St Pauli

[Mack]

So it's a philosophy that people admire.

Very interesting story.

I wonder just how much of it has become about commercial exploitation, I mean, you see the t shirts all over Europe.

Someone is making good money from it!

[Guest Bilo]

So it's a philosophy that people admire.

Very interesting story.

I wonder just how much of it has become about commercial exploitation, I mean, you see the t shirts all over Europe.

Someone is making good money from it!

Pauli most probably are making a whole heap of money from merchandising and the like, but wouldn't you rather see a club that puts the community it serves first get rich rather than some faceless suits living in a tax haven?

They also donate considerable amounts of money to a charity called Viva con Agua de Sankt Pauli, who help to provide clean drinking water for children in Cuba, Rwanda and numerous other countries around the world.

They're a genuinely ethical club who realise that the fans and their community are their lifeblood, got to be better than feeding the pockets of people like Ken Bates like we do in this country.

[Mack]

Pauli most probably are making a whole heap of money from merchandising and the like, but wouldn't you rather see a club that puts the community it serves first get rich rather than some faceless suits living in a tax haven?

They also donate considerable amounts of money to a charity called Viva con Agua de Sankt Pauli, who help to provide clean drinking water for children in Cuba, Rwanda and numerous other countries around the world.

They're a genuinely ethical club who realise that the fans and their community are their lifeblood, got to be better than feeding the pockets of people like Ken Bates like we do in this country.

Fair enough.

I was merely pointing out the irony in a club with such values and supported for those reasons then makes a heap of cash from young fans all over Europe who buy their merchandise.

A bigger cynic than me might suggest it was all in the plan!?

[Guest Bilo]

Fair enough.

I was merely pointing out the irony in a club with such values and supported for those reasons then makes a heap of cash from young fans all over Europe who buy their merchandise.

A bigger cynic than me might suggest it was all in the plan!?

I can see where you're coming from, I really can.

I think that the trouble is that St. Pauli know they can't live in a non-commercial bubble subsisting purely on ticket sales, so they have to take advantage of the Europe-wide interest in them as much as they can, and I can see how that might compromise their principles. The thing I admire though is what they do with the money when they receive, which goes a lot further than furnishing a super-rich chairman's private yacht and paying for his kids' private school fees.

Whether they were as calculated as that when they took the leftist direction they did in the 1980s is open to debate. Prior to that, they really were a nothing club in the German third division but they still aren't massive even now; they're a yo-yo club between the top two divisions of late and building a new stand at the Millerntor has been a bit of a strain.

It's all very well going the direction they have, but it will alienate as many fans as it will attract. Let's say City were suddenly to decide to become an English St. Pauli with left-wing, anti-racist and feminist ideals. It's the same principle, we'd lose a few who didn't subscribe to that mentality.

[Daggers]

Fair enough.

I was merely pointing out the irony in a club with such values and supported for those reasons then makes a heap of cash from young fans all over Europe who buy their merchandise.

A bigger cynic than me might suggest it was all in the plan!?

What are you dribbling on about now? Where's the irony? Is it just you who has decreed that a club with staunch left-wing ideals can not make any money to support its causes or was there a law passed which I am unaware of?

Please do not have children.

[Jordan]

Three "Kiezkickers" went out to East River Bar in Williamsburg, Brooklyn last night to meet and greet the NY St. Pauli supporters club. Kind of random, but cool nevertheless.

[Guest MattP]

What are you dribbling on about now? Where's the irony? Is it just you who has decreed that a club with staunch left-wing ideals can not make any money to support its causes or was there a law passed which I am unaware of?

Please do not have children.

If only all us right wingers didnt have children eh? what a wonderful world.....

[Daggers]

If only all us right wingers didnt have children eh? what a wonderful world.....

I can dream

[Guest MattP]

I can dream

You can, unfortunately we have to breed to pay for the rest of you.

[Gold Coast Fox]

I think i'm the only person on here who doesn't like them.

[Daggers]

You can, unfortunately we have to breed to pay for the rest of you.

But you don't - you all wibble about it then give yourselves more money.

[Finnegan]

I think i'm the only person on here who doesn't like them.

You're definitely not. There's probably a fair few Rangers "supporting" retards who love HSV and loathe FCSP.

It's a little sad that sectarian bum-love from both hoops and gers fans should seep a little over into German football.

I do have an appreciation for Sankt Pauli and some of it is political but it's generally a little more than that, they're an icon in punk sub-culture which is something I've been a part of through my life and it's good to see that represented in sport where normally it's void.

Edited 9 June 2012 by Finnegan

[Guest MattP]

But you don't - you all wibble about it then give yourselves more money.

Believe me more than enough goes out, pretty sure I'll be off soon.

[Ozwin]

I haven't really read up on them but it's usually the smug'uns who bang on about them.

[BlueSi13]

I can see where you're coming from, I really can.

I think that the trouble is that St. Pauli know they can't live in a non-commercial bubble subsisting purely on ticket sales, so they have to take advantage of the Europe-wide interest in them as much as they can, and I can see how that might compromise their principles. The thing I admire though is what they do with the money when they receive, which goes a lot further than furnishing a super-rich chairman's private yacht and paying for his kids' private school fees.

