Not a match report - Union 0:0 Dresden

Pre-Match

I had an inkling I'd not write a match report about the Union v Dresden match on Friday evening. Perhaps it was knowing that I had an epic Berlin weekend ahead; the weather was looking decent and it was the usual 'gang of three' at the Försterei as we sat outside Abseitsfalle supping our Berliner Pilsner. Never has a €2-50 beer tasted so good. 

Rob, Matt and I had convened, as ever, at Ostkreux mid-afternoon. The joys of freelancing. We were knights without masters. Just without a lance - something the policeman in Newcastle probably wished he'd had! We were not looking for any trouble and there was far too many police around to risk it. Perhaps they should brief the police better when they drop them in Köpenick though. It's best to at least know the team colours the fans are wearing. 

After our leisurely beverages in the 'Offside Trap' bar we headed towards the ground. The sun had come out, we fancied a decent spot on the terraces and we knew we'd get a drink inside anyway. €1 per beer more expensive but well worth it. Unless the match is deemed a 'security risk' and the sale of alcoholic beer is banned. Shite. Oh well, we soon discovered that Glühwein still had alcohol in it. Just what you want on a balmy Spring evening. 

I used to work with Rob in London and it safe to say that football has always united us. We've played in the same (pretty average) team and we now go to Union with our dauerkarte's. I met Matt when another mate Rob was visiting Berlin. We got chatting at the train station after the Köln game and my one season blog did not frighten him off and we've slowly developed a friendship aided and abetted by Union - and Eddie Izzard last week. But chiefly Union. That's what blokes do. They go to football as a way to socialise. Girls do it as well. Just blokes do it more.

Why all the stuff about Union and my two mates? I'm not entirely sure but I think it is two fold. I'm not in the business of offending people (if I was I'd have recounted our take on Mormons) so don't take this the wrong way if we've met or we meet in the future. It's just football becomes ritualistic quite quickly. 

Ostkreuz pre-match. Abseitsfalle for a drink. Union Tanke for a drink when the weather is awesome. You get into a pattern of behaviour astonishingly rapidly. The football at Union is often criticised as being secondary in importance to the fans after the atmosphere. I'd go a step further. The atmosphere is a by-product, and thus also secondary to a bunch of people meeting up with their mates. Whether English, German, American, male or female. It's not about the result, it's not just about the atmosphere and it is certainly not about success. 

I'm fortunate to come from a one club town. It was a town when I grew up and Sunderland's city status was conferred upon it. It has no cathedral. The football club is its Mecca I've always thought anyway. Whilst Union are a capital side the club does not have the look, feel or style of a team from the capital. Boundary changes welcomed in Köpenick as part of Berlin for starters. Adding to this feeling - for me as an Englishman - is that Germany is not at all 'capital-centric' due to many factors. All fairly self-evident if you open a history book. The Alte Försterei is situated on the edge of the forest and encapsulates the community feeling with Union's ticket office and press team still being housed in the Old Forester's house. I'm as at home at Union with my mates as I was at Sunderland with my mates. One teams results always has and always will mean a whole lot more to me. I can say that after a 3-0 derby win on enemy territory.

The Gegengerade bathed in Sunshine

As we strolled along the back of the gegengerade with our strange tasting beer in hands we ruminated on how funny it was that we were now able to recognise the regulars. It was the 15th home game of the season and we looked out for Chris and his mates from Marzahn. Rob chatted away as we stood in the dazzling sun with well over an hour to go before kick off.  Later we finally saw Simon and managed to catch up with him during the second half. Everyone has their ritual at Union. Felix was down below us photographing the fans - and a bit of the match. We were looking forward to the game, the atmosphere, but above all just being at the match together and sharing drinks, sausages and jokes. I also had my first pretzel at Union. I strongly suggest trying a Käse covered beast. Tremendous. Must taste even better with a beer.

The Match

The game finished 0-0. Turgid. Dull. I read a few adjectives on Twitter. I've seen worse games. I'm not sure if I have seen worse at Union. Dresden came to not get beat. It's probably what the Newcastle v Sunderland game would have been like if Martin O'Neill had not been dismissed by the brave Sunderland Chairman, Ellis Short. A defensive one up top from Dynamo stifled the home side. 

Classic Union choreography

Post-match

Anyway, this is no match report but it is my final blog post after a home game. I'm at a wedding for Union's penultimate home game so Rob will man the fort. The last game of the season will see a guest post from another good friend as he tastes Union for the first time. The blog and twitter moniker were designed to be a 'one season only' affair. I've made no firm decision on the @UnionBerlinMan account after bumping in to a couple of people on Saturday and Sunday that I was connected to on Twitter. I quite like the name and don't think I have the energy for another blog about a different subject matter - the old kneiper's of Neukölln do need to be checked out and what better excuse! In the name of research. A few match reports for the new Union in Englisch website perhaps? That will be with you in the summer. We'll keep you all posted of course. 

The evening ended via one of Friedrichshain's best pizza restaurants and a Späti. Whilst it was not classic Union on a Friday night we all kept up our side of the ritual. Saturday morning was a struggle. In my defence I was still drinking an Irish coffee in Mitte just after noon the next day. Union surrendered their 5 home Friday night games played, five won record. We cemented our friendship the way blokes so often do. 

I can only apologise for the lack of football involved in this blog post. I could have never predicted what my first season at Union would entail. It's been about the people. My mates Rob and Matt. Everyone else I have met at Union. People who have sent nice messages via social media - from America, Canada, Finland and of course the UK. All of these components have added up to create a story I'd never have envisaged. Certainly not when walking out of a Neukölln bar and being asked if I was the Union Berlin man! The blog post is sounding like the season is over. Well, after Union's 1 point from 6 away from home and the subsequent draw against Dresden it genuinely is in terms of relegation or promotion. It's fitting though for this narrative.

