Arminia Bielefeld
Encyclopedia
DSC Arminia Bielefeld (full name: Deutscher Sportclub Arminia Bielefeld e.V.; also known as "Die Arminen" or "Die Blauen") 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. Arminia‘s name derives from the Cherusci
an chieftain Arminius
, who defeated a Roman army
in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest
.
The club is most commonly known for its professional football team which plays in the 3rd Liga
. Due to their numerous promotions and relegations, they are considered as a yo-yo club. They won promotion to the Bundesliga seven times which is a German record. In 1971, the club played a key role in the Bundesliga scandal when they bribed
their opponents.
Arminia plays their home games at the Bielefelder Alm
stadium since 1926. Since 2004 the stadium has been named SchücoArena through a sponsorship deal.
. Neither the name of the opponent nor the result are known. The club was admitted to the German Football Association
in the same year. In 1907, local rivals FC Siegfried joined Arminia, a move which strengthened Arminia‘s squad.
After playing on various grounds, Arminia moved to a new home at the Pottenau in 1910. Their first big achievement came in 1913, when they won the Westphalian championship after a 5–1 win over BV 04 Dortmund
. The outbreak of World War I interrupted Arminia rise to the top. In 1919, Arminia merged with Bielefelder Turngemeinde 1848 to form TG Arminia Bielefeld. However, the merged broke up in 1922 and both parent clubs were formed again.
Arminia won the West German championship in 1922. Originally, they were even on points with Kölner BC 01
, but Köln fielded an ineligible player in one match. Arminia played for the first time in the German championships but were eliminated in the quarter-finals after losing 0–5 to FC Wacker München. In 1923, Arminia won their second West German championship in a dramatic way. They trailed TuRU Düsseldorf
1–3 at half time of the final, but came from behind to win 4–3 after extra time. Arminia faced Union Oberschöneweide in the quarter-finals of the German championships. The match ended goalless, so a replay was held. Arminia led 1–0 and suffered the equalizer in injury time. The Berlin side won the match after extra time. Walter Claus-Oehler became Arminia‘s first player to win a cap in the German national team
. Arminia won further Westphalian titles from 1924 to 1927 but were unable to repeat their success in the West German championships. On 30 January 1926, the club took its current name Deutscher Sportclub Arminia Bielefeld. Their next piece of silverware was won in 1932 with a triumph in the Westphalian cup.
In 1933, Arminia qualified for the Gauliga Westfalen
, from which they were relegated after the inaugural season. Three attempts of gaining promotion failed before their return to the top flight was won in 1938. Their best performance in the Gauliga was the 1939–40 campaign, where Arminia finished second. Two years later, Arminia was one only two teams to win a match at Schalke 04. On 25 July 1943 Arminia merged with local rivals VfB 03 Bielefeld. The merger finished the 1943–44 season on the last place.
After World War II, a new league with all teams who competed in the Gauliga Westfalen was formed. Arminia were relegated and failed to win repromotion. In 1947–48, Arminia were a third division side for the first time in their history. After a dominating season in the Bezirksklasse, Arminia was deducted 14 points because they fielded an ineligible player. The next season was already under way when the Landesliga (II) was expanded by two teams. Arminia took their chance, won the league and gained promotion to the Oberliga West
.
The dream lasted for only a year. Arminia beat Schalke 04
4–2 at home but finished only second from the bottom. In 1954, Arminia were relegated to the third division. It took eight years before Arminia were a second division side again. They struggled to finish on seventh place to secure a spot in the newly formed Regionalliga West.
Arminia finished their first seasons in mid-table. In 1966, Arminia beat Alemannia Aachen
to claim the West German cup for the first time. A year later, forward Ernst Kuster joined the team and went on to become the club‘s all-time leading goal scorer. A 0–1 loss to Wuppertaler SV on the last day of the 1966–67 season held Arminia to enter the Bundesliga promotion play-offs. Arminia were runners-up in the 1969–70 season and won promotion to the Bundesliga after a 2–0 win at Tennis Borussia Berlin
in the play-offs.
The team had a poor start in their first Bundesliga season and seemed to be doomed when they started to bribe their opponents. The first fixed match was Arminia‘s 1–0 win at Schalke 04. Arminia also bribed VfB Stuttgart
and Hertha Berlin
. Bielefeld finished 14th and started their preparations for the next season when the scandal was unveiled. Arminia was allowed to play the 71–72 season but were forced to relegate to the Regionalliga. Arminia struggled in the following seasons, but were good enough to be appointed to the newly formed 2. Fußball-Bundesliga
in 1974.
After two season in mid-table, Arminia had good chances of returning to the Bundesliga in 1976–77
but they finished only as runner-up behind FC St. Pauli
. They faced 1860 Munich in a two-legged play-off whose winner would win promotion to the top flight. Arminia won the first match at home 4–0, but lost the second leg in Munich 0–4. A third match had to played in Frankfurt which Munich won 2–0.
The team was shocked but bounced back to win promotion in 1977–78
. Arminia started well and on 10 March 1979, they won 4–0 at Bayern Munich
. However, Arminia were hit by a slump and were relegated again. The club managed to keep the team together and bounced back after a record-breaking year. They won 30 of 38 matches, scored 120 goals, had a 28 matches unbeaten streak and set a league record by beating Arminia Hannover
11–0.
