FC Herzogenaurach
Encyclopedia
The 1. FC Herzogenaurach is a German association football club
from the city of Herzogenaurach
, Bavaria
.
The history of the club is strongly interwined with the Sports equipment
manufacturer Puma
, then just a local company and sponsor of the FC and its rivalry to ASV Herzogenaurach
, which was sponsored by another local company, Adidas
.
n level, at times as high as the Bezirksliga, the local third division.
With the rise of the Nazis, the club profited from the disbanding of the local workers club Freie Union, a predecessor to the ASV herzogenaurach. FC gained a considerable number of players from this in 1933.
After the Second World War, the club played in the local A-Klasse, later the Bezirksliga Mittelfranken-Nord. With a championship in the later in 1965–66, the FC's rise to the higher Bavarian amateur leagues begun.
for the first time for the 1966–67 season, the club finished in a respectable eleventh spot and repeated this result the season after. In November 1967, it was offered a sponsorship by the Puma AG, which it accepted, a fact which earned it its later nickname The Pumas. Puma offered a similar sponsorship to the other club in town, ASV Herzogenaurach, but was beaten to this by Adidas, its long-term rival. The rivalry between Puma and Adidas, which is in truth the rivalry of the two brothers who owned the companies then, Rudolf Dassler
and Adolf Dassler
, actually predates the rivalry of the two football clubs, stretching back to 1948.
In the Landesliga in 1968–69, the club met its local rival once more, the ASV having earned promotion to the league in 1968. The first season there together, ASV finished fourth while the FC came third, the clubs being separated by one point. The season after, the FC won the league and earned promotion to the Amateurliga Bayern (III) while the ASV came third. The ASV had to wait another two seasons to do the same and win the league and promotion in 1972.
The 1973–74 season became even more upsetting for the club as the ASV won the Amateurliga Bayern title while FC Herzogenaurach found itself relegated from the league, finishing 17th.
Spending the next three seasons in the Landesliga, FC worked hard on a return to the Amateurliga, finishing in the top-three each year. FC earned its return to the Amateurliga Bayern through another league championship in 1977, the year ASV found itself relegated from the Bayernliga.
The club mangaed to survive in the league for only one season before being handed down once more. Back in the Landesliga for 1978–79, it finished top of the league once more, beating ASV by a point to it.
Upon return to what was now the Amateur Oberliga Bayern, the FC earned a respectabel seventh place before suffering relegation from the league the season after in 1981. This marked the end of the Herzogenaurach clubs time in bavarias highest league, neither one having returned as of 2008.
The late 1970s also saw the rise of two promising young footballers in Herzogenaurach who went to school together. Günther Güttler, who played for the ASV and later joined FC Bayern Munich and Lothar Matthäus
, who played for the FC and became Germanys most capped footballer. Matthäus could not play for the ASV even though it had at that time the better under-19's side, because his father worked for Puma.
in 1989–90, a last-place finish meant a further drop, now to the Bezirksliga Mittelfranken-Nord. There, the club managed to halt its decline for the time, spending four seasons in the league. In 1994, it dropped further, now to the Kreisliga. In 1998, another relegation took the team down to the Kreisklasse level. Since then, it has flactuated between the two.
In 2010, the club suffered another relegation, down to the Kreisklasse, where it met ASV in 2010-11. While the FC successfully played for the league championship and promotion that season, ASV came a distant last.
The old rivalry between the two clubs may have lost some of its punch, as has the local rivalry between the two sports brands. The town of Herzogenaurach is certainly not as divided any more as it once was. In March 2007, a merger of the three local clubs was even discussed, the ASV and FC together with the SC Nord should form one club which would then be capable to reach Regionalliga level.
The rivalry of the two companies, and with it to some extend the local football club issue, gained some international attention during the 2006 FIFA World Cup
in Germany, when a number of international news organisations picked up on it.
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 Herzogenaurach
Herzogenaurach
Herzogenaurach is a town in the district of Erlangen-Höchstadt, in Bavaria, Germany. It is probably best known for being the home of the sporting goods companies Adidas and Puma.-Geography:...
, 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...
.
