets is pretty tough due to their season ticket holders but try emailing the club.

Schalke and the Veltins Arena is a fantastic venue, but there is not much to do in Gelsenkirchen. If you are going to the Veltins Arena, I would recommend travelling from one of the big cities like Dusseldorf, Cologne or Dortmund and staying there. Train/S-Bahn tickets are not expensive.

Hamburg is good craic and would definitely recommend a trip to St.Pauli. They are Bundesliga 2 but the atmosphere is great. St Pauli is a good area for bars, restaurants, clubs, etc. Not to mention the infamous Reeperbahn!

If I was going again, would probably like to try and get tickets for Bayern and Dortmund.

lucky
30-09-2011, 09:58 AM
Interesting many on here saying Scotland is years behind Germany on the way treat fans yet loads were lining up to have a pop at Rangers fans for standing up to Alec Salmond and his anti football agenda. It's poor government that is contributing to the way fans get treated. Just look what took place this week with dawn raids with TV cameras in attendance to lift some dafties for breech.

green&left
30-09-2011, 09:59 AM
It's not really the SPL that can do much about replicating this. It's a completely different social and economic system

Social and economic systems couldn't allow fans to have a fag. Sell 2.5% lager. Have ends at both ends of the goal where you can stand for a few quid cheaper..? Pretty sure they could if they wanted.

ac1
30-09-2011, 10:03 AM
For two of the games I went to in Germany, I emailed a fan club. St.Pauli because they don't do online sales so emailed the 'Fanladen', and I emailed the Schalke 04 fan club who sorted me a standing ticket for the Bayern game. I got my Leverkusen ticket online through their website.

I've heard getting Dortmund tickets is pretty tough due to their season ticket holders but try emailing the club.

Schalke and the Veltins Arena is a fantastic venue, but there is not much to do in Gelsenkirchen. If you are going to the Veltins Arena, I would recommend travelling from one of the big cities like Dusseldorf, Cologne or Dortmund and staying there. Train/S-Bahn tickets are not expensive.

Hamburg is good craic and would definitely recommend a trip to St.Pauli. They are Bundesliga 2 but the atmosphere is great. St Pauli is a good area for bars, restaurants, clubs, etc. Not to mention the infamous Reeperbahn!

If I was going again, would probably like to try and get tickets for Bayern and Dortmund.


Hey thanks for the reply!

Going to definitely try emailing some of the supporters clubs and will check out the websites. I think we would prefer going to Germany for the atmosphere and beer :greengrin

Just tried phoning my old man to get the ball rolling haha......................

HUTCHYHIBBY
30-09-2011, 10:18 AM
My mate got us Hertha Berlin v Bayern tickets from their website. We just collected them from a wee portakabin outside the ground b4 the game.

TheEastTerrace
30-09-2011, 10:28 AM
Hey thanks for the reply!

Going to definitely try emailing some of the supporters clubs and will check out the websites. I think we would prefer going to Germany for the atmosphere and beer :greengrin

Just tried phoning my old man to get the ball rolling haha......................

If it's atmosphere and beer, Germany is hard to beat.

The San Paulo for a Napoli game would be some atmosphere if it's a biggie. Watched them play Milan recently and red hot!

DC_Hibs
30-09-2011, 10:31 AM
Hey thanks for the reply!

Going to definitely try emailing some of the supporters clubs and will check out the websites. I think we would prefer going to Germany for the atmosphere and beer :greengrin

Just tried phoning my old man to get the ball rolling haha......................

I'd recommend games near to Cologne/Dusseldorf as easyjet and ryanair will get you there cheaply and they are a good night out - none of other cities there are up to much. Gladbach, Leverkusen, Dortmund, Schalke, Cologne stadiums are all in that area and your match ticket would cover all or most of the cost of the train from where you are staying before and after the game.

Dortmund tickets are normally available online and can print your own ticket.
Munich is a good city and has easyjet route but the football atmosphere is rank. Normally sold out but plenty folk selling from train station to stadium.
Other games should be OK for tickets and fan clubs are a good start to try and get them in advance.
St Pauli games have football tourists/hangers on galore and way too many celtic shirts. Decent enough atmosphere mind.
viagogo will have tickets on sale for most games but postage and charges means you pay over the odds.
Bremen is good for a weekend and ryanair flew there but not sure on current/future timetables.
Hamburg doesnt have cheap flight options now but is very good weekend.

