SV Arminia Hannover; Germany

SV Arminia Hannover currently compete in the Landesliga Hannover, which is on the sixth rung of the German pyramd. I looked in at their stadium when I was in Hannover in late November 2010; prior to top flight ice hockey match at Hannover Scorpions. I looked at several grounds this day, but this one really was a 'wow!' moment! 'Only' three sided but what magnificent sides! this is filed away for when I win the lottery & am able to travel as often as I want into mainland Europe watching football. I'd love to come back here to see an actual match one day.



Reaching the ground it doesn't look much...yet!



Turn left, to the entrance, & hmm, the stand looks ok.



Just inside is a Club war memorial.



Walking straight ahead we get to the stand, but first-yes I know I'm teasing you-we're going to walk behind it.



Plenty of signage.



The clubhouse is behind the stand.



There's also a Club noticeboard, & a 'Wall of Fans'.



Here's a close up of one of them.



Further along was a club office that had a cabinet of merchandise in it.



And this wonderful pig on display! They should have one of these in the boardroom at Imber Court! ;-)



Now it's time to go back to the other end of the stand where we came in. As we come into the ground there is open terracing to our right, with the empty open end as well. note the low setting sun,this will affect a few snaps in this set.



Directly opposite is a large open terrace.



To our left is the lovely old main stand, with terracing in front of it too. This is the way we will head, clockwise round the ground.



A similar angle, a few steps nearer to the pitch.



Time to climb up into the stand, it has strange open boxes at the front. Possibly their own executive boxes for directors & sponsors?



Behind them is row upon row of wooden benched seating.



Looking down from the back we can see the strange shaped dugouts at the front, by the pitch. And you can also look at the swathe of banked terracing in the background.



At the back of the stand, over the halfway line.



You will see when we get round there that the strange colour in the terracing opposite is the crush barriers. The dugouts look like a set of recycling bins!



Turning back to our our right. I have no idea why are the different flags are on display.



Eyes to the left again, without the glaring sun!



And back down the stand, from the top corner.



Beyond it is a large open terrace, we will get there, but not yet.



Down the steps to the front.



More of the 'executive boxes'.



We're back down at the front here, by the end of the stand where we came in.The wall in the middle is the players tunnel.



Which we see here.



Moving onto the pitch we have a good full on view of the stand.



Yet to be reached by us, open terrace to our right.



And opposite the stand.



The dugouts, from the front of them.



We're now back on the terracing in front of the stand, past the tunnel.



This is the terracing along the main side, past the stand.



It stetches as far as the corner, & is then blocked off by fencing. Fortunately the gate at the front is open for me.



Before we move on time to turn round & admire the ground behind us.



A corner flag shot, pitchside.



The terracing from in front of the old fashioned 'hooligan fencing', long since taken down all over England.



The other side of the fence.



This really is a magnifient old ground, as I am sure you will agree, from the back of the terracing at this end.



As it curves round what other word can you use but 'beautiful'?



Directly up above behind the goal, into the sun.



Main stand to the right.



Before it's time to curve round to the open side.



Scoreboard, with sponsors logo on it,at the top of this corner.



This view is from standing right under it.



Down the side, again into the setting sun.



Behind some of the metallic crush barriers.



Turning round, to the open end.



Seeing over the pitch, to the stand.



Directly opposite, over the halfway line.



Looking back at the terracing covered, once more.



And onward!



The terrace starts to curve, but ends suddenly, which leaves me wondering if it once went right behind the goal in years gone by?



Fenced off behind the goal, no standing here.



A final glimse down the side, from on the terrace.



Over the pitch from the top corner.



Some graffiti from opposing fans on one of the barriers.



On the pitch we look down the start of the touchline.



And behind the goal.



The main terracing, from the 'dead end'.



The stand, from between the posts.



And directly up the pitch.



To complete the 'net set' we turn to the right.



Almost back to the main stand side.



And here we are at the corner of the stretch of terrace we saw when we first game into the ground.



Back to where we started, time to leave.