Dortmund Fan Club London Podcast of the fan club founded in 2013

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Welcome to the Dortmund London Fan Club community podcast, join us for a fan led journey to the heart of the ‘die Südtribüne‘, BVB‘s Yellow Wall, the South Terrace of 26,000 fans behind the goal, one of the world‘s biggest single stands and greatest football fan experiences. On each of the shows, we meet guests from BVB past and present, coaches, players, writers and fans, our aim is to bring the world of Borussia Dortmund to English-speaking audiences with insight, commitment and ’Echte Liebe’. Amongst our guests so far we have had TV Presenter Rapha Honigstein, former coach Bert van Marwijk, former players like Philipp Degen, Knut Reinhardt, Niclas Jensen, Bernd Klotz, Andre Bergdolmo, Sunday Oliseh, Christoph Zimmerman, Steffen Karl and Mayor of Dortmund Ulli Sierrau as well as England legend Tony Woodcock and Celtic supporters clubs president Joe O’Rourke. Please note we are not the official podcast of Borussia Dortmund, we are a podcast run by fans of the club and are not affiliated in any way to the football club in Dortmund. The official Borussia Dortmund podcast can be found at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/borussia-dortmund-podcast/id1503379263 If you would like more information on joining our 100% unofficial fan club of BVB in London, go to: Facebook.com/Borussiadortmundfanclubengland Thank you for checking out our show, please subscribe and share with your friends.

Episodes

Friday Feb 12, 2021

Episode 23 Good Afternoon Herr Oberbürgermeister - Guest Ulli Sierau Mayor of Dortmund 2009-2020

Friday Feb 12, 2021

Thank you for your interest in the BvB London fan community podcast as every week the focus of the show will be on exploring a facet of Borussia Dortmund's life by talking to experts and former participants of the club's life.

People like players, fans and journalists who have covered the club and decision-makers and experts who know the world of all our club well.

The aim of the podcast is to make this wonderful football club more accessible to non-German speakers. The podcast may also be of interest to German football fans who want to learn or practice English.

On today's show, the interview guest is the Lord Mayor of Dortmund, and a life-long BVB supporter

Ulli Sierrau studied to be and worked as a town planner at the TU in Dortmund the technical university. He later joined the SPD social democratic party, similar to the Labour party in UK, and was elected mayor of the football city of Dortmund in 2009 and was reelected in 2014 to run the city of over 600,000 inhabitants.

But Ulli is not originally from Dortmund, he was born in Halle in the Eastern part of Germany, his family left the former GDR whilst he was a teenager in the former communist era and moved initially to Wolfsburg where he finished his secondary education before he moved to Dortmund.

Following University Ulli worked in a range of departments of the city of Dortmund and was then elected mayor as a successor to Gerhard Langemeyer as mayor he oversaw many impressive developments including that of the Phoenixsee an artificial lake and waterside neighbourhood in the neighbourhood of Hoerde on the site of the former steel mill of Thyssen Krupp .

The project created housing investment worth hundreds of millions of euro and one of the Ruhr valleys most popular locations for cycling and water sports including sailing.

During the 2000's Dortmund has continued it's advancement from former steel and coal-mining city also known of course for its many breweries to a city of high tech and financial services company including of course Signal Iduna. The city is also home to the DFB football museum and is a popular shopping destination and the Westfalenhalle is a very popular conference centre. Dortmund attracts over 1.7m overnight visitors per year including many who of course visit the games of Borussia Dortmund.

1. Ulli's early life and move to Dortmund and university years including studies in Oxford and time working in London. How he came to be a BVB fan.

3. Impressions of BVB including 1989, 95, 2002 the triumphs and the financial crisis of 2005 and the double. The people, the events that made the those special achievements. Stories about Sir Alec Ferguson, Boris Johnson.

4. Mayor of Dortmund and the challenges of the job and achievements including the major development at the Phoenix Lake in Dortmund.