Arminia struggled to avoid relegation and managed to stay in the Bundesliga for five years, including two finishes on eighth place in 1982–83 and 1983–84. An ugly event shocked Germany when Werder Bremen
defender Norbert Siegmann
slashed Ewald Lienen
‘s right thigh
during a match. The success on the pitch did not prevent the club from suffering declining attendances which enlarged the financial problems. In 1984–85, Arminia finished third from the bottom and lost the relegation play-offs against 1. FC Saarbrücken
.
The team failed to gain re-promotion and in the fall of 1987, Arminia had debts of 4.5 million Mark. The result was a last place finish in 1987–88
. Ernst Middendorp
became the new manager and assembled a young team for the new season. Arminia led the way in the Oberliga Westfalen
but finished only second in 1988–89. They won the Oberliga a year later, but failed in the promotion play-offs to VfB Oldenburg
and TSV Havelse
. Four dismal years followed in which the team started well but were unable to compete for the championship.
In the spring of 1994, Arminia created a relatively large media buzz by signing veteran Bundesliga players like Thomas von Heesen
, Armin Eck
and Fritz Walter
. Arminia struggled at first but went on the become champions of the newly formed Regionalliga West/Südwest
and runners-up in the Second Bundesliga 1995–96. Arminia signed Stefan Kuntz
for the Bundesliga season 1996–97, their first in 11 years and finished on 14th position.
The club wrote German football history by signing Iran
ian players Ali Daei
and Karim Bagheri
along with the SK Brann icon Geirmund Brendesæter
, whom enjoyed a brief spell with the club in 1997. However, after a poor run after the winter break, Arminia were relegated shortly after Brendesæter had left the club. They bounced back by winning the 1998–99 season. Bruno Labbadia
became the league‘s top scorer with 28 goals. The club suffered from financial problems and entered the 1999–2000 season with a smaller budget. Relegation followed again after the team became the third team in Bundesliga history to lose ten matches in a row.
Arminia struggled against relegation again the next season and avoided to drop into the Regionalliga in close season. Their fortunes turned around and Arminia won their sixth promotion to the Bundesliga in 2001–02 with Artur Wichniarek
scoring 18 goals. Arminia were almost saved the next year but a slump with only two points out of the last six matches sealed relegation again.
The team bounced back again in 2003/04 and were able to stay in the top flight until 2009. Arminia reached the semi-finals of the German cup in 2005 and 2006. Arminia played their fifth consecutive Bundesliga season in 2008–09. They finished last and were relegated to the Second Bundesliga
. However, after finishing seventh in their first season in the Second Bundesliga, their next season was fraught with manager sackings and financial difficulties. After a poor season, picking up only 16 points and winning only four games, Bielefeld were relegated to the 3rd Liga
.
The crest consists of a flag with the club‘s colours black, white and blue from left to right. The white part of the flag
includes the letter A for Arminia. The flag is surrounded by a wreath
of oak
.
Arminia played their first home matches at the Kesselbrink in downtown Bielefeld. They moved to a new ground at the Kaiserstraße (today: August-Bebel-Straße) in 1907 and to the Pottenau in 1910. In 1926, Arminia lease
d a ground from a farmer named Lohmann. The ground didn‘t look like a football pitch. The club member Heinrich Pahl said that the area looks like an Alm (German for alpine
grassland
). The stadium was known as the Alm. Arminia played its first match against Victoria Hamburg on 1 May 1926. The first grandstands were constructed in 1954. When Arminia won promotion to the Bundesliga in 1970, the Alm underwent a genereal development. A main stand with seats was built and the northern and eastern stands were enlarged. The Alm had a capacity of 30,000 and floodlight
s were installed. In 1978, a roof was added to the main stands and the other stands were enlarged again. The stadium had a capacity of 35,000 then.
When Arminia was relegated to the Oberliga in 1988, the northern and the southern stand were torn down because both stands didn‘t match the new safety regulations. The eastern stand was also made smaller and a roof was added. The capacity was reduced to about 15,000. After Arminia won promotion to the Bundesliga in 1996, the main and northern stands were demolished and completely rebuilt. The same happened to the south stand in 1999. In 2004, Arminia signed a sponsorship deal with Schüco
and the stadium was named SchücoArena. The latest redevelopment saw the eastern stand being rebuilt in 2008.
The Bielefelder Alm has a capacity of 28,008, including 20,381 seats. Bielefelder Alm is a candidate to host matches of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Arminia‘s fans come primarely from the Ostwestfalen-Lippe
region with a catchment area
of about 100 kilometers around Bielefeld. There are around 100 fanclubs, mostly from Ostwestfalen-Lippe. However, there are fanclubs in Berlin, Stuttgart
, London, Birmingham, Taunton, Austria and the Netherlands.
Manager:
Armin Perrey
Manager – Ernst Middendorp
Sports club
A sports club or sport club, sometimes athletics club or sports association is a club for the purpose of playing one or more sports...
from Bielefeld
Bielefeld
Bielefeld is an independent city in the Ostwestfalen-Lippe Region in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With a population of 323,000, it is also the most populous city in the Regierungsbezirk Detmold...
, North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
. Arminia offers the sports of football, field hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
, figure skating
Figure skating
Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
and cue sports. The club has 11,394 members and the club colours are black, white and blue. Arminia‘s name derives from the Cherusci
Cherusci
The Cherusci were a Germanic tribe that inhabited parts of the northern Rhine valley and the plains and forests of northwestern Germany, in the area between present-day Osnabrück and Hanover, during the 1st century BC and 1st century AD...
an chieftain Arminius
Arminius
Arminius , also known as Armin or Hermann was a chieftain of the Germanic Cherusci who defeated a Roman army in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest...
