St. Pauli: Another Football is Possible

FC St. Pauli is a football club that embraces music, sport, and politics, welcoming refugees, fighting fascists, and standing against discrimination. With almost 30,000 fans in attendance at games and supporters across the world, the club demonstrates that another football is possible in a sporting landscape governed by corporate capitalism.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 20 October 2020
Publisher: Pluto Press

Longlisted for The Telegraph Sports Book Awards 2021 - Football Book of the Year




FC St. Pauli is a football club that stands out from the rest. It encompasses music, sport, and politics, and its fans welcome refugees, fight fascists, and take a stand against all forms of discrimination. This book delves behind the skull and crossbones emblem to uncover the story of a football club that is rewriting the rulebook.


Since the club's inception in Hamburg's red-light district, the chants, banners, and atmosphere of the stadium have been shaped by the politics of the streets. Promotions are celebrated and relegations commiserated alongside social struggles, workers' protests, and resistance to Nazism. In recent years, people from all over the world have flocked to join the Black Bloc in the stands of the Millerntor Stadium, and while the club had a small DIY punk following in the 1980s, now there are almost 30,000 fans in attendance at games, with supporters across the globe.


In a sporting landscape dominated by corporate capitalism, driven by revenue, and disconnected from community, FC St. Pauli showcases that another football is possible. The club's commitment to social justice, anti-fascism, and diversity sets it apart, and its fans are passionate and dedicated to the cause.


This book is a must-read for anyone who loves football, social activism, or is interested in learning about a club that is making a difference in the world. FC St. Pauli is a symbol of hope and inspiration, and its story continues to unfold as it continues to challenge the status quo and rewrite the rules of the game.

Weight: 292g
Dimension: 135 x 214 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780745340906