Gone but not forgotten: Union Berlin remembers deceased fans in moving tribute

(CNN) — Theres a unique bond between German soccer club Union Berlin and its fans and the closeness of that relationship was honored in a poignant way across the weekend because the group made its Bundesliga debut.
Ahead of Saturdays game against RB Leipzig, Union assistants held placards of deceased family members with the inscriptionEdlich dabei (Finally there).
The deceased were counted from the attendance. The Stadion An der Alten F??rstereis official capacity will be listed as 22,402, however, Saturdays attendance was listed as 22,467.
The scene, which is the largest football floor in Berlin, was officially opened in 1920, however, has undergone a series of structural modifications.
According to the clubs site, Union fansassembled their own stadium, with over 2,300 volunteers providing 140,000 hours of labour time, assisting the Berlin team save millions of dollars.
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Saturdays tribute has been organized by an assortment of fan groups, with images of the fans increased before kick-off since the club anthem spelled out. The expenses of the tickets have been paid for by fans.
However, Unions introduction to the Bundesliga proved that a hard one — Leipzig hammered them 4-0.
Year Union ended third in the second tier of German football to make a playoff against VfB Stuttgart.
Marketing and unions subsequent success watched the team become the first from East Berlin and the fifth to gain passage.