The history of the club is strongly interwined with the Sports equipment
Sports equipment
Sports equipment is a general term for any object used for sport or exercise. Examples of sports equipment include:-Exercise equipment:Examples for exercise include swiss balls, weights, equipment for the gym...
manufacturer Puma
PUMA AG
Puma SE, officially branded as PUMA, is a major German multinational company that produces high-end athletic shoes, lifestyle footwear and other sportswear. Formed in 1924 as Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik by Adolf and Rudolf Dassler, relationships between the two brothers deteriorated until the two...
, then just a local company and sponsor of the FC and its rivalry to ASV Herzogenaurach
ASV Herzogenaurach
The ASV Herzogenaurach is a German association football club from the city of Herzogenaurach, Bavaria.The history of the club is strongly interwined with the Sports equipment manufacturer Adidas, then just a local company and sponsor of the ASV and its rivalry to FC Herzogenaurach, which was...
, which was sponsored by another local company, Adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
.
Early years
Formed in 1916, the club did not begin to play competitive football till 1919 due to the difficult circumstances of the First World War. Between the two world wars, the club played on local Middle FranconiaMiddle Franconia
Middle Franconia is one of the three administrative regions of Franconia in Bavaria, Germany. It is in the west of Bavaria and adjoins the state of Baden-Württemberg...
n level, at times as high as the Bezirksliga, the local third division.
With the rise of the Nazis, the club profited from the disbanding of the local workers club Freie Union, a predecessor to the ASV herzogenaurach. FC gained a considerable number of players from this in 1933.
After the Second World War, the club played in the local A-Klasse, later the Bezirksliga Mittelfranken-Nord. With a championship in the later in 1965–66, the FC's rise to the higher Bavarian amateur leagues begun.
Rise
In the Landesliga Bayern-MitteLandesliga Bayern-Mitte
The Landesliga Bayern-Mitte 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....
for the first time for the 1966–67 season, the club finished in a respectable eleventh spot and repeated this result the season after. In November 1967, it was offered a sponsorship by the Puma AG, which it accepted, a fact which earned it its later nickname The Pumas. Puma offered a similar sponsorship to the other club in town, ASV Herzogenaurach, but was beaten to this by Adidas, its long-term rival. The rivalry between Puma and Adidas, which is in truth the rivalry of the two brothers who owned the companies then, Rudolf Dassler
Rudolf Dassler
Rudolf Dassler was the German founder of the sportswear company PUMA and the older brother of Adidas founder, Adolf "Adi" Dassler. The brothers were partners in a shoe company Adi started, Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik...
and Adolf Dassler
Adolf Dassler
Adolf "Adi" Dassler was the founder of the German sportswear company Adidas....
, actually predates the rivalry of the two football clubs, stretching back to 1948.
In the Landesliga in 1968–69, the club met its local rival once more, the ASV having earned promotion to the league in 1968. The first season there together, ASV finished fourth while the FC came third, the clubs being separated by one point. The season after, the FC won the league and earned promotion to the Amateurliga Bayern (III) while the ASV came third. The ASV had to wait another two seasons to do the same and win the league and promotion in 1972.
Bayernliga years
While the FC enjoyed two good first seasons in the highest league in the state, it did not so well when the ASV joined it there and with a third place in 1972–73, the Adidas-club finished above the Puma-team for the first time in years while FC went into decline for a time.The 1973–74 season became even more upsetting for the club as the ASV won the Amateurliga Bayern title while FC Herzogenaurach found itself relegated from the league, finishing 17th.
Spending the next three seasons in the Landesliga, FC worked hard on a return to the Amateurliga, finishing in the top-three each year. FC earned its return to the Amateurliga Bayern through another league championship in 1977, the year ASV found itself relegated from the Bayernliga.
The club mangaed to survive in the league for only one season before being handed down once more. Back in the Landesliga for 1978–79, it finished top of the league once more, beating ASV by a point to it.
Upon return to what was now the Amateur Oberliga Bayern, the FC earned a respectabel seventh place before suffering relegation from the league the season after in 1981. This marked the end of the Herzogenaurach clubs time in bavarias highest league, neither one having returned as of 2008.
The late 1970s also saw the rise of two promising young footballers in Herzogenaurach who went to school together. Günther Güttler, who played for the ASV and later joined FC Bayern Munich and Lothar Matthäus
Lothar Matthäus
Lothar Herbert Matthäus , is a German football manager and former player.In 1990, he was named European Footballer of the Year and World Soccer Player of the Year after captaining West Germany to victory in the 1990 World Cup...
