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

Episode 13 ’German football governance is a sustainable model for wider football’ guest Chief Executive Duncan Fraser of Aberdeen FC

Thank you for your interest in the BvB London fan community podcast with the summer break in full force in the Bundesliga and BVB at their annual training camp at Bad Ragaz on today's show we head back to Scotland to get a preview of the 20-21 season that has just kicked off. 

We share an hour with Duncan Fraser who for the past 18 years has been a director of Aberdeen FC, 9 of which were spent as CEO a position which he resigned from in June 2020. He is currently Scotland's FIFA Commissioner and a UEFA delegate. On the show, Duncan gives a rare insight into life at the top of a top tier football club and working Scotland's corner within the not always uncontroversial European governing bodies. 

A chartered accountant by training, Duncan is a life-long Aberdeen fan and he has been involved with the club as club secretary, operations director, managing director and CEO. During the 17 years at the club, The 'Dons' as Aberdeen are known won the Scottish League Cup in 2014. 

Aberdeen FC have never been relegated from the top tier of Scottish football and have won the title 4 times, the Scottish cup 7 times and the League cup 6 times. The crowning achievement for the club who play their football at Pittodrie stadium was the 1983/84 UEFA European Cup Winners cup and Super Cup under manager Sir Alec Ferguson. 

Topics on the show: 

1. Introduction to Duncan, how did he come to be in football, his life with Aberdeen FC and what he has learnt from managing a football club.

2. An introduction to Aberdeen FC and Pittodrie stadium, the great players and managers what makes this club unique? What about the fans of the 'Dons' what makes them special? 

3. Preview of the 20-21 SPL season, will Celtic make it 10? Will Stevie Gerrard survive the season? Will it be a two-horse race again? Where will Aberdeen finish? Who will be this season dark-horse? Predictions for the season finishers?  

4. The Scottish national team and the European qualifiers, who are the bright young players in Scottish Football to look out for? What have been the challenges of Scottish football since the glory days up until the 80s? 

5. How is safe standing working in Scotland? Do you think it will be a success? Duncan shares his view on safe-standing and Bundesliga audiences as well as his experience of German football and Borussia Dortmund and the 50+1 form of ownership in Germany.  

6. Being Scotland's FIFA commissioner and a UEFA delegate, what direction are the reforms of the governing bodies going? Are the UEFA Nations League and new third tier for clubs the conference 'viable' or is this more watering down of football?

7. Are we likely to see a new competition replacing the Champions League? A Euro 2020, now postponed across Europe, is UEFA out of touch with climate challenges? Should football be doing more in this respect? 

The football plan that is mentioned in the podcast that influenced the developments at the DFB was a plan developed by former Leeds United manager Howard Wilkinson initially for the FA in 2000 substantial parts of which were implemented according to Wilkinson by the DFB in an article in The Times in March 2012.  

You can find the fan club at the usual social media tags. We hope you enjoyed 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 London.

 

All rights reserved Borussia Dortmund London Ltd 2020. 

Episode 12 ’The Million Deutschmark man’ A Striker’s story England hero special guest Tony Woodcock (Active 1974-90)

Welcome to the BvB London fan club 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 our BvB more accessible to non-German speakers in particular.

 

On today's episode, fan club president Ben welcomes BVB fan Mark Sheppard and Tony Woodcock a former striker whose clubs include Arsenal, 1 FC Köln and Nottingham Forest. Tony also won 42 England caps scoring 16 goals for the England national team including at the FIFA World cup 1982 in Spain. Playing 432 games at elite level, Woodcock scored a total of a stunning 139 goals. Tony won the European cup, now UEFA Champions League in 1979 with Nottingham Forest having already won the 1978 English first division, now renamed Premier League, title with the same club. A recent poll of Arsenal fans ranked Woodcock 48th in the all-time list of Arsenal's best players. The prolific striker also played for during two stints with 1 FC Köln in the Bundesliga. Tony now runs his own financial business and is a father of four. Topics on the show: 

 

1 The beginnings in football and Nottingham Forest, how he came to be a pro footballer, his debut, working under Brian Clough, winning the European cup, the ascend from the second tier to champions, an unparalleled achievement in English football, players who made the biggest impression plus loan spells with Lincoln CIty under Graham Taylor and Doncaster Rovers. 