Whether they were as calculated as that when they took the leftist direction they did in the 1980s is open to debate. Prior to that, they really were a nothing club in the German third division but they still aren't massive even now; they're a yo-yo club between the top two divisions of late and building a new stand at the Millerntor has been a bit of a strain.

It's all very well going the direction they have, but it will alienate as many fans as it will attract. Let's say City were suddenly to decide to become an English St. Pauli with left-wing, anti-racist and feminist ideals. It's the same principle, we'd lose a few who didn't subscribe to that mentality.

Eh? Are St Pauli unique in these ideals or something? Are there thousands of professional clubs that are pro-racist, sexist and homophobic in Western Europe? I have to say i've never quite got the St Pauli bumming.

[Mack]

What are you dribbling on about now? Where's the irony? Is it just you who has decreed that a club with staunch left-wing ideals can not make any money to support its causes or was there a law passed which I am unaware of?

Please do not have children.

Too late!

My boy is nine and my daughter is eight.

Fell free to dig and me but not my kids, I wont find that the slightest bit amusing.

As for the irony, the point is that a club set up on ideals of being for the fans and non commercial has gained so much popularity that it's making a mint from merchandise. Get it now?

Now Victor.. please jog on!

Edited 9 June 2012 by Mack

[Voll Blau]

Used to have a soft spot for Pauli when I was younger after reading an article about them (possibly in the Observer Sport Monthly) and to an extent still do look out for how they're doing, both on and off the pitch. I think there's a little bit of a schism between the Ultra' Sankt Pauli (who came on the scene in 2002) and some of the other fan groups who were there before them. A lot of the ordinary fans aren't really keen on the way the Ultra' try and run the show, dictating the fan culture.

It's all about;

Stood on their home terrace when they played Pauli. Pauli fans were very good but so were the Alemannia lot, although one of the far right hooligan groups had threatened to plant a bomb in the Pauli end. Absolutely nuts! Aachen also had a veyr catchy song to the tune of Heart of Glass by Blondie. We should nick it.

Anyway, as we're on about German football allegiances - it's all about these lot...

They're the Leicester of Germany! Blue and White, yo-yo between the top two divisions, unlucky in Cup finals, and both their main rivals consider themselves above them. Few of their fans come over once or twice a season for City games and vice versa. Probably the closest thing we have to an international friendship!

[Guest Bilo]

They're the Leicester of Germany! Blue and White, yo-yo between the top two divisions, unlucky in Cup finals, and both their main rivals consider themselves above them. Few of their fans come over once or twice a season for City games and vice versa. Probably the closest thing we have to an international friendship!

DER BLAU UND WEISS FREUNDSCHAFT!

[Webbo]

What's the significance of the 1848? Surely they weren't founded then?

[Guest Bilo]

What's the significance of the 1848? Surely they weren't founded then?

They were, but obviously not as a football club.

They started as a gymnastics club apparently and added numerous sports to the VfL banner over the years.

[Voll Blau]

Yeah, in the same way you get 1860 Munich. Just started off as general sports clubs. A lot of clubs on the continent are multi-sport. Barca play basketball etc.

Weirdest one I've heard is apparently Lazio play Roma at cricket.

[Guest Bilo]

Yeah, in the same way you get 1860 Munich. Just started off as general sports clubs. A lot of clubs on the continent are multi-sport. Barca play basketball etc.

Weirdest one I've heard is apparently Lazio play Roma at cricket.

Just Google imaged Lazio cricket and got this.....

I have concerns about the quality of Roman cricket.

[Daggers]

Too late!

My boy is nine and my daughter is eight.

Fell free to dig and me but not my kids, I wont find that the slightest bit amusing.

As for the irony, the point is that a club set up on ideals of being for the fans and non commercial has gained so much popularity that it's making a mint from merchandise. Get it now?

Now Victor.. please jog on!

I couldn't give a fvck what you do or don't find amusing...and going by the bulk of your miserable and retarded posts it doesn't seem to be a lot. If mentioning your children is a problem to you then maybe you shouldn't have introduced them to the forum, but then logic is a particular weak point of yours.

It's not ironic that a club which exists for its fans sells them merchandise which they demand - it's just another indication that you struggle with concepts deeper than what you are having for tea with your children.

Oh fvck, I've mentioned them twice now - I'm guessing you are not the slightest bit amused now. Still, children always bring me joy so maybe they'll help you relax.

Now go do a two-piece jigsaw with the kids, they'll help you when you inevitably get stuck.

[Guest MattP]

Just Google imaged Lazio cricket and got this.....

I have concerns about the quality of Roman cricket.

I'd love a bowl on that.

[Dan]

I've got to admit I've not followed German football as much as I should, seeing as I'm someone who believes they set a top example for how English football should be.

I just came across this video and Aachen won me over;

Literally nothing more than that, but I have paid a bit more attention.

That St Pauli vid really does make them look like the perfect little club - thing is I'm not arsed about politics (ignorant I know but I'm seriously on the fence) so I don't know how relevant that is.

Aren't Bochum that side we wanted the North Korean from?

From a bit of reading up I've actually come to conclusion that I find Aachen to be very comparable to us too, watching that video you see of them against Bayern, that's a good 6 years old (I wasn't aware of this), they've got a new ground since then, I couldn't believe the ground appearance when I saw it; http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Aachen,_Neuer_Tivoli,_innen.jpg Remind you of anywhere?

They're in the third tier next season too, surprising.