5. The Klopp era, mayor and not a second too soon, overseeing a glorious era the celebrations, the parades and the stars. What's Klopp really like?

6. BVB and Tourism how does the city benefit from football visitors, the UK military past in Dortmund, a connection with the UK that is enduring in the life of the region.

The Bergmann Brewery Kiosk bar is of course at Hoher Wall 36 in Dortmund.

We hope you enjoy the show, remember to send us your comments, share the show with friends and to apply for tickets contact the club via the website which is borussiadortmundlondon.co.uk or join the London BvB community at our online group at Facebook.com/borussiadortmundfanclubengland.

During the season you can also come to watch a game at our meet-up Stammtisch at the Naughty Bar, just off Oxford Street, in Cleveland street central London.

Tuesday Dec 29, 2020

German language episode 22 Happy 111th Birthday BVB Interview mit Wilfried Schiffer BVB Dauerkarteninhaber seit den 60er Jahre.

Tuesday Dec 29, 2020

Vielen Dank für Ihre Interesse am BVB Londoner Fan-Community-Podcast. Jede Woche geht es darum, eine Facette des Lebens von Borussia Dortmund im Gespräch mit Experten und ehemalige Teilnehmer des Vereinslebens wie Spielern, Fans und Journalisten, die diesen Verein in seiner Entwicklung beeinflusst haben, in unsere Podcast zu entdecken.

Unseren Gast is heute Wilfried Schiffer ein BVB Stadionbesucher seit den 60er Jahre und Gemeindemitglied von der Gründungskirche die Dreifaltigkeitskirche Borsigplatz wo morgen Feierlichkeiten zum 111 Jahrejährigen bestehen von Borussia Dortmund stattfinden werden.

1. Wilfried Schiffer erzählt über seine ersten Erfahrungen in den 60er Jahre in dem Stadion Rote Erde wo damals 40,000 Zuschauer Platz fanden mit eine einzige Würstchen Bude und eine Kneipe unter der Tribüne inklusive Geschichten zu bekannte Spieler von damals wie Kurrat, Wosab und Assauer.

2. Auf der Südtribüne bei den Relegationspiele von 1986 gegen Fortuna Köln und unterwegs zum dritten Relegationsspiele ins Rheinstadion und eine bombige Stimmung und eine Karawane nach Dortmund 'Fast alle waren damals in Düsseldorf.

3. Die 2 Liga Jahre, 17000 gegen Eintracht Gelsenkirchen, das allererste Spiel im Westfalenstadion gegen Schalke 04 und der Wiederaufstiegspiel gegen den 1 FC Nürnberg.

4. Was aus dem allerersten Sportplatz der Borussia 'Weiße Wiese' wurde.

5. Meister 1995 'und wie wir damals gefeiert haben', alles stand Kopf, 'mann sollte Reinhard Rauball ein Denkmal setzen' uvm.

Während der Saison sind alle BVB Fans herzlich eingeladen BVB Spiele an unserem Stammtisch in der Naughty Bar in der Londoner Cleveland Street in der Nähe der Oxford Street mit uns anzusehen.

Tuesday Dec 29, 2020

Episode 21 with guest Bert van Marwijk ”I dreamt of playing on the other side of the river” BVB head-coach 2004-6, current UEA headcoach

Tuesday Dec 29, 2020

People like players, fans and journalists who have covered the club and decision-makers and experts who know the world of all our club well.

On today's show, the interview guest is the current coach of the United Arab Emirates national team Bert van Marwijk who managed BVB between 2004-06.

We apologise in advance for the minor sound unevenness of the recording.

Bert had an active career in Holland and Belgium playing 468 professional matches and scoring 72 goals with clubs including AZ Alkmaar and Fortuna Sittard between 1969 and 1988.

As a coach Bert has managed clubs including Feyenoord and Hamburger SV as well as the national teams of Saudia Arabia, Australia, the Netherlands and his current team the UAE.

