1. FC Lichtenfels
Encyclopedia
The 1. FC Lichtenfels is a German association football club
from the city of Lichtenfels
, Bavaria
.
in 1946. The team became a dominant side in the northern division of this league, finishing second in 1947 and 1948.
For the 1948–49 season, the league was reduced to a single division and the club came third behind Jahn Regensburg
and SpVgg Fürth, who were both promoted to the Oberliga Süd. The following season, when the new 2nd Oberliga Süd
was to be formed, a finish in the top-five was necessary to qualify but FCL only came tenth and had to remain in what was to become the tier-three Amateurliga Bayern. The club remained a strong side and came third once more in 1951. From 1953 onwards, the Amateurliga was split into a northern and a southern group and Lichtenfels became part of the north.
It took part in the 1954 edition of the German amateur football championship
but was knocked out in the group stage.
Second place finishes in 1954, 1956 and 1957 were the prelude to a league championship in 1959–60 under player-manager Željko Čajkovski
. The team then went on to face Schwaben Augsburg in the final of the Bavarian championship, which it won 5–3 in Augsburg
. Through this performance, the club qualified for the promotion round to the second division but missed out to Borussia Fulda
there.
After this, the clubs performances in the next two seasons dropped off but it managed to finish sixth in 1963, when only the top-seven qualified for the new single-division Amateurliga Bayern. The club holds top spot in the all-time table of this era of the Bayernliga from 1945 to 1963, having spent 17 seasons at this level, more than any other club.
In the new era of German football, after the interception of the Fußball-Bundesliga
in 1963, Lichtenfels continued as a good side in the Amateurliga, finishing fourth in 1966 and 1969 as its best results. The 1969–70 season became another highlight in the club history, finishing second, three points behind FC Wacker München. This result qualified the team for the German amateur championship once more, where it was knocked out by VfL Neckarau
in the quarter finals.
The clubs performances after this quickly slipped and in 1973 a 17th place meant relegation from the Bayernliga after 27 continues seasons. The club was never to return to this level. (2010).
Lichtenfels became part of the tier-four Landesliga Bayern-Nord
from 1973 onwards, where it finished third in its first season. The club achieved a number of upper table finishes but was relegated from the league in 1978 after coming last, 14 points clear of salvation. Its new league now was the Bezirksliga Oberfranken West, the fifth tier of league football.
It took until 1982 to recover from this fall, when it returned to the Landesliga. Six seasons of lower-table finishes followed before the club was relegated once more in 1988, now to the new Bezirksoberliga Oberfranken
.
The club returned twice from this league to the Landesliga, in 1991 on the strength of a second place and in 1994 through a championship. In 1989, it missed out on promotion when it came equal second with SV Mitterteich and lost a decider. The club enjoyed some better seasons in the Landesliga in 1994–95 and 1995–96 but was relegated again in 1998.
Upon return to the Bezirksoberliga, it remained a top side, finishing fourth in 1999 and fifth the year after. It slipped to mid-field after a third place in 2001 and was relegated once more in 2004, to the Bezirksliga with only two wins out of 30 games.
FCL dropped another level the season after, down to the Kreisliga, to tier eight. In this league, it met with Kickers Neustadt Wildenheid a team that had seen better times, too, albeit under a different name. It returned from this level immediately but better times are not in sight with the team struggling to preserve its Bezirksliga status.
In July 2008, the club could attract the 1. FC Nuremberg for a pre-season match, losing 3–0 in front of 4,200 spectators in Lichtenfeld. In the 2008–09 season, the club barely survived, finishing one point above the relegation ranks, ahead of the FC Kronach, another former great from Oberfranken whoes history is closely tied with FCL.
Football in Germany
Association football is the most popular sport in Germany. The German Football Association is the sport's national governing body, with 6.6 million members organized in over 26,000 football clubs. There is a league system, with the 1. and 2. Bundesliga on top, and the winner of the first...
from the city of Lichtenfels
Lichtenfels
Lichtenfels is German placename and surname:Germany:There are two towns named Lichtenfels in Germany* Lichtenfels, Hesse* Lichtenfels, Bavaria ** Lichtenfels station** 1...
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
.
History
Formed in 1906, the club did not rise to prominence till after the Second World War, when it earned promotion to the tier-two Landesliga BayernLandesliga Bayern
In the Bavarian football league system, the Landesliga Bayern is the second hightest level, below the Fußball-Bayernliga and organised in three regional divisions. The current Landesligas were formed in 1963, when the Fußball-Bundesliga was established...
in 1946. The team became a dominant side in the northern division of this league, finishing second in 1947 and 1948.
