"It's possible!" shone on the large video wall in front of the Flensburg campus hall, emblazoned on the countless T-shirts distributed. One sentence said everything about the relief that fell from the SG Flensburg-Handewitt. With their 41:32 win over HSG Nordhorn, they wiped away the last theoretical doubts about their first German championship in commanding style. 6,000 cheered in the hall on May 16, just as many in front of the "handball temple", where the "historic act" was broadcast on a large screen. 2004 - that was the year of the northern lights. In addition to the top of the Bundesliga, the DHB Cup also went to the Danish border. In the Champions League, they achieved a more than respectable second place.
Flensburg - a handball stronghold? Yes. But not just today, but for 80 years. As early as 1924, the Flensburger Turnerschaft, practically an ancestor of today's SG, reached a semi-final at national level. At that time, however, it was still in field handball.
A merger in 1935 further stimulated the local handball scene. The gymnastics club and the men's gymnastics club merged to form the Flensburger Turnerbund. FTB for short - three letters that stand for a lot of handball nostalgia.
The seed was sown after the end of the war. In 1946 and 1947, the Flensburg team only narrowly missed out on the championship in the British occupation zone. Up to 5,000 spectators watched FTB's home games, which also featured two nationally renowned handball players in Siegfried Perrey and Bernd Kuchenbecker.
Gradually, indoor handball joined the field version. The first unofficial championship was held in February 1949. Eight teams from Berlin, northern, western and southern Germany took part in an inter-zonal tournament in the Münsterlandhalle. Among them was FTB, which only lost to RSV Mülheim 6:9 in the final. For the time being, however, the Flensburg team continued to celebrate sporting success on the pitch, even though a dispute over a "tender" profit led to the departure of the Oberliga players. Despite competition from local rivals such as Flensburg 08 and VfL Flensburg, FTB not only remained in the top division, but also defended its supremacy on the fjord.
Together with local rivals Stern, Flensburg 08 and TSV Vorwärts, FTB found itself in the "second division", the Oberliga. This was to change; the declared goal was promotion to the Bundesliga. In 1968, the men of coach Ernst Krüger, a sports lecturer, qualified for the promotion round for the first time, but at least moved up to the newly created Regionalliga after failing to do so. A year later, Flensburg 08 joined the team and attacked with coach Wilfried Tetens, an Olympic referee in 1976, and Peter Pickel, who later played in the Bundesliga in Nettelstedt. After numerous regional league double events in the Idraetshalle, which could hold 1,300 spectators, the winner was FTB.
The score was 1:1 between Flensburg and Münster 08, and a deciding match in the Alsterdorfer Sporthalle in Hamburg had to decide who would be promoted to the Bundesliga Nord. No fewer than 1,300 northerners made the pilgrimage to the Elbe. The players were overwhelmed by the support and team captain Sönke Voß was delighted: "Flensburgers, you're a force to be reckoned with!" FTB managed to win 14:13, leaving Flensburg in a state of ecstasy. However, the euphoria resulting from the promotion quickly faded. A win against Bad Schwartau and a draw against Hamburger SV were the only successes. Relegation! As TSB Flensburg - the FTB merged with TSV Vorwärts - the club planned another foray into the Elite League.
On June 17, 1974, the board members Manfred Werner, Peter Holpert (both from Weiche), Günter Ahlers and Horst Andresen (both from Handewitt) formed one of the first ever national handball associations: SG Weiche-Handewitt.
For the time being, however, handball life was lively on the outskirts of the city and in the surrounding area. ETSV Weiche was promoted to the Oberliga in 1969 and increasingly gained the status of "second fiddle". The "Eisenbahner" only had one problem. They did not have a suitable venue. In this situation, Handewitter SV from the western outskirts of Flensburg proved to be a suitable partner. Today's Wikinghalle was built there in 1975.