On the show Bert spoke about his active playing career, highlights of his life as a coach including winning the UEFA Cup in 2002, managing Dortmund through a challenging the radical financial restructuring of 2005, managing the Netherlands national team at the FIFA World Cup in South Africa in 2010.

1. Childhood and active career in the Eredivisie in Holland, winning the KNVB Cup in 1978, call-up to the Netherlands team, playing in Belgium.

2. Stations of his first years as a coach with clubs including MVV and Fortuna Sittard. The UEFA campaign of 2002 the route to the final via Glasgow Rangers, Inter and Eindhoven, the experience of the 'unforgettable' final at Rotterdam v BVB.

3. Appointed head-coach at Borussia Dortmund, a club on the edge €130m in debt, 'no money for players', discovering and giving Nuri Sahin his debut at 15, that Ebi Smolarek factor, why Tomas Rosicky will always be the player of his generation.

4. A near-miss with Trevor Brooking at West Ham United, seconds away from signing at Upton Park, House-hunting in London 'the weather was an issue, It never stopped raining', ongoing fascination with the Premier League and friendship with Carlo Ancelloti and impressions of Anfield.

5. Prospects for BVB's Young Generation, review and impressions of the quality of the Dortmund current team, Dortmund's pressure points and challenges including why the defence is BVB's number one stumbling block at the moment for any new coach.

6. Life on the sidelines, advice and tips on how to manage and coach a team, insights into the job of managing a team. Bundesliga friends and regular visits to the Westfalenstadion, why 'Dortmund will always be very special'...

Apologies for the sound quality!

During the season you can also come to watch a game at our meet-up Stammtisch at the Naughty Bar, just off Oxford Street, in Cleveland street central London.

Thursday Dec 03, 2020

German language episode - Episode 20 ’Roberto Baggio war nicht zu stoppen’ - Gast Mittelfeldspieler Steffen Karl (BVB 1990-94)

Thursday Dec 03, 2020

Vielen Dank für ihre Interesse am BVB Londoner Fan-Community-Podcast. Jede Woche geht es darum, eine Facette des Lebens von Borussia Dortmund im Gespräch mit Experten und ehemaligen Teilnehmer des Vereinslebens wie Spielern, Fans, Journalisten, die diesen Verein in seiner Entwicklung beeinflusst haben, zu entdecken.

Zu Gast auf dem Podcast ist heute Steffen Karl, ein ehemaliger defensiver Mittelfeldspieler des BVB, der auch für Hertha BSC Berlin, den FC St. Pauli sowie für den FC Sion, Valerenga, Hallescher FC und Lokomotiv Sofia und Manchester City spielte.

Der ehemalige deutsche U21-Nationalspieler, der auf allen Ebenen des Jugendfussballs für die ehemalige DDR auftrat und 346 Spiele auf Profi-Niveau bestritt, erzielte 19 Tore. Derzeit ist er Trainer von Grun-Weiss Klaffenbach in der Landesliga, der 7. Stufe des deutschen Fussballs, und leitet eine Kinderfussball-Akademie.

1. Wurzeln im ostdeutschen Fußball mit dem Halleschen FC (3. Liga), spielte mit der DDR-Nationalmannschaft den Durchbruch als Spieler. Einblicke in den damaligen ostdeutschen Fußball.

2. 90-91 kommt Borussia Dortmund ins Spiel. Wechsel zum aufstrebenden BVB, einem Verein, der ein Jahr zuvor mit dem DFB-Pokal den ersten Silberling seit 23 Jahren gewonnen hatte, aber nur den 10. Erste Eindrücke vom Westfalenstadion. Geschichten von Kutowski, Helmer, Klos und Michael Zorc unter Trainer Horst Köppel.

