Hannover 96
Encyclopedia
Hannoverscher Sportverein von 1896, commonly referred to as Hannover 96, Hannover or simply 96, is a German association football club
based in the city of Hanover
, Lower Saxony
.
Hannover 96 was founded on 12 April 1896 as Hannoverscher Fußball-Club 1896, upon the suggestion of Ferdinand-Wilhelm Fricke
, founder of the Deutscher FV 1878 Hannover
. Their initial enthusiasm was for athletics and rugby
; football did not become their primary interest until 1899. Most of the membership of Germania 1902 Hannover became part of 96 in 1902, while others of the club formed Hannoverscher Ballspielverein. In 1913, they merged with Ballverein 1898 Hannovera (formed in the 1905 merger of Fußballverein Hannovera 1898 Hannorver and Hannoverscher BV) to become Hannoverscher Sportverein 1896.
Hannoverscher FC's colours were black-white-green, but they played in blue, while BV played in red. The newly united team kept black-white-green as the club colours, but they chose to take to the field in red, giving the team the nickname Die Roten (en: The Reds). The team's third jersey is in the club's official colours.
The club made regular appearances in the national playoffs through the early 1900s, but were unable to progress past Eintracht Braunschweig
, planting the seeds of a rivalry that has survived to this day. HSV continued to field strong sides and make national level appearances on into the 1920s.
Under the Third Reich German football was re-organized into sixteen top-flight leagues in 1933 and Hannover became part of the Gauliga Niedersachsen
. They appeared in the country's final rounds in 1935 and sent representatives to the national side the next year. They won their first national championship in 1938 in what was one of the biggest upsets in German football history when they beat Schalke 04
, the most dominant side in the country in the era. The two sides played to a 3:3 draw before Hannover prevailed 4:3 in a tension filled re-match. In 1942, the team moved to the newly formed Gauliga Braunschweig-Südhannover.
The club resumed league play in 1947 in the first division Oberliga Nord
and was relegated, but quickly returned to the top-flight in 1949. Hannover 96s next appearance in a national final would not come until 1954 when they soundly defeated 1. FC Kaiserslautern
5:1. The beaten side included five of the same players who would go on later that year to win Germany's first World Cup
in a surprise victory known as the Miracle of Bern
.
In 1963, the Bundesliga
, Germany's new professional football league, began play with sixteen of the nation's top teams. Hannover played in the Regionalliga Nord
(II) that season, but earned promotion to the senior circuit in the following year. The club's advance to the Bundesliga in 1964 was well received as they set a league attendance record in their first year, averaging 46,000 spectators a game.
96 played at the upper level for a decade, until finally relegated to the 2nd Bundesliga Nord
for the 1974–75 season. They bounced right back, but were again sent down, this time to spend seventeen of the next twenty years in the second tier.
and help to set their finances right. That run included victories over Bundesliga sides Borussia Dortmund
, VfL Bochum
, Karlsruher SC
, Werder Bremen
, and Borussia Mönchengladbach
, as they became the first lower division side to win the competition. Hero for the cupwinners was goalkeeper Jörg Sievers who made two saves when the semi-final match went to penalties and then scored the winner in his own turn at the spot. In the cup final, he again made two saves when that match was also decided on penalties.
The team's low point came with demotion to Regionalliga Nord
(III) for two years in 1996–98: the fact that the fall from the second league came during their anniversary year unfortunately made them a laughing stock among fans of rival teams for years to come. Hannover made a fresh start with a new team of hungry youngsters, many of whom went on to play for the national team (Gerald Asamoah
, Sebastian Kehl
, Fabian Ernst
) or impress in the Bundesliga. 96 returned to tier II play in 1998, and to the Bundesliga in 2002 on the strength of a record setting 75 point season.
Since their promotion the club have consolidated in the top flight, achieving a string of mid-table finishes under the command of several managers. Current coach Dieter Hecking
was brought in just weeks into the 2006–07 season after a disastrous start under Peter Neururer
, in which the club lost the first 3 matches by a combined 11 goals. Season 2007–08 showed some early promise with impressive pre-season wins over Rangers
and Real Madrid
. However, they earned mixed results in their opening six Bundesliga matches. The team then put together a three match winning run, capped by a 2–0 win at champions VfB Stuttgart
, to surge into the top six. Following the winter break Hannover slipped after putting forth some disappointing performances which they turned around to be defeated only 2 times in their last 11 matches of the season. This secured a points record of 49 for Die Roten in the Bundesliga thus ending them in 8th place.
The 2008–09 season started undesirably for 96 with losses. However it looked to have been rectified with a 5–1 thrashing of Borussia Mönchengladbach, a shock 1–0 win over Bayern Munich at home, which hadn't occurred for 20 years, and a thrilling 3–0 victory over Hamburg SV. Hannover settled in the lower mid table until the winter break. The second half of the season consisted of inconsistent results, relying almost entirely on home form to keep Hannover in the top league. 96 finally achieved an away win with a few games remaining which boosted them away from trouble and stabilized them which led to an 11th place finish. The season was one of inconsistent form and long injuries to key players.