 

2 The move to the Bundesliga and a record signing for 1 FC Köln. A massive welcome by 10.000 supporters in Cologne. Why a club like Cologne? Former team mates Dieter Müller, Toni Schumacher and Pierre Littbarski and Bernd Schuster,  the 79-80 DFB Pokal final. 81-82 just missed out on the title to then European Cup (now UEFA Champions league) winners HSV by 3 points, top scorer at 1 FC Köln with 15 goals. 

 

3 Arsenal transfer

What attracted him about Arsenal, scoring 5 in one game v Aston Villa, a goal tally of 56 goals a great achievement, that North London rivalry, the great characters that stood out Tony Adams, Martin Keown, Rocky Rocastle, George Graham unforgettable stories from Highbury.

 

4  Back to 1 FC Köln

Friends and teammates including soon to be BVB stars Thomas 'Icke' Haessler, Fleming Poulsen, Juergen Kohler all BVB stars later, Stefan Engels, the Allofs brothers, an injury and friendship with Bundesliga stars of the time like Marcel Raducanu plus why the connection with 1.FC Köln and the people of Cologne is so strong.

 

5  A sensational England career  Kevin Keegan, playing Germany at the FIFA World Cup, memories of Terry Butcher, Bryan Robson, Bobby Robson the team coach, highlights of an international career playing against some of the greatest stars of World football including Zico and Maradona. 

 

You can find the fan club at the usual social media tags. We hope you enjoyed 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 London.

 

All rights reserved Borussia Dortmund London Ltd 2020. 

Episode 11 ’The flying dutchman’ The Goalkeeper: Guest Dennis Gentenaar BVB reserve keeper (05/06)

Welcome to the BvB London fan club 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 our BvB more accessible to non-German speakers in particular.

 

Dennis Gentenaar a UEFA C licensed goalkeeping coach currently with Al Wahda FC in United Arab Emirates talks to Ben. Dennis is a former keeper who played with Borussia Dortmund in season 05/06 where BVB finished in 7th spot. His former clubs include Ajax Amsterdam, NEC, Venlo and Almere City in Holland playing 270 matches at pro level. Dennis is now a squad member of the Borussia Dortmund legends team. Topics on the show:

 

1 How did Dennis's career kick off with NEC, how did he come to be a pro footballer. When did he sign his first contract? What was his debut like? A total of 10 years with NEC including an amazing UEFA Cup campaign and an infamous fan pitch invasion. Working under Johan Neeskens one of the greatest Dutch players. The club's rivalry with Vitesse Arnheim and being elected 2003 dutch keeper of the year.

 

2 BVB in 05/06 Working with Bert Van Marwjik in a season where BVB finished 9th and our club was battling the biggest financial crisis in it's history. Signing for a legendary club. A debut against Mainz 05.  Great friendship with Ebbi Smolarek. Stories of Lars Ricken, Christoph Metzelder and the South-Africans Buckley and Pienaar, Dede's pool parties, Nuri Sahin starts his career at Westfalenstadion. Recollections of being the understudy to Roman Weidenfeller. Living in Dortmund what makes it a unique football city.  

 

3 Three seasons with the mighty Ajax Amsterdam, why winning the KNVB Cup in 2007 was surprisingly not the ultimate highlight. Playing alongside Huntelaar, Snijder, Davids, Rommedahl. Luis Suarez emerges with a 34 goal haul and golden boot and is voted player of the season What is unique about Ajax?

 

4 Later career with Almere and Nijmegen. A return to NEC where he remains one of the most popular keepers, an amazing goodbye. What is the real contrast between the Dutch and German leagues which is the most challenging and why? 

 

5 What makes the role of goalkeeper unique? What special skills does it take? Life as a goalkeeping coach in the desert and Dennis's pride in seeing his son Dayan on the path to pro football in UAE.  

 

You can find the fan club at the usual social media tags. We hope you enjoyed 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 London.

 

All rights reserved Borussia Dortmund London Ltd 2020. 

Episode 10 Borussia Dortmund London Fan Club Podcast 1.FC Kaiserslautern bust, seriously?! With Nik Wildhagen of Talking Fussball Podcast.