3. 1991-92 Ankunft des "Königsmachers" in der ersten BVB-Saison unter Ottmar Hitzfeld. Verpasst die Meisterschaft aufgrund der Tordifferenz in einer damals aus 20 Mannschaften bestehenden Bundesliga. Ein Angriff, der sich aus den Größen Stephane Chapusiat und Flemming Povlsen sowie Frank Mill zusammensetzte. Zu den Höhepunkten der Saison zählten die Heim- und Auswärtsschlachten gegen die Bayern.

4. Marsch ins UEFA-Pokal-Finale 1992/93 über Celtic, Real Zaragoza und Roma. Das Halbfinale gegen Auxerre. Marking Roberto Baggio im Finale gegen Juventus. Eine Saison, in der der BVB als Vierter ins Ziel kam, Stefan Reuter der Quereinsteiger in der Abwehr, Freundschaft mit dem oft missverstandenen Matthias Sammer.

5. 1994/95 "The Citizens" Manchester City unter Brian Horton, Storys zu 'Rocky' Rocastle, Niall Quinn, Steve McMahon und Georgi Kinkladze.

Freundschaft mit Uwe Rösler, das einmalige Manchester-Derby spielt und wie der Verein vor dem Abstieg bewahrt wurde. Was Maine Road so besonders machte und die anhaltende Liebe zum englischen Spiel.

Wir hoffen, dass euch die Show gefällt. Schickt uns eure Kommentare, teilt die Show mit Freunden und vergesst nicht zu liken. Wenn Ihr den Fanklub kontaktieren wollt, geht das über die Website borussiadortmundlondon.co.uk oder auch in der Online-Gruppe unter Facebook.com/borussiadortmundfanclubengland.

Während der Saison seit ihr herzlich wilkommen BVB Spiele an unserem Stammtisch in der Naughty Bar in der Londoner Cleveland Street in der Nähe der Oxford Street mit unsere Mitglieder mit anzusehen.

Wednesday Nov 25, 2020

Episode 19 ’I only played for big clubs’ with guest Philip Degen BVB defender 2005-8 (Bonus show with the Blood Red Liverpool FC Podcast)

Wednesday Nov 25, 2020

Thank you for your interest in the BvB London fan community podcast as every week the focus of the show will be on exploring a facet of Borussia Dortmund life by talking to experts and former participants of the club's life. People like players, fans and journalists who have covered the club and decision makers and experts who know the world of all our club well.

On today's show, Matt Addison of the Liverpool FC Blood Red Podcast, and Ben, interview Philip Degen a BVB defender who played in Dortmund between 2005-08. Degen also played for the 'Reds' at Anfield between 2008-11.

Now a football agent, he went on to play for VFB Stuttgart in 2010/11, before finishing his career at home club FC Basel from 2011- 2016. In terms of his International career, Degen gained 32 caps with the Switzerland national team at senior level and played at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany and 2008 European Championships which was played across Austria and his home country.

On the show the 37 year old former player talks about his three seasons at Westfalenstadion in which he notched up 68 appearances. In terms of finishes during, Degen's stay with our 'Schwarz-Gelben' at Westfalenstadion, Borussia finished just outside the European qualifying spots in 7th in 05/06 and 06/07 and 13th in 07/08.

Although hampered by injuries which resulted in gaining only 68 appearances with BVB, a highlight for which the Liesetal born defender, who could also play on the right-wing, will be remembered was an outstanding goal in a memorable 3-3 draw at Bayern Munich in season 2005/6.

With Liverpool Degen narrowly missed out to Manchester United on the Premier League title in season 2008/9. In 2009/10 the 'Reds' reached the semi-final of the Europaleague where they were knocked out by eventual winners Atletico Madrid. In 2010/11 the Anfield based club finished in 6th spot under coach Kenny Daglish.

In 2010/11 Degen moved to VFB Stuttgart reaching the last 16 of the Europaleague and finishing 12th in the league. In 2011 Degen returned to his home country of Switzerland and joined FC Basel where he achieved his most important successes including four successive Swiss Super League titles and the national cup in 2011/12 before retiring in 2016.