For the 1948–49 season, the league was reduced to a single division and the club came third behind Jahn Regensburg
Jahn Regensburg
SSV Jahn Regensburg is a German association football club based in Regensburg, Bavaria. The team was part of a larger sports club founded in 1889 as Turnerbund Jahn Regensburg which took its name from Friedrich Ludwig Jahn, whose ideas of gymnastics greatly influenced German sport in the 19th...
and SpVgg Fürth, who were both promoted to the Oberliga Süd. The following season, when the new 2nd Oberliga Süd
2nd Oberliga Süd
The 2nd Oberliga Süd was the second-highest level of the German football league system in the south of Germany from 1950 until the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963. It covered the three states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Hessen.-Overview:...
was to be formed, a finish in the top-five was necessary to qualify but FCL only came tenth and had to remain in what was to become the tier-three Amateurliga Bayern. The club remained a strong side and came third once more in 1951. From 1953 onwards, the Amateurliga was split into a northern and a southern group and Lichtenfels became part of the north.
It took part in the 1954 edition of the German amateur football championship
German amateur football championship
The German amateur football championship was a football competition in Germany, existing from 1950 to 2000, organised by the German Football Association, the DFB.-Overview:...
but was knocked out in the group stage.
Second place finishes in 1954, 1956 and 1957 were the prelude to a league championship in 1959–60 under player-manager Željko Čajkovski
Željko Cajkovski
Željko Čajkovski is a Croatian football player and coach.With the national team he won the silver medal in the football tournament of th 1948 Olympics held in lLondon, losing in the final 1-3 to Sweden, then starring the young Gunnar Nordahl, Gunnar Gren and Nils Liedholm...
. The team then went on to face Schwaben Augsburg in the final of the Bavarian championship, which it won 5–3 in Augsburg
Augsburg
Augsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. It is a university town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a...
. Through this performance, the club qualified for the promotion round to the second division but missed out to Borussia Fulda
Borussia Fulda
Borussia Fulda is a German association football club from Fulda, Hesse. The club was founded 4 July 1904 as FC Borussia 1904 Fulda and underwent a number of changes in 1923 when they were first joined by Radsportclub 1907 Fulda in July, and then by Kraftsportklub Germania Fulda in September. On 6...
there.
After this, the clubs performances in the next two seasons dropped off but it managed to finish sixth in 1963, when only the top-seven qualified for the new single-division Amateurliga Bayern. The club holds top spot in the all-time table of this era of the Bayernliga from 1945 to 1963, having spent 17 seasons at this level, more than any other club.
In the new era of German football, after the interception of the Fußball-Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
in 1963, Lichtenfels continued as a good side in the Amateurliga, finishing fourth in 1966 and 1969 as its best results. The 1969–70 season became another highlight in the club history, finishing second, three points behind FC Wacker München. This result qualified the team for the German amateur championship once more, where it was knocked out by VfL Neckarau
VfL Neckarau
VfL Neckarau is a German association football club from the district of Neckarau in the city of Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg.-Foundation and early years:...
in the quarter finals.
The clubs performances after this quickly slipped and in 1973 a 17th place meant relegation from the Bayernliga after 27 continues seasons. The club was never to return to this level. (2010).
Lichtenfels became part of the tier-four Landesliga Bayern-Nord
Landesliga Bayern-Nord
The Landesliga Bayern-Nord is currently the 6th tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga it was the 5th tier of the league system....
from 1973 onwards, where it finished third in its first season. The club achieved a number of upper table finishes but was relegated from the league in 1978 after coming last, 14 points clear of salvation. Its new league now was the Bezirksliga Oberfranken West, the fifth tier of league football.
It took until 1982 to recover from this fall, when it returned to the Landesliga. Six seasons of lower-table finishes followed before the club was relegated once more in 1988, now to the new Bezirksoberliga Oberfranken
Bezirksoberliga Oberfranken
The Bezirksoberliga Oberfranken is currently the 7th tier of the German football league system in the Bavarian Regierungsbezirk of Upper Franconia...
.
The club returned twice from this league to the Landesliga, in 1991 on the strength of a second place and in 1994 through a championship. In 1989, it missed out on promotion when it came equal second with SV Mitterteich and lost a decider. The club enjoyed some better seasons in the Landesliga in 1994–95 and 1995–96 but was relegated again in 1998.