As early as February 1976, TSB Flensburg made the leap into the regional league. A dispute 30 kilometers to the south, with the then regional league team Schleswig 06, brought a breath of fresh air to the young club. Henning Lorenzen took over as coach and, from 1978, also as SG manager. In his wake, numerous players strengthened the handball team from the outskirts of Flensburg. These included goalkeeper Peter Rickertsen, who later as a coach always knew how to turn supposed underdogs into competitive teams. Or Jan Glöe, a lanky but powerful shooter at the back. Or Holger Thiesen, a tricky left-handed player who also shone in the playmaker position. The first pillars of a future Bundesliga team were in place. The first respectable success came in the 1976/77 season. A newly-formed team immediately achieved third place in the regional league - ahead of TSB. In 1978, the SG even fought its way to the semi-finals of the DHB Cup. It was only against the glorious VfL Gummersbach that they suffered an undeserved 13:16 defeat. "That was the toughest home game of the season," admitted handball legend Joachim Deckarm.
However, the Flensburg rivals from TSB struck back once again. After the North German championship, the relegation against the Reinickendorfer Füchse ended on June 9, 1979 with promotion to the Bundesliga. This time, the trip to the top flight of handball was not to end in a one-year intermezzo. The budget rose to an impressive 290,000 marks, partly because the erotic company "Beate Uhse" was mobilized as a jersey sponsor. The team with its own players such as Wilfried Desler, Boy Boysen and Hans Joachim Krüger was strengthened with the Finn Ari Halme and Dirk Sommerfeld. However, Trutz Kob and Dieter Naujeck, who formed a coaching team, soon realized that all these efforts were not enough. "Beate's boys" suffered one defeat after another. In the end, the Flensburgers were relegated with just ten points.
After that, it was SG Weiche-Handewitt that dominated the handball scene on the Danish border. In 1981, the new power surprisingly won the regional league championship. They were up for promotion against the financially strong Reinickendorfer Füchse. The Berlin press mocked the "cannon fodder" and "after-work handball players". SG director Holger Thiesen countered: "No fox has ever come through Handewitter Forst alive." The Berliners succeeded by a wafer-thin margin. After the first and second legs, they had one goal more to their name.
But the SG Weiche-Handewitt did not give up. After three years in the newly formed Second Bundesliga, a 33:19 win in the final derby against TSB heralded the team's march to the top. Relegation! After the first game had ended with a meagre 19:17, the SG's "big moment" came on May 19, 1984 in Griesheim: with a 30:26 win, the "village club" moved into the limelight of German handball.
The Bundesliga initially smiled at the newcomer as an exotic accessory. They returned the favor. The myth of "Hell North" awoke. There was huge enthusiasm in Handewitt and the surrounding area. Around 1500 handball fans attended their SG's home games. They experienced a sensational season. Already "pronounced dead", the "potential relegated team" rolled up the field from behind, only to almost give up what they thought was a sure relegation on the last matchday with a 20:25 against fellow rivals Lemgo. However, Bergkamen only drew against the "Foxes". The SG remained in the Bundesliga - and the capacity of the sports center was increased to 2,000 spectators.
The "team of the nameless" was slowly refreshed by foreign players. Milomir Mijatovic was the first star in 1985. He was followed at the end of the 80s by Rainer Cordes, Jörg-Uwe Lütt and Michael Menzel, the first German internationals. The SG managed to bounce back from relegation after the third season. In 1989, the team achieved its best ever finish with sixth place. One year later, the big "Katzenjammer": four coaches had tried, but in the end the "Nordlichter" were relegated for the second time in 1990.
Parallel to this development, it became increasingly apparent that SG Weiche-Handewitt had reached "its economic limits". The need for money grew steadily, but Flensburg's business community exercised restraint. For one simple reason: the city name was missing from the club's name. After years of suggestions, the solution was finally found in March 1990. The SG Flensburg-Handewitt was founded in order to "join forces in the northern district". The new TSB chairman Frerich Eilts and Manfred Werner, manager of the old and new construct, were the driving forces behind the "Super-SG". While ETSV Weiche withdrew, Handewitter SV entered into a new marriage with TSB Flensburg, which had since dropped into the third division.