Best bet is deciding what weekend you want to go then checking bundesliga website to see what games are on. Bear in mind that top league games could be Friday night, Sat or Sun and short notice sometimes to be given the match day and time. Friday 1800 and Monday night games for second league are a serious pain in the erse.

Was at Dresden/Eintracht on Monday night and people would change their tune about the police here seeing that game. 1100 of them, 4 helicopters and armoured cars in the streets. Aside from a small rammy in the ground it was peaceful enough as the 5-700 Football special inhabitants were wrapped up on arrival in Dresden. Nazi/Jew/Kebab seller songs livened things up as did a banner celebrating the bombing of Dresden. That game is far from the norm altho have seen more bother this season at games than previous 4 due to the teams in Bundesliga 2 and the behaviour of Frankfurt fans in recent years.

Most of the young blade fan groups would say they have serious issues with the police and I've seen a fair bit of heavyhanded policing on away trips.

Once you decide on a weekend and know what games are on post again and there should be plenty able to help if need be.

ac1
30-09-2011, 11:28 AM
I'd recommend games near to Cologne/Dusseldorf as easyjet and ryanair will get you there cheaply and they are a good night out - none of other cities there are up to much. Gladbach, Leverkusen, Dortmund, Schalke, Cologne stadiums are all in that area and your match ticket would cover all or most of the cost of the train from where you are staying before and after the game.

Dortmund tickets are normally available online and can print your own ticket.
Munich is a good city and has easyjet route but the football atmosphere is rank. Normally sold out but plenty folk selling from train station to stadium.
Other games should be OK for tickets and fan clubs are a good start to try and get them in advance.
St Pauli games have football tourists/hangers on galore and way too many celtic shirts. Decent enough atmosphere mind.
viagogo will have tickets on sale for most games but postage and charges means you pay over the odds.
Bremen is good for a weekend and ryanair flew there but not sure on current/future timetables.
Hamburg doesnt have cheap flight options now but is very good weekend.

Best bet is deciding what weekend you want to go then checking bundesliga website to see what games are on. Bear in mind that top league games could be Friday night, Sat or Sun and short notice sometimes to be given the match day and time. Friday 1800 and Monday night games for second league are a serious pain in the erse.

Was at Dresden/Eintracht on Monday night and people would change their tune about the police here seeing that game. 1100 of them, 4 helicopters and armoured cars in the streets. Aside from a small rammy in the ground it was peaceful enough as the 5-700 Football special inhabitants were wrapped up on arrival in Dresden. Nazi/Jew/Kebab seller songs livened things up as did a banner celebrating the bombing of Dresden. That game is far from the norm altho have seen more bother this season at games than previous 4 due to the teams in Bundesliga 2 and the behaviour of Frankfurt fans in recent years.

Most of the young blade fan groups would say they have serious issues with the police and I've seen a fair bit of heavyhanded policing on away trips.

Once you decide on a weekend and know what games are on post again and there should be plenty able to help if need be.


Thanks great info!

We are most probably going to look at fixtures and book flights this weekend - I will post again when we book them. Being able maybe to get to a 2nd game when over there would be ideal to make the most of the weekend.

NYHibby
30-09-2011, 01:02 PM
It's not really the SPL that can do much about replicating this. It's a completely different social and economic system

Different social and economic systems is probably not the right term. Scottish society has an alcohol problem.


Serious question: did the police have guns?

Normal police do not. However, there are some officers who are more paramilitary, don't know the correct term for them, who do.

I'd also like to point out that smoking is in fact banned. They make announcements about it but you may have just missed them if your German isn't good. They just don't seem to try to actually enforce the ban.

j'adore hibs
30-09-2011, 01:07 PM
yes col you were indeed breaking the smoking law there but hey ho you were pished!!!!!!