Union is about more than the result. Union is bigger than Köpenick. It's bigger than Berlin. The spirit of Union lives inside every Unioner. That is what a club is. A combination of people, friendships and memories. From those no longer with us - many asked for their ashes to be scattered at Roker Park and I can only guess this happens at Union - to those who are the current day spine of the support. 

A club may be defined by statisticians by the results. By the money men by the balance sheet. For me it is the people. Managers and players are rightly part of the history and are a fabric that weaves between the fans. The fans are always the strongest though. They invest the most in their club. Their time; often at vast expense in relation to income. I'll always go to Union as long as live in Berlin. I'll always be a Sunderland and Union fan for as long as I live. Thanks for a great season everyone. Einmal Unioner, Immer Unioner!

As ever, pictures are from Groundhopping Etc. A big thank you to Felix for the season's images. Like his page to make sure you don't miss any Union snaps.

The Iron Man: Uwe Neuhaus is not for turning

Firstly an apology to all Union fans. I'm very sorry that the 'Iron Lady' nickname for Maggie Thatcher ever came about. It's a slight on the club, the fans and above all the metal substance that we see on the Periodic table as Fe.  Two years ago Dirk Zingler (Union President) had to answer to media mutterings about his links to the Stasi. Recently, my hometown club Sunderland AFC appointed Paulo Do Canio and were lambasted by a man who many think is a war criminal and a newspaper that hacked the nation. Pretty much. Who said football and politics don't intermingle?  

'Spitting Image' of the 'Iron Lady'

  
Neuhaus has been relentless in pursuing his 4-4-2 approach this term, both home and away, no matter the result or consequences. The Iron Man of Union Berlin is certainly not for turning. He may have dropped his shoulder at the start of the campaign, toyed with one up front but he's boldly kept faith with Terodde and Nemec leading the Union attack. Why is this? It's probably one of the most interesting tactical questions of Union's season. That and why does does Ozbek wear his collar up, Neuhaus never wear a suit and Zoundi get such a great reaction from the Gegengerade. I think he just has one of those names to be honest.

The Iron Man

There are a number of reasons. Firstly, how else do you play so narrow yet allow space for Mattuschka to shine and influence? Nemec, in particular, plays as what Big Ron would have called, as an 'auxiliary winger' - I do miss racist Ron and his non-racist commentary. Nemec pulls players out of position and this opens up the centre for 'Tusche to exploit. The advantage of this approach is that often a full-back and centre half are torn between who marks the big Slovak. On occasion Nemec drifts wide and curls in a cross-cum-shot - see Last Sunday. 

Secondly, Nemec and Terodde are building up an understanding. If you watched the last two away games you may have thought they were two strangers who had met once and decided they did not like each other. If you've been at the Alte Försterei all season you'd have witnessed a blossoming footballing front-two romance. Nemec was a little frigid at first but when he found his feet, this combined with Terodde hitting a purple patch. Clearly, with time spent on the training pitch, the two gradually developed an understanding. Goals followed as a Berlin Spring follows Winter. Yes, it was a bit slow but worth the wait.   

Thirdly, it is a matter of personnel. The Union midfield is made up of workers. They've not chipped in with their fair share of goals this campaign. If we remove Mattuschka from the equation the rest of the team have been hugely disappointing this season. Especially in light of going away to Kaiserslautern on the opening day and scoring three goals; you'll recall it was Parensen, Zoundi and Pfertzel that netted that day. Neuhaus - his gamble of dropping Mattuschka nearly paying dividends - was a man caught at the poker table with a hand that nearly worked. His problem was he wanted to keep playing the same hand. With Union winless in four, it took the derby against Hertha for Neuhaus to go for 4-4-2. After that he was a gambler fixated on the steady hand. Keep playing, stay at the table and eventually a pair will flush out those bluffing. His pair have done enough. Not enough for promotion but perhaps enough to better last season's 7th place finish.

Neuhaus has known no other way this season than 4-4-2 if he wants to win games. He decided against going one up front against Frankfurt and Union were resoundly dispatched 3-0. Another manager may have opted to pack the midfield and hope that the extra man aids the defensive unit. No tinkering with the defence this year has made a blind bit of difference. Stuff out, Stuff in. The defence looks shaky, devoid of confidence and one pass away from an error. Perhaps Neuhaus knows that attack really is the best form of defence and that is why Union have such an enviable home record and his able to rule Eisern with an iron fist. Let's hope he continues the good work. 

Union narrowly edge 'Kult-duell' as they hit 4 past Pauli

It was billed as a 'cult duel' by portions of the Berlin media and on paper it had the makings of a classic. The game was sold out with standing tickets being sold on Ebay for around four times face value. I did wonder whether the game would live up to the atmosphere or crumble under the weight of expectation. I've only witnessed one goalless game at the Alte Försterei - against Vfr Aalen back in November. A game so forgettable, I had to research when it occurred. Since that game, and prior to the Pauli fixture, Union have taken part in  games that have yielded an astonishing 43 goals in 12 matches. 

It does not take a statistician to see that Union have major problems defensively. Only five clean sheet in the league this season must make for depressing reading for Union's backroom staff. Uwe Neuhaus had uttered the classic refrain in his midweek press conference that it's common knowledge that 'you don't change a winning team' and after a defeat Neuhaus always rings the changes. 

It was a surprise to see Christian Stuff on the bench as he made way for Schönheim / Kohlman - as Menz was also a casualty of the defeat in Cottbus against 10 men. One wonders if that match will play a crucial point in determining Union's fate this season.

Pauli came in to the game on the back of three straight wins and Neuhaus has talked up the visitors defensive capabilities whilst almost marveling at how well they have done of late - dragging themselves in to contention for a late challenge to the play-off spot. The Bundesliga 2 is a tight league and is impossible to call as most of those attempting to displace Kaiserslautern in 3rd are inconsistent. This was again demonstrated on Friday night as both Energie Cottbus and Frankfurt dropped much needed points against mid-table sides. 

