No need to stand on a milk crate, just empty the beer crate

Sunday 15 February 2015, HSV Barmbek - Uhlenhorst 1 SV Halstenbek - Rellingen 0, Wilhelm-Rupprecht-Platz - Oberliga Hamburg

Only a short journey to the home of Barmbek - Uhlenhorst but took a slightly longer route by the brilliant Hamburg Public Transports service to visit the home of VFL Hamburg.

I arrived at the Wilhelm-Rupprecht-Platz with plenty of time to spare and found a fantastic little ground, with over 350 other fans joining me as the hosts took on the current league leaders. This ground had a brilliant feel to it and the design would become quite well known to me by the end of the weekend as a number of grounds were of the similar style. Great terracing, a few seats, no cover, a great clubhouse and the terraces steep enough to get a great view.

Again a free programme and this time more gluhwein but also a half time beer and a frikadelle. The home team won a close game 1-0 and the result was well received by the decent sized crowd.

Best bit? The crates of beer at the feet of the home fans!

Faith in Paloma

Sunday 15 February 2015, USC Paloma 0 FC Suderelbe 2, Jonny Rehbein Sportplatz - Oberliga Hamburg

After landing in Germany less than an hour earlier I found myself at my first game at the start of 3 days of matches and ground visiting in Hamburg.

Only missed the fist few minutes as I joined a crowd of 150 to see Paloma play FC Suderelbe. The first shock was to see that the game was going to be played on astro turf. i knew it would not be grass but was expecting it to be a shale surface. We do not have many in England but you do find them in Scotland but it seems that German grounds are moving to G4 pitches.

A good game with Paloma ending up with 9 players but a strange experience as no fences and you could walk round the whole pitch. The good bits were only 6 Euros to get in, free programme and gluhwein and a bratwurst for 5 Euros. But a great start to my 3 day trip.