The environment became more and more professional. New economic players became involved in handball in the fjord city, the budget grew and the Flensburg Fördehalle (3500 spectators) replaced the Wikinghalle (2000 seats). In 1995, the foundations were laid for the "Bundesliga GmbH & Co. KG" in order to release the parent clubs from liability. Manfred Werner and Dierk Schmäschke were appointed as managing directors. The team matured with players such as Holger Schneider, Jan Eiberg Jörgensen, Matthias Hahn, Jan Fegter, Lars Christiansen, Christian Hjermind and Roger Kjendalen. Since 1995, the SG has been an integral part of international competitions. The first vice-championship followed in 1996, the second in 1997.
"When you win a title, you make history," said coach Anders Dahl-Nielsen on April 19, 1997. The EHF Cup went to the Flensburg Fjord, and Danish opponents Virum Sorgenfri were no more than a sparring partner in the 30:17 victory. Erik Veje Rasmussen, who tried his luck on the coaching bench from the summer of 1998, provided further impetus. However, he lacked fortune in the Bundesliga. In 1999, THW Kiel destroyed the title dreams, and in 2001 the SG lost the "final" in Magdeburg. And 2000? Probably the most "tragic" result: 16 goals were missing in the championship, in the EHF Cup Metkovic Jambo only won because of one more goal scored away from home, and in the cup THW Kiel had the longer breath in extra time. Three runners-up in just a few weeks - the "eternal runners-up" were the talk of the town.
The SG initially "only" celebrated major successes internationally. The City Cup in 1999 and even the Cup Winners' Cup in 2001. After two dramatic finals against Ademar Leon, Jan Holpert saved the decisive seven-meter penalty shortly before the end. Beautiful moments, but on the Danish border, dreams of the Bundesliga throne were growing. Andrej Klimovets, Christian Berge, Lars Krogh Jeppesen, Joachim Boldsen, Sören Stryger and Marcin Lijewski gradually enriched the SG's performance level, the new campus hall with a capacity of 6,000 spectators improved the revenue situation and an office strengthened the structures.
In the summer of 2002, the shareholders Frerich Eilts and Helmut Ermer were forced to make a far-reaching decision. They appointed Thorsten Storm, who had previously worked in marketing at THW Kiel, as the new managing director. In return, Manfred Werner withdrew from the "day-to-day business". "I want to be number one for the next three years," announced Thorsten Storm. The very first season turned out to be a success. In the Bundesliga, the SG was the first runner-up to the "champion of the century" Lemgo before celebrating its first national title on April 13, 2003. In Hamburg, Lars Christiansen scored a counter-attack to make it 31:30 against Essen. The SG Flensburg-Handewitt were DHB Cup winners. Despite the jubilation, there was a lot going on behind the scenes. Second managing director Dierk Schmäschke resigned, outgoing coach Erik Veje Rasmussen gave Thorsten Storm an "incendiary speech" and captain Jan Fegter was dismissed after eight years.
The "new man", Thorsten Storm, was heavily criticized. However, the 2003/2004 season proved that the path he had taken was the right one. Swedish coach Kent-Harry Andersson formed the squad into a "collective" that even compensated for a 19:30 home defeat against Magdeburg. New signing Johnny Jensen integrated effortlessly. The SG set the course for the championship back in November - with a win in Kiel's Ostseehalle. Everything also went according to plan in the cup and the Champions League. The "dancing at three weddings" only ended with a little disillusionment on the international stage. The Slovenians from Celje had the greater reserves of strength in the finals. On the other hand, there was a double triumph at national level. The "double" finally banished the "eternal runners-up" to the realm of handball history.