The 2009–10 season was launched with new optimism with a new kit being released which included traditional away and alternative kits. Hannover also signed a new technical director in Jörg Schmadtke
which brought a new perspective to the club. The new signings were Karim Haggui
and Constant Djakpa from Bayer Leverkusen, Valdet Rama
from FC Ingolstadt
. The season started undesirably with a late 1–0 loss to Hertha BSC and a disappointing home draw to Mainz 05
, after which coach Dieter Hecking
resigned voluntarily. He was succeeded by former assistant Andreas Bergmann
. As the season continued, once again Hannover had many key players injured including the majority of attacking players and key defenders, as well as the shocking and tragic suicide of German international goalkeeper Robert Enke
. Andreas Bergmann was removed as coach and replaced by Mirko Slomka shortly after the winter break. Arouna Koné
and Elson
were signed to boost the squad
Hannover 96 were in the relegation zone the whole season, and with a few wins in the last games of the season, Hannover had to win and hope results went their way for them. Hannover won 3–0 , with Arnold Bruggink
, Mike Hanke
and Sergio Pinto
all scoring to keep them up. In the 2010–11 Fußball-Bundesliga
Hannover surprised everybody, finishing in a record 4th place, qualifying for Europe for the first time in 19 years. In the 2011–12 Fußball-Bundesliga
, Hannover opened with a 2–1 win over TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, followed by a 2–1 away win against 1. FC Nuremberg.
In the play-offs to the Europa League Hannover went on to win against favourites FC Sevilla 3:2 on aggregate to reach the Group Stage.
committed suicide when he stood in front of a regional express train at a level crossing
in Eilvese, Neustadt am Rübenberge
. Police confirmed a suicide note was discovered but would not publicise its details. His widow, Teresa, revealed that her husband had been suffering from depression for six years and was treated by a psychiatrist. After the death of his daughter, Lara, in 2006 he struggled to cope with the loss.
Many fans immediately flocked to Hannover 96's AWD-Arena
home to lay flowers and light candles and sign the book of condolences upon news breaking. His former club Barcelona
held a minute's silence before their game that night, and several international matches the following weekend paid the same tribute. As a mark of respect, the German national team cancelled their friendly match against Chile
which had been scheduled for 14 November. A minute's silence was also held at all Bundesliga games during 21–22 November 2009 and at Benfica's game in the Cup of Portugal
. Germany also cancelled a planned training session and all interviews after his death. Oliver Bierhoff
, the national team's general manager, said: "We are all shocked. We are lost for words."
On 15 November 2009, nearly 40,000 attendees filled the AWD-Arena for his memorial service. Enke's coffin, covered in white roses, was carried by six of his Hannover 96 teammates. He was then buried in Neustadt
, outside Hannover, next to his daughter's grave. As a further mark of respect for their former team mate, the players of Hannover 96 displayed the number one in a circle on the breast of their jerseys, as approved by the DFL
as a subtle tribute, for the rest of the 2009–10 Bundesliga season
.
Seasonal History
, built in 1954 as the "Niedersachsenstadion", which now has a capacity of 49,000 spectators. During the 2006 World Cup the stadium was the site of four first round matches and one Round of 16 match. The stadium had also served as a site for matches of the 1974 World Cup and the 1988 European Championships.
while other less ancient rivalries include those with Werder Bremen
and VfL Wolfsburg
. Hannover fans have developed some recent ill feeling towards FC Energie Cottbus based on an incident in the 1997 Regionalliga (III) promotion round for the 2. Bundesliga. The floodlights at the Cottbus ground broke down during the game and many Hannover fans believed this was done deliberately and the effort to fix the lighting was half-hearted. Cottbus later won the rescheduled match 3–1 to advance.
Hamburger SV
is seen as a friendly club whose supporters share the rivalry with SV Werder Bremen. Both clubs are often referred to as HSV. Hannover's supporters also have a good relationship with the fans from Odense Boldklub. Both clubs' fans have traveled to each others games to support one another. There is also a friendship with Arminia Bielefeld
, a club playing in the 3. Liga.
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...
based in the city of Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
, Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
.
Foundation to WWII
Ferdinand-Wilhelm Fricke
Ferdinand-Wilhelm Fricke was a German teacher and, at the age of 15, founder of the Deutscher FV 1878 Hannover, the oldest rugby union club in Germany...
, founder of the Deutscher FV 1878 Hannover
Deutscher FV 1878 Hannover
DSV 78 Hannover, founded as DFV Hannover in 1878, is Germany's oldest rugby club. The club played in the 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga under the name DSV 78/08 Ricklingen, having formed an on-the-field union with SV 08 Ricklingen, another club from Hannover....
