VfL Osnabrück
Encyclopedia
VfL Osnabrück is a German multi-sport club in Osnabrück
, Lower Saxony. It currently fields teams in basketball, gymnastics, swimming, table tennis, and tennis, but is by far best known for its football section.
Predecessor Osnabrücker BV 05 was the product of the 1905 merger of Fußball Club Edelweiß 1902 Osnabrück and Fußball Club Alemannia Osnabrück. This club made an appearance in the quarterfinals of the regional Westdeutsche (West German) final in 1910 where they were decisively put out (2:9) by Duisburger SV.
The merger that created Verein für Leibesübungen Osnabrücker took place in 1924 when BV was joined by Spiel- und Sport Osnabrück. Prior to 1921, SuS had played as the football department of the gymnastics club Osnabrücker Turnverein 1861, created in 1914 when Fußball Club 1903 Olympia Osnabrück and Fußball Club Teutonia 1902 Osnabrück became part of TV.
Established 24 June 1902, Teutonia Osnabrück also had quarterfinal appearances in the Westdeutsche final to its credit, dropping decisions to FC München-Gladbach in 1908 (0:3), and BV Dortmund
(3:4) in 1909.
VfL was formally incorporated on 8 March 1925, but part of the membership of the newly formed association soon left to create a separate side called Sportclub Rapid Osnabrück – styled after well known club Rapid Vienna
. Rapid came back to the fold thirteen years later in 1938 and the re-unified club adopted the light-purple colours of the returning footballers.
After the re-structuring of German football leagues in 1933 under the Third Reich, Osnabrück played second division football until winning promotion to the Gauliga Niedersachsen
(I) in 1935. They were relegated after their first campaign, but returned to the top flight in 1937, capturing the division title in the 1938–39 season. The Gauliga Niedersachsen was then split into two divisions, and in each of the following two seasons VfL took the Niedersachsen-Nord title. They went on win to the overall division title in 1940, beating Hannover 96
(3:2, 2:2), but lost their title to the same club the following year (1:1, 1:3). Their Gauliga titles in 1939 and 1940 put VfL into opening round group play for the national championship, but they were unable to advance.
(I) and delivered credible performances that left them standing fourth in the league's all-time table behind well-known sides Hamburger SV
, Werder Bremen, and FC St. Pauli
.
(German Cup) match-up.
Mark Burton
Joe Enochs
Udo Lattek
Aaran Lines
Patrick Owomoyela
Thomas Reichenberger
(1976–1977) Eduard Sausmikat (1977) Reinhard Roder
(1977–1978) Radoslav Momirski (1978–1979) Helmut Kalthoff (1979) Gerd Bohnsack
(1979–1980) Werner Biskup (1980–1981) Bernd Hoss
(1981) Carl-Heinz Rühl
(1981–1984) Rolf Grünther (1985–1988) Antun Rudinski
(1988–1989) Rolf Schafstall
(1989–1990) Roland Koch
(1990) Rolf Grünther (1990–1991) Ulrich Sude
(1991–1992) Hubert Hüring (1992–1993) Hans-Werner Moors (1997–1998) Gerd-Volker Schock
(1998–1999) Wolfgang Sidka
(1999–2000) Michael Lorkowski
(2000) Lothar Gans (2000) Jürgen Gelsdorf
(2000–2003) Frank Pagelsdorf
(2003–2004) Thorsten Haas (2004) Claus-Dieter Wollitz
(2004–2009) Karsten Baumann
(2009–2011) Joe Enochs
(2011) Heiko Flottmann (2011) Uwe Fuchs
(2011–)
Osnabrück
Osnabrück is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, some 80 km NNE of Dortmund, 45 km NE of Münster, and some 100 km due west of Hanover. It lies in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest...
, Lower Saxony. It currently fields teams in basketball, gymnastics, swimming, table tennis, and tennis, but is by far best known for its football section.
Foundation to WW2
The club has its origins in the coming together on 17 April 1899 of the memberships of the "wild" clubs Antipodia, Germania, and Minerva to create Fußball Club 1899 Osnabrück. This group joined Osnabrücker Ballverein 05 in 1920 to play as BV 1899 Osnabrück.Predecessor Osnabrücker BV 05 was the product of the 1905 merger of Fußball Club Edelweiß 1902 Osnabrück and Fußball Club Alemannia Osnabrück. This club made an appearance in the quarterfinals of the regional Westdeutsche (West German) final in 1910 where they were decisively put out (2:9) by Duisburger SV.
The merger that created Verein für Leibesübungen Osnabrücker took place in 1924 when BV was joined by Spiel- und Sport Osnabrück. Prior to 1921, SuS had played as the football department of the gymnastics club Osnabrücker Turnverein 1861, created in 1914 when Fußball Club 1903 Olympia Osnabrück and Fußball Club Teutonia 1902 Osnabrück became part of TV.
Established 24 June 1902, Teutonia Osnabrück also had quarterfinal appearances in the Westdeutsche final to its credit, dropping decisions to FC München-Gladbach in 1908 (0:3), and BV 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...
(3:4) in 1909.