Kent-Harry Andersson, meanwhile, dreamed of the next goals. Defending the championship and winning the Champions League for the first time. But a last-second free-throw goal dashed his hopes in the top flight. After a 22:36 debacle in Montpellier, the SG scratched at the miracle to "only" win 32:19 in the end. In the Bundesliga, the SG performed brilliantly, finishing the season with just eight points to their name, although Christian Berge's cancer had been weighing on their minds since October 2004. It was not quite enough to defend the title, as THW Kiel had an even more efficient series. Instead, the SG defeated the "Zebras" 33:31 in the Final Four and the cup hat-trick was perfect! "This trophy is dedicated to Christian Berge," said SG captain Sören Stryger after the victory on April 17, 2005.
In the 2005/2006 season, the SG fan community once again had to do without a big victory celebration after a long time. It was bad luck in the game! The SG was eliminated from the DHB Cup at the end of September. The draw had given the northerners the Ostseehalle of all places, where they only lost after extra time. THW Kiel also increasingly ran away with the Bundesliga. Concentrated injury worries - sometimes in the circle, then among the left-handers - made things difficult for Kent-Harry Andersson. Shortly before Christmas, an unbelievable home streak of 39 wins was broken after 27 months - against Gummersbach. Nevertheless, qualification for the Champions League as runners-up was not in danger. And the SG even represented the Bundesliga in the semi-finals of the premier league. However, the eventual champions BM Ciudad Real were too tough a opponent. SG manager Thorsten Storm looked to the future with a fighting spirit: "We have to continue to improve our squad, work on ourselves and invest more money."
But the 2006/2007 series also began with setbacks. Coach Kent-Harry Andersson had to undergo surgery on his inner ear and was out of action until Christmas. The Icelander Viggo Sigurdsson was found as interim coach. A stroke of luck in this situation. Under his aegis, the SG danced at all three weddings until the World Cup break. However, the break did not do the SG any good, as the injury worries piled up. New signing Frank von Behren suffered a torn cruciate ligament, Sören Stryger had an "epidemic year" and Blazenko Lackovic struggled with knee problems, to name just the tip of the iceberg. The SG fell behind in the Bundesliga, but maintained third place, which secured qualification for the Champions League once again. The Final Four ended in the semi-finals. 33:34 against THW Kiel, a "Wembley goal" stopped a rapid comeback. Nevertheless, the SG reached the final of the premier league for the second time. Opponent: THW. A Schleswig-Holstein duel at the highest level! Kiel narrowly retained the upper hand with 28:28 and 27:29. Meanwhile, the SG was preparing for the future. After sporting director Anders Dahl-Nielsen, Fynn Holpert joined the SG as managing director. Just in time for the end of his brother Jan's career. Fynn Holpert signed a five-year contract. "That's a clear sign from the SG and from me," said the new signing.
However, the SG was not high on the bookmakers' list. Goalkeeping legend Jan Holpert had ended his career, attacking engine Joachim Boldsen returned to Denmark and serious knee problems put long-time captain Sören Stryger out of action. Other players were called upon. The SG had a major say in the Bundesliga in particular, finishing just one point behind eventual champions THW Kiel at the end of April. Second place in the championship was a real exclamation mark. Sports director Anders Dahl-Nielsen was in total agreement with the sporting standard: "The Bundesliga is the strongest league in the world, and we only have 14 minus points." In order to achieve even more, the necessary calm to concentrate solely on the sporting goals was perhaps lacking. "Eight player contracts expired, then HSV bought Marcin Lijewski and Blazenko Lackovic away from us," complained Fynn Holpert. "That makes you susceptible to outside interference."
The 2008/9 series began promisingly: Until November, the Northern Lights were the last opponent to catch up with THW Kiel. Then the setbacks followed like a conveyor belt. Often in the form of extremely narrow defeats. On December 20, 2008, the clearest derby home defeat of all time caused a shock in "Hell North". 29:37 against THW Kiel - it was clear that night that the previous assistant coach Per Carlén would take over from Kent-Harry Andersson. Ljubomir Vranjes became his assistant, but soon received the "call" to team manager. His predecessor Anders Dahl-Nielsen had previously switched to an advisory role. It also leaked out that managing director Fynn Holpert would be stepping down at the end of the season.
