Scotland’s David Bates on German fans’ passion compared to Old Firm

David Bates in action for Scotland in the 3-2 win over Israel at Hampden in the Uefa Nations League. Picture: Alan Harvey/SNS

Fan behaviour is a hot topic in Scotland but David Bates recently experienced a new extreme in Germany, when the referee ordered the players to seek shelter off the pitch during a game.

He is doubtful whether such a tactic would work at home. In any case, there’s a fine line between employing such strict measures and destroying the much-admired atmosphere at  German matches.

This is the case even in the second tier where Bates’ club SV Hamburg currently reside, along with city rivals St Pauli. When the clubs met earlier this month at St Pauli’s Millerntor stadium for the first time in eight years there were fireworks – and then some.

Play was interrupted several times. The referee warned he would take the players off the field, before doing so in the second half.

Bates was asked whether referees taking players off the pitch in order to quell offensive behaviour in the stands might work in Scotland. “I’m not sure – the players from both teams (in Germany) go over and tell the fans on both sides to relax,” he said. “But the supporters make the atmosphere when they’ve got the flares and the like.”

As a former Rangers player he has of course experienced the passion of an Old Firm derby, even if there’s not been a case of players being ushered from the field by the referee – yet. “It was different (to the Old Firm fixtures) as there were only 29,000 at St Pauli,” he said. “The European atmosphere is different. They’re always singing and the safe standing areas add to the occasion. But there are also similarities in the way the fans hate each other. There were Rangers fans in the Hamburg crowd so there is a connection there.”