On the podcast Philipp shares his memories of his active career, talking about the characters and personalities he worked with along the way. He gives advice on what it takes to reach the professional level of football as well as insights into being a football agent. He also shares recollections of his appearances at the European Championship and Germany 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Plus why Jude Bellingham is the hottest prospect in European football right now and how a certain Bradley Fink, a young English-born Swiss striker who is currently with BVB U-19s, could be shaping up to become one of BVB's brightest stars in the year's to come.

During the season you can also come to watch a game at our meet-up Stammtisch at the Naughty Bar, just off Oxford Street, in Cleveland street central London.

Tuesday Nov 17, 2020

German language Episode 18 - Gast Mittelstürmer Bernd Klotz (BVB 81-84) ’Dortmund war damals ein anderer Klub’

Tuesday Nov 17, 2020

Vielen Dank für Ihr Interesse am BVB Londoner Fan-Community-Podcast. Jede Woche geht es darum, eine Facette des Lebens von Borussia Dortmund im Gespräch mit Experten und ehemaligen Teilnehmer des Vereinslebens wie Spielern, Fans, Journalisten, die diesen Verein in seiner Entwicklung beeinflusst haben, zu entdecken.

Unser Gast heute ist Bernd Klotz ein Stürmer der auch als offensiver Mittelfeldspieler spielte.

Er absolvierte 329 Profispiele und erzielte 83 Tore bei Borussia Dortmund zwischen 1981-84 sowie beim VFB Stuttgart, Fortuna Düsseldorf, Waldhof Mannheim und Fortuna Köln. Klotz spielte auch 8 Mal für die deutsche U21, wo er neben Littbarski und Matthäus und dabei 2 Tore erzielte.

1. Wurzeln beim VFB Stuttgart, erster Profivertrag, Spiel mit, Freundschaft mit Joachim Löw und Torhüter Eike Immel.

2. Saison 81/82 Das 500,000 DM Transfer Klotz zum BVB.Training mit Branko Zebec, "Die Gerüchte über das Trinken wurden niemals bewiesen", sein Trainingsstil, seine Persönlichkeit. Erste Eindrücke von Michael Zorc in seiner ersten Saison nach dem Aufstieg aus der U19-Mannschaft. Rolf Russmann war "der Boss", wir hätten Meister werden können, wenn Zebec geblieben wäre.

3. Saison 82/83 Ein neuer Trainer Kalli Feldkamp gefolgt von Reinhard Saftig, ein Hattrick gegen Arminia Bielefeld beim 11:1, ein neuer Spieler aus Rumänien Marcel Raducanu "der Ball klebte an seinen Füßen wie Klebstoff", die Geschichte hinter der Pony-Marke und den BVB, Lothar Huber der König der Flanken, Sieg und Tore gegen Bayern München.

4. Saison 83/84 "Zu viel Instabilität beeinträchtigte unser Spiel", Drei Trainer in einer Saison Franz, Konietzka und Tippenhauer. Schalkes Abstieg in die 2. Liga, Derby-Erinnerungen. "Wir wussten, dass die Situation des Klubs kritisch war" und die härtesten Bundesliga-Konkurrenten der Liga auf dem Spielfeld zu dieser Zeit und ein erstaunliches Spiel gegen den FC Barcelona gegen Maradona.

5. Wechsel zu Waldhof Mannheim unter Klaus Schlappner mit Jürgen Kohler, 2. Liga-Meister mit Fortuna Düsseldorf und ein Angebot von Sevilla und Deutschland U21 und Olympiamannschaft.

6. Der BVB von heute ist mit dem von damals kaum zu vergleichen". Der Trainerschein, das Leben nach dem Sport, Geschäfts- und Familienleben und das Interesse an der Premier League.