The realization followed in the spring: new brooms sweep well. The SG had slipped to eighth place - its worst position since 1993 - when the work of Per Carlén and Ljubomir Vranjes began to bear fruit. This sparked a Flensburg enthusiasm that led to fifth place. Qualification for the EHF Cup was thus secured. The young Swedish left-hander Oscar Carlén turned out to be the discovery of the season. He and his teammates put in their best performance on April 3, 2009, when they won 31:29 in Hamburg, but were extremely unlucky to be eliminated in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Afterwards, Per Carlén looked to the future with optimism: "We've gone through a radical change. I know that my team will be stronger next season than it is now. Other top clubs still have the transition ahead of them."
However, the signs were not so good after the summer break. New managing director Holger Kaiser had to tighten the thumbscrews with his first official act due to a financial bottleneck: He pushed through salary cuts for the players. The result: for months, rumors of a number of key players leaving the club persisted. The SG was in danger of sinking into mid-table when, after eleven match days, it had already accumulated eight minus points. However, the critical situation welded the team together. "I've been a coach for a long time, but I've never had such a cohesive squad," marveled Per Carlén. "That will be our trump card." This was the first time that the team had been successful at the end of November 2009 with a surprising 30:26 win against the higher-rated Rhein-Neckar Löwen. A success that released additional energy and triggered a winning streak. The SG climbed to third place for the first time at Christmas.
The first year without the handball legend began with a disturbing fire. The Hamburg media reported that Per and Oscar Carlén would move to HSV in the summer of 2011. The senior denied this. The rumors persisted and were increasingly confirmed. When the SG fell short of expectations in sporting terms - partly due to two unexpected home defeats against Magdeburg and Berlin - the club management suspended its coach Per Carlén in November. He was succeeded by the previous team manager Ljubomir Vranjes. The 37-year-old started with a spectacular 32:31 win against the Rhein-Neckar Löwen. The youngest coach in the Bundesliga quickly earned a lot of praise for his tactical knowledge, but he was unable to prevent the team from slipping to sixth place in the world's strongest league. Unusual bad luck with injuries thwarted a better result.
Nevertheless, the SG advanced to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, where it suffered the biggest home defeat in the club's history with a 24:38 loss to Ciudad Real, but at least it bowed out of the competition with an away win in Spain. Things went even better in the DHB Cup. The SG qualified for the Final Four for the first time since 2007, beating the favored Rhein-Neckar Löwen 22:20 in the semi-finals. In the final, however, THW Kiel were one size too big. "We're disappointed that we didn't make it," revealed left wing and Bundesliga top scorer Anders Eggert. "But we can also be proud that we made it back to the final after such a long break."
May 25, 2012 marked a dazzling chapter in the club's history. At 8.33 pm sharp, SG captain Tobias Karlsson accepted the European Cup Winners' Cup. The title crowned a series in which the northernmost Bundesliga club returned to the top of national and international handball. "This is going down, we're celebrating all night," sang the players. The European Cup brought the shine to this season, while the performances in the Bundesliga left the experts astonished. Sixth the previous year, the SG went into the fast lane. Whether Rhein-Neckar Löwen, HSV Hamburg or Füchse Berlin - they all experienced their "purgatory" in "Hell North". With their record, the SG came close to their best times, when in 2004 ten minus points were enough to win the championship. The gap to industry leaders THW Kiel also narrowed: the season opener was a rough 21:35 defeat at their regional rivals, while the cup final was exciting right to the end.
