FC Gundelfingen
Encyclopedia
The FC Gundelfingen is a German association football club
from Gundelfingen an der Donau
, Bavaria
. A longtime fourth and fifth division side, the club is one of the top sides from Schwaben and has six Schwäbischer-Pokal
(Schwaben Cup) wins to its credit.
The club survived the turbulent days of 1923 with its hyper inflation, travelling to away matches on horse drawn carts, and went on to win its first title in 1924 when they won the C-Klasse and gained promotion to the B-Klasse. Despite struggling financially, the club became independent again 1 March 1924 and adopted green and white as the new team colours. They went on to capture the B-Klasse title, but refused promotion due to their poor financial state. In 1926, FCG met local rival FC Lauingen for the first time with the clubs playing to a 2-2 draw. 1928 brought another B-Klasse championship and this time the club accepted promotion to A-Klasse. On the club's tenth anniversary in 1930, it had 150 members.
FCG continued to suffer financial problems through the early 1930s and the formation of two new clubs, Catholic-sponsored DJK Gundelfingen and the worker's club ASV Gundelfingen, drew members away. The rise to power of the Nazis led to a ban on faith-based and worker's clubs in 1933, while other clubs like FCG were forced to accept club chairmen selected by the local NSDAP leader. The club did not distinguish itself in competition in those years and suffered a 0–9 defeat against BC Augsburg
in 1937 regional cup match. Success returned in 1939 with the capture of the Kreisklasse
Nord title, followed by an unbeaten run through the promotion round into the Bezirksklasse
Schwaben.
With the start of World War II
, FCG fielded only a first team as, throughout the country, young footballers were drafted to the army. Playing a reduced league program, the club still managed to perform rather well, defeating FC Lauingen 9–2 in the 35th edition of the local derby. Despite the difficulties imposed by the war, the club remained one of the few in Schwaben to carry out football games almost to the end of the conflict, although these were mostly friendlies as other clubs had few players available.
, leaving the club heavily depleted. With the return of league football in 1946, FCG found itself grouped in the 2. Schwäbische Liga.
They managed to win the first ever Schwaben Cup
in 1947, and on 13 June 1948 played their final game at their longtime home ground Am Pflanzengarten before moving to a new facility. FCG won its second cup in 1949 before 20,000 spectators in Augsburg
in a curtain raiser match played before the C Augsburg versus VfB Stuttgart
Oberliga Süd
contest.
Now part of the 2. Amateurliga Schwaben, they won a third Schwaben Cup title in 1955, and in 1963, opened the Schwaben Stadion.
and restructuring of all other lower-tier leagues. The 2. Amateurliga Schwaben became the Bezirksliga Schwaben (V) and from 1968 onwards was played in northern and southern groups. FCG belonged first to the Bezirksliga, and later, the Bezirksliga Schwaben-Nord
(V), where the won the title in 1971. The club gained promotion to the Landesliga Bayern-Süd
(IV) and firmly established themselves there. They finished 5th in 1974 and had three 6th place results in the following years. At this time, the club also started fielding a women's team. In 1973, the club beat Luton Town 2–1 in a friendly in Gundelfingen. The Under-19 side won promotion to the A-Jugend Bayernliga Süd for the first time in 1976, the highest league for this age group in southern Bavaria and faced FC Bayern Munich
and TSV 1860 München
there.
Despite struggling, they survived relegation troubles through the 1980s, before an upturn in the 1990s. Ultimately they remained part of Landesliga play for 22 years, setting a league record. FCG also set an all-time record in the Landesliga Süd in 1991–92 when it conceded only 18 goals all season. In 1990, 1991 and 1992, FCG earned consecutive second place finishes and captured their 4th and 5th Schwaben Cups in 1991 and 1992, making them the number three club in Schwaben behind FC Augsburg
and FC Memmingen
. Qualifying for the DFB-Pokal
(German Cup), FC Gundelfingen narrowly lost to Bayer Uerdingen 1–0 at home, in front of 4,500. Playoff losses in 1990 to SpVgg Bayreuth
(0–3) and in 1991 to SpVgg Landshut
(1–2) kept the club from advancing to the Bayernliga, but in 1993, they finally won their way through with a 2–1 victory over BSC Erlangen
and a 3–2 win after penalties over TSV Eching
. The second team also won promotion, from the A-Klasse Nord
(VI) to the Bezirksliga Schwaben-Nord.
led to restructuring of the lower divisions, which meant six clubs from Bavaria were promoted while only one was relegated. They recovered themselves over the following two campaigns and in 1995-96 FC Gundelfingen was the best-placed team from Schwaben in the Bayernliga, ahead of the FC Memmingen
. In 1997, the club was unable to avoid being sent down for the first time since the end of the war when they finished ten points out of 14th place. They were sent down again at the end of the following season after a 17th place Landesliga result. FCG then quickly rebounded and made their way back to Landesliga play. They enjoyed three good seasons there, including a third place finish just two points behing TSV Schwaben Augsburg
in 2002. They also captured their sixth Schwaben Cup in 2001, but slipped again in 2003 and returned to Bezirksoberliga.