Tuesday Nov 17, 2020

German Language Episode Ep. 17 - Mittelstürmer Will 'Ente' Lippens (BVB 1975-79) 'Ohne Fans ist es Kacke"

Tuesday Nov 17, 2020

Unser heutiger Gast zu seinem 75. Geburtstag ist ein hervorragender Mittelstürmer, der in 336 Profispielen 242 Tore erzielte - eine spektakuläre Leistung und ein großartiger Charakter, der von den Fans für seinen Sinn für Humor und seine kleine Statur geliebt war und von den Verteidigern wegen seiner Trefferquote gefürchtet wurde - Willi "Ente" Lippens.

Willi Lippens wurde 1945 in Bedburg, Hau, einem Dorf in der Nähe von Duisburg, geboren, er spielte als Mittelstürmer zwischen 1966 und 1982 bei Borussia Dortmund, RW Essen, RW Oberhausen und Dallas Tornado in der Nordamerikanischen Liga.

1. Aufgewachsen im Schatten des Zweiten Weltkriegs und der kuriosen Geschichte eines wohlwollenden örtlichen Schornsteinfegers, des ersten Profivertrages beim RW Essen und eines ersten Hattricks beim 10:1-Sieg beim 1.FC Muelheim.

2. Borussia Dortmund klopft in der Saison 76/77 bei Lippens an. Er spielt für den neu aufgestiegenen BVB unter Otto Rehagel, Auswärtssieg bei den FC Bayern, 50.000 im neuen Westfalenstadion und Geschichten von Erwin Kostedde und Mirco Votava.

4. Spielzeit 77/78 Eine 12:0 Klastsche gegen Borussia Mönchengladbach die Geschichte hinter Dortmunds schlimmster Niederlage, ein Trikot mit Samson und ein Löwe auf der Brust, und grosse Rivalität und Freundschaft mit Sigi Held.

5. Saison 78/79 Ein 17-jähriger Torhüter Eike Immel macht einen sofortigen Eindruck, Spiele gegen "Mighty Mouse" Kevin Keegan, Vergleich mit Jadon Sancho und der 'in der Bundesliga damals kamen die Verteidiger mit Mord davon".

6. Ruhestand, Familienleben und die Liebe zum englischen Spiel und zur Premier League.

Eines vorab, Sorry BVB Freunde, Durchfall ist natürlich das Wort was gefehlt hat.

Während der Saison seit ihr herzlich wilkommen BVB Spiele an unserem Stammtisch in der Naughty Bar in der Londoner Cleveland Street in der Nähe der Oxford Street mit unsere Mitglieder mit anzusehen.

Monday Oct 26, 2020

Episode 16 ’The Sammer years’ The Centreback former Norway international Andre Bergdølmo (BVB 2003-05)

Monday Oct 26, 2020

Thank you for your interest in the BvB London fan community podcast as every week the focus of the show will be on exploring a facet of Borussia Dortmund life by talking to experts and former participants of the club's life, like players, fans, journalists who have covered the club and functionaries and experts and thus make this wonderful club more accessible to non-German speakers but the podcast is also of interest to German football fans who speak English.

Our guest on podcast 16 has since 2016 been a coach with Norwegian second tier (1. divisjon) team Sarsborg 08. As a player he played as a full-back and won 6 championships and 3 cups in Norway, Denmark and Holland, as well as being voted player of the year in his home country in 2002.

He played for Borussia Dortmund under Matthias Sammer in 2003/4 and then Bert Van Marwijk in season 2004/5 our guest is 64 time Norway international André Bergdølmo and here is our show:

1. Roots in Norwegian football - Learning the ropes with Lillestrom and winning championships with the 'kings of the Norwegian game' Rosenborg.

2. Big transfer to Ajax - Three seasons in Amsterdam, winning the KNVB and Super Cups alongside greats like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Jari Litmanen and Wesley Snijder and why Andre turned down Portsmouth FC for Dortmund.