As is worryingly becoming the norm I had a few tasks to take care of prior to the game. The photography exhibition needed to be taken down so that the Eiserne Botschafter could use the room for a screening on Sunday night. I also had some tickets to shift and sold 2 tickets in Sektor 3 for less than the lad I was with had paid a tout for his solitary 'karte.' Love football hate ticket touts and all that. My journey to the 'other side' of Köpenick brought with it good fortune though, as when a mate turned up and informed me the Pauli team bus was parked outside the hotel opposite, I darted over, ignoring the red man much to the bemusement of the locals and gave the bus a small make-over. The manufacturers logo was now hidden by an 'Union in Englisch' sticker. All good fun.

The Pauli team travel through Köpenick advertising the English fan club

As we walked up the stairs at the Alte Försterei I heard Christian Arbeit say that Köpenich would 'stay red and white' and understood what he was on about when I saw one of the St.Pauli banners - 'Köpenick ist Braun und Weiss.' Again, all good fun. The atmosphere was up there with the best I have experienced pre-match at Union. Arbeit was unable to read out the Union team due to the incessant chanting from the home faithful. The place was unevenly packed with Sektor 3 (the gegengerade runs down one side of the ground) looking sparse at the corner near the visitors and overflowing into the aisles near the home end where we were situated next to a couple of St.Pauli fans decked out in their colours. 

I'll apologise now for getting on my high-horse but it is stuff like this that makes going to watch Union special. Two blokes, sharing jokes with the home fans and completely at ease with wearing club colours surrounded by rival fans. There is of course a bond between the two clubs. However, it is moments like this that the media will never pick up on. Preferring to talk of an increase in fan violence and other such nonsense. The two sets of supporters had actually chartered a boat to arrive in Köpenick together - a 4 hour trip from Friedrichstraße on a cold March afternoon. Rather them than me! I'll wait until August when the Botschafter organise their annual trip along the Spree to the match.

The atmosphere had been cranked up for this one. The first time Fortress Försterei had been completely sold out since the building of the new stand. Over 21,000 were there to witness what transpired to be a pulsating duel. The game living up to expectations. Naturally the opening stages were tentative with both teams battling it out in the middle of the park. The game and party atmosphere that has become a regular occurrence when Union play on a Friday night, kicked into life bang on 20 minutes. I imagine the Pauli coach would have been pleased at the age old football mantra of going away from home and 'keeping it tight for the first 20 minutes' and wondering whether Pauli could extend their winning streak. 

Simon Terodde, quickly becoming Union's star striker these days, was the man who broke the deadlock. 

Andrew Cherrie describes Union's opener as part of his excellent live Twitter coverage

Mattuschka, a thorn in the side of St.Pauli this term was instrumental again and as the result suggests won the midfield battle. He was shackled, often by 3 Pauli midfielders, but appeared to always find that extra yard. He's a quick thinker and always a step ahead of the opposition - if not literally then certainly mentally. When in this sort of form he's a joy to watch. Play of this quality is not always part and parcel of the Bundesliga 2. 

The live tweeting is always good when you've actually been to match. I always re-read the tweets and this next 'passage of tweets' shows clearly the passage of play that led up to Pauli's equaliser.

Cherrie describes the build-up to the first Pauli equaliser

The goal always looked likely. The defensive re-shuffle had not made Union appear anymore stable than usual. To give credit to St.Pauli they defend from the front and it was an evening devoid of time on the ball. Short, sharp and 'schnell' was the order of the day.

At 1-1 Union again put pressure on the visitors as they attacked the goal containing the noisy Pauli contingent. Union restored their lead just before half-time although Mattuschka almost contrived to miss what was a simple tap in. He hit the ball with such force that it flew into the back of the net via the underside of the crossbar. His muted celebrations were perhaps more to do with playing his 'get of jail free card' than effortless nonchalance. 

The game remained 2-1 until the 76th minute which saw a peculiar spell of 3 goals in a mere 7 minutes. The goals were always coming and it was simply a matter of which team would tire first. The money was on Union. 

Cherrie predicts the Nuehaus substitution

The equaliser eventually came for St.Pauli in the shape of an absolute rocket from the full-back.

2-2 heralds the start of a 7 minute goal fest

Union seemed to discover the tank was unlike the beer sellers backpacks and in fact not quite empty. They immediately launched wave after wave of attack in an attempt to restore their lead for a third time.  They were rewarded in front of the home end with young Nemec adding his name to the score sheet after Zoundi had fired spectacularly wide when only a few yards out and one on one with the keeper. It was again the mercurial Mattuschka who created the opening with a beautifully weighted ball slipped into the path of the Union striker. The Försterei was bouncing and the 3-2 win that had been predicted at half-time by our resident tweeter was looking good. 

Union were not finished and even had time to substitute Mattuschka and replace him with Menz before adding to their goal tally. It was Terodde again who gave the scoreline a touch of class. A 4-2 win sounds comfortable. This was anything but. It was a hard fought victory and a very valuable 3 points as Union only have 3 home games remaining. Union won't finish 3rd due to their poor away form but bettering last term is certainly achievable. Terodde's goal was of his own making. He received the ball with his back to goal and held of his man whilst swiveling and unleashing an unstoppable shot. He kept it low and it sped past the keeper to make it 4-2. The game had certainly lived up to expectations both on and off the pitch.

Union Berlin Triumph Again

An unashamedly partisan post as I reflect on the Berlin derby. 

Union have played Hertha in four competitive fixtures. It's currently one win a piece and on Monday 11th February, in the Olympiastadion, the 74,000+ crowd were treated to a pulsating derby that ended all square. The stadium was full of Union fans and not just in the away end, where over 20,000 were packed in; many not bothering with their allocated seats and congregating around the banners draped over the front of the upper-tier. 