. Their initial enthusiasm was for athletics and rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
; football did not become their primary interest until 1899. Most of the membership of Germania 1902 Hannover became part of 96 in 1902, while others of the club formed Hannoverscher Ballspielverein. In 1913, they merged with Ballverein 1898 Hannovera (formed in the 1905 merger of Fußballverein Hannovera 1898 Hannorver and Hannoverscher BV) to become Hannoverscher Sportverein 1896.
Hannoverscher FC's colours were black-white-green, but they played in blue, while BV played in red. The newly united team kept black-white-green as the club colours, but they chose to take to the field in red, giving the team the nickname Die Roten (en: The Reds). The team's third jersey is in the club's official colours.
The club made regular appearances in the national playoffs through the early 1900s, but were unable to progress past Eintracht Braunschweig
Eintracht Braunschweig
Eintracht Braunschweig is a German association football club based in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony. The club was one of the founding members of the Bundesliga in 1963 and won the national title in 1967.-History:...
, planting the seeds of a rivalry that has survived to this day. HSV continued to field strong sides and make national level appearances on into the 1920s.
Under the Third Reich German football was re-organized into sixteen top-flight leagues in 1933 and Hannover became part of the Gauliga Niedersachsen
Gauliga Niedersachsen
The Gauliga Niedersachsen was the highest football league in the Prussian Province of Hanover and the German states of Bremen, Brunswick, Schaumburg-Lippe and Oldenburg from 1933 to 1945...
. They appeared in the country's final rounds in 1935 and sent representatives to the national side the next year. They won their first national championship in 1938 in what was one of the biggest upsets in German football history when they beat Schalke 04
FC Schalke 04
Fußball-Club Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04, commonly known as simply FC Schalke 04 or Schalke , is a German, association-football club originally from the Schalke district of Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia. Schalke has long been one of the most popular football teams in Germany, even though major...
, the most dominant side in the country in the era. The two sides played to a 3:3 draw before Hannover prevailed 4:3 in a tension filled re-match. In 1942, the team moved to the newly formed Gauliga Braunschweig-Südhannover.
Post-War era
Like most other German organizations, the club was dissolved after World War II by occupying Allied authorities. A combined local side was assembled in August 1945 and the next month a mixed group of players from Hannover 96 and Arminia Hannover played their first post-war match against a British military team. HSV was later formally re-established as Hannoverscher SV on 11 November 1945 before re-adopting its traditional name on 27 April 1946.The club resumed league play in 1947 in the first division Oberliga Nord
Oberliga Nord (1947-63)
The Oberliga Nord was the highest level of the German football league system in the north of Germany from 1947 until the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963. It covered the states of Lower Saxony, Bremen, Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein.-Overview:...
and was relegated, but quickly returned to the top-flight in 1949. Hannover 96s next appearance in a national final would not come until 1954 when they soundly defeated 1. FC Kaiserslautern
1. FC Kaiserslautern
1. Fußball-Club Kaiserslautern, also known as 1. FCK, FCK or simply Kaiserslautern, is a German association football club based in Kaiserslautern, Rhineland-Palatinate. On 2 June 1900, Germania 1896 and FG Kaiserslautern merged to create FC 1900...
5:1. The beaten side included five of the same players who would go on later that year to win Germany's first World Cup
1954 FIFA World Cup
The 1954 FIFA World Cup, the fifth staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Switzerland from 16 June to 4 July. Switzerland was chosen as hosts in July 1946. The tournament set a number of all-time records for goal-scoring, including the highest average goals scored per game...
in a surprise victory known as the Miracle of Bern
1954 FIFA World Cup Final
- External links :* - fifa.com, FIFA, 2002.*...
.
In 1963, the 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...
, Germany's new professional football league, began play with sixteen of the nation's top teams. Hannover played in the Regionalliga Nord
Regionalliga Nord (1963-74)
The Regionalliga Nord was the second-highest level of the German football league system in the north of Germany from 1963 until the formation of the 2nd Bundesliga in 1974...
(II) that season, but earned promotion to the senior circuit in the following year. The club's advance to the Bundesliga in 1964 was well received as they set a league attendance record in their first year, averaging 46,000 spectators a game.
96 played at the upper level for a decade, until finally relegated to the 2nd Bundesliga Nord
2nd Bundesliga Nord (1974-81)
The 2. Fußball-Bundesliga Nord was the second-highest level of the German football league system in the north of Germany from 1974 until the formation of the single-division 2. Fußball-Bundesliga in 1981...
for the 1974–75 season. They bounced right back, but were again sent down, this time to spend seventeen of the next twenty years in the second tier.
Reunification to present
The club suffered from money problems in the late 70s and again in the early 90s. Then, in 1992, Hannover put together an impressive run that would lead them to the capture of their first DFB-PokalDFB-Pokal
The DFB-Pokal or DFB Cup is a German knockout football cup competition held annually. 64 teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. It is considered the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga...
and help to set their finances right. That run included victories over Bundesliga sides Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund
Ballspielverein Borussia Dortmund, commonly BVB, are a German sports club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. Dortmund are one of the most successful clubs in German football history. Borussia Dortmund play in the Bundesliga, the top league of German football...