While the "Zebras" saw the departure of a number of long-standing key players, the SG squad remained virtually unchanged. This fact gave rise to high hopes without any concrete talk of titles in the run-up to the season. "If everything works out and we are spared the bad luck of injuries, anything is possible," said Ljubomir Vranjes. "But it's no different for other teams." On August 20, 2013, the Super Cup landed in the far north after a 29:26 victory over THW Kiel. Of course, this was not a trophy of great renown. The SG established itself at the top of the DKB Handball Bundesliga, but lacked the consistency to make the leap to the top. The left back position in particular proved to be an Achilles heel: Lars Kaufmann was absent for the entire season and new signing Drasko Nenadic, who had made a good start, was injured in February. This meant that attacking powerhouse Thomas Mogensen and the young Jim Gottfridsson, incidentally the discovery of the season, were called upon to play in two backcourt positions. That took its toll.
At the Final Four in Hamburg, the team initially pulled off a masterstroke against the Rhein-Neckar Löwen. However, the final against Füchse Berlin was painful. The SG held all the trump cards in the early stages, but then lost its rhythm and ultimately had to contend with annoying refereeing decisions. The DHB Cup disappeared to the Spree. When no one thought of a rousing happy ending, the VELUX EHF Champions League took a miraculous turn. Against Vardar Skopje, Anders Eggert saved the first participation in the VELUX EHF FINAL 4 in Cologne with a converted seven-meter penalty in the final seconds. There, the SG scored six goals in the last eight minutes against the favored FC Barcelona, reached extra time and finally prevailed in the seven-meter throw. The next day, June 1, 2014, the SG also had enough strength to turn the tide against THW Kiel after trailing by six goals once again and claim a 30:28 victory. The "miracle of Cologne" was perfect: the SG was hailed as the best team in Europe. The next day, the champions celebrated the "Flensation" with 5,000 fans on the Südermarkt. "That was the best farewell present imaginable from this great team," beamed Michael Knudsen, who returned to Denmark after nine years in the SG jersey.
The upcoming season was affected by an enormous amount of bad luck with injuries, which took on almost grotesque proportions in parts of the second half of the season. New bad news reached the SG clan almost hourly. Co-coach Maik Machulla had to step in as director once again due to a lack of manpower. Given this misery, it came as no surprise that the sporting setbacks became more frequent. The gap to the top clubs grew continuously, and third place in the DKB Handball Bundesliga was seen as a success under these circumstances. The unusual squad situation repeatedly challenged Ljubomir Vranjes' seemingly inexhaustible creativity. At the REWE Final Four in Hamburg, the SG sought its salvation in an extremely offensive defense, which at times moved out to just outside the halfway line. The opponents were taken by surprise. In the semi-final, Jim Gottfridsson scored the winning goal against Rhein-Neckar Löwen at the last second. The drama in the final against Magdeburg was unbeatable. Extra time - and then seven-meter penalties. Hampus Wanne was the last to step up and threw the SG into fortune. Flensburg and the surrounding area celebrated the 2015 DHB Cup.
The SG learned its lessons for the 2015/16 series from the bad luck with injuries: The squad was strengthened. With Rasmus Lauge, Kentin Mahé, Henrik Toft Hansen and returnee Petar Djordjic, the club made four acquisitions on the transfer market. As Anders Zachariassen tore his cruciate ligament in the fall, Kresimir Kozina was brought in. When the titles were handed out in the spring, the Northern Lights lacked the necessary luck. In the DKB Handball Bundesliga, they were just one point short of the championship, in the DHB Cup final their "battery" was empty after a tough few weeks, and in the VELUX EHF Champions League, the SG complained about being denied a seven-meter penalty in the quarter-finals, which would have taken them to Cologne instead of the eventual winners Kielce. Nevertheless, Ljubomir Vranjes was not dissatisfied. "Since I've been coach, the team has never been as strong as it is now," explained the 42-year-old.
