Chaos at Millerntor: St. Pauli's promotion almost endangered by fans!

Chaos at Millerntor: St. Pauli's promotion almost endangered by fans!

On June 18, 1995, a memorable day for FC St. Pauli, the Millerntor Stadium experienced emotional ups and downs. After the team led 5-0 in the decisive game against FC Homburg in the 84th minute, the fans stormed the pitch without hesitation. This premature storm, more of a moment of joy, quickly turned into chaos. The referee Bodo Brandt-Chollé had not yet blown the whistle when Jens Scharping was fouled in the Homburg penalty area. Suddenly the calm was over, the atmosphere was gratifying, but the Homburg players retreated to the dressing room, perplexed and shocked by the events.

Amid the tumult, the stadium announcer tried to bring the crowd to their senses, but it was only after about 15 minutes that fans returned to their seats. Christian Hinzpeter, the club's vice president, finally had to announce: "The game is officially over!", declaring the game officially over at 5:02 p.m. For the team around Stephan Hanke, Bernd Hollerbach and Leonardo Manzi, the big celebration began - a promotion to the Bundesliga, which they were able to achieve so shortly before the end, synonymous with a little football story that is still being told today.

The rise of FC St. Pauli

However, the promotion in 1995 was not the only one for FC St. Pauli. In fact, the brown-whites have now made it to the Bundesliga six times. The first promotion dates back to the 1976/1977 season, when President Ernst Schacht invested in new players despite financial difficulties. With the returnee Franz Gerber and key players like Walter Frosch, the team managed to remain undefeated. On May 7, 1977, it was Niels-Tune Hansen who secured the first promotion with his decisive goal.

The first relegation after a short Bundesliga adventure came in 1978. However, there was another promotion in 1988 under coach Helmut Schulte, who led the team to tenth place in the 1988/89 Bundesliga season. Even though relegation followed in the 1990/91 season, the fans remained loyal to the club.

Another highlight was the promotion in 2001, when Deniz Baris scored the decisive goal in the last minute of the game. However, the following season was unfortunate, which led to another relegation. The promotion in 2010, also under coach Holger Stanislawski, remained legendary, marked by a historic win against HSV. But unfortunately relegation the following year could not be averted, despite a committed following.

Social dimensions of football

What many people don't know is that football is much more than just a game. It is a social phenomenon that connects people from different social classes. From blue-collar workers to university professors, everyone finds common ground in football. The football field functions as a place of socialization and identity search, where fans satisfy needs for belonging and community by supporting their team. bpb.de emphasizes that football is also a platform for the exchange of norms and values. It serves as an outlet for many people to process everyday frustrations and at the same time question classic social structures.

Football has a history that is shaped by social rituals. Even though it is influenced by commercialization and professionalization today, the passion of the fans remains unbroken to this day. In numerous fan cultures, such as that of the Ultras, not only is there proud cohesion, but also a strong commitment to social issues.

FC St. Pauli, with all its turbulent ups and downs, is a prime example of how closely sport and society are interwoven. Fans not only stand up for their team, but also for the values ​​they represent—community, identity and an unwavering loyalty that extends far beyond the football field.