Red flames greet Union Berlin

Make no mistake, this was a triumph for the red and white team from Köpenick. Naturally, in the aftermath, there was talk of two points dropped rather than one point gained. That's inevitable after being 2-0 up and leading the game for well over an hour. The convincing nature of Union's demolition of Hertha in the opening hour will live long in the memory. Again, to be clear, Hertha were restricted to play acting, moaning and did little to test the Union goalkeeper in the first hour of this game. As they became increasingly frustrated the Unioner rallied around their team, becoming increasingly louder as the first half drew to a close. 

The day had started early for the 'Union in Englisch' crowd as we joined forces with the Danish Union supporters and took over the Oscar Wilde pub in Berlin's Mitte district. We were also joined by representatives of the Swedish Unioner and our good friends from the Eiserne Botschafter. Friedrichstraße station was awash with red and white. Even those who were in the 'home' end were wearing Union scarves and were later able to walk freely around the stadium with no hint of trouble. There was an estimated 25,000 Union fans in the ground. Around 30% of the capacity. Without the neutrals and the international fans, who had traveled en masse, the derby probably would not have sold out. As Erik from the Swedish Unioner fan club pointed out, 'Hertha Berlin have spectators and Union Berlin have fans.'  That's not to decry the Ostkurve, who do their best to create an atmosphere. It's just difficult in such a large arena with a running track and music that's played when the home team score.

The differences between the two clubs are stark. Hertha have spent lavishly in comparison to their neighbours, possess a gigantic rented stadium and the 40th and 75th minute were sponsored by firms keen to advertise themselves to the clubs' fans. They also went into the game as clear favourites and were a massive 15 points ahead of Union, and to give some context to Union's achievement, had conceded only 5 goals at home this season before the derby. The best defensive record in the division. Union finished this game with the 3rd worst away defence, in terms of goals conceded, in the league. The top three have now scored a total of 9 goals against the Berliners. Union's advantage is whilst they have garnered only 2 points from these three games, they have scored an impressive 8 goals in reply.

Union made a mockery of the stats and were leading inside 10 minutes. I've no idea what happened as I was probably about a mile away from the action on almost the back row of the upper-tier. Terodde scored - I learned this from someone in front of us who had an app. The delights of modern day football and watching in an international sporting arena. The net bulged and 25,000 Union fans went berserk. Standard stuff at big football games. I was hugging the long haired German, jumping around with my mate Rob and trading high-fives with 'app woman' and her husband. When Union score, whether home or away, I get this feeling of being at one with my fellow fans. I may not be fluent in German but football transcends this. Barriers fall down like a wall as people lose their inhibitions and freely hug strangers. Much as they probably did in Berlin on November 9th 1989.

If you're reading this blog it is unlikely you need a match report. A blow by blow account is not what I can offer. The emotion and tension was that of a derby. You will the clock forward. At one stage in the second half I was sure that the seconds had started to slow down on the huge electronic scoreboard above the Ostkurve. I was worried. Half-time passed with much merriment as a home fan failed with his answer when guessing the amount of stations between Ostkreuz and Köpenick. It's 5 not 4. Ludicrous half-time entertainment from DB - the Hertha sponsors. As ludicrous as the situation on the S-Bahn post-match, as it took us over 2 hours to get back to our side of the city.    

I'd seen Union away in Braunschweig and we'd surrendered the lead twice. The nerves were settled when Mattuschka put the ball on a plate for Nemec. We could see this time and I ended up in the row in front due to the euphoric celebrations. This was 'our time' I thought. I did not dare breathe this out loud to Rob. Don't jinx it I told myself. The atmosphere was incessant. The sound could not escape out of the 'Marathon Gate' as Union increasingly upset Hertha's rhythm and closed down the home side. Union's players were clearly beginning to tire. Mattuschka had put in a tremendous shift, breaking up play, spreading the ball wide to the impressive Zoundi and  playing the role of leader. He rose to the occasion as top players invariably do. He left the field to a rapturous applause from one-third of the stadium.

The Brazilian, Ronny, had been shackled all game. The Union defence had spent an hour and a quarter brushing off their rivals with relative ease. However, they were undone by two set-pieces and it took something special and the help of the referee for Hertha to drag themselves back into the game. Union failed to clear the ball on a couple of occasions in the left full-back area. After the ball pinged about a free-kick was awarded. I was too far away to definitively tell if it was dubious. It appeared so and the referee had long since lost control of the game; brandishing cards at will and removing the ability to make a robust challenge out of the game. 

As fate would have it the free-kick was a carbon copy of the Mattuschka effort that won the derby for Union back in 2011. 'He's too fucking far over,' I muttered as Haas, the Union keeper lined up his wall and stood two yards from his post. The gap was big enough to drive a Russian tank through, the wall failed and the ball ended up in the bottom corner. The Brazilian ran off to jump in the snow. The Unioner broke out in song. It was still a triumph though. We'd twice breached the meanest defence in the league. We'd shown it was not about resources but about team spirit, passionate fans and the pro-pyro lobby will have been happy. Union will likely be fined for the dramatic red flares that lit up the away end. Nonsensical stuff.

The nonsense was far from over though. The game was finished, we trudged off to wait silently together, red and blue, young and old, mother and son, father and daughter, 'auslander' (foreigner) and German. Then it happened. The nonsense. Rival fans were on separate platforms and took advantage of the mounds of snow that had been piled up. A few snowballs were thrown. All good natured. Then someone wearing blue - I won't dignify the idiot with the term fan - threw a glass bottle into the middle of the fans a mere 10 yards from where we were stood. The glass bottle rested near my feet and then we realised someone had been hit. Blood everywhere, the Unioner once again spilling blood for the cause. A sad and unnecessary end to a wonderful weekend. There were woman and children on the platform. Luckily there was no retaliation. 