, who defeated a Roman army
Roman army
The Roman army is the generic term for the terrestrial armed forces deployed by the kingdom of Rome , the Roman Republic , the Roman Empire and its successor, the Byzantine empire...
in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest
Battle of the Teutoburg Forest
The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest took place in 9 CE, when an alliance of Germanic tribes led by Arminius of the Cherusci ambushed and decisively destroyed three Roman legions, along with their auxiliaries, led by Publius Quinctilius Varus.Despite numerous successful campaigns and raids by the...
.
The club is most commonly known for its professional football team which plays in the 3rd 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...
. Due to their numerous promotions and relegations, they are considered as a yo-yo club. They won promotion to the Bundesliga seven times which is a German record. In 1971, the club played a key role in the Bundesliga scandal when they bribed
Bribery
Bribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
their opponents.
Arminia plays their home games at the Bielefelder Alm
Bielefelder Alm
Bielefelder Alm is a football stadium in Bielefeld, Germany. The stadium, which has a capacity of 27 300, is owned by the football club DSC Arminia Bielefeld and mostly used for the club's matches...
stadium since 1926. Since 2004 the stadium has been named SchücoArena through a sponsorship deal.
History
Arminia Bielefeld was founded on 3 May 1905 as 1. Bielefelder FC Arminia. The fourteen men who founded the club were from the local bourgeoise. Two weeks later, the club played its first match against a side from OsnabrückOsnabrück
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...
. Neither the name of the opponent nor the result are known. The club was admitted to the German Football Association
German Football Association
The German Football Association is the governing body of football in Germany. A founding member of both FIFA and UEFA, the DFB organises the German football leagues, including the national league, the Bundesliga, and the men's and women's national teams. The DFB is based in Frankfurt and is...
in the same year. In 1907, local rivals FC Siegfried joined Arminia, a move which strengthened Arminia‘s squad.
After playing on various grounds, Arminia moved to a new home at the Pottenau in 1910. Their first big achievement came in 1913, when they won the Westphalian championship after a 5–1 win over BV 04 Dortmund
BV 04 Dortmund
BV 04 Dortmund was a German association football club from the city of Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. The club was established in 1904 as the football department of an earlier gymnastics and fencing club called Turn- und Fechtclub Dortmund. The footballers became independent as Ballspielverein...
. The outbreak of World War I interrupted Arminia rise to the top. In 1919, Arminia merged with Bielefelder Turngemeinde 1848 to form TG Arminia Bielefeld. However, the merged broke up in 1922 and both parent clubs were formed again.
Arminia won the West German championship in 1922. Originally, they were even on points with Kölner BC 01
1. FC Köln
1. FC Köln is a German association football club based in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia. It was formed in 1948 as a merger of the clubs Kölner Ballspiel-Club 1901 and SpVgg Sülz 07....
, but Köln fielded an ineligible player in one match. Arminia played for the first time in the German championships but were eliminated in the quarter-finals after losing 0–5 to FC Wacker München. In 1923, Arminia won their second West German championship in a dramatic way. They trailed TuRU Düsseldorf
TuRU Düsseldorf
TuRU Düsseldorf is a German sports club from the city of Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia.-History:Turn- und Rasensport Union Düsseldorf claims a number of early Düsseldorf clubs in its heritage...
1–3 at half time of the final, but came from behind to win 4–3 after extra time. Arminia faced Union Oberschöneweide in the quarter-finals of the German championships. The match ended goalless, so a replay was held. Arminia led 1–0 and suffered the equalizer in injury time. The Berlin side won the match after extra time. Walter Claus-Oehler became Arminia‘s first player to win a cap in the German national team
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
. Arminia won further Westphalian titles from 1924 to 1927 but were unable to repeat their success in the West German championships. On 30 January 1926, the club took its current name Deutscher Sportclub Arminia Bielefeld. Their next piece of silverware was won in 1932 with a triumph in the Westphalian cup.
In 1933, Arminia qualified for the Gauliga Westfalen
Gauliga Westfalen
The Gauliga Westphalia was the highest football league in the Prussian province of Westphalia and the small Free State of Lippe from 1933 to 1945...
, from which they were relegated after the inaugural season. Three attempts of gaining promotion failed before their return to the top flight was won in 1938. Their best performance in the Gauliga was the 1939–40 campaign, where Arminia finished second. Two years later, Arminia was one only two teams to win a match at Schalke 04. On 25 July 1943 Arminia merged with local rivals VfB 03 Bielefeld. The merger finished the 1943–44 season on the last place.
After World War II, a new league with all teams who competed in the Gauliga Westfalen was formed. Arminia were relegated and failed to win repromotion. In 1947–48, Arminia were a third division side for the first time in their history. After a dominating season in the Bezirksklasse, Arminia was deducted 14 points because they fielded an ineligible player. The next season was already under way when the Landesliga (II) was expanded by two teams. Arminia took their chance, won the league and gained promotion to the Oberliga West
Oberliga West (1947-63)
The Oberliga West was the highest level of the German football league system in the west of Germany from 1947 until the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963...
.
The dream lasted for only a year. Arminia 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...
4–2 at home but finished only second from the bottom. In 1954, Arminia were relegated to the third division. It took eight years before Arminia were a second division side again. They struggled to finish on seventh place to secure a spot in the newly formed Regionalliga West.
