Sportfreunde Stuttgart
Encyclopedia
The Sportfreunde Stuttgart is a German association football club
from the city of Stuttgart
, Baden-Württemberg.
On 20 June 1896, a separate football club, the Fußballclub Karlsvorstadt, was formed. In 1900, it merged with two other clubs, the F.C. Adler and the F.C. Askania to form the Stuttgarter Sportfreunde 1896.
The club was a founding member of the Südkreis-Liga
in 1908, then the highest level of play in the Baden-Württemberg region. The club existed there as a mid-table side but, in 1912–13, after a league reduction from 13 to eight clubs the previous season, it came last and was relegated. In this era, the club had Eugen Kipp
in its ranks, who played 18 times for Germany between 1908 and 1913, 16 of those as a Sportfreunde player.
After the First World War, on 2 August 1919, Turnverein Karlsvorstadt and Stuttgarter Sportfreunde 1896 merged to form the current club, Stuttgarter Sportfreunde 1896. The team made a return to the highest league in the region, which was now the Kreisliga Württemberg
and came third in 1919–20.
Sportfreundes most successful season came in 1921–22. It took out the title in its local division, the Kreisliga Württemberg having been split into two regional divisions. In the Württemberg-final, it managed to defeat Stuttgarter Kickers
1–0 and 3–2. From there, it advanced to the Württemberg-Baden championship, where it overcame Karlsruher FV
1–0 and 1–1. Advancing to the Southern German championship
, it lost 0–1 to Borussia Neunkirchen
in the semi-finals.
The next season saw the club missing out on qualification for the new Bezirksliga Württemberg-Baden
and Sportfreunde was relegated to the second tier, where it stayed until 1926, when it earned promotion. The club managed to survive for four seasons in the Bezirksliga but was relegated once more in 1930. A fifth place in 1927–28 was its best result.
The club recovered from its temporary decline and, in 1933, it qualified for the Gauliga Württemberg
, the new highest level of play in the region. It belonged to this league for the duration of its existence, until 1945. It this time, the club produced good results and finished runners-up in the league three times, never quite making it to the German championship finals.
, where it played for one last season in the top flight. The club came a distant last in the league in 1947–48, conceding 100 goals and being relegated back to the Landesliga. Sportfreunde became a mid-table side in this league, failing to qualify for the new 2nd Oberliga Süd
in 1950 and thereby dropping another level to what was now the tier-three Amateurliga Württemberg
.
The team continued to struggle against relegation but in 1954, it dropped down another level. The club made a brief recovery, earning promotion to the Amateurliga Nordwürttemberg in 1961 but being relegated again in 1964. After this, Sportfreunde never reached the higher levels of Württemberg football agin, descending to the lower amateur leagues instead, to the extend that the new millennium saw it playing tier-eight football.
On 9 April 1987, the club changed its name to Sportfreunde Stuttgart 1874.
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 the city of 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 ....
, Baden-Württemberg.
1874 to 1945
The club was formed, as a gymnastics club, on 18 April 1874, under the name of Turnverein Heslach. In June 1889, the club changed its name to Turnverein Karlsvorstadt.On 20 June 1896, a separate football club, the Fußballclub Karlsvorstadt, was formed. In 1900, it merged with two other clubs, the F.C. Adler and the F.C. Askania to form the Stuttgarter Sportfreunde 1896.
The club was a founding member of the Südkreis-Liga
Südkreis-Liga
The Südkreis-Liga was the highest association football league in the German Kingdom of Württemberg, Grand Duchy of Baden, the Province of Hohenzollern and Alsace-Lorraine from 1908 to 1918...
in 1908, then the highest level of play in the Baden-Württemberg region. The club existed there as a mid-table side but, in 1912–13, after a league reduction from 13 to eight clubs the previous season, it came last and was relegated. In this era, the club had Eugen Kipp
Eugen Kipp
Eugen Kipp was a German amateur football player who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics.Eugen was a member of the German Olympic squad and played one match in the main tournament....
in its ranks, who played 18 times for Germany between 1908 and 1913, 16 of those as a Sportfreunde player.
After the First World War, on 2 August 1919, Turnverein Karlsvorstadt and Stuttgarter Sportfreunde 1896 merged to form the current club, Stuttgarter Sportfreunde 1896. The team made a return to the highest league in the region, which was now the Kreisliga Württemberg
Kreisliga Württemberg
The Kreisliga Württemberg was the highest association football league in the German state of Württemberg from 1919 to 1923...
and came third in 1919–20.
Sportfreundes most successful season came in 1921–22. It took out the title in its local division, the Kreisliga Württemberg having been split into two regional divisions. In the Württemberg-final, it managed to defeat Stuttgarter Kickers
Stuttgarter Kickers
Stuttgarter Kickers is a German association football club that plays in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, founded on 21 September 1899 as FC Stuttgarter Cickers...