, VfL Bochum
VfL Bochum
Verein für Leibesübungen Bochum 1848 Fußballgemeinschaft, commonly referred to as simply VfL Bochum, is a German association football club based in the city of Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia.-Founding to World War II:...
, Karlsruher SC
Karlsruher SC
Karlsruher SC is a German association football club, based in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg. KSC rose out of the consolidation of a number of predecessor clubs. They currently play in the 2...
, Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen is a German sports club best known for its association football team playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize...
, and Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach is a German association football club based in Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia. The team plays in the Bundesliga and is one of the country's most well-known, well-supported, and successful teams. Borussia Mönchengladbach has over 40,000 members and is the sixth...
, as they became the first lower division side to win the competition. Hero for the cupwinners was goalkeeper Jörg Sievers who made two saves when the semi-final match went to penalties and then scored the winner in his own turn at the spot. In the cup final, he again made two saves when that match was also decided on penalties.
The team's low point came with demotion to Regionalliga Nord
Regionalliga Nord
The Regionalliga Nord is currently the fourth tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga in 2008 it was the third tier. It currently is the highest regional league for the northern and eastern part of Germany. It covers ten of the sixteen states of Germany...
(III) for two years in 1996–98: the fact that the fall from the second league came during their anniversary year unfortunately made them a laughing stock among fans of rival teams for years to come. Hannover made a fresh start with a new team of hungry youngsters, many of whom went on to play for the national team (Gerald Asamoah
Gerald Asamoah
Gerald Asamoah is a Ghanaian-born German footballer. He last played as a forward for FC St.Pauli, following an 11-year long stay at Schalke.-Club career:...
, Sebastian Kehl
Sebastian Kehl
Sebastian Walter Kehl is a German footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Borussia Dortmund. He is naturally left footed and has also occasionally appeared at left back...
, Fabian Ernst
Fabian Ernst
Fabian Ernst is a German footballer who plays for Beşiktaş J.K. as a midfielder.- Career :He started his career with Hannover 96. From 1998 to 2000 he played for Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga, playing in 48 games, but scoring no goals. The midfielder turned then to Werder Bremen. In 152 games in...
) or impress in the Bundesliga. 96 returned to tier II play in 1998, and to the Bundesliga in 2002 on the strength of a record setting 75 point season.
Since their promotion the club have consolidated in the top flight, achieving a string of mid-table finishes under the command of several managers. Current coach Dieter Hecking
Dieter Hecking
Dieter Hecking is a German football manager and former professional player who works as head coach of 1. FC Nuremberg. He played for both Hannover 96 and Eintracht Braunschweig...
was brought in just weeks into the 2006–07 season after a disastrous start under Peter Neururer
Peter Neururer
Peter Neururer is a German football manager.-Career:Neururer had a minor playing career in the lower leagues before moving into coaching at TuS Haltern and SG Weitmar...
, in which the club lost the first 3 matches by a combined 11 goals. Season 2007–08 showed some early promise with impressive pre-season wins over Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
and Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
. However, they earned mixed results in their opening six Bundesliga matches. The team then put together a three match winning run, capped by a 2–0 win at champions VfB Stuttgart
VfB Stuttgart
Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e. V., commonly known as VfB Stuttgart, is a German sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. The club is best known for its football team, which has participated in all but two Bundesliga seasons...
, to surge into the top six. Following the winter break Hannover slipped after putting forth some disappointing performances which they turned around to be defeated only 2 times in their last 11 matches of the season. This secured a points record of 49 for Die Roten in the Bundesliga thus ending them in 8th place.
The 2008–09 season started undesirably for 96 with losses. However it looked to have been rectified with a 5–1 thrashing of Borussia Mönchengladbach, a shock 1–0 win over Bayern Munich at home, which hadn't occurred for 20 years, and a thrilling 3–0 victory over Hamburg SV. Hannover settled in the lower mid table until the winter break. The second half of the season consisted of inconsistent results, relying almost entirely on home form to keep Hannover in the top league. 96 finally achieved an away win with a few games remaining which boosted them away from trouble and stabilized them which led to an 11th place finish. The season was one of inconsistent form and long injuries to key players.
The 2009–10 season was launched with new optimism with a new kit being released which included traditional away and alternative kits. Hannover also signed a new technical director in Jörg Schmadtke
Jörg Schmadtke
Jörg Schmadtke is a German football coach and former player.-External links:...
which brought a new perspective to the club. The new signings were Karim Haggui
Karim Haggui
Karim Haggui is a Tunisian football defender. He currently plays for Hannover 96.- Early career :Haggui started his career in 1998 with AS Kasserine in his home town, eventually moving to Etoile du Sahel two years later and starting his professional career there in 2003...
and Constant Djakpa from Bayer Leverkusen, Valdet Rama
Valdet Rama
Valdet Rama is an Kosovar football player representing the Swedish football team Örebro SK in Allsvenskan, Sweden's top division.-Career:...
from FC Ingolstadt
FC Ingolstadt 04
FC Ingolstadt 04 is a German football club based in Ingolstadt, Bavaria. The club was founded in 2004 out of the merger of the football sides of two other clubs: ESV Ingolstadt and MTV Ingolstadt.-ESV Ingolstadt:...