VfL was formally incorporated on 8 March 1925, but part of the membership of the newly formed association soon left to create a separate side called Sportclub Rapid Osnabrück – styled after well known club Rapid Vienna
SK Rapid Wien
The Sportklub Rapid Wien is an Austrian football club playing in the country's capital city of Vienna. Rapid is the most popular club in Austria and also record title holder having won the Austrian national football title 32 times...
. Rapid came back to the fold thirteen years later in 1938 and the re-unified club adopted the light-purple colours of the returning footballers.
After the re-structuring of German football leagues in 1933 under the Third Reich, Osnabrück played second division football until winning promotion to 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...
(I) in 1935. They were relegated after their first campaign, but returned to the top flight in 1937, capturing the division title in the 1938–39 season. The Gauliga Niedersachsen was then split into two divisions, and in each of the following two seasons VfL took the Niedersachsen-Nord title. They went on win to the overall division title in 1940, beating Hannover 96
Hannover 96
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.-Foundation to WWII:...
(3:2, 2:2), but lost their title to the same club the following year (1:1, 1:3). Their Gauliga titles in 1939 and 1940 put VfL into opening round group play for the national championship, but they were unable to advance.
Post-War era
After World War II, the club returned to play as 1. FSV Osnabrück but again took up their traditional name in 1946. The team played in the Oberliga NordOberliga 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:...
(I) and delivered credible performances that left them standing fourth in the league's all-time table behind well-known sides 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...
, Werder Bremen, and FC St. Pauli
FC St. Pauli
Fußball-Club St. Pauli is a German sports club based in the St. Pauli quarter of Hamburg. The football section is part of a larger club that also has Rugby Fußball-Club St. Pauli is a German sports club based in the St. Pauli quarter of Hamburg. The football section is part of a larger club that...
.
Failed Bundesliga ambition
The Bundesliga was formed in 1963 as Germany's new top flight professional league. The Violets did not qualify for play there and were seeded into second division Regionalliga Nord. They had opportunities to advance through the promotion rounds in five consecutive years beginning in 1969, but were unable to break through. For three decades the club remained a tier II fixture in the Regionalliga Nord (1963–74) and the 2. Bundesliga (1974–84, 1985–93). They played a single season in the Amateur Oberliga Nord (III), but only narrowly escaped relegation in 1979 when FC St. Pauli was instead sent down when they were refused a license over their financial situation. A highlight of the period was a 5:4 victory over Bayern Munich in a 1978 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...
(German Cup) match-up.
Current
Since 1994 the club has been part of the Regionalliga Nord (III), making cameo appearances in the 2. Bundesliga in 2000–01 and 2003–04. On the final day of their 2006–07 campaign, VfL again won promotion to second division play, and were then able to avoid being immediately sent down once more by finishing out of the relegation zone in 14th place in 2007–08.Recent seasons
| Year | Division | Position |
| 1999–2000 | 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) |
1st (promoted) |
| 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) |
15th (relegated) |
| 2001–02 | 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) |
7th |
| 2002–03 | 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) |
2nd (promoted) |
| 2003–04 | 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) |
18th (relegated) |
| 2004–05 | 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) |
4th |
| 2005–06 | 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) |
10th |
| 2006–07 | 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) |
2nd (promoted) |
| 2007–08 | 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) |
12th |
| 2008–09 | 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) |
16th (relegated) |
| 2009–10 | 3. Liga 3rd Liga The 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... (III) |
1st (promoted) |
| 2010–11 | 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) |
16th (relegated) |
| 2011–12 | 3. Liga 3rd Liga The 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... (III) |
Honours
- Oberliga Nord (II) champions: 1969, 1970, 1971
- Oberliga Nord (II) vice-champions: 1972, 1973
- Oberliga Nord (III) champions: 1985, 1999, 2000
- Oberliga Nord (III) vice-champions: 1995, 2003
- 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...
(I) champions: 1939, 1940 - German amateur champions: 1995
- 3rd Liga champion: 2010
Notable past players
Ansgar BrinkmannAnsgar Brinkmann
Ansgar Brinkmann is a retired German football player. He played 2 seasons in the Bundesliga with Eintracht Frankfurt and Arminia Bielefeld. He also played 316 games in the 2. Bundesliga for 9 different teams....
Mark Burton
Mark Burton (footballer)
Mark Burton is a retired association football player who represented New Zealand at international level. He plays as an attacking midfielder.- Career :...
Joe Enochs
Joe Enochs
Joseph “Joe” Enochs is a retired American soccer player who spent the majority of his career at German Second Division club VfL Osnabrück. He began his professional career with the San Francisco United All Blacks before moving to Germany to sign with FC St. Pauli. He never played for the first...
Udo Lattek
Udo Lattek
Udo Lattek is a former German football player and coach, and is now a television sportscaster....
Aaran Lines
Aaran Lines
Aaran Franklyn Lines is a retired New Zealand association football player and current head coach of the Western New York Flash, the 2011 Women's Professional Soccer Champions. He has represented New Zealand at international level...
