GERMAN BLACK CATS
Contact: Martin Steffner
Email: Martin.Steffner@web.de
Facebook: www.facebook.com/germanblackcats
Q: What inspired you to support Sunderland?
A: It is a crazy story. A friend of mine and me are playing FIFA 12. We were fired at Manchester City and Sunderland gave us the chance to go on. We won the league title and become Champions League winners (would be nice to see the Lads win this anytime). After that "long time" I started to read the results and anytime I started to watch the matches. In one of the first games Lee Cattermole was on fire and so I become a supporter of SAFC.
Q: Have you watched Sunderland ‘til I die on Netflix and what did you think of it?
A: Yes, I have. It was fantastic and horrible in the same time. Great to watch everything behind the matches. The work of Martin Bain or Chris Coleman, the statements of our players and the staff behind them. Our amazing supporters became a voice and faces. It is a better view of this club and the fans. But it was hard to watch and feel the pain of the second relegation in a row.
Q: What time are the Sunderland matches on in Germany and do you watch them with any other supporters?
A: The matches are on 4PM. So we are one hour in front. Many times I watch the matches on my own because Sunderland hasn´t so much supporters in League one to be honest. In Premier League times I am very often watched the matches with my friends. But on Twitter and Facebook I find new supporters and we connected us. So we wanted to watch the matches together. This is something we will definitely do.
Q: What was the first Sunderland match you ever watched? Can you remember the score?
A: My first match was our away match at League Cup final against Manchester City. Unfortunately, I know this unbelievable Yaya Toure goal and our 3-1 defeat.
Q: How long have you been supporting Sunderland for?
A: I am supporting Sunderland for 6 years.
Q: Roughly, how many Sunderland fans are there in Germany now that you know of?
A: When I started watching the matches I thought there were not many. But time after time I met many of them. Also, on Social Media. Many of them are former students or Lads from Northern England. We are not Liverpool or Manchester United but I think in Germany we have to 50 supporters. Maybe more.
Q: What are your plans for the Germany branch?
A: My first plan is a meeting with interested supporters. We want to watch a match together and get to know each other. Maybe we can become bigger and make a trip to the Stadium of Light. I think with promotion we become bigger. Also I want to design a homepage. I want to make this supporter branch a little bit bigger.