In an approximate sense, there seems to be a Venn diagram on which St. Pauli's international fanclubs fall. On the one hand, there's a space for those who enjoy meeting up, getting the drinks in and settling down to watch 2. Bundesliga matches on weekends; on the other, there are those who are most interested in the political side of things, whether that means volunteering, aiding local causes or engaging in demonstrations and protests. There's obviously a considerable overlap, which is hardly a surprise given the political principles that are an inherent part of St. Pauli's identity. The club and its fans have been a vocal part of Germany's 'Refugees Welcome' movement, while rumour has it that the club shop has a dartboard in the window adorned with the face of none other than Donald Trump.READ MORE: Meet Yorkshire St. Pauli, The Activist Fan Club Facilitating Change
Despite the fact the group was founded early last year, Glasgow St. Pauli have expanded at a considerable rate. Several of the founding members had previously been members of Yorkshire St. Pauli and, according to Gary, the group started out as a few friends handing out stickers and hoping to emulate their counterparts in Leeds. "From there, it just sort of grew arms and legs, and where we are now is more than we could have ever imagined," Gary says. Currently, he estimates that the group has 26 members, while their social activism and charitable activities have been remarkably successful. The group have a distinct social media presence and have been involved in protest marches in Glasgow, while they estimate that they have raised over £10,000 for organisations which look after vulnerable children, refugees, the homeless and victims of domestic violence. Much of that money has come through online fundraisers hosted on their official site, with members and likeminded fans chipping in.READ MORE: FC St. Pauli – Germany's Progressive, Punk Football Club
While the club's left-wing politics and punk stylings have won them dedicated fans in Britain, St. Pauli supporters' clubs certainly aren't limited to these shores. There are groups as afield as Catalunya, Italy, Toronto, Indianapolis, Argentina and Brazil, with others almost certain to follow. Athens is one of the biggest overseas St. Pauli hotspots, perhaps partly explained by links to AEK Athens, another football club historically associated with the left wing. The Greek capital actually has two St. Pauli fan groups, the traditionally named Athens Club and the rather more 'out there' South End Scum. The former was founded in 2007, making it one of the oldest overseas St. Pauli supporters' groups, while the latter formed in 2011 in the southern suburbs of the city.READ MORE: Clough, Shankly, Busby, Ferguson – The Golden Age of the Socialist Manager
Though Greg is keen to emphasise that South End Scum are less organised than their city neighbours, he gives a touching insight into why people from outside Germany feel an affinity with the Hamburg club. "Almost all of us, prior to being involved with FC St. Pauli, had completely abandoned football," he says. "The situation of the local football scene perfectly mirrored our decaying society – this long before the financial crisis – and had nothing to offer us that we were interested in. The concept of a socially aware club, standing up for the same universal values as us – and actually having shaped them into the form of a constitution – while making magic happen during one of the darkest football seasons in European football, when far-right extremism and all that nastiness had taken over the terraces all over the continent, was something like a miracle.READ MORE: Javier Zanetti, Inter Milan and the Zapatista Football Match That Never Took Place
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"With the current political climate in our country, I imagine that side of things is just going to grow," Shawn adds. "We had people at the Women's Marches in NYC and Washington DC last weekend, and I know a lot of us are involved in political activism outside the fanclub, too." With far-right ideas and a smattering of fascist voices set to dominate the American political landscape for the foreseeable future, Americans need an alternative scene more than perhaps ever before. As well as giving them a platform to make change in their city, St. Pauli NYC might give a little hope to despairing New Yorkers. "To say that you're a fan of St. Pauli really means something," Shawn says. "I think that's why there's such an international fan community… we're all committed to something bigger, the football is just our excuse for getting together every week."READ MORE: Total Footballer, Total Rebel – Johan Cruyff and the Resurgence of Catalonian Pride
One person who is better able to gauge opinion at the Millerntor is Jenni Wulfhekel, a football writer and Hamburger who knows the club well. "St. Pauli fans in Hamburg are very much aware of their club's popularity worldwide," she tells me. "It's down to a mixture of the club's political standing, music scene, merchandise, proximity to the red light district, wild fans, and so on. We know that the majority of St. Pauli fans come from Scotland, where Celtic is a partner team, and England. Overall, it's a very warm-hearted and open-minded fanbase at St. Pauli, so everyone is welcome really."READ MORE: Cashing In, Kitted Out – Whatever Happened To Premier League Kit Policy?