. The season started undesirably with a late 1–0 loss to Hertha BSC and a disappointing home draw to Mainz 05
1. FSV Mainz 05
1. Fußball- und Sportverein Mainz 05 e. V., usually shortened to 1. FSV Mainz 05, Mainz 05, or simply Mainz, is a 1905 founded German association football club based in Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate. In addition to the football section the 1. FSV Mainz 05 has a handball and table tennis department...
, after which coach Dieter Hecking
Dieter Hecking
Dieter Hecking is a German football manager and former professional player who works as head coach of 1. FC Nuremberg. He played for both Hannover 96 and Eintracht Braunschweig...
resigned voluntarily. He was succeeded by former assistant Andreas Bergmann
Andreas Bergmann
Andreas Bergmann is a former German footballer and current manager of the VfL Bochum.-Career:Bergmann played in his career as Midfielder for 1...
. As the season continued, once again Hannover had many key players injured including the majority of attacking players and key defenders, as well as the shocking and tragic suicide of German international goalkeeper Robert Enke
Robert Enke
Robert Enke was a German football goalkeeper.Enke played at leading clubs in several European countries, namely Barcelona, Benfica and Fenerbahçe, but made the majority of his appearances for Bundesliga side Hannover 96 in his homeland.He won eight full international caps for the German national...
. Andreas Bergmann was removed as coach and replaced by Mirko Slomka shortly after the winter break. Arouna Koné
Arouna Koné
Arouna Koné is an Ivorian footballer who plays for Levante UD on loan from Sevilla FC in Spain, as a striker.-Early years:Born in Anyama, Koné started his football career with Rio Sport d'Anyama, a club based in his hometown...
and Elson
Élson Falcão da Silva
Élson Falcão da Silva , simply known as Élson is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays for the Russian Premier League club Rostov.- VfB Stuttgart :...
were signed to boost the squad
Hannover 96 were in the relegation zone the whole season, and with a few wins in the last games of the season, Hannover had to win and hope results went their way for them. Hannover won 3–0 , with Arnold Bruggink
Arnold Bruggink
Arnold Jan Bruggink is a former Dutch striker and occasional midfielder.He won the Dutch Talent of the Year award in 2000 while playing for PSV Eindhoven and won three league titles and two Supercups with the club, as well as appearing in the UEFA Champions League...
, Mike Hanke
Mike Hanke
Mike Hanke is a German football player who plays the position of striker, with Germany's Borussia Mönchengladbach.-Club career:Hanke made his debut in the 2001–02 season of the German Bundesliga for Schalke 04...
and Sergio Pinto
Sergio Pinto
Sergio Pinto may refer to:*Sérgio Sousa Pinto - Portuguese politician*Sergio Pinto *Sergio Pinto...
all scoring to keep them up. In the 2010–11 Fußball-Bundesliga
2010–11 Fußball-Bundesliga
The 2010–11 Fußball-Bundesliga was the 48th season of the Fußball-Bundesliga, Germany's premier football league. The season started on the weekend of 21 August 2010 with the traditional season opening match involving the defending champions and ended with the last games on 14 May 2011. The winter...
Hannover surprised everybody, finishing in a record 4th place, qualifying for Europe for the first time in 19 years. In the 2011–12 Fußball-Bundesliga
2011–12 Fußball-Bundesliga
The 2011–12 Fußball-Bundesliga is the 49th season of the Fußball-Bundesliga, Germany's premier football league. The season started on 5 August 2011 with the season opening match involving defending champions Borussia Dortmund and will end with the last games on 5 May 2012...
, Hannover opened with a 2–1 win over TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, followed by a 2–1 away win against 1. FC Nuremberg.
In the play-offs to the Europa League Hannover went on to win against favourites FC Sevilla 3:2 on aggregate to reach the Group Stage.
Robert Enke's Death
On 10 November 2009, at the age of 32, Hannover's #1 goalkeeper Robert EnkeRobert Enke
Robert Enke was a German football goalkeeper.Enke played at leading clubs in several European countries, namely Barcelona, Benfica and Fenerbahçe, but made the majority of his appearances for Bundesliga side Hannover 96 in his homeland.He won eight full international caps for the German national...
committed suicide when he stood in front of a regional express train at a level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
in Eilvese, Neustadt am Rübenberge
Neustadt am Rübenberge
Neustadt am Rübenberge is a town in the district of Hanover, in Lower Saxony, Germany. At 357 km², it is the 9th largest settlement in Germany by area , though only about 45,000 inhabitants live there...