Arminia finished their first seasons in mid-table. In 1966, Arminia beat Alemannia Aachen
Alemannia Aachen
Alemannia Aachen is a German football club from the western city of Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia. A long term fixture of the country's second division, Alemannia enjoyed a three-year turn in the top flight in the late 1960s and, after a successful 2005–06 campaign, returned to first division play...
to claim the West German cup for the first time. A year later, forward Ernst Kuster joined the team and went on to become the club‘s all-time leading goal scorer. A 0–1 loss to Wuppertaler SV on the last day of the 1966–67 season held Arminia to enter the Bundesliga promotion play-offs. Arminia were runners-up in the 1969–70 season and won promotion to the Bundesliga after a 2–0 win at Tennis Borussia Berlin
Tennis Borussia Berlin
Tennis Borussia Berlin is a German football club based in Berlin-Westend.- History :The team was founded in 1902 and takes its name from its origins as a tennis and ping-pong club. "Borussia" is a Latinised version of Prussia. In 1903 the club took up football and quickly developed a rivalry with...
in the play-offs.
The team had a poor start in their first Bundesliga season and seemed to be doomed when they started to bribe their opponents. The first fixed match was Arminia‘s 1–0 win at Schalke 04. Arminia also bribed 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...
and Hertha Berlin
Hertha BSC Berlin
Hertha Berliner Sport-Club von 1892, commonly known as Hertha BSC or Hertha Berlin, is a German association football club based in Berlin. A founding member of the German Football Association in Leipzig in 1900, the club has a long history as Berlin's best-supported side...
. Bielefeld finished 14th and started their preparations for the next season when the scandal was unveiled. Arminia was allowed to play the 71–72 season but were forced to relegate to the Regionalliga. Arminia struggled in the following seasons, but were good enough to be appointed to the newly formed 2. Fußball-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...
in 1974.
After two season in mid-table, Arminia had good chances of returning to the Bundesliga in 1976–77
Second Fußball-Bundesliga 1976-77
FC St. Pauli, VfB Stuttgart and TSV 1860 Munich were promoted to the Bundesliga.-Final table:- Results:- Top scorers :-Final table:- Results:- Top scorers :- Promotion playoff :...
but they finished only as runner-up behind 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...
. They faced 1860 Munich in a two-legged play-off whose winner would win promotion to the top flight. Arminia won the first match at home 4–0, but lost the second leg in Munich 0–4. A third match had to played in Frankfurt which Munich won 2–0.
The team was shocked but bounced back to win promotion in 1977–78
Second Fußball-Bundesliga 1977-78
Arminia Bielefeld, Darmstadt 98 and 1. FC Nuremberg were promoted to the Bundesliga.-Final table:- Results:- Top scorers :-Final table:- Results:- Top scorers :- Promotion playoff :...
. Arminia started well and on 10 March 1979, they won 4–0 at Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
. However, Arminia were hit by a slump and were relegated again. The club managed to keep the team together and bounced back after a record-breaking year. They won 30 of 38 matches, scored 120 goals, had a 28 matches unbeaten streak and set a league record by beating Arminia Hannover
Arminia Hannover
SV Arminia Hannover is a German association football club based in Hanover, Lower Saxony.- History :The club was founded in 1910 as FC Arminia Hannover and merged with Rugby-Verein Merkur in 1918, becoming SV Arminia-Merkur. Two years later they re-named themselves SV Arminia Hannover and captured...
11–0.
Arminia struggled to avoid relegation and managed to stay in the Bundesliga for five years, including two finishes on eighth place in 1982–83 and 1983–84. An ugly event shocked Germany when 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...
defender Norbert Siegmann
Norbert Siegmann
Norbert Siegmann is a retired German football player. He spent 11 seasons in the Bundesliga with VfB Stuttgart, Tennis Borussia Berlin and SV Werder Bremen. As of February 2009, he is managing the low-level amateur club SV Weser 08 Bremen. He is probably best known for seriously injuring Ewald...
slashed Ewald Lienen
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...
‘s right thigh
Thigh
In humans the thigh is the area between the pelvis and the knee. Anatomically, it is part of the lower limb.The single bone in the thigh is called the femur...
during a match. The success on the pitch did not prevent the club from suffering declining attendances which enlarged the financial problems. In 1984–85, Arminia finished third from the bottom and lost the relegation play-offs against 1. FC Saarbrücken
1. FC Saarbrücken
1. FC Saarbrücken is a German association football club based in the city of Saarbrücken, Saarland. The club began its existence as the football department of Turnverein Malstatt formed in 1903...
.
The team failed to gain re-promotion and in the fall of 1987, Arminia had debts of 4.5 million Mark. The result was a last place finish in 1987–88
Second Fußball-Bundesliga 1987-88
Stuttgarter Kickers and FC St. Pauli were promoted to the Bundesliga.- Final table :- Promotion playoff :The final place in the Bundesliga was contested between the 3rd place team in the 2.Bundesliga and the 3rd bottom team in the Bundesliga .* Darmstadt 98 3-2 SV Waldhof Mannheim * SV Waldhof...
. Ernst Middendorp
Ernst Middendorp
Ernst Middendorp is a German football manager.- Career :Middendorp coached the South African Castle Premiership team Kaizer Chiefs from the beginning of the 2005/06 season up to March 5, 2007....
became the new manager and assembled a young team for the new season. Arminia led the way in the Oberliga Westfalen
Oberliga Westfalen
From 1978 to 2008, the Oberliga Westfalen was the highest Football League in the region of Westphalia which is part of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. In its last season, it was one of nine Oberligas in German Football, the 4th tier of the German football league system...
but finished only second in 1988–89. They won the Oberliga a year later, but failed in the promotion play-offs to VfB Oldenburg
VfB Oldenburg
VfB Oldenburg is a German association football club based in Oldenburg, Lower Saxony. As of the 2011/12 season they play in the Oberliga Niedersachsenliga, which is at the 5th level of football in Germany.-History:...
and TSV Havelse
TSV Havelse
TSV Havelse is a German association football club based in Garbsen, Lower Saxony, near Hanover.-History:The club was founded in 1912 as FC Pelikan-Havelse by a group of thirteen young men from the small village of Havelse. They took their name from the maker's brand of the first football purchased...