Upon return to the Bezirksoberliga, it remained a top side, finishing fourth in 1999 and fifth the year after. It slipped to mid-field after a third place in 2001 and was relegated once more in 2004, to the Bezirksliga with only two wins out of 30 games.
FCL dropped another level the season after, down to the Kreisliga, to tier eight. In this league, it met with Kickers Neustadt Wildenheid a team that had seen better times, too, albeit under a different name. It returned from this level immediately but better times are not in sight with the team struggling to preserve its Bezirksliga status.
In July 2008, the club could attract the 1. FC Nuremberg for a pre-season match, losing 3–0 in front of 4,200 spectators in Lichtenfeld. In the 2008–09 season, the club barely survived, finishing one point above the relegation ranks, ahead of the FC Kronach, another former great from Oberfranken whoes history is closely tied with FCL.
League
- Landesliga NordbayernLandesliga BayernIn the Bavarian football league system, the Landesliga Bayern is the second hightest level, below the Fußball-Bayernliga and organised in three regional divisions. The current Landesligas were formed in 1963, when the Fußball-Bundesliga was established...
(II)- Runners-up: (2) 1947, 1948
- Amateurliga Nordbayern (III)
- Champions: 1960
- Runners-up: (3) 1954, 1956, 1957
- Amateurliga Bayern (III)
- Runners-up: 1970
- Bezirksoberliga OberfrankenBezirksoberliga OberfrankenThe Bezirksoberliga Oberfranken is currently the 7th tier of the German football league system in the Bavarian Regierungsbezirk of Upper Franconia...
(V)- Champions: 1994
- Runners-up: 1991
Recent seasons
The recent season-by-season performance of the club:| Season | Division | Tier Bavarian football league system The Bavarian football league system of the Bavarian Football Association ranks within the German football league system. Its highest division, the Fussball-Bayernliga, is currently the 5th tier of German football. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga in 2008 it was the 4th tier of the league system... |
Position |
| 1999–2000 | Bezirksoberliga Oberfranken Bezirksoberliga Oberfranken The Bezirksoberliga Oberfranken is currently the 7th tier of the German football league system in the Bavarian Regierungsbezirk of Upper Franconia... |
VI | 6th |
| 2000–01 | Bezirksoberliga Oberfranken | 3rd | |
| 2001–02 | Bezirksoberliga Oberfranken | 9th | |
| 2002–03 | Bezirksoberliga Oberfranken | 6th | |
| 2003–04 | Bezirksoberliga Oberfranken | 16th↓ | |
| 2004–05 | Bezirksliga Oberfranken West | VII | 13th ↓ |
| 2005–06 | Kreisliga Coburg | VIII | 2nd ↑ |
| 2006–07 | Bezirksliga Oberfranken West | VII | 9th |
| 2007–08 | Bezirksliga Oberfranken West | 7th | |
| 2008–09 | Bezirksliga Oberfranken West | VIII | 12th |
| 2009–10 | Bezirksliga Oberfranken West | 3rd | |
| 2010–11 | Bezirksliga Oberfranken West | 9th | |
| 2011–12 | Bezirksliga Oberfranken West |
- With the introduction of the BezirksoberligasBezirksoberligen BayernThe seven Bezirksoberligas Bayern are the third highest level of the Bavarian football league system, below Oberliga and Landesliga. They are the 7th tier of the German football league system.-Overview:...
in 1988 as the new fifth tier, below the LandesligasLandesliga BayernIn the Bavarian football league system, the Landesliga Bayern is the second hightest level, below the Fußball-Bayernliga and organised in three regional divisions. The current Landesligas were formed in 1963, when the Fußball-Bundesliga was established...
, all leagues below dropped one tier. With the introduction of the Regionalligas in 1994 and the 3rd Liga3rd LigaThe 3rd Liga is the third division of football in Germany. The league started with the beginning of the 2008–09 season, when it replaced the Regionalliga as the third tier football league in Germany. In the German football league system, it is positioned between the 2...
in 2008 as the new third tier, below the 2nd Bundesliga2. Fußball-Bundesliga- Changes in division set-up :* Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981–91 it had 20...
, all leagues below dropped one tier.
External links
- Official team site
- Private website with historical Bavarian tables and results from Oberliga to Bezirksliga
- Das deutsche Fußball-Archiv historical German domestic league tables