. Police confirmed a suicide note was discovered but would not publicise its details. His widow, Teresa, revealed that her husband had been suffering from depression for six years and was treated by a psychiatrist. After the death of his daughter, Lara, in 2006 he struggled to cope with the loss.
Many fans immediately flocked to Hannover 96's AWD-Arena
AWD-Arena
The AWD-Arena is a football stadium in the district Calenberger Neustadt in Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany, and competition venue of the German Bundesliga football club Hannover 96....
home to lay flowers and light candles and sign the book of condolences upon news breaking. His former club Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
held a minute's silence before their game that night, and several international matches the following weekend paid the same tribute. As a mark of respect, the German national team cancelled their friendly match against Chile
Chile national football team
The Chilean national football team represents Chile in all major international football competitions. The team is controlled by the Federación de Fútbol de Chile which was established in 1895. They have appeared in eight World Cup tournaments and were hosts of the 1962 FIFA World Cup finishing in...
which had been scheduled for 14 November. A minute's silence was also held at all Bundesliga games during 21–22 November 2009 and at Benfica's game in the Cup of Portugal
Taça de Portugal
The Taça de Portugal is the main Portuguese national football knock-out competition. The tournament has been officially known as the Taça de Portugal Millennium since 2008, due to its sponsorship by Portuguese private bank Millennium BCP. It has occurred on a yearly basis since 1938 and is...
. Germany also cancelled a planned training session and all interviews after his death. Oliver Bierhoff
Oliver Bierhoff
Oliver Bierhoff is a retired German former football striker, who scored the first golden goal in the history of major international football, for Germany in the Euro 96 final...
, the national team's general manager, said: "We are all shocked. We are lost for words."
On 15 November 2009, nearly 40,000 attendees filled the AWD-Arena for his memorial service. Enke's coffin, covered in white roses, was carried by six of his Hannover 96 teammates. He was then buried in Neustadt
Neustadt am Rübenberge
Neustadt am Rübenberge is a town in the district of Hanover, in Lower Saxony, Germany. At 357 km², it is the 9th largest settlement in Germany by area , though only about 45,000 inhabitants live there...
, outside Hannover, next to his daughter's grave. As a further mark of respect for their former team mate, the players of Hannover 96 displayed the number one in a circle on the breast of their jerseys, as approved by the DFL
Deutsche Fußball Liga
The Deutsche Fußball Liga GmbH is a subsidiary of Die Liga – Fußballverband. The DFL is responsible for the operation of the 1. Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga.- Function :...
as a subtle tribute, for the rest of the 2009–10 Bundesliga season
2009–10 Fußball-Bundesliga
The 2009–10 Fußball-Bundesliga was the 47th season of the Fußball-Bundesliga, Germany's premier football league. The season commenced on 7 August 2009 with the traditional season opening match involving the defending champions VfL Wolfsburg and VfB Stuttgart. The last games were played on 8 May 2010...
.
Recent seasons
| Year | Division | Position |
| 2000–01 | 2. Bundesliga 2. 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... (II) |
9th |
| 2001–02 | 2. Bundesliga | 1st (promoted) |
| 2002–03 | 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... (I) |
11th |
| 2003–04 | Bundesliga | 14th |
| 2004–05 | Bundesliga | 10th |
| 2005–06 | Bundesliga | 12th |
| 2006–07 | Bundesliga | 11th |
| 2007–08 | Bundesliga | 8th |
| 2008–09 | Bundesliga | 11th |
| 2009–10 | Bundesliga | 15th |
| 2010–11 | Bundesliga | 4th |
Seasonal History
European Cups history
| Season | Round | Country | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992–93 European Cup Winners' Cup | R1 | Werder Bremen SV Werder Bremen SV Werder Bremen is a German sports club best known for its association football team playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize... |
2–1 | 1–3 | 3–4 | |
| 2011–12 UEFA Europa League 2011–12 UEFA Europa League The 2011–12 UEFA Europa League is the third season of the competition since it was renamed from the UEFA Cup. It began on 30 June 2011 with the first legs of the first qualifying round, and will end on 9 May 2012 with the final to be held at Stadionul Național in Bucharest, Romania... |
PO | Sevilla Sevilla FC Sevilla Fútbol Club S.A.D. is a Spanish professional football club based in Seville, Spain that plays in the Spanish La Liga championship.They are one of the most successful clubs in Spanish football having won a 1 La Liga title, 5 Spanish "Copa del Rey" Cups, 1 Spanish Super Cup and 2 UEFA... |
2–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | |
| Group 2011–12 UEFA Europa League group stage This article details the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League group stage.The group stage will feature 48 teams: the 38 winners of the play-off round, and the 10 losing teams from the Champions League play-off round.... |
Standard Liège Standard Liège Royal Standard de Liège, commonly referred to as Standard Liège Royal Standard de Liège, commonly referred to as Standard Liège Royal Standard de Liège, commonly referred to as Standard Liège (Dutch: Standard Luik [], German: Standard Lüttich , is a Belgian football club from the city of Liège.... |
0–0 | 0–2 | |||
| Copenhagen F.C. Copenhagen F.C. Copenhagen is a professional Danish football club in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is part of the Parken Sport & Entertainment.... |
2–2 | 2–1 | ||||
| Vorskla Poltava FC Vorskla Poltava FC Vorskla Poltava ,is a professional football team which plays in the Ukrainian Premier League and represents the city of Poltava.- History :... |
2–1 | |||||
| Round of 32 2011–12 UEFA Europa League group stage This article details the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League group stage.The group stage will feature 48 teams: the 38 winners of the play-off round, and the 10 losing teams from the Champions League play-off round.... |
||||||
Honours
- German champions: 1938, 19541954 German football championshipThe 1954 German football championship was the culmination of the football season in the Federal Republic of Germany in 1953-54. Hannover 96 were crowned champions for the second time after a group stage and a final....