. Four dismal years followed in which the team started well but were unable to compete for the championship.
In the spring of 1994, Arminia created a relatively large media buzz by signing veteran Bundesliga players like Thomas von Heesen
Thomas von Heesen
Thomas von Heesen is a former German football attacking midfielder, and a current coach. He currently manages Austrian side Kapfenberger SV....
, Armin Eck
Armin Eck
Armin Eck is a German football coach and a former player.-Honours:* Bundesliga champion: 1988–89* Bundesliga runner-up: 1987–88-External links:* at transfermarkt.de...
and Fritz Walter
Fritz Walter (1980s footballer)
Fritz Walter is a former German football player, who was nicknamed “Little Fritz”. He is of no relation to German legend of the same name Fritz Walter....
. Arminia struggled at first but went on the become champions of the newly formed Regionalliga West/Südwest
Regionalliga West/Südwest
The Regionalliga West/Südwest was the third tier of the German football league system in the states of Saarland, Rheinland-Pfalz and Nordrhein-Westfalen from 1994 to 2000.- Overview :...
and runners-up in the Second Bundesliga 1995–96. Arminia signed Stefan Kuntz
Stefan Kuntz
Stefan Kuntz is a former German professional footballer and since April 2008 chairman of the German football team 1. FC Kaiserslautern....
for the Bundesliga season 1996–97, their first in 11 years and finished on 14th position.
The club wrote German football history by signing Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian players Ali Daei
Ali Daei
Ali Daei is an Iranian retired football player and former national team coach who currently manages a local Iranian team, Rah Ahan. He is a former captain of the Iran national football team, and is the world's all-time leading goalscorer in international matches...
and Karim Bagheri
Karim Bagheri
Karim Bagheri is a retired professional Iranian player, most notably playing for Persepolis in the Iran Pro League. He was known as a two-footed midfielder and is famous for his powerful and thundering long range shots and free kicks.-Early years:...
along with the SK Brann icon Geirmund Brendesæter
Geirmund Brendesæter
Geirmund "Geddi" Brendesæter is a football defender from Norway.-Club career:He played 13 seasons for Brann. His debut was on 1 June 1991, and he played his last match against Vålerenga in the last match of the season 2003. He played mostly as a right defender...
, whom enjoyed a brief spell with the club in 1997. However, after a poor run after the winter break, Arminia were relegated shortly after Brendesæter had left the club. They bounced back by winning the 1998–99 season. Bruno Labbadia
Bruno Labbadia
Bruno Labbadia is a former German footballer of Italian heritage who is now head coach of German Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart.- Club career :...
became the league‘s top scorer with 28 goals. The club suffered from financial problems and entered the 1999–2000 season with a smaller budget. Relegation followed again after the team became the third team in Bundesliga history to lose ten matches in a row.
Arminia struggled against relegation again the next season and avoided to drop into the Regionalliga in close season. Their fortunes turned around and Arminia won their sixth promotion to the Bundesliga in 2001–02 with Artur Wichniarek
Artur Wichniarek
-Early career in Poland:Wichniarek started his professional career at Lech Poznań in 1992–93 season. The following season he made his Ekstraklasa debut, however, he was not able to secure a place in the starting eleven. In the spring of 1996 was loaned to Polish Second League club Aluminium Konin...
scoring 18 goals. Arminia were almost saved the next year but a slump with only two points out of the last six matches sealed relegation again.
The team bounced back again in 2003/04 and were able to stay in the top flight until 2009. Arminia reached the semi-finals of the German cup in 2005 and 2006. Arminia played their fifth consecutive Bundesliga season in 2008–09. They finished last and were relegated to the Second 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...
. However, after finishing seventh in their first season in the Second Bundesliga, their next season was fraught with manager sackings and financial difficulties. After a poor season, picking up only 16 points and winning only four games, Bielefeld were relegated to the 3rd 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...
.
Colours and crest
Arminia took the club colours blue, white and black upon their foundation in 1905. The colours haven‘t changed though the current club colours are black, white and blue. Despite of this, Arminia played their first match in an orange kit. Arminia‘s home kit was blue for most of the time while shorts and socks were white. The team that won promotion to the Bundesliga in 1970 wore a blue shirt with thick white stripes. The current home kit is blue with a white hoop, black shorts and white socks. The away kit was mostly all white while green shirts were worn in the 1990s. Currently the away kit consists of a white shirt, white shorts and black socks. Their third kit is entirely maroon and is being used if their other kits clash with the kit of the other teams.The crest consists of a flag with the club‘s colours black, white and blue from left to right. The white part of the flag
Flag
A flag is a piece of fabric with a distinctive design that is usually rectangular and used as a symbol, as a signaling device, or decoration. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag, or to its depiction in another medium.The first flags were used to assist...
includes the letter A for Arminia. The flag is surrounded by a wreath
Wreath
A wreath is an assortment of flowers, leaves, fruits, twigs and/or various materials that is constructed to resemble a ring. They are used typically as Christmas decorations to symbolize the coming of Christ, also known as the Advent season in Christianity. They are also used as festive headdresses...
of oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
.