, who played for the FC and became Germanys most capped footballer. Matthäus could not play for the ASV even though it had at that time the better under-19's side, because his father worked for Puma.
Decline
Back in the Landesliga Bayern-Mitte, the FC's started to fluctuate between Landesliga and Bezirksliga. FC suffered three relegations from the Landesliga in the 1980s, in 1983, 1985 and finally in 1989, on which instance both Herzogenaurach clubs left the Landesliga for good. In the Bezirksoberliga MittelfrankenBezirksoberliga Mittelfranken
The Bezirksoberliga Mittelfranken is currently the 7th tier of the German football league system in the Bavarian Regierungsbezirk of Middle Franconia...
in 1989–90, a last-place finish meant a further drop, now to the Bezirksliga Mittelfranken-Nord. There, the club managed to halt its decline for the time, spending four seasons in the league. In 1994, it dropped further, now to the Kreisliga. In 1998, another relegation took the team down to the Kreisklasse level. Since then, it has flactuated between the two.
Current
The club played in the Kreisliga Erlangen/Pegnitzgrund (IX) in 2008–09, the second-lowest league in the region. Its old rival, the ASV Herzogenaurach had fallen down even deeper in the league system, playing two levels below in the A-Klasse Erlangen/Pegnitzgrund (X)In 2010, the club suffered another relegation, down to the Kreisklasse, where it met ASV in 2010-11. While the FC successfully played for the league championship and promotion that season, ASV came a distant last.
The old rivalry between the two clubs may have lost some of its punch, as has the local rivalry between the two sports brands. The town of Herzogenaurach is certainly not as divided any more as it once was. In March 2007, a merger of the three local clubs was even discussed, the ASV and FC together with the SC Nord should form one club which would then be capable to reach Regionalliga level.
The rivalry of the two companies, and with it to some extend the local football club issue, gained some international attention during the 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
in Germany, when a number of international news organisations picked up on it.
League
- Landesliga Bayern-MitteLandesliga Bayern-MitteThe Landesliga Bayern-Mitte 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....
(IV)- Champions: (3) 1970, 1977, 1979
- Runners-up: 1975
- Bezirksliga Mittelfranken-Nord (V)
- Champions: 1966
- Kreisklasse Erlangen/Pegnitzgrund (X)
- Champions: 2011
Cup
- Bavarian Cup
- Winners: 1954
- Mittelfranken CupMittelfranken CupThe Mittelfranken Cup was a domestic cup competition for the Bavarian Bezirk of Middle Franconia , played until 2009.-Modus:...
- Winners: 1975
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 |
| 2003–04 | Kreisliga 1 Erlangen/Forchheim | VIII | 13th |
| 2004–05 | Kreisliga 1 Erlangen/Forchheim | 16th ↓ | |
| 2005–06 | Kreisklasse 1 Erlangen-Forchheim | IX | 9th |
| 2006–07 | Kreisklasse 1 Erlangen/Pegnitzgrund | 2nd ↑ | |
| 2007–08 | Kreisliga 1 Erlangen/Pegnitzgrund | VIII | 10th |
| 2008–09 | Kreisliga 1 Erlangen/Pegnitzgrund | IX | 10th |
| 2009–10 | Kreisliga 1 Erlangen/Pegnitzgrund | 14th ↓ | |
| 2010–11 | Kreisklasse Erlangen/Pegnitzgrund | X | 1st ↑ |
| 2011–12 | Kreisliga 1 Erlangen/Pegnitzgrund | IX |
- 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. - Source: Bavarian amateur league results BFV website
Seasons
A comparison of the two clubs order and placings during their Bayernliga and Landesliga years:| Season | First | League | Place | Second | League | Place |
| 1966–67 | FC Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte (IV) | 11th | ASV Herzogenaurach | Bezirksliga Mittelfranken-Nord (V) | |
| 1967–68 | FC Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | 11th | ASV Herzogenaurach | Bezirksliga Mittelfranken-Nord | 1st ↑ |
| 1968–69 | FC Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | 3rd | ASV Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | 4th |
| 1969–70 | FC Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | 1st ↑ | ASV Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | 3rd |
| 1970–71 | FC Herzogenaurach | Amateurliga Bayern (III) | 5th | ASV Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | 5th |
