FC Gossau
Encyclopedia
FC Gossau is a Swiss
football
club from the city of Gossau in the canton of St. Gallen. The club currently plays in the Challenge League
, the second-highest level of Swiss football.
After another relegation to the 2. Liga in 1987, Roger Heri composed a new team and induced the "second bloom" of the FC Gossau in the nineties. In 1992, they achieved the promotion to the 1. Liga, after victories against FC Solothurn
and FC Monthey they even got to the second level in 1993. Despite of the fact that there were seven clubs which had to relegate, they managed to remain in the NLB because they defeated FC Chiasso
in the play-offs. However, in the following season they failed to avoid the relegation. Under the management of Heinz Bigler
, the team defeated Ascona
and AC Bellinzona
in the play-offs and made it to reascend to NLB.
However, the last second level membership of FC Gossau so far (season 1996/97) lasted merely one season. While heading the table after the fifth matchday, the team afterwards fell back to the last place but one until winter break. Neither a change of manager nor the engagement of several new players caused the looked-for staying in the league. Thereafter, FC Gossau played with changing successes in the 1. Liga until 2006/2007 when they managed to reach the promotion again.
The club hit the headlines when they defeated the favourite FC St. Gallen
in the Swiss Cup by 2-0 in 2007.
According to rumors, the club faces allegations to be involved in match-fixing during season 2008/09. Sources believe that a former goalkeeper and a defender, still member of the squad, were bribed by a betting gang. and released on 23 November 2009 Mario Bigoni in the course of the 2009 European football betting scandal
.
In May 2010, former players Marc Lütolf
, Mario Bigoni, Darko Damjanović
were given open-ended suspensions.
Argentina Jorge Ariel Fernández
Bosnia and Herzegovina Velimir Vidić
Brazil Valmir Pontes
France Olivier Boumelaha
Virgile Boumelaha
Germany Andreas Wagenhaus
Nigeria Henry Ekubo
Slovenia Tomislav Misura
Ljubisa Strbać
Switzerland Thomas Alder Fabio Digenti
Samuel Haas Thomas Knöpfel Rupert Marko
Beat Rietmann Alfred Scheiwiler Florian Wehrli Vincenzo Zinna
Marco Zwyssig
Turkey Ali Özcakmak
Ramazan Baspinar
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
club from the city of Gossau in the canton of St. Gallen. The club currently plays in the Challenge League
Challenge League
The Swiss Challenge League is the second highest tier of the Swiss Football League. Sixteen teams play in the Challenge League. The winners of the league are promoted to the Super League, and the bottom two teams are relegated to the 1. Liga...
, the second-highest level of Swiss football.
History
After its foundation in 1906, FC Gossau spent the first 65 years of its history in almost entire unimportance. This changed in 1971 when they advanced for the first time to the 1. Liga (third level) by a 3-0 victory against FC Widnau. Between 1975 and 1978, they even managed to reach the promotion to the second level (NLB). Changeful years followed, the Club played mostly in the 1. or 2. Liga.After another relegation to the 2. Liga in 1987, Roger Heri composed a new team and induced the "second bloom" of the FC Gossau in the nineties. In 1992, they achieved the promotion to the 1. Liga, after victories against FC Solothurn
FC Solothurn
FC Solothurn is a Swiss football club based in Solothurn. The club has played in Nationalliga B , and currently plays at 1. Liga .-History:...
and FC Monthey they even got to the second level in 1993. Despite of the fact that there were seven clubs which had to relegate, they managed to remain in the NLB because they defeated FC Chiasso
FC Chiasso
FC Chiasso is a Swiss football club based in Chiasso. It was founded in 1905.Chiasso also played in the Italian first league between 1914 and 1923....
in the play-offs. However, in the following season they failed to avoid the relegation. Under the management of Heinz Bigler
Heinz Bigler
Heinz Bigler is a Swiss football midfielder who played for Switzerland in the 1954 FIFA World Cup. He also played for BSC Young Boys.-External links:*...
, the team defeated Ascona
Ascona
Ascona is a municipality in the district of Locarno in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.It is located on the shore of Lake Maggiore.The town is a popular tourist destination, and holds a yearly jazz festival, the Ascona Jazz Festival....
and AC Bellinzona
AC Bellinzona
AC Bellinzona is a Swiss football club based in Bellinzona. It was founded in 1904, and won the Swiss Super League in 1948.-History:Since Bellinzona is an Italian speaking region, many Italian Serie A clubs loan youth players to the club to get first team experience. AS Roma are a parent club to...
in the play-offs and made it to reascend to NLB.