They earned generally good results there, except for a scare in 2006-07 that saw the team struggle through the first half of the season before recovering and ultimately finishing 10th. The next season, FCG won the Bezirksliga title and returned to the Landesliga where they still play today.
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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 Gundelfingen an der Donau
Gundelfingen an der Donau
Gundelfingen an der Donau is a municipality in the Bavarian district Dillingen in Swabia. Gundelfingen is located at the river Danube , between Stuttgart, Munich and Augsburg . It has some 8,000 inhabitants and still resembles the town of the Middle Ages.-External links:*...
, 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...
. A longtime fourth and fifth division side, the club is one of the top sides from Schwaben and has six Schwäbischer-Pokal
Schwaben Cup
The Schwaben Cup was a domestic cup competition in the Bavarian Regierungsbezirk of Swabia , played from 1947 to 2009.-Overview:...
(Schwaben Cup) wins to its credit.
Early years (1920–45)
The historyof the club began in 1920, when a handful of young men from Gundelfingen bought a football and formed the "Wald- und Wiesenclub". Later, on 27 February 1920, 20 football-enthusiasts formed FC 1920 Gundelfingen at the "Gasthaus zum Kreuz". Shortly afterwards, in December 1921, the footballers became part of the gymnastics club Turnverein 1863 Gundelfingen.The club survived the turbulent days of 1923 with its hyper inflation, travelling to away matches on horse drawn carts, and went on to win its first title in 1924 when they won the C-Klasse and gained promotion to the B-Klasse. Despite struggling financially, the club became independent again 1 March 1924 and adopted green and white as the new team colours. They went on to capture the B-Klasse title, but refused promotion due to their poor financial state. In 1926, FCG met local rival FC Lauingen for the first time with the clubs playing to a 2-2 draw. 1928 brought another B-Klasse championship and this time the club accepted promotion to A-Klasse. On the club's tenth anniversary in 1930, it had 150 members.
FCG continued to suffer financial problems through the early 1930s and the formation of two new clubs, Catholic-sponsored DJK Gundelfingen and the worker's club ASV Gundelfingen, drew members away. The rise to power of the Nazis led to a ban on faith-based and worker's clubs in 1933, while other clubs like FCG were forced to accept club chairmen selected by the local NSDAP leader. The club did not distinguish itself in competition in those years and suffered a 0–9 defeat against BC 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....
in 1937 regional cup match. Success returned in 1939 with the capture of the Kreisklasse
Kreisklasse
The Kreisklassen are the lowest echelons of football in Germany, the German equivalent to Sunday league football. They rank below the Kreisligas...
Nord title, followed by an unbeaten run through the promotion round into the Bezirksklasse
Bezirksklasse
The Bezirksliga, Bezirksklasse or Landesklasse is the 8th tier of football in Germany. The Bezirksliga exists in all regions of German football. Below the Bezirksliga usually ranks the Kreisliga...
Schwaben.
With the start of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, FCG fielded only a first team as, throughout the country, young footballers were drafted to the army. Playing a reduced league program, the club still managed to perform rather well, defeating FC Lauingen 9–2 in the 35th edition of the local derby. Despite the difficulties imposed by the war, the club remained one of the few in Schwaben to carry out football games almost to the end of the conflict, although these were mostly friendlies as other clubs had few players available.
Post war years (1946-63)
FC Gundelfingen applied and received a permission to play football matches from the allied occupation authorities shortly after the war and on 26 August 1946 played its first post-war match, a friendly against the FC Lauingen, a 6–2 win for the FCG. Of the 119 members on the roll in 1945, 42 were still away as prisoners of war, 28 had lost their lives and five were missing in actionMissing in action
Missing in action is a casualty Category assigned under the Status of Missing to armed services personnel who are reported missing during active service. They may have been killed, wounded, become a prisoner of war, or deserted. If deceased, neither their remains nor grave can be positively...
