Erwin is Schalke’s all-action hero

Schalke’s all-action miner dug a hole for himself when he sent off a referee

When Schalke replaced Wuhli the Mole with a new mascot back in 1995, few could have foreseen the frolics that lay ahead. Into club folklore strolled the 2m-tall miner called Erwin, a tribute to their nickname, Die Knappen (The Miners). He arrived with size 57 feet, a big nose and a permanent gormless expression on his face, but no eyes.

Not that Erwin has ever let his lack of visual organs get in his way. Schalke post videos of his activities on Youtube, and he’s been seen driving players around in a golf buggy (their insurance premiums must be through the roof), hard at work with an angle grinder, riding a cow in Bavaria and waterskiing during Schalke’s pre-season training camp in Austria. Inevitably, he lost his footing and fell into the lake – that suit must have taken months to dry.

But Erwin’s finest hour came during the Revierderby against Borussia Dortmund last year, when he marched onto the field at full-time and spotted that the referee had dropped his red card, picking it up and brandishing it at him in disgust at a penalty decision. The official didn’t see the funny side and there were calls for Erwin to be banned. In the end, the DFB decided to give him a warning. To be fair, it had been a miner infringement...