Welcome to the BvB London fan club 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 our BvB more accessible to non-German speakers in particular.

 

In a week where the Meisterschaft is decided and Bayern have taken the honours , again, Borussia Dortmund are confirmed finishing in second in the league for the 09th time as 'Vizemeister' (second-place finishers) it's time for a tactical diversion.

 

Ben heads to the South-West of Germany. On tonight's show we look at one of BVBs old rivals over the decades who is now facing huge challenges to survive as a professional club like a number of others they have been badly affected by the pandemic but have also suffered years of mismanagement and have now this week gone into voluntary administration; four-time champions 1 F.C Kaiserslautern. 

 

How could that have happened to such a big club? Is this a one-off or is there an underlying weakness below the 2 Liga in German football? Ben's guests are Mark Sheppard and Talking Fussball editor Nik Wildhagen, Nik is a journalist with a passion for historical clubs of Germany and on the show.

 

Kaiserslautern is a club steeped in history and should be on any groundhoppers bucket-list.  We explore how a club who won the Championship as recently as 1998 with a stadium with an average following of 18,000 spectators even in the third tier could be facing insolvency. What are the factors that have contributed to the relegation of '1FCK' and the factors into the crisis and we explore the club's history in the Bundesliga and in European competition.  

 

As every week, we contrast this with English clubs, this time we look at Leeds United in the 1990s who faced a similar plight which it has taken them twenty years to recover from as they knock on promotion to the Premier League in the last weeks of the 19-20 season. 

 

We look at the wider challenges of the 2 and 3 Liga and Regionaliga clubs, the second, third and fourth-tiers of German football. Who are the former Champions and DFB Pokal winners playing in the leagues and what are the challenges they face, will more clubs follow? 

 

Apologies to 1.FC Kaiserslautern's goalkeeping coach and 'Lautern' fan his name is of course Gerald Ehrmann not Ehrenfeld!  

 

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 London

 

 

All rights reserved Borussia Dortmund London Ltd 2020. 

Episode 09 ’Happy Birthday dear Delron’ The Winger: Guest Delron Buckley (BVB 2005-9)

Welcome to the BvB London fan club 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 our BvB more accessible to non-German speakers in particular. 

On today's episode, Ben is joined by Irish Fulham and BvB fan Colm McNabola and Radio Brandenburg-Berlin's (RBB) sports commentator Phillip Buechner to chat with one of the great footballers of South Africa, the former Borussia Dortmund winger Delron Buckley.

Buckley had two spells with Borussia Dortmund between 2005-2009. Delron shares his memories of players and friends like Ebbi Smolarek, Kuba, Hummels, Roman Weidenfeller and Jan Koller. He reveals memories of Dede's great player parties and fills in the gaps surrounding the 2006 DFB Pokal final which was narrowly lost to Bayern at a time when BvB were facing a massive financial battle to survive. Delron returned in 2008 to play for BvB under in Juergen Klopp's first season at Westfalenstadion.  

 

Now 42, he recounts his own battles with the pressures of professional football and the challenges of playing at the top. Plus his hot-cold relationship with the Suedtribuene that included a very special happy 30th birthday rendition and impressions of the people and city of Dortmund, becoming a German citizen and the special reason his heart will always be in the Ruhrgebiet.

 

We also hear about Delron's 9 years with VFL Bochum and his experience as Arminia Bielfeld's top scorer. Buckley also an international career in which he gained 73 caps for South Africa including playing at the FIFA World Cups 1998 and 2002 and he talks about growing up in racially divided South Africa, breaking the mould in Bundesliga football at a time when few African players were represented in Germany's top tier and why racism can be so destructive to the game of football. 

 

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 London. 

 

 

All rights reserved Borussia Dortmund London Ltd 2020. 

Episode 8 Borussia Dortmund London Fan Club Podcast A fan takeover - The Portsmouth FC story with guest then Chairman Iain McInnes (2013-17)

Welcome to the BvB London fan club 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 our BvB more accessible to non-German speakers in particular.

On today's episode, Ben is joined by Mark Sheppard to explore the incredible story of 2008 FA Cup winners Portsmouth FC and the crisis that led to the 2013 fan takeover and find out why 50+1 the regulation in the Bundesliga that means German clubs remain majority-owned by their members could never, almost never, work in the UK and what it means for German football in light of clubs like RB Leipzig. 

