Espenmoos
FC St. Gallen, St. Gallen FC II
The Espenmoos is a soccer field and a former football stadium in the Holy Cross, in the east of the city of St. Gallen. It served from 1910 until the 2007/ 08 season as the home stadium of FC St. Gallen. The name of the game place dates back to the Middle High German word " Ezzisch " for tilth and is a field that is cultivated only every second year.
Until the last game on 20 May 2008, only 11,300 spectators were admitted to the games, as the structural condition and also the rest of the stadium infrastructure no longer met the requirements. The Espenmoos with its nearly 9,000 standing room was built back in the summer of 2008 ( only the main stand with its distinctive arch remained ) and now serves as a public sports complex of the city of St. Gallen.
Took place on 14 September 2005, after nearly ten years of planning in the west of the city, ground was broken for the AFG Arena with a capacity of 14,000 seats and 7,000 standing places. It has replaced the 2008/ 09 season the stadium Espenmoos.
Specifications
The capacity of the stadium Espenmoos sat down before the crash as follows: 3'186 covered seats, 84 seats uncovered, covered 7,800 standing places and 230 uncovered standing, giving a total capacity of 11,300 spectators. The fans of FC St. Gallen were housed on the standing area in the " green sector ", the opposite stand was called " blue sector ".
History
Since on the Kreuzbleiche that often was not available, only twice in the year admission could be charged, the sports field question was up to date. An official project on the Weiherweid, with facilities for football and Eisklub, and the school children, the people learned a nasty dissipation. The club, but in this year 1910 338 members counted six active teams and a Veteranenelf sent into the championships and a total of 88 games fought out without own place, now the thing himself took the hand and undid the sports field question on which the political community belonging Espenmoos, in a beautiful location. The budget of CHF 12 000 was indeed exceeded by 3000 francs, 2200 had the civil engineering, 11 700 of the building and the furniture cost in 1000. 8360 francs had been collected from voluntary donations, the rest had to be out gewirtschaftet from the proceeds, with the game against International Milan ( 2:2 ) with CHF 1050 saw record - collection. The resplendent with a handsome, 600 -seat grandstand sports pitch was inaugurated with a match against the first ascended in Serie A Bruhl, which was beaten 1-0. In May 1912, the first international match in St.Gallen took place on this sample system, which Germany won 2-1. A short time later, the Green - Whites were celebrating the victory record their history in Espenmoos when they defeated FC Lucerne by 17:0.
During World War II, Espenmoos was provided as an attachment field for potatoes. The FCSG managed to prevent this; but instead grazed until well into the '50s sheep on the field. As the Espenmoos still had no scoreboard, the players were forced to tell the time at the nearby church tower or had to ask for a supervisor. This only changed in 1947 when a football - clock was first installed. 1954 was followed by a Totomat panel.
In the meantime, served the Espenmoos also the SC Brühl as ( provisional ) homestead. After the grandstand in Krontal stadium in the night of 12 had fallen on the October 13, 1958 in a fire, the FC city rivals shelter granted St. Gallen until 1960. Ironically, in this phase played Brühl higher class in the National League B, while the FCSG was mediocre.
The attendance record in Espenmoos dated October 2, 1985. At that time, the St. Gallen met in the UEFA Cup to Inter Milan. Thanks also established stands were over 16,200 spectators in Espenmoos.
The first speaker in the early sixties was Aubey Naef, who was replaced by Jeannot Lucchi 1968. Then for 18 years, the sisters Monika and Helen Schlegel as Speaker interior of the home matches of FC St. Gallen in Espenmoos. After that were sold by the then club president Hans Hurni. Since 1994, Richard Fischbacher is active as FCSG speaker.
On 6 March 2002 waited more than 11,000 spectators at the kick-off of a match against FC Basel, which was not kicked off. The reason for the Match canceled was the failure of a generator, the Flutlichtanalage with power supply should have. The two teams had to leave the semi- dark Espenmoos empty-handed. The duel was rescheduled. The editorial in the St. Galler club President in the match sheet was ironically the title of " lights out ".
2004 came the Espenmoos in inglorious honor than it was with the FC St. Gallen for the " Big Brother Award ", which is awarded annually for " cheeky data collecting" to individuals and institutions that nominated. Reason for the nomination was a container that was set up before the guests sector and in the audience had to take off at a security check partly down to the panties themselves.
For much astonishment in the media made in April 2008, a very special "theft": unknown perpetrators had managed to secretly outdo the spot of aspen moss lawn. Your fact they kept it firmly on video and made the announcement that they were offering the penalty spot with a sunny spot in the garden a dignified asylum, for amusement.
The final Super League game in Espenmoos was held on 20 May 2008. FC St. Gallen would have in the relegation ( " Barrage " ) against AC Bellinzona a home victory needed to ensure the whereabouts in the Super League. Instead, subject to the " aspen " the Ticinese 0-2 and had at Dernière make their way into the second division. After the final whistle occurred in the stadium clashes between fans of FC St. Gallen and the police - there were numerous arrests and a large-scale manhunt on the internet. In addition, damage to property in the amount of CHF 150,000 was found.
Fankult
In Espenmoos been around since the 1920s, match books were sold. From simple " Bulletin of the FC St. Gallen ", the " Espen Post" and the " aspen sports magazine " followed, the name changed to " aspen Magazine " to today valid name "Inside".
Since the exodus from the stadium Espenmoos the fans of FC St. Gallen to try to preserve the identity of the past. Club and players are still wearing the nickname " aspen ". The fan curve in the new stadium, the AFG Arena in the west of the city, thus nicknamed " Espen block ". The Espenmoos also adorns some merchandise (T-shirts, scarves, etc. ) with lettering or subject and lives during the games also in the songs in the new stadium on.
The Espenmoos today
The city of St. Gallen, the stadium Espenmoos rebuilt in the summer of 2008 after the departure of FC St. Gallen from July 2008 to the sports complex. All stands apart from the main stand were demolished it. The dressing rooms have been completely renovated and newly bear the names of former players of FC St. Gallen ( Charles Amoah, Tranquillo Barnetta, Beat Riet man, Hugo Rubio, Marco Tardelli, Jörg Stiel, Ivan Zamorano and Marc Zellweger ). Further, the sanitary facilities were brought up to date and created new ways around the old stadium. In addition, in the area of the demolished grandstand was an artificial turf playing field that allows training in all seasons. Among the users of the sports facilities today include the women's team of FC St. Gallen, currently (2010 /11) plays in the top division of women's football, as well as the Under-21 team of the club. Next, Espenmoos is now also for rugby, American football and corporate sports.
The renovated sports facility was officially opened on 18 May 2010 by the former FCSG player Tranquillo Barnetta and Marc Zellweger and released for the popular sport.
Pictures
Opposite stand / " Blue Sector ", 2008
The Espenmoos - photographed from the Harzbüchelstrasse, 2005