3. Season 2003/4 An offer from the Premier League why BVB? Welcome to Borussia - In a season hit with key injuries to Evanilson, Metzelder and Frings there were big shoes to fill what were the first impressions of Borussia Dortmund under Matthias Sammer and the Westfalenstadion? Memories of colleagues of Ewerthon, Amoroso and Stefan Reuter, Champions league v Brugge and the UEFA cup campaign.

4. The second season with Bert Van Marwijk in 2004/5 memories of Weidenfeller, Dede, Rosicky and Kehl, Ebi Smolarek and the mighty Jan Koller, that Nike kit, the 14th March a day no BVB fan will ever forget but what was it like for the players?

5. FC Copenhagen - UEFA cup v Celtic, Campioni, winning the Danish Championship.

6. The Norwegian national team - The 2000 European Championships, Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Alf-Inge Halaand and friends. Thoughts on Erling Haaland and the current Norwegian generation.

An apology Steinar Pedersen did in fact of course play two seasons for BVB 1996/7 and 97/98.

During the season you can also come to watch a game at our meet-up Stammtisch at the Naughty Bar, just off Oxford Street, in Cleveland street London.

Friday Oct 23, 2020

Episode 15 Fan Kultur - Premier League v Bundesliga fan culture

Friday Oct 23, 2020

Thank you for your interest in the BvB London fan community podcast as every week the focus of the show will be on exploring a facet of Borussia Dortmund life by talking to experts and former participants of the club's life, like players, fans, journalists who have covered the club and functionaries and experts and thus make this wonderful club more accessible to non-German speakers but the podcast is also of interest to German football fans who speak English.

The focus of the show is on fan culture in UK vs Germany. Borussia Dortmund has some of the most loyal and committed fans recognised around the world and the highest attendance of any football club in the world at over 81,000 average per game but what is it that makes German fan culture so unique?

What is it that draws so many UK fans to the Bundesliga and BVB week in week out? How does UK fan culture compare? Have we lost our fan atmosphere in UK football grounds? Is English football too commercial? What can we learn from the Bundesliga and BVB? This show is a fan culture special.

Football without the fans is nothing as Jock Stein the great Scottish coach said and empty grounds because of Covid-19 are a major threat to world football on tonight's show Phil and David join Ben along with our special guest Phiilipp Buchner sports presenter with RBB Radio Radio Berlin Brandenburg to debate one of our game's most important issues do we still get a football experience we recognise in England?

Here's the show's rundown:

1. Ticket pricing: Always a hot topic is the cost of actually going to watch your club. In England we are lead to believe that German football is a lot more affordable. With Arsenal charging over £2000 for a season ticket almost 8 times as much as a season ticket at Borussia Dortmund (€230) is English football pricing us out of the game?

2. TV games and fixture times: Pre COVID football across Europe has been moving games for TV with little regard for match going fans. There have been protests in Germany against Monday night matches but they persist in the second tier 2 Liga, is fixtures scheduling a problem fans in the Uk and Germany share? What can we do about it?

3. Matches during COVID-19: Its good to see fans back in German football albeit tiny numbers of locally based fans. Whilst in England you can only attend football in the 7^th tier in crowds up to 600. Is this a sacrifice worth taking? How have the steps Germany has done to get fans back and how its been received? What about piped crowd sound is it a valued innovation or just another gimmick? Does football even matter when people are losing their lives?

4. Hardcore fans and ultras: In England we see Ultras not as a hooligan but as a group that take their support to the next level organising massive choreographies and displays in grounds, organised fans that have influence with the clubs to an enviable level but is it too much? Who are the Ultras really and what do they do? Is fan culture dead in the UK?

5. Safe standing: How is it seen in Germany? Is standing just a cheaper option or the option of choice? Does it improve the atmosphere? Should we bring this back in the UK?

6. Atmosphere in the grounds: Atmospheres at Premier league games are often dull for many reasons. Germany is seen a leading light in match day atmosphere, is the case and if so is working for German football and what are we getting wrong in England?