1–0 and 3–2. From there, it advanced to the Württemberg-Baden championship, where it overcame Karlsruher FV
Karlsruher FV
Karlsruher FV is a German association football club that plays in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg. Established on 17 November 1891, KFV was a founding member of the German Football Association in 1900. The team went on to capture the national championship in 1910 with a 1–0 victory over Holstein Kiel...
1–0 and 1–1. Advancing to the Southern German championship
Southern German football championship
The Southern German football championship was the highest association football competition in the South of Germany, established in 1898...
, it lost 0–1 to Borussia Neunkirchen
Borussia Neunkirchen
Borussia VfB Neunkirchen is a German association football club based in Neunkirchen, Saarland. The club SC Borussia Neunkirchen was founded out of the 1907 merger of FC 1905 Borussia and SC Neunkirchen.-History:...
in the semi-finals.
The next season saw the club missing out on qualification for the new Bezirksliga Württemberg-Baden
Bezirksliga Württemberg-Baden
The Bezirksliga Württemberg-Baden was the highest association football league in the German states of Württemberg and Baden and the Prussian Province of Hohenzollern from 1923 to 1933. The league was disbanded with the rise of the Nazis to power in 1933....
and Sportfreunde was relegated to the second tier, where it stayed until 1926, when it earned promotion. The club managed to survive for four seasons in the Bezirksliga but was relegated once more in 1930. A fifth place in 1927–28 was its best result.
The club recovered from its temporary decline and, in 1933, it qualified for the Gauliga Württemberg
Gauliga Württemberg
The Gauliga Württemberg was the highest football league in the German state of Württemberg and the Prussian province of Hohenzollern from 1933 to 1945...
, the new highest level of play in the region. It belonged to this league for the duration of its existence, until 1945. It this time, the club produced good results and finished runners-up in the league three times, never quite making it to the German championship finals.
1945 to 2008
With the resumption of football in Germany after the Second World War, Sportfreunde was grouped in the tier-two Landesliga Württemberg, which it won in 1946–47. This earned the club promotion to the Oberliga SüdOberliga 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:...
, where it played for one last season in the top flight. The club came a distant last in the league in 1947–48, conceding 100 goals and being relegated back to the Landesliga. Sportfreunde became a mid-table side in this league, failing to qualify for the new 2nd Oberliga Süd
2nd Oberliga Süd
The 2nd Oberliga Süd was the second-highest level of the German football league system in the south of Germany from 1950 until the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963. It covered the three states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Hessen.-Overview:...
in 1950 and thereby dropping another level to what was now the tier-three Amateurliga Württemberg
Amateurliga Württemberg
The Amateurliga Württemberg was the highest football league in the region of the Württemberg FA and the third tier of the German football league system from its inception in 1945 until the formation of the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg and the Verbandsliga Württemberg below it in 1978.- Overview :The...
.
The team continued to struggle against relegation but in 1954, it dropped down another level. The club made a brief recovery, earning promotion to the Amateurliga Nordwürttemberg in 1961 but being relegated again in 1964. After this, Sportfreunde never reached the higher levels of Württemberg football agin, descending to the lower amateur leagues instead, to the extend that the new millennium saw it playing tier-eight football.
On 9 April 1987, the club changed its name to Sportfreunde Stuttgart 1874.
Current
The club suffered relegation from the Kreisliga A Stuttgart-Group 3 (IX) in 2008–09, finishing second-last. After two seasons in the Kreisliga B, the club returned to the Kreisliga A again in 2011.Honours
The club's honours:- Kreisliga WürttembergKreisliga WürttembergThe Kreisliga Württemberg was the highest association football league in the German state of Württemberg from 1919 to 1923...
(I)- Champions: 1922
- Gauliga WürttembergGauliga WürttembergThe Gauliga Württemberg was the highest football league in the German state of Württemberg and the Prussian province of Hohenzollern from 1933 to 1945...
(I)- Runners-up: 1936, 1940, 1943
- Landesliga Württemberg (II)
- Champions: 1947
Recent seasons
The recent season-by-season performance of the club:| Season | Division | Tier | Position |
| 2003–04 | Kreisliga A Stuttgart-Group 3 | VIII | 10th |
| 2004–05 | Kreisliga A Stuttgart-Group 3 | 4th | |
| 2005–06 | Kreisliga A Stuttgart-Group 3 | 11th | |
| 2006–07 | Kreisliga A Stuttgart-Group 3 | 3rd | |
| 2007–08 | Kreisliga A Stuttgart-Group 3 | 10th | |
| 2008–09 | Kreisliga A Stuttgart-Group 3 | IX | 13th ↓ |
| 2009–10 | Kreisliga B Stuttgart-Group 5 | X | 4th |
| 2010–11 | Kreisliga B Stuttgart-Group 5 | 1st ↑ | |
| 2011–12 | Kreisliga A Stuttgart-Group 3 | IX |
- 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.
External links
- Official team site
- Das deutsche Fußball-Archiv historical German domestic league tables