Savouring SV Meppen — Terrace Edition

Words: Han Balk

Images: Han Balk

The Dutch Eredivisie is barely 12 matches in, and we’re already at the third international weekend.

These aren’t the best weekends for supporters who have little or no interest in international football.

So, here we are on Friday evening at 5:45 PM, standing in front of the Hänsch Arena in Meppen, Germany, for a top match at the fourth tier of German football, the Regionalliga Nord. At 7 PM, the local Sport Verein Meppen faces off against Kickers Emden.

Not even a minute later, I feel a tap on my shoulder from fellow Go Ahead Eagles supporter Frank. “You here too?”

We’re not the only Dutch visitors. Meppen is an excellent destination for northern supporters and groundhoppers.

Han Balk. SV Meppen vs Kickers Emden. Germany.

When FC Emmen, Cambuur Leeuwarden, Heerenveen, or FC Groningen have no matches, large numbers of fans cross the border near Emmen.

Football has been played on Lathner Strasse in Meppen since 1924. Over the years, the ground has likely seen as many name changes as renovations.

Three years after its opening, the Meppener Sportplatz was renamed Hindenburgstadion in honour of the 80th birthday of Reich President Paul von Hindenburg, a name it retained until 1992.

After that, it became the Emslandstadion, named after the region through which the Ems River flows, followed by various commercial names.

The name Hänsch Arena might evoke images of a typical German stadium: enclosed corners, two tiers, and everything under a roof. But nothing is as it seems in Meppen, the capital of the eponymous municipality in Lower Saxony, with just under 40,000 residents.

The name Emslandstadion is far more fitting for this old-school ground, which features four distinct stands and open corners. Only the uncovered concrete stand, which houses the away section, is somewhat lacking, but the other three stands more than make up for it.

We first go in search of something to eat. While German Arenas are often known for surprisingly good ground food, the options here are limited: fries, grilled sausages, or currywurst. Almost as old school as the ground itself.

No, if you wanted a hefty piece of meat, you should’ve gone to Schnitzelwelt on Nödiker Straße, as Frank’s Instagram post suggested.

The main attraction is the large east-side grandstand, which offers 3,100 seats and a paddock in front of it with room for 1,400 standing fans.

The ground once had an athletics track, traces of which can still be seen on the back of our stand, which curves around and now hosts a sort of beer garden. On a lovely evening in May, it must be a fantastic spot to relax.

On this November evening, however, most tables remain empty even during halftime.

About half an hour before kickoff, Gerry Marsden’s “You’ll Never Walk Alone” plays over the ground speakers not as entrance music, and no one around me sings along. Just part of the playlist, I guess.

Behind us stands another eye-catcher: a 12-meter-high VIP Tower composed of 24 containers arranged over three levels, accommodating around 150 VIPs. It’s an acquired taste...

During the match, it almost seems like the Meppen ultras are chanting “Kickers,” while the visitors from Emden, 100 km to the north, respond with “Meppen.” The Meppen supporter in front of us confirms this: both groups share a friendship.

The ground is well-filled with 9,346 spectators. There’s not much to say about the match itself. Passing from blue to blue or red to red isn’t a given this evening. Meppen scores just before half-time to make it 2-0, and that’s also the score when we head back to the car.

No, you didn’t need to come to Meppen for quality football tonight, but otherwise, it was a fine evening.