7. Safety at games for away fans: Away fans in England are often treated as second class citizens by match day stewards and police but it’s a lot safer now to attend games as an away fan in the UK than it was 20 years ago but German fans travel to domestic away games in greater numbers and the rail travel is free how does it work? With half of clubs being able to survive on media income alone do fans still count in the Premier League?

During the season you can also come to watch a game at our meet-up Stammtisch at the Naughty Bar, just off Oxford Street, in Cleveland street London.

Friday Sep 18, 2020

Episode 14 The TV Presenter: Guest Raphael Honigstein - Let’s talk Borussia’s Bayern challenge..

Friday Sep 18, 2020

Thank you for your interest in the BvB London fan community podcast as every week the focus of the show will be on exploring a facet of Borussia Dortmund life by talking to experts and former participants of the club's life, like players, fans, journalists who have covered the club and functionaries and experts and thus make this wonderful club more accessible to non-German speakers but the podcast is also of interest to German football fans who speak English.

The focus of the show is a Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund, two titans of the German league and yet not a battle of equals, Bayern have a turnover of €300m more than Die Schwarz-Gelben. But the Meisterschaften of 2019 and 20 have been amongst the exciting and promising in recent years, with more than a hint of potentiality for a major upset to the benefit of the boys from the Westfalenstadion.

Raphael Honigstein is one of the leading football broadcast journalists in the UK who feeds the appetite in UK for the fan's favourite football league, the Bundesliga, well-known to viewers of BT Sport TV as a pundit, a commentator on Talk Sport and a writer for amongst others the Süddeutsche Zeitung. Also an author of a number of books including 'Bring the noise' on BVB's former and current Liverpool gaffer Jürgen Klopp and 'Das Reboot how German football reinvented itself and conquered the world', originating from Bavaria a life-long FC Bayern Munich fan.

Topic 1 - Bayern in short why are they where they are at this time? Bayern have won all the Bundesliga titles since 2013 and now the triple they have an excellent squad including and Hansi Flick has exceeded everyone's expectations. What is the impact on German football?

Topic 2 Dortmund as an area is less industrially successful than Munich and so BVB has to rely on fan power which they manage admirably they have the biggest gate in the world and make €4m per home game and BVB run a very tidy ship with a €0.5bn turnover and €30m profit in 19/20 but have been for many years unable to hold the big names like Hummels and Lewandowski and some label Dortmund a 'selling club' but is there another reason players leave? What is the reason for BVB's pain in the face of the Munich juggernaut?

Topic 3 What about the way the two clubs are run? The management structure? The technical staff, what difference do Matthias Sammer and Sebastian Kehl at Borussia make? Borussia have one of the most talented squads since the 2011/12 double-winning season but is the number 1 spot in the German league title on the cards with the current squad? What are the areas BVB need to make up the numbers in?

Topic 4 There have been a run of managers since Klopp left without finding the 'special one' Was it a mistake to sack Tuchel? Lucien Favre's tactics are getting points and record numbers of goals but is he a winner? His last title was 9 years ago and in the Swiss League. Is he the one to mould the 'New Generation' into a silverware-winning team and we take a look at some of those coaches who Watzke and Zorc may be running the ruler over for the a potential change of guard.

Topic 5 As on every show we find out what our guests own experiences of going to Westfalenstadion are, can a Bayern fan still admire the home of the Black and Yellow? What does Borussia Dortmund mean in Germany as a club? Plus we get Rapha's Predictions for the top places in the 20-21 Bundesliga season ahead.

On the eve of 20-21 Colm and Ben of Fan Club London take the pulse of German football, can the fan's league of choice survive another Bayern title? Plus Colm works on his German pronunciation skills and Ben discovers Rapha and him have more in common than they realised and share a common appreciation for some of the grounds around England.

During the season you can also come to watch a game at our meet-up Stammtisch at the Naughty Bar, just off Oxford Street, in Cleveland street London.