FC Enikon Augsburg
Encyclopedia
The FC Enikon Augsburg was a German football club
from Augsburg
, Bavaria
that was active from the late 70s until the mid-90s.
n migrants and languished in the lower leagues of the Schwaben football league system
for most of its short existence. It climbed into higher level competition through the financial support of Croatian construction company Enikon.
The team rose rapidly through the early 1990s, winning promotion almost every year. A championship in the Bezirksliga Schwaben-Süd
(VII) in 1992 advanced the side to the Bezirksoberliga Schwaben
(VI). After finishing second there, they won promotion to the Landesliga Bayern-Süd
(V) through the promotion play-off. Another second place result and a successful promotion round
with the other Landesliga runners-up gained the team entry to the Bayernliga
(IV) for the 1994–95 season.
Enikon's primary objective was to one day play league games against the long established and well-known local side FC Augsburg
. They narrowly missed that goal as FCA was promoted ahead of them to the Regionalliga Süd
(III).
The club found competition in the Bayernliga to be more difficult and struggled for survival there. After a promising start in which Enikon won their first two matches of the season, the club quickly fell into the relegation zone. They finished in 16th place with a record of ten wins, nine draws and fifteen defeats and would have been immediately sent down if not for the withdrawal of 1. FC Amberg
from the league allowing Enikon to take Amberg's spot in the relegation play-offs. They won their first round match over Alemannia Haibach
(2:1), but were sent back down to Landesliga play after losing to SpVgg Weiden
.
to retain a Landesliga spot for an Augsburg team did not materialize as TSG were themselves struggling financially.
The club was well recognized in the region for the technical skill of its players, who were mostly, but not exclusively, of Croatian origin. Support for this is found in the club's rapid rise, and its 1994 win in the Schwaben indoor football championship followed by a second place result in the Bavarian championship. FC Enikon remains to this day the most successful non-Turkish migrant club in Bavaria.
Football in Germany
Association football is the most popular sport in Germany. The German Football Association is the sport's national governing body, with 6.6 million members organized in over 26,000 football clubs. There is a league system, with the 1. and 2. Bundesliga on top, and the winner of the first...
from Augsburg
Augsburg
Augsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. It is a university town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a...
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
that was active from the late 70s until the mid-90s.
History
The club was formed in 1978 by CroatiaCroatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n migrants and languished in the lower leagues of the Schwaben football league system
Schwaben football league system
The Schwaben football league system is a league system operating in the Bavarian Regierungsbezirk of Swabia .-Overview:...
for most of its short existence. It climbed into higher level competition through the financial support of Croatian construction company Enikon.
The team rose rapidly through the early 1990s, winning promotion almost every year. A championship in the Bezirksliga Schwaben-Süd
Bezirksliga Schwaben-Süd
The Bezirksliga Schwaben-Süd is currently the 8th tier of the German football league system in the southern half of the Bavarian Regierungsbezirk of Swabia...
(VII) in 1992 advanced the side to the Bezirksoberliga Schwaben
Bezirksoberliga Schwaben
The Bezirksoberliga Schwaben is currently the 7th tier of the German football league system in the Bavarian Regierungsbezirk of Swabia . Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga in 2008 it was the 6th tier of the league system....
(VI). After finishing second there, they won promotion to the Landesliga Bayern-Süd
Landesliga Bayern-Süd
The Landesliga Bayern-Süd is currently the 6th tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga it was the 5th tier of the league system....
(V) through the promotion play-off. Another second place result and a successful promotion round
Promotion to the Oberliga Bayern
The Fußball-Bayernliga, the fifth tier of the German football league system and highest football league in the state of Bavaria, has four teams annually promoted to the league, the champions of the three Landesligas, and a fourth club, determined by an annual promotion round...
with the other Landesliga runners-up gained the team entry to the Bayernliga
Oberliga Bayern
The Fußball-Bayernliga, commonly referred to as the Bayernliga, is the highest football league in the state of Bavaria and the Bavarian Football League System. It is one of eleven Oberligas in German football, the fifth tier of the German football league system...