Stadium
Lease
A lease is a contractual arrangement calling for the lessee to pay the lessor for use of an asset. A rental agreement is a lease in which the asset is tangible property...
d a ground from a farmer named Lohmann. The ground didn‘t look like a football pitch. The club member Heinrich Pahl said that the area looks like an Alm (German for alpine
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
). The stadium was known as the Alm. Arminia played its first match against Victoria Hamburg on 1 May 1926. The first grandstands were constructed in 1954. When Arminia won promotion to the Bundesliga in 1970, the Alm underwent a genereal development. A main stand with seats was built and the northern and eastern stands were enlarged. The Alm had a capacity of 30,000 and floodlight
Floodlights (sport)
Floodlights are broad-beamed, high-intensity artificial lights often used to illuminate outdoor playing fields while an outdoor sports event is being held during low-light conditions....
s were installed. In 1978, a roof was added to the main stands and the other stands were enlarged again. The stadium had a capacity of 35,000 then.
When Arminia was relegated to the Oberliga in 1988, the northern and the southern stand were torn down because both stands didn‘t match the new safety regulations. The eastern stand was also made smaller and a roof was added. The capacity was reduced to about 15,000. After Arminia won promotion to the Bundesliga in 1996, the main and northern stands were demolished and completely rebuilt. The same happened to the south stand in 1999. In 2004, Arminia signed a sponsorship deal with Schüco
Schuco
Schuco is a German toy maker founded in 1912 by Heinrich Müller and the businessman Heinrich Schreyer in Nuremberg, since early days, Germany's toy capital. Its specialty was usually cars and trucks in both tin and diecast...
and the stadium was named SchücoArena. The latest redevelopment saw the eastern stand being rebuilt in 2008.
The Bielefelder Alm has a capacity of 28,008, including 20,381 seats. Bielefelder Alm is a candidate to host matches of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Supporters
Arminia have a large number of loyal supporters. The average attendance was just above 20,000 in recent seasons. In 2007–08, Arminia had an average of 21,535 which was the third lowest in the league. The core of the fans can be found on the terraces of the Southern Stand.Arminia‘s fans come primarely from the Ostwestfalen-Lippe
Ostwestfalen-Lippe
Ostwestfalen-Lippe , abbreviation OWL, is a region in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, with a 2,000-years-old history and culture. Ostwestfalen-Lippe is the eastern part of the region of Westphalia, joined with the Lippe region. Translated to English, the name would be East...
region with a catchment area
Catchment area (human geography)
In human geography, a catchment area is the area and population from which a city or individual service attracts visitors or customers. For example, a school catchment area is the geographic area from which students are eligible to attend a local school...
of about 100 kilometers around Bielefeld. There are around 100 fanclubs, mostly from Ostwestfalen-Lippe. However, there are fanclubs in Berlin, Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, London, Birmingham, Taunton, Austria and the Netherlands.
Current squad
(c)Arminia Bielefeld II squad
Manager:
Armin Perrey100 Year Team
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the club's formation fans were polled to find Arminia's greatest ever team. The following players were chosen:- Uli SteinUli SteinUlrich "Uli" Stein is a former German football player. He was a goalkeeper and between 1978 and 1997, made 512 appearances in the German Bundesliga. He began his career in 1978 with Arminia Bielefeld. After two years, he moved to Hamburger SV where he played from 1980 to 1987...
- Günther SchäferGünther SchäferGünther Schäfer is a German football coach and a former player.In his sixteen years playing for VfB Stuttgart, the defender gained the status of being one of the most popular players ever to play for that Swabian Bundesliga side and one of the few players to earn two German championship titles...
- Dieter Schulz
- Thomas StratosThomas StratosThomas Stratos is a Greek football coach and a former player who currently manages SC Wiedenbrück 2000.-External links:...
- Walter Claus-Oehler
- Frank PagelsdorfFrank PagelsdorfFrank 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:* *...
- Thomas von HeesenThomas von HeesenThomas von Heesen is a former German football attacking midfielder, and a current coach. He currently manages Austrian side Kapfenberger SV....
- Norbert EilenfeldtNorbert EilenfeldtNorbert Eilenfeldt is a retired German football player. He spent eight seasons in the Bundesliga with Arminia Bielefeld, 1. FC Kaiserslautern and FC Schalke 04. The best league finish he achieved was fourth place....
- Bernd Kirchner
- Bruno LabbadiaBruno LabbadiaBruno Labbadia is a former German footballer of Italian heritage who is now head coach of German Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart.- Club career :...
- Ewald LienenEwald LienenEwald 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...
Manager – Ernst Middendorp
Ernst Middendorp
Ernst Middendorp is a German football manager.- Career :Middendorp coached the South African Castle Premiership team Kaizer Chiefs from the beginning of the 2005/06 season up to March 5, 2007....
Honours
Even though Arminia Bielefeld never won any major trophies, they have won some silverware on a minor level.League titles
- 2. Fußball-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...
:- Winners (3): 1978, 1980, 1999
- Runners-up (3): 1977, 1996, 2004
- Regionalliga West/SüdwestRegionalliga West/SüdwestThe Regionalliga West/Südwest was the third tier of the German football league system in the states of Saarland, Rheinland-Pfalz and Nordrhein-Westfalen from 1994 to 2000.- Overview :...
:- Winners (1): 1995
- Gauliga WestfalenGauliga WestfalenThe Gauliga Westphalia was the highest football league in the Prussian province of Westphalia and the small Free State of Lippe from 1933 to 1945...