Special guests on the show are the former chairman of Portsmouth FC Iain McInnes, now the Chairman of Southern Football League team Gosport Borough FC (7th Tier Verbandsliga in Germany) the 2014 League trophy finalists that were founded in 1944, that play at the 4500 capacity Privett Park stadium. Iain runs a business in the electronics industry and himself played for Portsmouth U17 in his youth.

Also on the show is Colin Farmery a former board director of Portsmouth FC and a journalist who has written for Uk publications When Saturday Comes and The Guardian he is currently head of communications at Gosport Borough FC.

Both are long term Portsmouth fans since the 1960s and were instrumentally involved in the ownership of the club during the era of the ownership by the 'Pompey Supporters Trust' a takeover that saw thousands of fans come together to buy the club after a series of disastrous takeovers that pushed the club into administration twice. 

We also contrast the financial crisis at Portsmouth FC with that at BvB of 2005 and find out what role the fans played in saving both clubs and laying the foundation for the future. They explain what happened, how it worked, why it was needed and what their roles in the takeover were.

As on every show the hosts and the guests also share stories of their visits to Westfalenstadion and what makes BvB, the club we love BVB.

We hope you enjoy the show, send us your comments, share the show with friends and remember for all the news and to apply for tickets to join the London BvB community at our Stammtisch at our online group at Facebook.com/borussiadortmundfanclubengland or come to watch a game at our meet-up Stammtisch at the Naughty Bar in Cleveland street during the season.

 

All rights reserved Borussia Dortmund London Ltd 2020. 

Episode 7 ’We had a great team spirit’ The Left-back a defenders story: Guest Niclas Jensen (BVB 2003-05)

Welcome to the Borussia Dortmund Fan Club London podcast the show that brings all things BVB to the UK with news, special guests, interviews and special features on this unique football club and the German league, the Bundesliga.

On today's show, Ben is joined by Mark Sheppard and Colm McNabola an Irish member of our club and a Fulham season ticket holder to chat with Niclas Jensen the former Denmark international and Borussia Dortmund Centreback who also played for PSV Eindhoven, Manchester City, Fulham and his home club FC Copenhagen now a FIFA talent agent. 

Niclas won the Eredivisie with PSV Eindhoven and 2 titles with FC Copenhagen and earned 62 caps for Denmark playing at the 2002 World cup where he was tasked with marking David Beckham in the last 16 and 2004 European Championships in Portugal. 

On the show, Niclas shares how he fulfilled his childhood dream to become a professional footballer and represent his country at a FIFA World cup. Reveals some great stories about his two seasons at Westfalenstadion in the Bundesliga and UEFA Cup at a challenging time under Matthias Sammer and then Bert Van Marwijk alongside legends like Tomas Rosicky, Sebastian Kehl, Roman Weidenfeller, Jan Koller and Christoph Metzelder like his rivalry with Dede and what makes Revierderby more important than relegation. What makes Dortmund a special city to live and play football in.   

Plus we hear about his time with Manchester City under Kevin Keegan at Maine Road and Fulham in the Premier League including stories about playing alongside Erling Haaland's father Alf-Inge and why Peter Schmeichel is the still the best keeper and the miracle of how Coleman kept Fulham up in 2007. 

As on every show we also catch up on the latest BVB results and gossip and the guests also share stories of their visits to Westfalenstadion and what makes BvB - BVB. 

We hope you enjoy the show, send us your comments, share the show with friends and remember for all the news and to apply for tickets to join the London BvB community at our Stammtisch at our online group at Facebook.com/borussiadortmundfanclubengland or come to watch a game at our meet-up Stammtisch at the Naughty Bar in Cleveland street during the season.

 

 

All rights reserved Borussia Dortmund London Ltd 2020. 

Episode 6 Football finances we contrast BVB and Bundesliga with the Premier League with guest Kieran Maguire of ’The Price of Football’ podcast and LIverpool University .

Welcome to the Borussia Dortmund Fan Club London podcast the show that brings all things BVB to the UK with news, special guests, interviews and special features on this unique football club and the German league, the Bundesliga.