- DFB-PokalDFB-PokalThe DFB-Pokal or DFB Cup is a German knockout football cup competition held annually. 64 teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. It is considered the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga...
: 1991–92 – German Cup play has long been dominated by first division teams: Hannovers 1992 German Cup win made them the only non-top flight side to take that prize since the formation of the professional league in 1963. - 2. Bundesliga: 1986–87, 2001–02
- Südkreisliga: 1921
- Gauliga NiedersachsenGauliga NiedersachsenThe Gauliga Niedersachsen was the highest football league in the Prussian Province of Hanover and the German states of Bremen, Brunswick, Schaumburg-Lippe and Oldenburg from 1933 to 1945...
: 1935, 1938 - Gauliga Niedersachsen-Süd: 1940, 1941
- Oberliga Nord: 1954
- 2. Bundesliga-Nord: 1975
- Regionalliga Nord: 1997, 1998
Youth
- German Under 17 championship runners-up: 1994, 1995
- Under 19 Bundesliga North/Northeast champions: 2004
Stadium
Hannover 96 plays in the AWD-ArenaAWD-Arena
The AWD-Arena is a football stadium in the district Calenberger Neustadt in Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany, and competition venue of the German Bundesliga football club Hannover 96....
, built in 1954 as the "Niedersachsenstadion", which now has a capacity of 49,000 spectators. During the 2006 World Cup the stadium was the site of four first round matches and one Round of 16 match. The stadium had also served as a site for matches of the 1974 World Cup and the 1988 European Championships.
Club culture
Hannovers main rival is Eintracht BraunschweigEintracht Braunschweig
Eintracht Braunschweig is a German association football club based in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony. The club was one of the founding members of the Bundesliga in 1963 and won the national title in 1967.-History:...
while other less ancient rivalries include those with Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen is a German sports club best known for its association football team playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize...
and VfL Wolfsburg
VfL Wolfsburg
VfL Wolfsburg is a professional German association football club based in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, who play in the Bundesliga football competition. Wolfsburg have won the Bundesliga once in their history, in the 2008–09 season, and were DFB-Pokal runners-up in 1995. The current head coach is Felix...
. Hannover fans have developed some recent ill feeling towards FC Energie Cottbus based on an incident in the 1997 Regionalliga (III) promotion round for the 2. Bundesliga. The floodlights at the Cottbus ground broke down during the game and many Hannover fans believed this was done deliberately and the effort to fix the lighting was half-hearted. Cottbus later won the rescheduled match 3–1 to advance.
Hamburger SV
Hamburger SV
Hamburger Sport-Verein, usually referred to as HSV in Germany and Hamburg in international parlance, is a German multi-sport club based in Hamburg, its largest branch being its football department...
is seen as a friendly club whose supporters share the rivalry with SV Werder Bremen. Both clubs are often referred to as HSV. Hannover's supporters also have a good relationship with the fans from Odense Boldklub. Both clubs' fans have traveled to each others games to support one another. There is also a friendship with Arminia Bielefeld
Arminia Bielefeld
DSC Arminia Bielefeld is a German sports club from Bielefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia. Arminia offers the sports of football, field hockey, figure skating and cue sports. The club has 11,394 members and the club colours are black, white and blue...
, a club playing in the 3. Liga.