:- Runners-up (1): 1940
- Oberliga WestfalenOberliga WestfalenFrom 1978 to 2008, the Oberliga Westfalen was the highest Football League in the region of Westphalia which is part of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. In its last season, it was one of nine Oberligas in German Football, the 4th tier of the German football league system...
:- Winners (1): 1990
- Runners-up (1): 1989
Regional titles
- Western German football championshipWestern German football championshipThe Western German football championship was the highest association football competition in Western Germany, in the Prussian Province of Westphalia, the Rhine Province, the northern parts of the province of Hesse-Nassau as well as the Principality of Lippe, later to become the Free State of Lippe...
- Winners: 1922
- Runners-up: 1913, 1924
- Westphalian championWestphaliaWestphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...
:- Winners (11): 1912, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1933, 1962, 1990
- Runners-up (1): 1929, 1989
Cups
- West German cup winner:
- Winners (2): 1966, 1974
- Westphalian cup winner:
- Winners (2): 1908, 1932
Former coaches
| Coach | Nationality | from | to | Significant events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frantisek Zoubec |  |
1922 | 1923 | Westgerman Champion 1923 |
| Gerd Wellhöfer |  |
1923 | 1924 | Westfalen Champion 1924 |
| Frantisek Zoubec Gerd Wellhöfer |
|
1924 | 1925 | Westfalen Champion 1925 |
| Gerd Wellhöfer | |
1925 | 1926 | Westfalen Champion 1926 |
| Frantisek Zoubec | |
1926 | 1933 | Westfalen Champion 1923, 1933 Westfälischer Cup Winner 1932 Qualification to the Gauliga Westfalen 1933 |
| Otto Faist | |
1933 | 1935 | Abstieg aus der Gauliga 1934 |
| Wellnecker | |
1935 | 1938 | Climbing in the Gauliga 1938 |
| Erich Brochmeyer | |
1938 | 1939 | |
| Ferdinand Swatosch |  |
1939 | 1940 | Vice Champion o the Gauliga |
| Otto Kranefeld | |
1940 | 1942 | |
| Karl Wunderlich | |
1942 | 1945 | |
| Erich Brochmeyer | |
1945 | 1946 | Relegation to the Landesliga |
| Ferdinand Swatosch | |
1946 | 1947 | |
| Karl Wunderlich | |
1947 | 1948 | Climbing in the Landesliga |
| Alois Münstermann | |
1948 | 1949 | Climbing in the Oberliga |
| Friedrich Otto | |
1949 | 1950 | Relegation to the 2. Liga West |
| Fritz Kaiser | |
1950 | 1951 | |
| Hellmut Meidt | |
1951 | 1953 | |
| Donndorf | |
1953 | 1955 | Relegation to the Landesliga 1954 |
| Otto Westphal | |
1955 | 1958 | |
| Arthur Gruber | |
1958 | 19.03.1961 | first Coach sacking |
| Jupp Rasselnberg | |
20.03.1961 | 1961 | |
| Jakob Wimmer | |
1961 | April 1963 | Climbing in the 2. Liga West 1962 |
| Hellmut Meidt | |
April 1963 | 1965 | Qualification to the Regionalliga 1963 |
| Robert Gebhardt | |
1965 | 1966 | Westdeutscher Cup Winner Westfälischer Cup Winner |
| Hans Wendtland | |
1966 | November 1969 | |
| Egon Piechaczek |  |
November 1969 | December 1971 | Climbing in the Bundesliga 1970 |
| Hellmut Meidt | |
January 1972 | January 1972 | |
| Jan Notermans |  |
February 1972 | October 1972 | Relegation to the Regionalliga |
| Willi Nolting | |
October 1972 | February 1973 | |
| Norbert Lessle | |
February 1973 | September 1973 | |
| H. Garstecki | |
September 1973 | October 1973 | |
| Willi Nolting | |
October 1973 | Januar 1974 | |
| Rudi Faßnacht | |
January 1974 | 1974 | Qualification to the 2. Bundesliga Westfälischer Cup Winner |
| Erhard Ahmann | |
1974 | 1976 | |
| Karl-Heinz Feldkamp Karl-Heinz Feldkamp Karl-Heinz Feldkamp is a German football manager and former player.Feldkamp has been coaching football since 1968. In Germany, he has coached Borussia Dortmund, Kaiserslautern, and Eintracht Frankfurt, among others. He previously coached Galatasaray in 1992–93, and also coached another Istanbul... |
|
1976 | 1978 | Climbing in the Bundesliga |
| Milovan Beljin |  |
1978 | October 1978 | |
| Otto Rehhagel Otto Rehhagel Otto Rehhagel is a German football coach and former football player. Along with Helmut Schön, Ottmar Hitzfeld, Udo Lattek and Hennes Weisweiler, he is considered one of the most successful German managers.... |
|
October 1978 | October 1979 | Relegation to the 2. Bundesliga 1978 |
| Willi Nolting | |
October 1979 | October 1979 | |
| Hans-Dieter Tippenhauer | |
October 1979 | September 1980 | Climbing in the Bundesliga |
| Willi Nolting | |
September 1980 | December 1980 | |
| Horst Franz Horst Franz Horst Franz is a German football manager. His son Sascha Franz is a football coach as well, currently, as of 2008, an assistant with FC Augsburg.He began his coaching career in Austria.-External links:... |
|
December 1980 | 1982 | |
| Horst Köppel Horst Köppel Horst Köppel is a German football manager and former player, who last worked as Head coach for FC Ingolstadt 04.-Player:* UEFA Euro 1972 winner.* European Cup runner-up: 1977.* UEFA Cup winner: 1975, 1979.... |
