FC St. Pauli

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Diamantakos made a total of 51 appearances for the Boys in Brown from January 2018 (20 goals), while Hornschuh ran out 59 times in Bundesliga 2 (two goals) and eight times for the Under-23s in the Regionalliga Nord from summer 2015.

Hornschuh, who learned his trade as a defender at Borussia Dortmund, was originally foreseen as a squad player when he moved to the Millerntor towards the end of the 2015 summer break. That plan had to be shelved, however, as he mastered the transition from the third to the second division with aplomb and immediately established himself as a permanent member of a brown-and-white side whose promotion challenge did not falter until the run-in. "From backup to godsend" read one headline in January 2016, aptly describing the progress he had made.

It soon became clear that the "godsend" was not just an excellent fit for the club as a footballer. Thanks to his open-mindedness and honest curiosity, he always had an eye for what was happening off the field and what made the club, its fans, and the local community stand out. He represented FC St. Pauli at the Reeperbahn Festival, for example, and used his prominence to support social projects such as Viva con Agua and Hinz&Kunzt.

Hornschuh was a regular starter in the next term, when a disastrous first half of the campaign was followed by a triumphant second half, a status he continued to enjoy at the start of the 2017-18 season.  It thus came as a bitter setback when the defensive all-rounder was stopped in his tracks by a slipped disc in September 2017.Back then, no one could have known it would take almost two years for him to return to first-team action. 

Dear Marc, after five years at FC St. Pauli you will be remembered not only as a player but also as a great fighter and a fantastic person! You will always be a part of St. Pauli and we hope the club will always be a part of you. All the best for the future! We hope you stay fit and well and we can see you back at the Millerntor soon! YNWA!

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From one port city to another. Dimitrios Diamantakos is off to Croatia, or Split, to be more precise. In a two-and-half-year spell with the club, Dimi was often the player you never wanted to go up against yourself but were always glad to have on your side. Streetwise, awkward, and equipped with a natural instinct for goal, Dimi made a total of 51 competitive appearances for FC St. Pauli, scoring 20 goals.

His lightning-fast reaction to Marvin Knoll's piledriver smacking back off the post in the derby at the Millerntor, when he stooped low to score the crucial opening goal with a diving header, will live long in the memory. The rest is history and sure to be immortalised in the 1910 Museum under the East Stand very soon. Dimi often underlined his instinct for goal and ingenuity, especially in the season just ended, his superb solo run in the final game before the coronavirus shutdown at SV Sandhausen being a perfect example.

Thanks for all your efforts, your derby goal, and the many happy moments you gave us, Dimi. All the best!

Photos: Witters