Odds and bods to know when in Marburg - Updated 02/06/08

FC United will play a match against a Marburg XI on Friday 6th June, kick off 6.00pm. The match is part of a football against racism in Europe community day. The Marburg XI will consist of players from VFB Marburg, who play in the Landesliga (6th tier in the German league system) and BSF Richtsberg. The Richtsberg is Marburgs largest district, with a large migrant community.

Before the match, there will be a banner parade, starting at 4pm outside the Mensa building at the Elisabeth Blochmann Platz in the centre of Marburg. Supporters that bring a banner will get free entry to the match. A prize will be given for the best banner. A number of community and youth groups have been busy painting the last few weeks but there’ll be a chance to make banners on the day. This parade will also be supported by a number of football fans.

The Elisabeth Blochmann Platz is close to the River Lahn, next to the Mensa (student cantine), with a bridge leading to the Cineplex cinema. The cineplex is in the Biegenstraße and right in the town centre.

The match has generated interest among supporters of a number of German clubs. German football fans are angry about the state of the game, the commercialisation and greed. The setting up of FC United has generated interests among German football fans and a few are likely to travel to the match.

Useful information

The ground:

The ground is situated in Gisselberger Straße 37. It is fairly central and quite easy to get to. Supporters can either participate in the banner parade or take the bus.

The Nr 8 goes there regularly (roughly every 15 min). The most central bus stop to get to is Rudolphsplatz 5, stay on until Willy Mock Str, the ground is only a few meters away from there.

The link below shows the ground on a Google map:

http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=navclient&gfns=1&um=1&q=VFB&near=Marburg,+Germany&fb=1&cid=0,0,11250543429912434084&sa=X&oi=local_result&resnum=1&ct=image

As you can see from the map, the main roads to follow from the town centre are: Universitätsstr., Schwanallee, then Gisselberger Str.

If you are coming from Cappel take Bus Nr 2, stay on until Frankfurter Str. and then walk the rest.

The link below leads to the bus timetable: Click on "Linie 8" and "Linie 2" for the respective busses mentioned above.

http://www.stadtwerke-marburg.de/detail/68330

Admission:

The match is pay on the gate, admission prices are, 3 Euro for adults and under 14s will get in free. The ground holds 7.000 people. Those marching on the parade with a self made banner will get in for free.

Events

Thursday evening:

A beer garden next to the Mensa (student cantine) building will be open for FC United supporters from 7pm. It is situated in the Town centre, Erlenring 5, next to the Elisabeth Blochmann Platz. It is easy to find, every street map has got the Mensa building on it and everyone knows where it is. It is close to the Cinemax cinema in the Biegenstraße.

Saturday:

At 2.30pm there will be a fans tournament at the VfB Marburg’s ground.

There will be a summer party held in the town centre after the game.

The event is organised by the "Bunte Liga", who run a community based, non commercial, just for the fun of it football league.

From 6pm, there will be a public screening of the first EM matches at the KFZ venue (Schulstrasse 6, town centre of Marburg), followed by a social which will run well into the early hours of the morning.

People wearing a moustache and a football shirt get in free...

The place is a not for profit venue for gigs/cultural events, etc democratically owned and controlled by those who run it. Many of which do so on a volunteer basis. Free entry for all supporters travelling from the UK, normal entry fee is 2 Euro.