It was, whilst not in terms of points, a victory for Union and I was proud to be part of it. Nobody expected such a high quality performance. Whilst Union could not mimic the 2011 victory, the performance was a significant improvement and Hertha were made to look poor this time round. Union may not gain promotion this season but only a fool would bet against them making an incredible ascent to the top tier in the next few seasons. Perhaps the next time Union play Hertha, both teams will be in the Bundesliga 1. 

For more images of the derby take a look at the superb www.facebook.com/groundhoppingetc 

International FC Union Berlin supporters - Berlin derby weekend

The score last time at the Olympiastadion

Union in Englisch

Firstly, the name is not serious. Thanks for the correspondence and feedback though. My favourite was that it should be 'English' not 'Englisch.' At present we have a facebook page and Twitter account. We're meeting before the next Union game to discuss website content and to start building the site. We're especially interested in articles on your visits to Union, why Union and of course any pictures. Post them on our page, drop us an e-mail (unioninenglisch@gmail.com) or send us a tweet to @unioninenglisch - it's always great to hear from people.

Stickers available on the day - limited edition

What is the point?

Someone asked me this the other day. I told them to jump. There is no point. You live. You die. Sorry, why have a fan club with information in English - everyone should speak enough German to sort out tickets or they should not bother attending. That's an interesting view but not a view we subscribe to. Firstly, we're made up of a bunch of people from the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and Scandinavia. English is our common language. We all speak German to varying degrees of success. We all love speaking to the locals and learning about the history of Union. If we can then pass on what we learn to the English speaking world we see that as a good thing. No Dice Magazine has been a big success story recently. An English language magazine all about Berlin football. People told them they were mad. They proved the critics wrong. It's been a huge success.

The Launch

On Sunday at 17:00 we'll be launching the concept of an English speaking supporters group of Eisern Union. Details here about the exhibition. Union is about more than football. It's about community and it's also about the theatre (there is an Union play) and about art. The Eiserne Botschafter (Union Ambassadors) have kindly partnered with us to host our launch event. A massive coup and we're delighted as they have a Union Berlin modern museum which will open as well. It has numerous Union artefacts and is worth a visit in its own right.

The exhibition will feature 32 photographs dating back to 2006. We can exclusively reveal that the prints (300mm by 450mm - pretty big!) will be available to order on the night. They will be €10 each or 2 for €15 (excluding postage and packing). This is simply to cover the costs of the exhibition. Hopefully we'll have some cash in the kitty to fund the website too! If you live abroad (or in Berlin) we'll of course post them out to you in special tubes to protect the prints.

After the exhibition we will be going to an Union pub nearby. An experience in itself. Check out the event page above for details.

What else can I do over the weekend in Berlin?

Clearly there are a lot of international Union supporters in Berlin for the derby on Monday. If you're anything like us you'll be spending the weekend taking in a mixture of culture, football, average food and drinking. To help you with all of these things just read on.

Regular contributor Felix has put together a good list of games that are on over the weekend. Click here to read it. My personal recommendation is the Tennis Borussia game on the Friday night. A gem of a stadium and great club. If you want to see Union place twice during your stay, then it's Union Berlin II vs. Red Bull Leipzig (Regionalliga) at the Jahnsportpark for you!  Handy if you want to brave the elements and take in the legendary Mauerpark flea market prior to the game. For a traditional German breakfast I strongly recommend Entweder Oder which is also nearby. 

Derby Day

As well as our launch event we'll be meeting for a few pre-match drinks on Monday afternoon. Whether you are an Unioner or a Hertha fan, we'd love to see you for a beer. This is a friendly city derby and we're keen to enter in to the spirit of things. We're hopeful the UK Hertha fans will join us as well!

We've decided to travel to the game from Friedrichstraße via the S-Bahn. We needed a pub in close proximity and have opted for an Irish boozer - Oscar Wilde. It serves food, alcohol and is an ideal central meeting point. The plan is to be in there from around 15:00 and depart just before 18:00. If you can't find us then ask at the bar or look for 10 Swedish lads!

Eisern!!! 

Looking forward with Union Berlin

2012

I've taken a look back and reviewed Union Berlin's campaign so far for Bundesliga Football. On a personal note, I've learnt a significant amount this year. Glühwein is deceptively strong, German is a tremendous language to learn when you put the hours in and there is more to life than purely football at Union - much more. You can scoff at that last notion and are perhaps thinking, 'of course there is'. Let me explain. When I first went to Union in 2010 I encountered a passionate fan base and a cracking 'local side'. As I have slowly learnt more about 'Eisern' I've discovered theatre productions, carol singing and some of the friendliest people I've had the privilege to meet in Berlin. They speak German to me as well. 1.FC Union Berlin are an association in the true sense of the word. A genuine community club but equally, people such as me, are accepted. I can assure you that does not happen everywhere in Berlin.

Superb Stuff

However, lets move on. I want to have a look forward now. It's New Years Day after all!  What does the future, or the next 5 months, hold for Union?

The Stadium

Before considering matters on the pitch, it is only right to applaud the Berliners for a magnificent job in building the new stand. Boasting over 3,600 seats, the grandstand, weather permitting, will be open for the first home game after the winter break. It will be 'Friday Night Lights' at 6pm against SV Sandhausen. The special heated seats may not be installed by then but the majority of the standard seats will hopefully be ready for this fixture. Perhaps Union should have been awarded the contract to build the new airport?! (so far over a year behind schedule).

On The Pitch

There are 15 games remaining. 7 of these are at home and 8 away. 

The majority of the away games are against sides in the top half. 2 of the 8 matches are against sides in the bottom half, although that includes Köln, in 10th place, who sit a mere point behind the Berliners. Union have only won twice in the league on the road so far this season and although they have managed to score 3 goals on three occasions it is worth pointing out that these games earned the Berliners a measly 2 points. Strangely the influential Torsten Mattuschka has only featured in one of these three games. Union do not travel particularly well.