Players
For recent transfers, see List of German football transfers summer 2010 and List of German football transfers winter 2010–11.Current squad
As of 1 July, 2011Manager history
|
Diethelm Ferner Diethelm Ferner is a German football coach and a former player. As a player, he spent eight seasons in the Bundesliga with SV Werder Bremen and Rot-Weiss Essen... (Jul 1979 – Nov 82) Gerd Bohnsack Gerd Bohnsack is a former German football player and manager.Bohnsack managed SV Arminia Hannover, VfL Osnabrück, VfB Oldenburg and Hannover 96 in the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga during the 1970s and 80s.- References :... (Nov 1982 – Oct 83) Jörg Berger Jörg Berger was a German football manager and player, who last managed Arminia Bielefeld.- Coaching career :... (Jan–Mar 86) Jürgen Wähling Jürgen Wähling , is a former German football player and manager.- References :... (Jun 1986 – Sep 88) Hans Siemensmeyer Hans Siemensmeyer is a retired German football player and coach. As a player, he spent 9 seasons in the Bundesliga with Hannover 96. He also represented Germany 3 times, including a UEFA Euro 1968 qualifier against Yugoslavia and 2 friendlies .-External links:... (Sep 1988 – Mar 89) Reinhard Saftig Reinhard Saftig is a German football manager.Saftig has served as head coach of Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Hannover 96, VfL Bochum, and Bayer Leverkusen in the German Bundesliga.-Career:... (Mar 1989 – Jun 89) Slobodan Cendic Slobodan Cendric is a former Yugoslavian/Serbian football manager.He was among others the manager of FC Schalke 04, 1. FC Saarbrücken, Alemannia Aachen, and Hannover 96.-External links:**... (Jul 1989 – Aug 89) Michael Krüger Michael Krüger is a German football coach and former football player.- Coaching career :Krüger began his coaching career as assistant-coach from Peter Neururer with FC Schalke 04, in September 1989 was named as the new head coach of the 2 Football League club Hannover 96, after one year was... (Sep 1989 – Sep 90) Michael Lorkowski Michael Lorkowski is a German football manager.His greatest achievement was winning the 1992 DFB Cup with Hannover 96, while the team was still in the second flight... (Oct 1990 – Jun 92) |
Eberhard Vogel Eberhard "Ebse" Vogel is a former German football player.Vogel played for FC Karl-Marx-Stadt and FC Carl Zeiss Jena .... (Jul 1992 – Nov 93) Rolf Schafstall Rudolf 'Rolf' Schafstall is a retired German football coach and a player.-External links:... (Nov 1993 – Nov 94) Peter Neururer Peter Neururer is a German football manager.-Career:Neururer had a minor playing career in the lower leagues before moving into coaching at TuS Haltern and SG Weitmar... (Nov 1994 – May 95) Egon Coordes Egon Coordes is a former German football player and, now, coach.He began his career at Regionalliga North side TuS Bremerhaven 93 but quickly moved to the Bundesliga, playing the rest of his career at just two clubs: Werder Bremen and VfB Stuttgart as a defender... (Jul 1995 – Mar 96) Reinhold Fanz Reinhold Fanz is a German former professional footballer and formerly manager of the Cuba national football team.-Playing career:... (Jul 1996 – Dec 98) Franz Gerber Franz Gerber is a German former professional footballer who is currently general manager of SSV Jahn Regensburg.-Playing career:... (Dec 1998 – Jul 99) Branko Ivankovic Branko Ivanković is a Croatian football coach and former player. After a 12-year playing career at Varteks Varaždin, Ivanković started his coaching career at the same club in 1991. He led the Iranian national football team at the 2006 World Cup... (Jul 1999 – Feb 00) Horst Ehrmantraut Horst Ehrmantraut is a German former professional football defender and manager.-Plastic chair:What is a very well known and characteristic feature of Ehrmantraut, is a plastic chair, from which he followed the matches... (Feb 2000 – Apr 01) Ewald Lienen Ewald Lienen is a German former footballer and manager.-Playing career:Lienen began his professional career at Arminia Bielefeld of the 2.Bundesliga North in 1974. After three seasons, he moved up to the top flight with Borussia Mönchengladbach... (Mar 2004 – Nov 05) Peter Neururer Peter Neururer is a German football manager.-Career:Neururer had a minor playing career in the lower leagues before moving into coaching at TuS Haltern and SG Weitmar... (Nov 2005 – Aug 06) Dieter Hecking Dieter Hecking is a German football manager and former professional player who works as head coach of 1. FC Nuremberg. He played for both Hannover 96 and Eintracht Braunschweig... (Sep 2006 – Aug 09) Andreas Bergmann Andreas Bergmann is a former German footballer and current manager of the VfL Bochum.-Career:Bergmann played in his career as Midfielder for 1... (Aug 2009 – Jan 10) Mirko Slomka Mirko Slomka is the current head coach of Hannover 96.-Coaching career:He was the head coach of FC Schalke 04 from 2006 to 2008. He was in charge of Schalke in the year Schalke 04 finished second in the German premier league after VfB Stuttgart... (Jan 2010–) |
Hannover 96 Amateure (II)
Hannover fields a successful amateur side that has three German amateur championships to its credit (1960, 1964, 1965) as well as losing appearances in the 1966 and 1967 finals. The second team has also taken part in the German Cup tournament and currently plays in the Oberliga Nord (IV).Honours
- Amateurliga Niedersachsen-West champions: 1960
- Amateurliga Niedersachsen-Ost champions: 1964
- Amateurliga Niedersachsen champions: 1965, 1966, 1967
- German Amateur champions: 1960, 1964, 1965