, leaving the club heavily depleted. With the return of league football in 1946, FCG found itself grouped in the 2. Schwäbische Liga.
They managed to win the first ever Schwaben Cup
Schwaben Cup
The Schwaben Cup was a domestic cup competition in the Bavarian Regierungsbezirk of Swabia , played from 1947 to 2009.-Overview:...
in 1947, and on 13 June 1948 played their final game at their longtime home ground Am Pflanzengarten before moving to a new facility. FCG won its second cup in 1949 before 20,000 spectators in 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...
in a curtain raiser match played before the C Augsburg versus 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...
Oberliga Süd
Oberliga Süd (1945-63)
The Oberliga Süd was the highest level of the German football league system in the south of Germany from 1945 until the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963.It covered the three states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Hessen.-Overview:...
contest.
Now part of the 2. Amateurliga Schwaben, they won a third Schwaben Cup title in 1955, and in 1963, opened the Schwaben Stadion.
Post Bundesliga years (1963-93)
German football was reorganized in 1963 with the establishment of the national first division BundesligaFußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
and restructuring of all other lower-tier leagues. The 2. Amateurliga Schwaben became the Bezirksliga Schwaben (V) and from 1968 onwards was played in northern and southern groups. FCG belonged first to the Bezirksliga, and later, the Bezirksliga Schwaben-Nord
Bezirksliga Schwaben-Nord
The Bezirksliga Schwaben-Nord is currently the 8th tier of the German football league system in the northern half of the Bavarian Regierungsbezirk of Swabia...
(V), where the won the title in 1971. The club gained 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....
(IV) and firmly established themselves there. They finished 5th in 1974 and had three 6th place results in the following years. At this time, the club also started fielding a women's team. In 1973, the club beat Luton Town 2–1 in a friendly in Gundelfingen. The Under-19 side won promotion to the A-Jugend Bayernliga Süd for the first time in 1976, the highest league for this age group in southern Bavaria and faced FC 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....
and TSV 1860 München
TSV 1860 München
Turn- und Sportverein München von 1860, commonly known as TSV 1860 München or 1860 Munich, is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. The club's football team plays in the Second Bundesliga, after relegation from the Bundesliga following the 2003–04 season...
there.
Despite struggling, they survived relegation troubles through the 1980s, before an upturn in the 1990s. Ultimately they remained part of Landesliga play for 22 years, setting a league record. FCG also set an all-time record in the Landesliga Süd in 1991–92 when it conceded only 18 goals all season. In 1990, 1991 and 1992, FCG earned consecutive second place finishes and captured their 4th and 5th Schwaben Cups in 1991 and 1992, making them the number three club in Schwaben behind 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....
and FC Memmingen
FC Memmingen
FC Memmingen is a German association football club based in Memmingen, Bavaria.-Overview:The team was formed on 30 May 1907 as the football department of the gymnastics club Memminger Turnvereins 1859 and became independent in the fall of that year...
. Qualifying for the DFB-Pokal
DFB-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), FC Gundelfingen narrowly lost to Bayer Uerdingen 1–0 at home, in front of 4,500. Playoff losses in 1990 to SpVgg Bayreuth
SpVgg Bayreuth
SpVgg Bayreuth is a German football club based in Bayreuth, Bavaria. Apart from coming within two games of earning promotion to the Fußball-Bundesliga in 1979, the club also reached the quarter finals of the DFB-Pokal twice, in 1977 and 1980.- 1921 to 1945 :...
(0–3) and in 1991 to SpVgg Landshut
SpVgg Landshut
The SpVgg Landshut is a German association football club from the city of Landshut, Bavaria. Both the clubs men and women's football teams have in the past played in the highest state league, the Bayernliga.-History:...
(1–2) kept the club from advancing to the Bayernliga, but in 1993, they finally won their way through with a 2–1 victory over BSC Erlangen
BSC Erlangen
The BSC Erlangen is a German association football club from the city of Erlangen, Bavaria. From 1957 to 1979, the club belonged to the Amateurliga Bayern, the highest football league in the state and then the third division of German football.-History:...
and a 3–2 win after penalties over TSV Eching
TSV Eching
TSV Eching is a German association football club from the municipality of Eching, located north of Munich, Bavaria. Established in 1947 as a football team , TSV today includes a winter sports department.-History:...