On today's show, Ben is joined by Kieran Maguire a football finance expert at the University of Liverpool who regularly features on Sky and the BBC as well as his own weekly podcast The Price of Football. 

My second guest is Stuart Rayner the chief football writer at the Yorkshire Post newspaper who has written a number of books including The War of the white roses and Five Trophies and a funeral. 

On the show we talk BVB finances how the Borussia make money, why it's model is successful, how the Corona situation is likely to impact the transfer market and potential transfers including Jadon Sancho, what makes the 50+1 model unique and contrast with Premier League finances. We also hear some interesting insights in Brighton Hove and Albion and Leeds United clubs and their struggles to maintain their campaigns in the Premier League and Championship.

As on every show the guests also share stories of their visits to Westfalenstadion and what makes BvB.  

 

The show kicks off with Stuart interviewing Kieran on how he became a football expert and what it's like running the Football MBA programme at the University of Liverpool and it was, of course, Felix Magath who took VFL Wolfsburg to the title find out more on the show..and enjoy the new title music! 

 

We hope you enjoy the show, send us your comments, share the show with friends and remember for all the news and to apply for tickets to join the London BvB community at our Stammtisch at our online group at Facebook.com/borussiadortmundfanclubengland or come to watch a game at our meet-up Stammtisch at the Naughty Bar in Cleveland street during the season. 

 

All rights reserved Borussia Dortmund London Ltd 2020. 

Episode 5 Derby time a talk with Dietrich Schulze-Marmeling author of ’Die Chronik’ a history of BVB and BBC Sport journalist Constantin Eckner

Welcome to the Borussia Dortmund Fan Club London podcast the show that brings all things BVB to the UK with news, special guests, interviews and special features on the world's greatest football club and the German league, the Bundesliga. 

On today's show, Ben is joined by guest Mark Sheppard and by Die Zeit newspaper and the BBC's Constantin Eckner as well as Dietrich Schulze-Marmeling a celebrated football author compiler of 'Die Chronik' a definitive history of BVB, published in November 19, one of four books he has written on Borussia Dortmund.

Dietrich has also written books about Celtic, Liverpool, the DFB National team, Johan Cruyff, CF Barcelona, the FIFA world cup and the history of his home team Preussen Muenster. 

On tonight's pod, Dietrich takes us on a journey of his attendance at BVB matches and interviewing the makers and shakers who during the last 50 years of BVB history as every week Mark contrasts with the era in English football plus some controversy about Guenther Kutowski and his second Meisterschaft - don't know Kutowski? You need to, find out more on the show.

As the show was recorded after the Derby this week we have no match preview and news section.

 

We hope you enjoy the show, send us your comments, share the show and remember to join the London BvB community our Stammtisch match day meet-ups or online to catch up on all the news at Facebook.com/borussiadortmundfanclubengland.

 

 

All rights reserved Borussia Dortmund London Ltd 2020. 

Episode 4 ’Talking Arsenal and BVB’ with the Arsenal FC Supporters Liaison officer Mark Brindle

 

Welcome to the Borussia Dortmund Fan Club London podcast the show that brings all things BVB to the UK with news, special guests, interviews and special features on the world's greatest football club and the German league, the Bundesliga. 

On today's show, Ben is joined by Arsenal FC Supporters Liasion officer the one and only Mark Brindle, a Gooner from birth, Mark has been at the helm of fan management at the Emirates stadium for over a decade, Mark opens up about life at one of the top Premier League teams, we also talk about common legends including Aubameyang, Papa, Rosicky, Mkhitaryan and former keeper Jens Lehmann. We contrast the academy styles of the two clubs and how youth football is run in Germany and England. 

As on every show, we get the BVB news including transfer targets, why Arsenal's Buyako Saka could be the one for Borussia and get stuck into European cup nights between London and Dortmund's great clubs at Westfalenstadion and in North London. 

Ben founder and president of Borussia Dortmund Fan Club London is also joined by guest Mark Sheppard of Sportsline UK.

We hope you enjoy the show, send us your comments, share the show and remember to join the London BvB community our Stammtisch match day meet-ups or online to catch up on all the news at Facebook.com/borussiadortmundfanclubengland.

 

 

All rights reserved Borussia Dortmund London Ltd 2020.