(IV) for the 1994–95 season.
Enikon's primary objective was to one day play league games against the long established and well-known local side FC Augsburg
FC Augsburg
FC Augsburg is a German football club based in Augsburg, Bavaria. The team was founded as Fußball-Klub Alemania Augsburg in 1907 and played as BC Augsburg from 1921 to 1969....
. They narrowly missed that goal as FCA was promoted ahead of them to the Regionalliga Süd
Regionalliga Süd
The Regionalliga Süd 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 southern part of Germany...
(III).
The club found competition in the Bayernliga to be more difficult and struggled for survival there. After a promising start in which Enikon won their first two matches of the season, the club quickly fell into the relegation zone. They finished in 16th place with a record of ten wins, nine draws and fifteen defeats and would have been immediately sent down if not for the withdrawal of 1. FC Amberg
1. FC Amberg
FC Amberg is a German football club from the city of Amberg, Bavaria. The team was established on 6 April 1921 as Amberg Fußballverein and on 17 January 1939 adopted the name Verein für Leibesübungen Amberg.-History:...
from the league allowing Enikon to take Amberg's spot in the relegation play-offs. They won their first round match over Alemannia Haibach
Alemannia Haibach
The Alemannia Haibach is a German association football club from the town of Haibach, Bavaria.The club's most notable moment came in 1996–97, when it spent a season in the tier four Fußball-Bayernliga...
(2:1), but were sent back down to Landesliga play after losing to SpVgg Weiden
SpVgg Weiden
SpVgg Weiden is a German association football club from the city of Weiden, Bavaria.Playing in the tier-four Regionalliga Süd in 2010–11, the club had to declare insolvency after being more than Euro 1 million in debt...
.
Disbanding of the club
As the club's Bayernliga campaign was coming to a close it became clear that sponsor Enikon could not continue its support and that without their financial backing the team could not afford to carry on in the upcoming season. The decision was made to withdraw and FC was disbanded after the 1994–95 season. A proposal to merge with TSG AugsburgTSG Augsburg
The TSG Augsburg is a German football and sports club from Augsburg, Schwaben, formed in 1885. It consists of over 2500 members in 13 different departments ranging from football to alpine skiing.-Overview:...
to retain a Landesliga spot for an Augsburg team did not materialize as TSG were themselves struggling financially.
Legacy
Like many immigrant-based clubs in Germany, Enikon suffered from the lack of a home ground and training facilities throughout its existence, having to share facilities with other clubs in Augsburg.The club was well recognized in the region for the technical skill of its players, who were mostly, but not exclusively, of Croatian origin. Support for this is found in the club's rapid rise, and its 1994 win in the Schwaben indoor football championship followed by a second place result in the Bavarian championship. FC Enikon remains to this day the most successful non-Turkish migrant club in Bavaria.
League
- Landesliga Bayern-SüdLandesliga Bayern-SüdThe Landesliga Bayern-Süd is currently the 6th tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga it was the 5th tier of the league system....
(IV)- Runners up: 1994
- Bezirksoberliga SchwabenBezirksoberliga SchwabenThe Bezirksoberliga Schwaben is currently the 7th tier of the German football league system in the Bavarian Regierungsbezirk of Swabia . Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga in 2008 it was the 6th tier of the league system....
(V)- Runners up: 1993
- Bezirksliga Schwaben-SüdBezirksliga Schwaben-SüdThe Bezirksliga Schwaben-Süd is currently the 8th tier of the German football league system in the southern half of the Bavarian Regierungsbezirk of Swabia...
(VI)- Champions: 1992
Indoor
- Bavarian indoor football championship
- Runners up: 1994
- Schwaben indoor football championship
- Champions: 1994
Sources
- Das Fussball Jahresjournal, an annual publication by the Schwaben Football Association (SFV)