FC St. Pauli

President Oke Göttlich: "Congratulations to the team - FC St. Pauli e.V.!"

Head coach Ewald Lienen: "I'd like to thank and congratulate all the staff and officials on staying up, they've all done their bit. But most of all I'd like to congratulate this great team on such an incredible achievement. Right after them I'd like to thank the fans, who believed in us throughout and have given us unconditional support all year."

Sören Gonther: "It's an outstanding performance that can't be put into words. It's a huge relief because we did wonder in winter. Despite everything, though, we were always sure we'd do it. This belief, this iron determination and the sense of togetherness were key factors for this superb second half of the season, which we now want to top off. We have a massive incentive to get the maximum out of it and go down in the history books."

Lasse Sobiech: "After the win at Kaiserslautern we knew a lot had to happen for it all to go wrong. Now it's certain and I'm so happy. We've had an incredible second half of the season and are glad to have secured our second division status with two games left to play so we don't need to keep picking up points to the final day. The tension has eased off a bit now but we won't let up in the last two games. The incentive and objective has to be to top the table for the second half of the season and perhaps register the best defence."

Christopher Buchtmann: "We can all breathe easily now. We've deserved it after such a superb second half of the season. Compliments to everyone in and around the team and our fantastic fans. Their support has been amazing at every game – even when things weren't going so well."

Bernd Nehrig: "It's incredible that we've guaranteed our survival with two games left after such a first half of the season. If anyone had put it that way to us during the winter break, we'd have said they were crazy. That it's happened makes it even nicer. It's simply sensational that we've done it."

Aziz Bouhaddouz: "We've worked so hard in the last few weeks and months and now we've done it. It's an awesome feeling! No one reckoned with us after a first half of the season with 11 points, but I always said we had the quality and didn't belong down at the bottom. We've proved that in the last few months. The attitude was right week in, week out, and the character of the team was a key factor. Thanks go of course to the coaching team, the medical department, the fans and just anyone who helped to us stay up!"

Photo: Witters