In light of the above and if football were played on paper, the 7 home games, will be crucial in deciding Union's fate this year. Will they be battling for third, or set for another very respectable, mid-table finish. Union are a small club, run on a small budget and aiming to establish themselves as a solid Bundesliga 2. side. Arguably they pretty much achieved this status. However, if you are not moving forward you're probably going backwards as it's pretty difficult to stand still in football. 

As Union found out in August and September, momentum is key. Therefore, I'd argue the home games against Sandhausen (2nd bottom), Ingolstadt (9th) and Erzebirge (11th) will decide Union's final position in the table come May 2013. If they are to contend 3rd place, whilst a pipe dream for most it is certainly not an unrealistic ambition, they'll require maximum points. Anything less than 7 points from these games will mean Union must significantly improve their away form - in particular their defending away from the Stadion An der Alten Försterei.

The stand out fixture after the 'winterpause' is clearly the Berlin derby - the stadtmeisterschaft. Can Union avenge the 2-1 reverse they suffered in September? Hertha are clear favourites. They are at home and riding high in 2nd place in the Bundesliga 2. Union have previous though. One down at half-time they fought back and claimed a famous victory in 2011. After having watched Hertha labour for 85 minutes against St.Pauli at the Olympiastadion, I certainly won't be heading to the Berlin derby with any fear and nor I'd guess are Neuhaus and his men. The team who win this fixture will have those key ingredients that make football so difficult to predict - momentum and players with confidence. See the league leaders Braunschweig for evidence. They got off to a cracking start and have not looked back. That dodgy penalty at Union served them well!

Can Union gain promotion? Well, they are currently looking to strengthen the squad with another attack-minded player. Creativity has been a struggle at home for Union. Many teams come to sit back and hit Union on the break. This is arguably when the Berliners struggle most. Some additional creativity may be just what they need as well as an increase in 'defending from the front' when away from home.  I think Union will do well to finish 7th again. They have a good team spirit, fanatical home support and a stadium that hits a superb balance, in terms of being modern, whilst also accommodating the masses who prefer to stand.

I'll predict a 6th place finish because I'm a born optimist. Whatever the outcome, it will be an exciting year as an Unioner. Hopefully the Försterei will be become even more intimidating for the opposition and we'll roar Union on to a play-off spot. We can but dream, for what is life without dreams?

Enjoy 2013 and feel free to make your prediction of where Union Berlin will finish in the league by using the comments section below.

Happy New Year / Guten Rutsch to you all!

For information on the 'Union in Englisch' fan club please take a look at this blog post. Stickers are now on sale!

Union in Englisch - International Fan Club for the English Speaking Unioner

The Founders

Andrew Cherrie is an Oxford United fan who spent a lot of time in Berlin when his girlfriend was in the city for a 6 month stint. He fell in love with Union.

Mark Wilson moved to Berlin just after Germany thumped England in the 2010 World Cup. He chose Union rather than Hertha, eventually traded his Sunderland season ticket for that of Union and started this blog to chart his first season as an Unioner.

Union in Englisch - how we started

Andrew approached Mark about setting up a fan club for English speakers in autumn 2012. Mark thought it was a good idea as via his blog he'd realised there was a lot of interest in Union. Not just from English speaking Berliners but from people around the globe who follow Eisern Union. It's early days but after a few beers at TeBe and a match at Union the two lads though they would give it a go.

Twitter, Facebook and Gmail

Currently you can contact us via @unioninenglisch on Twitter and via e.mail unioninenglisch@gmail.com

For news, links and pictures check out our Facebook page here.

Website

We hope to fund a half-decent website and purchase a huge flag with the proceeds of our first batch of limited edition stickers (see below).

Where we are now

We've written to the club to seek some advice on becoming an official fan club and are continuing to forge links with other relevant associations such as the Eiserne Botschafter.

Our aims

We're just two blokes who love Union who want to provide English speakers with some news and ticket information. We're keen to help people integrate and understand the rich history of the club. We're also interested in meeting fellow football fans who share our passion for 1.FC Union Berlin.

Stickers

We've designed some stickers and boldly ordered 1,000. You can buy them from us using paypal. The cost is 20 stickers for £2.50 or 50 stickers for £5.00. That is inclusive of postage and packing within Europe. Please ask for a quote if you live outside Europe. 

UnioninEnglisch sticker 2012 1/1000

To secure your stickers, and a chance to win an unmissable (but for now top secret) prize, send your paypal payment to unioninenglisch@gmail.com

Please select the "friends and family" option as this reduces our costs (thanks Matt!)

The Union Berlin Man Top 10 of 2012

Whilst I have created a top 10 there really is no pecking order here. I started the blog in May and it has just spiralled from there. I continue to make friends through my support of Union Berlin, and that for me, is what it is all about.

There are so many stories, comical incidents and friendships that have occurred already and we're only at the mid-point of the season.

Enjoy some of the goals and links below and of course...

10. My first Union away game on the final day of last season. Zombie Nation time!

9. Eintracht Frankfurt fans storming the away end - Union fans then applauded. Superb banner.

8.  Mattuschka's brace at St. Pauli. Two stunning strikes only beaten by him celebrating with the away fans after the game. To me, symbolic of the bond between fans and players at Union.

7. Attending a play about Union - 'Das Stück Zum Spiel'. Interview with Chris Lopatta to come in 2013. Lead actor, lifetime 'dauerkarte' holder at Union and he helped build the stadium! 

6. Braunschweig away and Nemec's second goal. A real beauty.

5. Terodde's volley against Kaiserslautern. You can find the goal within this blog piece.

4. Weihnachtssingen at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei. 22,500 people. Wow. Felix from Groundhopping Etc captured the mood. Check out his Facebook page.

3. Meeting various Eiserne Botschafter members.

2. Silvio's almost comical goal when Union faced Köln & picked up a crucial first 3 points this term.

1. Standing in the freezing cold for over 4 hours to secure a ticket for the Berlin derby.  

Here's to 2013 - Eisern Union!

