A power box in Eidelstedt painted blue, white and black, a park bench in Lokstedt whose backrest is painted in the colors of the HSV, club flags in Schnelsen allotments: Anyone wandering through Hamburg these days away from the trendy trendy districts and most popular family quarters will notice how present the club is.

Not on the hill or a little further in St. Pauli.

Not even in Ottensen.

But where the places are getting less hip and scruffy, where gentrification hasn't fully kicked in yet with its certainty that FC St. Pauli is the much cooler club if you're talking to each other during a Poké Bowl break must be interested in football, for example in Eidelstedt, Lokstedt and Schnelsen - that is still HSV heartland.

“HSV stands for something again”

And it is not deceptive that the colors of the Volkspark can be seen more often in the cityscape again.

Even people in jerseys with the rhombus on the chest show up.

The current variant, preferably in the “Glatzel” or “Jatta” version, or an old one with the sponsor “Emirates” and “Holtby” on the back.

"HSV has created an identity that has been well received in recent weeks," said coach Tim Walter, "HSV stands for something again, people have noticed, and their support is wonderful."

It's not just about the purely factual support that he hopes for from the 50,000 HSV fans among the 54,000 spectators on Monday evening.

Thought and meant is ideal support.

Because he can wear it too.

Especially when the whole city had turned away from you because a lot of what you had done over the past four years was just embarrassing.

Despite all efforts to get it right, HSV had become estranged from its large following in the north since relegation in 2018.

Sure, there were the enthusiasts who always come, those 20,000 who trudged into the arena in Stellingen on a Tuesday evening, even when it was raining, for the catch-up game against Aue.

"Norbert and the Feiglinge" wrote the song "Nevertheless HSV" for them in 1997.

It says: "And we're still going to HSV / Why, we don't really know ourselves."

An ageless pearl.

dismissive and pity

You had to think carefully about who to place the HSV topic with.

After all, the postman still went very well.

The pattern: complaint-approval-complaint-passing.

In addition, the association had lost its connectivity.

Recently there wasn't even any mockery in the circle of her own friends.

Just waving.

Or pity.

Or equal ignorance: “How did they play?

The day before yesterday?

In Sandhausen?”

And now, when even the incorrigible had adjusted to another year in the second division, which didn't seem so bad because you at least win in the lower house and don't make a fool of yourself in Munich - HSV wins with this egomaniac Walter at the top six times in a row.

Suddenly has good prospects of surviving the second leg against Hertha BSC Berlin after Thursday's 1-0 win and promotion.

The skepticism is wiped away – without turning into arrogance.

Of course you always have to believe that everything is possible at HSV.

Just six weeks ago, Walter and CEO Jonas Boldt seemed heavily counted.

The 0: 1 in Kiel was the continuation of the well-known narrative.

But instead of giving in, Walter's team stayed upright.

This behavior should result in Walter and Boldt getting another chance in terms of development, as the coach propagates, even if they fail.

Anything else would be difficult to convey to the audience.

Whereby individuals going it alone in the management of the club have a long tradition here.

This time it should be different.

"The new HSV stands for courage and resilience," says Walter, "and we stand for adapting when things don't go well." He himself instilled resilience in the team.

From day one.

The solidarity between fans and team is due to his perseverance.

It is better to fail courageously than to coast half-heartedly.

"We were fed up with fourth place," Walter said.

With this attitude, his team has awakened their own spirits.

And that of the fans.

No small feat.