The SG got off to a dream start in the 2016/2017 season with 18:0 points and became fall champions in December. The only defeat came in Kiel, which was somewhat unfortunate. Anders Eggert missed a seven-meter penalty at the final whistle. Nevertheless, for many, the championship seemed to be just a formality, especially since backcourt ace Rasmus Lauge had returned after a long injury break. The squad also has a comfort zone. However, a personnel announcement burst into the supposedly quiet World Cup break: Ljubomir Vranjes opted for a premature transfer to Telekom Veszprém. The setbacks piled up. Tobias Karlsson suffered a torn tendon in his thigh in February, which forced the 6-0 defense to reorganize for several weeks. After the semi-final in the REWE Final Four, the goalkeepers slipped into an unusual slump. With the DHB Cup and the VELUX EHF Champions League, two title chances came to an end in April. In Berlin, the SG let their advantages slip away and lost two important Bundesliga points. The 21:23 home defeat against Rhein-Neckar Löwen saw the championship train finally speed away. What remained was an emotional end to the season: Ljubomir Vranjes and Anders Eggert, who had been part of the SG family since 2006, were given a fitting farewell.
Question marks reigned before the 2017/18 season. Former assistant coach Maik Machulla took over responsibility on the bench. Was he up to the accolade? "We want to get a place in the VELUX EHF Champions League again, which will be a tougher task than last time given the competition," said the new head coach. The imminent upheaval caused further uncertainty. It was already clear in the summer that Thomas Mogensen, Mattias Andersson, Kevin Møller and Kentin Mahé would be leaving. After a few months, veteran Jacob Heinl and Henrik Toft Hansen also joined the departures. The skeptics soon felt vindicated. The SG lacked consistency and repeatedly struggled to convert chances. By Christmas, they had already accumulated ten minus points, and fourth or fifth place loomed. The SG was knocked out of the DHB Cup at an early stage and their dreams of playing in Europe's premier league were shattered with a bitter 17:29 defeat in Montpellier.
By then, the DKB Handball Bundesliga had long since started to catch up, helped by a largely intact squad. There were never more than one or two players injured - and almost never anyone from the first team. Apart from Magdeburg, the SG never slipped up again, while the Rhein-Neckar Löwen suddenly weakened and gave up a comfortable four-point cushion within three games. The team from the north climbed to the top of the table, but from then on put their fans' tempers on edge with nervous "rumble handball". 24:23 against Minden, 27:24 at relegated Lübbecke and finally 22:21 against Göppingen, who were heavily short of substitutes. But it was enough. All the dams broke - the SG was on top. "It was so much more than just handball, it was all in the head," admitted Thomas Mogensen, who said goodbye with the championship trophy.
For a long time, the "title defense" project was not communicated offensively - the upheaval seemed too great. Six players had left the team and six new signings had to be integrated. In goal, for example, a completely new team had to be brought in for the first time ever: Benjamin Buric and Torbjørn Bergerud. The SG's development was accelerated by improvements in the core personnel: left-hander Magnus Rød can be considered the big climber, while backcourt ace Rasmus Lauge was even awarded the official title of "Player of the Season".
After a bumpy preparation, the start was successful. Self-confidence grew. The records tumbled: The clean slate lasted the entire first half of the season and was only stained at the end of March with a defeat in Magdeburg. The SG became only the fourth club in the 53-year history of the Bundesliga to remain unbeaten for more than a year. With 64:4 points, they now have the best record in the club's history and the third-best haul in league history.
On June 9, 2019, the SG clinched the championship with a 27:24 win at Bergischer HC. Even successful coach Maik Machulla was amazed: "It's almost unbelievable that we've achieved the big goal two years in a row - we had two pretty different teams." Around 2000 fans were present in Düsseldorf, many of whom traveled by special train. The next 24 hours were spent celebrating in the Deutsches Haus and on the Südermarkt. A phenomenal finish for captain Tobias Karlsson, who ended his career.