| 1971–72 | FC Herzogenaurach | Amateurliga Bayern | 7th | ASV Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | 1st ↑ |
| 1972–73 | ASV Herzogenaurach | Amateurliga Bayern | 3rd | FC Herzogenaurach | Amateurliga Bayern | 12th |
| 1973–74 | ASV Herzogenaurach | Amateurliga Bayern | 1st | FC Herzogenaurach | Amateurliga Bayern | 17th ↓ |
| 1974–75 | ASV Herzogenaurach | Amateurliga Bayern | 4th | FC Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | 2nd |
| 1975–76 | ASV Herzogenaurach | Amateurliga Bayern | 14th | FC Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | 3rd |
| 1976–77 | ASV Herzogenaurach | Amateurliga Bayern | 17th ↓ | FC Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | 1st ↑ |
| 1977–78 | FC Herzogenaurach | Amateurliga Bayern | 15th ↓ | ASV Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | 2nd |
| 1978–79 | FC Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | 1st ↑ | ASV Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | 2nd |
| 1979–80 | FC Herzogenaurach | Amateurliga Bayern | 7th | ASV Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | 2nd |
| 1980–81 | FC Herzogenaurach | Amateurliga Bayern | 16th ↓ | ASV Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | 12th |
| 1981–82 | FC Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | 9th | ASV Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | 13th |
| 1982–83 | ASV Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | 5th | FC Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | 16th ↓ |
| 1983–84 | ASV Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | 14th | FC Herzogenaurach | Bezirksliga Mittelfranken-Nord | ↑ |
| 1984–85 | ASV Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | 12th | FC Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | 16th ↓ |
| 1985–86 | ASV Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | 6th | FC Herzogenaurach | Bezirksliga Mittelfranken-Nord | 2nd |
| 1986–87 | ASV Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | 17th ↓ | FC Herzogenaurach | Bezirksliga Mittelfranken-Nord | 1st ↑ |
| 1987–88 | FC Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | 7th | ASV Herzogenaurach | Bezirksliga Mittelfranken-Nord | 16th ↓ |
| 1988–89 | FC Herzogenaurach | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | 19th ↓ | ASV Herzogenaurach | A-Klasse (VII) |
- Source: Das deutsche Fussball Archiv
- Yellow denotes both clubs played in the same league.
Games
The Herzogenaurach derby in the Bayernliga and Landesliga:| Season | League | Teams | Home | Away |
| 1968–69 | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | ASV Herzogenaurach – FC Herzogenaurach | 1–0 | 1–5 |
| 1969–70 | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | ASV Herzogenaurach – FC Herzogenaurach | 0–1 | 1–0 |
| 1972–73 | Amateurliga Bayern | ASV Herzogenaurach – FC Herzogenaurach | 1–3 | 2–0 |
| 1973–74 | Amateurliga Bayern | ASV Herzogenaurach – FC Herzogenaurach | 0–1 | 2–0 |
| 1978–79 | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | ASV Herzogenaurach – FC Herzogenaurach | 1–2 | 2–2 |
| 1981–82 | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | ASV Herzogenaurach – FC Herzogenaurach | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| 1982–83 | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | ASV Herzogenaurach – FC Herzogenaurach | 2–2 | 4–2 |
| 1984–85 | Landesliga Bayern-Mitte | ASV Herzogenaurach – FC Herzogenaurach | 2–2 | 4–2 |
- Source: Manfreds Fussball Archiv Tables and results of the Bavarian amateur leagues
Former players
- Lothar MatthäusLothar MatthäusLothar Herbert Matthäus , is a German football manager and former player.In 1990, he was named European Footballer of the Year and World Soccer Player of the Year after captaining West Germany to victory in the 1990 World Cup...
, Germanys most-capped player started his career with the club
DFB Cup appearances
The club has qualified for the first round of the German Cup just once:| Season | Round | Date | Home | Away | Result | Attendance |
| DFB Cup 1975-76 | First round | 1 August 1975 | SGO Bremen | FC Herzogenaurach | 5–1 |
External links
Sources
- Das deutsche Fußball-Archiv historical German domestic league tables
- ASV Herzogenaurach website