However, the last second level membership of FC Gossau so far (season 1996/97) lasted merely one season. While heading the table after the fifth matchday, the team afterwards fell back to the last place but one until winter break. Neither a change of manager nor the engagement of several new players caused the looked-for staying in the league. Thereafter, FC Gossau played with changing successes in the 1. Liga until 2006/2007 when they managed to reach the promotion again.
The club hit the headlines when they defeated the favourite FC St. Gallen
FC St. Gallen
Football Club St. Gallen 1879 is a Swiss football club based in St. Gallen. The club is currently playing in the 2011/12 Swiss Challenge League.-Brief history:...
in the Swiss Cup by 2-0 in 2007.
According to rumors, the club faces allegations to be involved in match-fixing during season 2008/09. Sources believe that a former goalkeeper and a defender, still member of the squad, were bribed by a betting gang. and released on 23 November 2009 Mario Bigoni in the course of the 2009 European football betting scandal
2009 European football betting scandal
The 2009 European football betting scandal was an attempt to influence the outcome of professional association football matches in Europe, and to defraud the gambling industry by betting on the results...
.
In May 2010, former players Marc Lütolf
Marc Lütolf
Marc Lütolf is a former Swiss footballerIn February 2008 he joined Gossau. He was released in February 2010.In May 2010, Lütolf and former team-mate Darko Damjanović, Mario Bigoni were given open-ended suspensions after involved in the 2009 European football betting scandal.Her played for Swiss...
, Mario Bigoni, Darko Damjanović
Darko Damjanovic
Darko Damjanović is a former Swiss footballer.He played 5 games in Super League in 2002–03 season.In May 2010, he was given an open-ended suspension after involved in in the 2009 European football betting scandal. His former team-mate Marc Lütolf and Mario Bigoni were also banned.-External links:*...
were given open-ended suspensions.
Current squad
Notable former players
- See also .
Argentina Jorge Ariel Fernández
Jorge Ariel Fernández
Jorge Ariel Fernández Gerez is an Argentine footballer. He plays for Jumilla CF, in the Segunda División B in Spain.-External links:*...
Bosnia and Herzegovina Velimir Vidić
Velimir Vidic
Velimir Vidić is a Bosnian football defender currently playing for RNK Split in Croatia. Vidić also has Croatian citizenship.He joined from MŠK Žilina in the Corgoň liga to FC Gossau on 4 February 2009.-External links:...
Brazil Valmir Pontes
France Olivier Boumelaha
Olivier Boumelaha
Olivier Hakim Boumelaha is a French football striker of Algerian descent. He last played for FC Gossau in the Swiss Challenge League. He is the older brother of Virgile Boumelaha and Sabri Boumelaha.- Career :...
Virgile Boumelaha
Virgile Boumelaha
Virgile Boumelaha is a French association footballer of Algerian descent, he plays for FC Grenchen.- Career :...
Germany Andreas Wagenhaus
Andreas Wagenhaus
-External links:*...
Nigeria Henry Ekubo
Henry Ekubo
Henry Ekubo is a Nigerian footballer. He currently plays for FC Linth 04.-Football career:Ekubo started his career at St. Gallen. He made his debut in 2000-01 season and move on loan to Kriens of Challenge League. He returned to St. Gallen in 2003-04 season.Ekubo left the club in summer 2004, and...
Slovenia Tomislav Misura
Tomislav Mišura
Tomislav Mišura is a Slovenian association footballer who last played for the Newcastle Jets.His previous club is Interblock....
Ljubisa Strbać
Switzerland Thomas Alder Fabio Digenti
Fabio Digenti
Fabio Digenti is a Swiss football player. He currently plays for FC Winterthur.Digenti previously played in the Swiss Super League for Grasshopper-Club Zürich.He also has Italian and English descent.-References:...
Samuel Haas Thomas Knöpfel Rupert Marko
Rupert Marko
Rupert Marko is a retired Austrian football player and a coach currently managing SV Horn.-External links:* at Austria archiv.* on Transfermarkt....
Beat Rietmann Alfred Scheiwiler Florian Wehrli Vincenzo Zinna
Vincenzo Zinna
Vincenzo Zinna is a Swiss football player who last plays as a midfielder for FC Gossau in the Swiss Challenge League.-Club career:...
Marco Zwyssig
Marco Zwyssig
Marco Zwyssig is a retired Swiss football defender. He is best remembered for his time at FC St. Gallen and FC Basel. He also played for the Switzerland national football team.- Football career :...
Turkey Ali Özcakmak
Ramazan Baspinar