. The second team also won promotion, from the A-Klasse Nord
Kreisliga Schwaben-Nord
The Kreisliga Schwaben-Nord is currently the 9th tier of the German football league system in the northern region of the Bavarian Regierungsbezirk of Swabia...
(VI) to the Bezirksliga Schwaben-Nord.
The Bayernliga years (1994-present)
The club managed to survive its first ever Bayernliga season with a 15th place finish and improved their standing in the following two years seasons by finishing 11th and 8th. However, the club narrowly avoided relegation in 1994 when the introduction of the Regionalliga SüdRegionalliga 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...
led to restructuring of the lower divisions, which meant six clubs from Bavaria were promoted while only one was relegated. They recovered themselves over the following two campaigns and in 1995-96 FC Gundelfingen was the best-placed team from Schwaben in the Bayernliga, ahead of the FC Memmingen
FC Memmingen
FC Memmingen is a German association football club based in Memmingen, Bavaria.-Overview:The team was formed on 30 May 1907 as the football department of the gymnastics club Memminger Turnvereins 1859 and became independent in the fall of that year...
. In 1997, the club was unable to avoid being sent down for the first time since the end of the war when they finished ten points out of 14th place. They were sent down again at the end of the following season after a 17th place Landesliga result. FCG then quickly rebounded and made their way back to Landesliga play. They enjoyed three good seasons there, including a third place finish just two points behing TSV Schwaben Augsburg
TSV Schwaben Augsburg
TSV Schwaben Augsburg is a German football club which is part of a larger sports association whose origins go back to the 1847 formation of the gymnastics club Turnverein Augsburg...
in 2002. They also captured their sixth Schwaben Cup in 2001, but slipped again in 2003 and returned to Bezirksoberliga.
They earned generally good results there, except for a scare in 2006-07 that saw the team struggle through the first half of the season before recovering and ultimately finishing 10th. The next season, FCG won the Bezirksliga title and returned to the Landesliga where they still play today.
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: (3) 1991, 1992, 1993
- 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....
(VI)- Champions: 2009
- Runners-up: 1999
- Bezirksliga Schwaben-NordBezirksliga Schwaben-NordThe Bezirksliga Schwaben-Nord is currently the 8th tier of the German football league system in the northern half of the Bavarian Regierungsbezirk of Swabia...
(V)- Champions: 1971
Cup
- Schwaben CupSchwaben CupThe Schwaben Cup was a domestic cup competition in the Bavarian Regierungsbezirk of Swabia , played from 1947 to 2009.-Overview:...
- Winners: (6) 1947, 1949, 1955, 1991, 1992, 2001
- Runners-up: (2) 1966, 1967
Recent managers
| Manager | Start | Finish |
| Peter Schmid | April 2004 | |
| Michael Unger / Thomas Jahn | April 2004 | June 2004 |
| Werner Schoupa | ||
| Michael Unger | November 2005 | |
| Stefan Anderl | November 2005 | present |
Recent seasons
The recent season-by-season performance of the club:
|
|
- With the introduction of the BezirksoberligasBezirksoberligen BayernThe seven Bezirksoberligas Bayern are the third highest level of the Bavarian football league system, below Oberliga and Landesliga. They are the 7th tier of the German football league system.-Overview:...
in 1988 as the new fifth tier, below the LandesligasLandesliga BayernIn the Bavarian football league system, the Landesliga Bayern is the second hightest level, below the Fußball-Bayernliga and organised in three regional divisions. The current Landesligas were formed in 1963, when the Fußball-Bundesliga was established...
, all leagues below dropped one tier. With the introduction of the Regionalligas in 1994 and the 3rd Liga3rd LigaThe 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...
in 2008 as the new third tier, below the 2nd 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...
, all leagues below dropped one tier.
DFB Cup appearances
The club has qualified for the first round of the German Cup only once:| Season | Round | Date | Home | Away | Result | Attendance |
| DFB Cup 1992-93 DFB Cup 1992-93 The DFB-Pokal 1992–93 was the 50th season of the competition. 83 teams competed in the tournament of seven rounds which began on 18 August 1992 and ended on 12 June 1993. In the final Bayer Leverkusen defeated the second team of Hertha Berlin 1–0... |
First round | 18 August 1992 | FC Gundelfingen | KFC Uerdingen 05 KFC Uerdingen 05 KFC Uerdingen 05 is a German association football club in the Uerdingen district of the city of Krefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia. The one time Bundesliga side enjoyed its greatest successes in the 1980s, but most recently has been part of fifth and sixth tier competition.-History:The club was... |
0–1 |