Eintracht Braunschweig 4:3 1. FC Union Berlin - highlights

For my match report and comment on the ongoing protests against the 'Safe Stadium Experience' check out this article

For highlights click here

If you're interested in joining an English speaking fan club then follow @unioninenglisch on Twitter.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!!

A play about FC Union Berlin - Das Stück Zum Spiel

The Background

After stalking the Eiserne Botschafter three weeks on the bounce I think they started to feel sorry for me. There is a piece coming up on their good work in the 'winterpause' but until then you'll have to trust me. A great bunch - they are Union Ambassadors with a small museum in Köpenick and exhibition space dedicated to Union. A cultural association that the mainstream media ignore. I met them by chance, after I was kindly invited by a Swedish chap named Erik, to join him and his Swedish mates on a tour of the modern museum. Erik sang 'happy birthday' to me down the phone the first time we spoke. You just have to love the Swedes! Anyway, after my third visit to the museum, Michael suggested I head to to Köpenick to watch a play about Union. As with all things Union this season it was of course 'ausverkauft' (sold out) but he said to turn up and take the risk as where was the fun in life otherwise...

Wednesday Afternoon

I was suffering from the dreaded 'man flu' and was facing a late fitness test. Luckily, I'd been to the Stasi Archives the night before and realised, that although my German is not great, I can get by and understand enough to make an experience enjoyable. I tweeted that I'd be going to see a play about Union and to my surprise a Dutchman by the name of Kasper was interested in joining me. A fellow risk taker. Result. We met at Ostkreuz and took the S3 out to Köpenick. I'm now losing count of the amount of people I have met at the 'Crobag' at Ostkreuz. 

The Risk

Well, hardly a risk, as after walking to the venue via the Union club shop situated in the shopping centre (where I purchased a Union santa hat), we were able to procure tickets in under a minute. We nearly missed out due to the fact I was 'hob-knobbing' with Chris Lopatta (one of the actors) in the foyer. Chris is a top bloke and very down to earth - a true Unioner who has a lifetime 'dauerkarte' (season ticket) - and he's up for an interview in January when his schedule permits. I was moved that his first line was, "I've read your blog" and thankful that the next line was not, 'and it's shit!' Union are a special club with true football people at the core. Of course I can't name the goalscorers from a match against Karl Marx Stadt in 1988 but that's not what Union are about. They appreciate people trying to engage with the club and the community. They appreciate effort and a willingness to make mistakes. Just give your all. That's what they give and what they expect in return from players and supporters alike.

The Play - Das Stück Zum Spiel   

I was at home in the compact theatre, surrounded by Unioner decked out in scarves and shirts. Kasper and I managed to grab a spot that was equidistant between the stage and the bar. Kasper ensured we had a full stein for the first half. Of course, it was 45 minutes each way. Whilst most of the action took place on the stage to our right, we were also graced with a table directly in front of us which was placed in the middle of the audience. This style of theatre, where the actors roam among the audience, is a real signifier of FC Union Berlin. They are not a cliched 'people's club' - they are a people who are a club. There is a subtle difference.   

After listening to The Doors and a spot of The Clash (London Calling) the lights were dimmed and the audience were greeted to the intro to Nina Hagen's punk classic that Union come out to at every home match. It was Lopatta who expertly imitated the gravely voice (unbelievable for a man who neither drinks or smokes!) that anyone who has been to a Union game will recognise. It was a superb moment when he appeared between the curtains, adorned in a retro Union shirt, clutching the microphone and setting the tone of the evening for the 250 capacity crowd.

I'm not going to claim I understood every word or all of the nuanced gags. I understood enough for this to be up there with seeing 'Trainspotting', 'A Clockwork Orange' and 'Glengarry Glen Ross' performed live. This was theatre the way it was meant to be performed. Affordable, relaxed and without any pretension. The themes were those that any football fan or indeed family could identify with. The son coming home with a bloody nose and the mother questioning the father about what was going on. The girlfriend offering to come to a match and the boyfriend running a mile - what fun is travelling away to these strange places was the gist. A truly comic moment occurred when the  girlfriend asked the dreaded question, 'Union or me.' The next scene meant the question was left unanswered. Subtle. Even the Unioner know that there is more to life than football - but mot much more. Saying that, we were treated to a glorious line, 'Es ist nicht ein spiel, es ist mein Leben.' (It is not a game, it is my life). 

It's difficult to bring to life such a production via a blog. Especially when you're not a theatre critic. However, there were some moments of pure comedy. "Have you ever ran 30 yards after an orgasm, just for it to be celebrated with 5 other guys." The Unioner on their way to Finland via boat and camper van in 2011, as their European campaign began shortly after 9/11(the played game took place on the 12th September). If you've traveled away with a group, you'd have appreciate the bickering and throwing up!  

The play took in the 70s, the 80s, the 90s and the present day. Clearly, there were references to the DDR  days that were over my head due to my rudimentary language skills. I'll ensure I see this play again, do my research and talk to as many Unioner as possible so that I can appreciate these gags. It was a real honour to be in Köpenick to watch the play. It was first shown 6 years ago and initially the actors worked without payment. Even this year, the performers took 6 days holiday from their professional lives to stage the play.

The ending was made up of footage from years gone by. Original footage of the people of FC Union Berlin building the stadium was very moving. As were the scenes of jubilation when Union were promoted from Liga 3 to the Bundesliga 2 when playing at the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark.  

Whilst the play was superb two moments for me will always stand out. The warm welcome I received from Michael (from the Eiserne Botschafters) was the first. Football clubs are about people and a sense of community. As a 'new fan' it's humbling to be treated in such a way. The second was when we left and the mutual shout of 'Eisern' between me, Lopatto and Kasper. It was a fitting finale and summed the whole evening up. EISERN!

Pictures to follow...

Eintracht Braunschweig v 1. FC Union Berlin - Preview

A brief history of Eintracht Braunschweig

Eintracht Braunschweig (or to give the sporting association its full name - Braunschweiger Turn- und Sportverein Eintracht von 1895 e.V.)  have a rich history and were one of the founding members of the Bundesliga in 1963 when they were chosen to be one of the 16 teams out of forty-six applicants, to form the league. Prior to this, they were also founding members in 1900 of the German Football Association. Furthermore, they have the honour of probably being the first place in Germany to host a football match. 

A local school teacher by the name of Konrad Koch had brought football to the town. In autumn 1874 he initiated the first game of football in Germany although Dresden has also laid claim to this accolade with reports of a game in the April of the same year. It was Koch though, who devised the rules of football in 1875 in Germany, after learning of the English game and rules that were invented by the English Football Association in 1863.

Not only do Eintracht have a rich heritage in terms of the footballing side of the game - they actually won the Championship in 1967 - but they also have an interesting past in terms of the commercialisation of football in Germany and bribery and corruption.

In terms of bribery, it was a strange case in 1971, that led to two players being suspended and 10 dismissed from the club. However, rather than being bribed to 'throw' a game the reverse occurred. The players were paid to put extra effort in! 

It was two years later, on 24th March 1973, when Braunschweig faced Schalke 04, that the club took the then controversial step of opting for shirt sponsorship. Most readers will be familiar with the brand Jägermeister. It was a move which spawned a billion pound industry globally and in 1983 the alcohol brand actually tried to change the name of the club to Eintracht Jägermeister. I'm sure there would have been some cheap puns about Eintracht 'bombing' out of the league when they faced relegation. Eventually, the shirt deal came to an end in 1987.

Can you tell this is from the 1970's? Paul Breitner shows off the liquor brand

Eintracht Braunschweig v 1. FC Union Berlin

1. FC Union Berlin face Eintracht Braunschweig on Monday night in lower Saxony. It's the last game before the winter break and the league leaders will provide the Berliners with a tough test, on what will inevitably be, a cold December evening. Snow fell in early December across most of Germany and the temperatures have rarely been above freezing. This is exactly the type of away match I love. It's being played in front of the cameras, so only the hardcore Unioner will be in attendance. Also, by German standards, the two sides are in close proximity, as it's a mere 400km round-trip to Braunschweig from Berlin. 

Whilst Everton football club may be known as the School of Science, Braunschweig can lay claim to being the City of Science, after it was named Stadt der Wissenschaft in 2007. Everton's nickname came about in 1928 when their style of play was described as 'scientific'. Braunschweig certainly looked to have nailed that scientific approach when they visited the Stadion An der Alten Försterei back in August. It was Union's first home game and the soon-to-be league leaders played a strong defensive game and picked off Union with a disputed penalty. It was standard opening day stuff - cagey and deflating after a closed season of cautious optimism. Growing up a Sunderland fan, this is feeling I am well acquainted with. 

Form

Union entered Spieltag (match day) 19 in 5th place in the Bundesliga 2. With Union unbeaten in seven, including three straight wins, confidence should be high. This is surely the ideal time to face Braunschweig again. Terodde has found form and notched 8 goals this term. The service he received from the flanks against Kaiserslautern will be key and Union need to start with Quirring if they are to get the best out of the Union striker's aerial ability. However, the fact that  Union club captain Torsten Mattuschka is missing due to suspension, is a blow.  

Neuhaus has to decide between going 4-4-2 or 4-5-1. Union look best when attacking and are always liable to concede away from home. If he plays Nemec it will certainly be a more aggressive statement of intent. If Silvio starts he is likely to drop very deep, turning what may appear on paper two up front, to a formation with 5 in midfield.  

Union, over the course of the last 5 matches, have marginally better form than Braunschweig. The Berliners have amassed 11 points from a possible 15 whilst the league leaders have notched 10 points in that period. Only Union's 'quiet neighbours', Hertha Berlin, have a better record. They have chalked up 4 wins and a draw in the last 5 attempts. 

I'm an exponent of the 'you can prove anything with stats' line, so I have included the form table, based on the last 6 games and you'll see Union pip Hertha on goals scored according to www.soccerway.com 

The 'Formtabelle' for the Bundesliga 2 over the past 6 matches

The View from Braunschweig

First and foremost, a big thanks to Gerald for being so kind as to humour my poor German and answer a few questions about Union's opponents and league leaders, Braunschweig. 

After being promoted from the third tier Braunschweig managed a very respectable 8th place finish last season. Gerald puts this down to them having a really good team as early as 2008/9. Clearly, Braunschweig have had time to gel as a unit and as Gerald points out, "Das zahlt sich jetzt aus." It sure is paying off now, as we enter Spieltag 19, they sit a whopping 9 points above 3rd place Kaiserslautern. That's a huge lead to squander but Gerald adds that some fans were very pessimistic and feared relegation. Second season syndrome if you like. What a shock for those fans it must be, knowing that irrespective of the result against the Berliners, they'll enter the winter break in an automatic promotion spot.

Gerald cites Dennis Kruppke as his favourite player and a key man to watch on Monday night. Kruppke recently extended his contract with the club and the club captain's goal scoring record is testimony to his influence. He's scored at a ratio  of just over 1 goal in every 3 games played. An astonishing strike rate for an attacking midfielder who has played almost 150 games for the club. 

When asked if Braunschweig really can win the league Gerald points firstly to the manager, Torsten Lieberknecht, who described it as, "ein Traum." A dream it may be, but at the half way stage of the season, Braunschweig are sitting top of the pile. Gerald believes they can win the league. What is football without dreams? 

Thanks again to Gerald and good luck from match day 20 onwards! 

Gerald Fricke, Akademischer Rat an der TU Braunschweig, forscht über die Webgesellschaft und hat zuletzt den satirischen Ratgeber "Dienstanweisung Internet" veröffentlicht. Twitter: @Ballkultur