Patrick Owomoyela
Patrick Owomoyela
Patrick Owomoyela is a German footballer who plays for Fußball-Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund, having previously played for Lüneburger SK, VfL Osnabrück, SC Paderborn 07, Arminia Bielefeld and Werder Bremen...
Thomas Reichenberger
Thomas Reichenberger
Thomas Reichenberger is a German footballer who plays for VfL Osnabrück II.-External links:* *...
Manager History
Emil Iszo (1963) Walter Komorowski (1963–1964) Radoslav Momirski (1968–1970) Fritz Langner (1970–1971) Erwin Türk (1971–1973) Klaus-Dieter Ochs (1974–1975) Reinhold Ertel (1975–1976) Siegfried MelzigSiegfried Melzig
Siegfried Melzig is a retired German football player and manager.He played for SpVgg Weisenau.He managed VfL Osnabrück, Bonner SC, Bayer Uerdingen, Panionios, FC 08 Homburg, Freiburger FC, MSV Duisburg, Rot-Weiss Essen, SpVgg Bayreuth and SC Preußen Münster.-References:...
(1976–1977) Eduard Sausmikat (1977) Reinhard Roder
Reinhard Roder
Reinhard Roder is a former German football player and manager.Roder made a total of 11 appearances in the Fußball-Bundesliga for 1. FC Köln during his playing career and later managed 1. SC Göttingen 05, VfL Osnabrück and Tennis Borussia Berlin in the 2. Bundesliga Nord.- References :...
(1977–1978) Radoslav Momirski (1978–1979) Helmut Kalthoff (1979) Gerd Bohnsack
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 :...
(1979–1980) Werner Biskup (1980–1981) Bernd Hoss
Bernd Hoss
Bernd Hoss is a former German football manager.Hoss managed 34 games for SpVgg Blau-Weiß 1890 Berlin in the Fußball-Bundesliga during his career.- References :...
(1981) Carl-Heinz Rühl
Carl-Heinz Rühl
Carl-Heinz Rühl is a retired German football player and manager.-External links:...
(1981–1984) Rolf Grünther (1985–1988) Antun Rudinski
Antun Rudinski
Antun Rudinski is a Serbian former football player, as forward and also football manager. With Red Star he won 4 national Championships , 2 Yugoslav Cups and Danube Cup...
(1988–1989) Rolf Schafstall
Rolf Schafstall
Rudolf 'Rolf' Schafstall is a retired German football coach and a player.-External links:...
(1989–1990) Roland Koch
Roland Koch (footballer)
Roland Koch is a German football coach.Roland Koch played for Meppen and Berrenrath. After finishing his career as a player, he began working in 1981 as amateur coach with 1. FC Köln. In the 1986–87 season he was promoted to assistant coach of Christoph Daum. He worked with Christoph Daum as an...
(1990) Rolf Grünther (1990–1991) Ulrich Sude
Ulrich Sude
Ulrich 'Uli' Sude is a German football coach and a former player. He spent 11 seasons in the Bundesliga with Borussia Mönchengladbach...
(1991–1992) Hubert Hüring (1992–1993) Hans-Werner Moors (1997–1998) Gerd-Volker Schock
Gerd-Volker Schock
Gerd-Volker Schock is a German football coach and a former player.-External links:...
(1998–1999) Wolfgang Sidka
Wolfgang Sidka
Wolfgang Sidka is an association football manager. He led SV Werder Bremen to victory in the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 1998. He was head coach of the Iraq national football team, having signed on August 9, 2010 and was sacked on August 2, 2011.-Manager:-References:...
(1999–2000) Michael Lorkowski
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...
(2000) Lothar Gans (2000) Jürgen Gelsdorf
Jürgen Gelsdorf
Jürgen Gelsdorf is a German football coach and former player who is currently youth teams coordinator at Bayer 04 Leverkusen.-External links:...
(2000–2003) Frank Pagelsdorf
Frank Pagelsdorf
Frank Pagelsdorf is a German football manager formerly managing Al-Nasr Sports Club.-Coaching career:He was manager of Hamburger SV from 1997 to 2001. He has also had a brief time as manager in UAE.-External links:* *...
(2003–2004) Thorsten Haas (2004) Claus-Dieter Wollitz
Claus-Dieter Wollitz
Claus-Dieter "Pele" Wollitz is a retired German football player and a football manager currently managing Energie Cottbus.-Personal life:...
(2004–2009) Karsten Baumann
Karsten Baumann
Karsten Baumann is a retired German footballer and former head-coach of VfL Osnabrück.He spent twelve years in the Bundesliga where he was mainly a player within the squad....
(2009–2011) Joe Enochs
Joe Enochs
Joseph “Joe” Enochs is a retired American soccer player who spent the majority of his career at German Second Division club VfL Osnabrück. He began his professional career with the San Francisco United All Blacks before moving to Germany to sign with FC St. Pauli. He never played for the first...
(2011) Heiko Flottmann (2011) Uwe Fuchs
Uwe Fuchs
Uwe Fuchs is a German football coach and former football player. He is the current manager of VfL Osnabrück.-Middlesbrough:...
(2011–)