|
1982 | 1983 | Place 8 in the Bundesliga |
| Karl-Heinz Feldkamp | |
1983 | March 1984 | |
| Gerd Roggensack | |
March 1984 | February 1986 | Platz 8 in der Bundesliga 1984 Relegation to the 2. Bundesliga 1985 |
| Horst Franz | |
February 1986 | November 1986 | |
| Fritz Fuchs Fritz Fuchs Fritz Fuchs is a German football coach and a former player. As a player, he spent six seasons in the Bundesliga with 1. FC Kaiserslautern. As a coach, his biggest success was managing FC Homburg to their promotion to the Bundesliga.His son Uwe Fuchs is a coach as well... |
|
November 1986 | December 1987 | |
| Joachim Krug | |
December 1987 | April 1988 | |
| Ernst Middendorp Ernst Middendorp Ernst Middendorp is a German football manager.- Career :Middendorp coached the South African Castle Premiership team Kaizer Chiefs from the beginning of the 2005/06 season up to March 5, 2007.... |
|
April 1988 | October 1990 | Relegation to the Oberliga 1988 Champion of the Oberliga Westfalen 1990 |
| Franz Raschid | |
October 1990 | 1991 | |
| Fritz Grösche | |
1991 | 1992 | |
| Ingo Peter | |
1992 | February 1994 | |
| Theo Schneider Theo Schneider Theo Schneider is a German football coach and a former player. As of February 2011, he manages Rot-Weiß Oberhausen.-External links:... |
|
February 1994 | 1994 | Qualification for the Regionalliga West/Südwest |
| 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:... |
|
1994 | September 1994 | |
| Ernst Middendorp | |
September 1994 | 16.08.1998 | Climbing in the 2. Bundesliga 1995 Climbing in the Bundesliga 1996 Relegation to the 2. Bundesliga |
| Thomas von Heesen Thomas von Heesen Thomas von Heesen is a former German football attacking midfielder, and a current coach. He currently manages Austrian side Kapfenberger SV.... |
|
17.08.1998 | 1999 | Climbing in the Bundesliga |
| Hermann Gerland Hermann Gerland Hermann Gerland is a German former football player and manager. He is currently the manager of the reserve team of the German Bundesliga side FC Bayern Munich.- Career :... |
|
1999 | October 2000 | Relegation to the 2. Bundesliga |
| Benno Möhlmann Benno Möhlmann Benno Hans Möhlmann is a former German footballer who most recently managed FC Ingolstadt 04.- Career :... |
|
October 2000 | 16.02.2004 | Climbing in the Bundesliga Relegation to the 2. Bundesliga |
| Thomas von Heesen | |
17.02.2004 | 29.02.2004 | |
| Uwe Rapolder Uwe Rapolder -External links:... |
|
01.03.2004 | 10.05.2005 | Climbing to the Bundesliga |
| Frank Geideck Frank Geideck Frank Geideck is a German football coach and a former player. As of February 2009, he is an assistant manager with Arminia Bielefeld.-External links:... |
|
11.05.2005 | 2005 | |
| Thomas von Heesen | |
2005 | 11.02.2007 | |
| Frank Geideck | |
11.02.2007 | 13.03.2007 | |
| Ernst Middendorp | |
14.03.2007 | 09.12.2007 | |
| Detlev Dammeier Detlev Dammeier Detlev Dammeier is a German football coach and a former player who was last the athletic director of Arminia Bielefeld.-Career:... |
|
10.12.2007 | 31.12.2007 | |
| Michael Frontzeck Michael Frontzeck Michael Frontzeck is a German football coach and former footballer. For the Germany national football team, he earned 19 caps and was in the squad for Euro 1992.- Player career :... |
|
01.01.2008 | 17.05.2009 | |
| Jörg Berger Jörg Berger Jörg Berger was a German football manager and player, who last managed Arminia Bielefeld.- Coaching career :... |
|
19.05.2009 | – | Relegation to the 2. Bundesliga |
| Thomas Gerstner Thomas Gerstner Thomas Gerstner is a German football manager and former player. He last managed Kickers Offenbach in the German 3rd Liga.-Playing career:... |
|
24.06.2009 | 11.03.2010 | |
| Frank Eulberg & Jörg Böhme Jörg Böhme Jörg Böhme is a German former footballer who works as assistant coach of Arminia Bielefeld.-Career:As a professional he has played for FC Carl Zeiss Jena, 1. FC Nuremberg, Eintracht Frankfurt, 1860 München, Arminia Bielefeld, FC Schalke 04 and Borussia Mönchengladbach... |
|
11.03.2010 | 26.05.2010 | |
| Christian Ziege Christian Ziege Christian Ziege is a former German football defender and midfielder. With the German national team, Ziege won Euro 96. An attacking left wingback, Ziege was considered a dead-ball specialist.-Club career:... |
|
26.05.2010 | 06.11.2010 | |
| Ewald Lienen 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... |
|
07.11.2010 | May 2011 | Relegated to the 3. Bundesliga |
| Markus von Ahlen Markus von Ahlen Markus von Ahlen is a German football coach and a former player who was most recently managing Arminia Bielefeld.-External links:* at transfermarkt.de... |
|
01.07.2011 | Unknown Leaving Date | |
| Stefan Krämer | |
01.07.2011 | Present |