Supporters of Berlin’s FC Union have been demonstrating their loyalty by rolling up their sleeves to help the soccer club build a new stadium.
The volunteers turn up after work or on their day off to pour concrete, weld metal supports or lay electric cables. Some have even sacrificed their holidays to ensure the ground is ready on time.
“About 75 percent has been completed,” said club spokesman Christian Arbeit, surveying the efforts of 1,600 fans and a small team of professional construction workers and engineers on site.
“We never imagined so many fans would get involved,” he said. “We’ve had doctors, nurses and teachers as well as craftsmen and unskilled workers helping out. They all found it a great idea.”
The hours put in by the volunteers have saved the third division club around 2 million euros (US$2.6 million) since work on the new stadium began last June.
Among the volunteers is Engelhardt Rami, a 59-year-old shift worker who has been a Union supporter since his youth and this year spent two weeks of his holiday on the building site.
“I come and help whenever I can,” he said, sweeping the dust from the newly laid concrete steps. “Union are the most important thing in my life, after my wife.”
FC Union were forced into action when German soccer authorities deemed the Alte Foersterei (Old Forestry) ground they had been playing in since 1920 no longer met safety requirements.
Club officials decided to erect a modern 23,500-capacity stadium on the same site in the East Berlin suburb of Koepenik.
A traditional working class club founded in 1906 as SC Olympia, FC Union underwent nine name changes over the years before adopting their present title in 1966.
The club enjoys cult status dating back to their time as a non-conformist team during the East German communist dictatorship when fans often shouted veiled chants against the authorities.
After German unification in 1990 FC Union initially fell on hard times and barely avoided bankruptcy. Their biggest success came in 2001 when they made it to the final of the German Cup, narrowly losing to Schalke 04.
They are now poised to gain promotion to the second division after languishing for five years in the lower league. They have opened up a 10-point lead at the top of the third division with just five games of the season remaining.
Ironically, while the new stadium is being rebuilt FC Union are playing all home matches across town at the Jahnsportpark, once the venue of bitter rival BFC Dynamo, a club closely associated with East Germany’s dreaded secret service, the Stasi.
Not everyone is happy with this arrangement. Some die-hard fans have refused to set foot in the interim home.
The club hopes to inaugurate its new stadium on July 8 with a friendly against the German capital’s top club Hertha.
“We’ll use this occasion to give our loyal supporters a treat,” Arbeit said. “They have been absolutely amazing. Never before has such a major undertaking been carried mainly with the work of fans.”
“It is also a great motivation for the players who know that they have to repay them by giving a good performance on the pitch,” he said.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care