.Sean.
30-09-2011, 01:25 PM
German football sounds awesome. Tomorrow we'll 'enjoy' being policed by utter bawbags, we'll encounter numerous fannies in luminous jackets doing there best Adolf Hitler impersonation, and we'll be surrounded by the lowlifes of Glasgow and the surrounding areas. So to summarise, we'll be treated like ***** by opposition fans and handled in a manner I wouldn't treat a dog by the local constabulary, and we'll be paying near £30 for the privelege. **** Scottish fitbaw.

GloryGlory
30-09-2011, 02:23 PM
My mate got us Hertha Berlin v Bayern tickets from their website. We just collected them from a wee portakabin outside the ground b4 the game.

:agree: Went to a Hertha v VfB Stuttgart game a few years ago, and remember that we booked tickets online at the Hertha website (which has an English language option) and collected at the game. Great day out.

We did see a lot of police with dogs and away fans being kept separate and "escorted" directly onto trains after the game, but this was just a few weeks before the World Cup in Germany and the polis could have been practising their crowd control techniques.

SteveHFC
30-09-2011, 02:34 PM
I was at the Essen game when we played them. Despite us being 2-0 up. Their fans were still singing.

HUTCHYHIBBY
30-09-2011, 04:57 PM
They looked like Brazil at the start of that game, then IIRC Boozy ran the show! I remember Booze having some sort of influence while i was there! Hibs were EVS in the local bookies which i thought was nice too!

Jones28
30-09-2011, 05:37 PM
German football sounds awesome. Tomorrow we'll 'enjoy' being policed by utter bawbags, we'll encounter numerous fannies in luminous jackets doing there best Adolf Hitler impersonation, and we'll be surrounded by the lowlifes of Glasgow and the surrounding areas. So to summarise, we'll be treated like ***** by opposition fans and handled in a manner I wouldn't treat a dog by the local constabulary, and we'll be paying near £30 for the privelege. **** Scottish fitbaw.

It's not obligatory :wink:

SkintHibby
30-09-2011, 06:16 PM
Interesting many on here saying Scotland is years behind Germany on the way treat fans yet loads were lining up to have a pop at Rangers fans for standing up to Alec Salmond and his anti football agenda. It's poor government that is contributing to the way fans get treated. Just look what took place this week with dawn raids with TV cameras in attendance to lift some dafties for breech.

What a stupid comment.

HIBERNIAN-0762
30-09-2011, 06:18 PM
Went to see Dortmund v Bayern quite a few years ago and atmosphere was incredible, classy football and first class stadia, the SPL will never repeat never even get close to this, not in a million years.

marleyhib
30-09-2011, 10:38 PM
yes col you were indeed breaking the smoking law there but hey ho you were pished!!!!!!

Top weekend

TRC
30-09-2011, 10:54 PM
Correct Andy. It's called civilisation. :wink:

In Bavaria, beer is categorised as a foodstuff - that's my idea of civilisation. It's quaint to see building workers cooling themselves down with their 'lunch'. :greengrin

To be fair so are cask ales in this country!! back to the OP, IMHO the Bundesliga is the best League in the world, maybe not the best technically but the best value most exciting, also you can drink beer in the stadium!!!

givescotlandfreedom
01-10-2011, 12:52 AM
Was at Dresden/Eintracht on Monday night and people would change their tune about the police here seeing that game. 1100 of them, 4 helicopters and armoured cars in the streets. Aside from a small rammy in the ground it was peaceful enough as the 5-700 Football special inhabitants were wrapped up on arrival in Dresden. Nazi/Jew/Kebab seller songs livened things up as did a banner celebrating the bombing of Dresden. That game is far from the norm altho have seen more bother this season at games than previous 4 due to the teams in Bundesliga 2 and the behaviour of Frankfurt fans in recent years.


I watched a number of Sportfreunde Siegeb games when the were in 2.Liga and the police presence could be very heavy with police outnumbering away fans on some occasions (Hansa Rostock and Dynamo Dresden). Also knew Dresden had a rep for being Nazis but didn't know they were that bad. Saw some 'Turken Raus' scarves before which was a bit worrying.

.Sean.
01-10-2011, 02:29 AM
The queston that should be asked is WHY are we so far behing the Germans?

dhmf
01-10-2011, 02:40 AM
simply the best nation to view football, they get it while nations such as ours struggle:confused: