Everybody else hates them. You realise this as a Hull City fan walking around Germany when they confuse Black and Amber for Dynamo colours. But you cannot help admire the scale and the size of their support. Some of the best on the planet.
football culture
East German Footballing Stagnation
Football is an exceptionally good lens to look through to understand people and places. The graphic below shows the distribution of 1st and 2nd Bundesliga teams in the 2015/16 season. One thing stands out bold as brass: East Germany is desperately lacking. You see Continue reading
Happy and Inglorious: Nation of Sore Losers
In their outstanding book ‘Soccernomics’, Simon Kuper & Stefan Szymanski discuss at length England’s journeys through major international Football cups and the distinct absence of success. They have analysed how the narrative of events told by the English develops before, during and after the tournament. Kuper and Szymanski claim the English & their attitudes follow a pattern Continue reading
Ultras Aufkleber of the Week – Lokomotiv Moscow
From Russia With Love.
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Advertising & the Football Cup
Another major international Football competition and not only fans but also businesses are making serious plans. So much attention from so many people from so many countries is an opportunity to make an easy buck. Hijack the upcoming tournament hysteria, change your product design with the event name & national colours and claim you’re backing the boys in the host country. Kerching.
But governing Football bodies are not going to allow non-affiliated companies to Continue reading
On Wembley Way Baht’at
This year’s Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Final will be contested between Hull City and Sheffield Wednesday, 28th of May, in the grandest of all British stadia, Wembley Stadium. While the rivalry of these two teams will be evident, we have to acknowledge the significance of an all-Yorkshire final taking place in London.
The United Kingdom and France share a characteristic that other major European powers do not; in each country one city, the capital, dominates the political, economic and Continue reading
Ultras Aufkleber of the Week – Hansa Rostock
This week’s Ultras Sticker of the Week is from Hansa Rostock. A club with little success but a fan base that you don’t mess with. Check out that pyroshow.
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Ultras Aufkleber of the Week – Austria Salzburg
Only after the watershed this time. The caption translates as ‘Horny for Austria’. The boys at SV Austria Salzburg are not large in numbers but boast a lot of creativity and don’t shy away from the spotlight. See our post ‘Saving Austria Salzburg‘ for a brief overview of the club and an account of their eventful meeting with 1. FC Union Berlin earlier this year.
From Boothferry To Germany 