Without their long-serving captain and Rasmus Lauge, the SG had to form a new hierarchy. This process seemed to be well underway when the Northern Lights lifted the Pixum Super Cup on August 21, 2019 - after a dramatic seven-meter penalty shootout against THW Kiel. However, things did not go quite so quickly, especially as the bad luck with injuries increased. Simon Hald suffered the worst: a torn cruciate ligament. SG legend Jacob Heinl returned in his place. At home, the SG defended its pristine white Bundesliga vest, which is now more than two years old, but had to cope with a number of setbacks away from home. The biggest blow came just before Christmas: The SG suffered a defeat in Ludwigshafen, only to bounce back with a coup at the Rhein-Neckar Löwen. At the beginning of March, the team reached the round of 16 in the VELUX EHF Champions League and was just two points behind THW Kiel in the LIQUI MOLY HBL. Then the season was interrupted and finally canceled. After a decision at the green table, the championship trophy left Flensburg. Holger Glandorf had to end his career via live stream.
Play resumed in mid-September 2020. But it was anything but normal. Only up to 1,000 spectators were initially allowed in. From November onwards, when the coronavirus pandemic intensified again, the ghostly backdrop dominated. The SG continued to play - in a bubble with many tests. Many injuries interfered. New signings Lasse Møller, Franz Semper and Jacob Heinl were the worst hit. Nevertheless, the SG was successful on the road and came close to becoming German champions. The long-distance duel with THW Kiel went virtually several times in favor of Maik Machulla's squad. In the end, only one goal was missing. All in all, it was a strong season, as several players put in an above-average performance. Johannes Golla continued his astonishing development after breaking his metatarsal. Mads Mensah took on a lot of responsibility in his first season. On the left wing, Hampus Wanne achieved a phenomenal rate, while on the right wing, captain Lasse Svan proved that he was not yet an old hand despite playing over 600 competitive games. Last but not least: Jim Gottfridssson was for many the best handball player in a "strange season" and was named MVP of the LIQUI MOLY HBL.
The SG was plagued by a huge injury crisis in the 2021/22 season. With the exception of backcourt ace Mads Mensah and pivot Johannes Golla, every player suffered at least one injury or missed several competitive games due to a coronavirus infection. "Sometimes you'd come down for breakfast and then you'd hear about the next player missing," said coach Maik Machulla, who had to improvise a lot with his team. It was only enough for 50:18 points and fourth place. They missed out on the EHF Champions League for the first time since 2011. This time, FC Barcelona proved to be too big an obstacle in the quarter-finals of the European premier class.
August 2022 brought a memorable gala. Holger Glandorf, now the new SG managing director, and Lasse Svan were bid farewell together and elevated to legendary status. The club and fans were longing for a title. No utopia in view of the squad composition and the decreasing bad luck with injuries. However, there were unexpected defeats in Lemgo, Gummersbach and Ystad in the fall. A 36:23 scoreline against Kiel improved the mood. Everything seemed to run smoothly from December onwards. A total of 21 unbeaten games across all competitions made for broad shoulders. But April 2023 had a "black" character. All chances of winning the title evaporated within eight days. A fresh start was the magic word for new coach Nicolej Krickau and returnee Ljubomir Vranjes as sporting director.
May 26, 2024 is another historic date in the club's history: The EHF European League trophy is number 16 in the title collection. It was a true marathon of celebrations. The pitch of the Hamburg Arena, the changing room and even the team bus had already set the scene for a party when the celebrations continued late into the night in the Campushalle. "This season has had its ups and downs," said goalkeeper Kevin Møller. "But now we finally have a title, and we just want to enjoy the evening." Nicolej Krickau as the new coach and five new signings - it was a relaunch that produced a lot of praise in advance. But everything had to come together first. The SG lacked great consistency in their play. Although there was a thrilling derby win against THW Kiel in September - Emil Jakobsen scored at the last second - the team had to wait until well into October for its first away win. In the end, the SG finished third in the Bundesliga and third in the DHB Cup. The EHF European League was a source of joy.
