West Germany. Dramatic championship – goal-difference decided the title. Decline of some clubs of prominence and relegation to the regional leagues of 2 formative members of the Bundesliga.
Qualifications for promotion to II Division: the champions of the regional leagues went to their final tournament, competing for 4 promotions. 9 teams, divided into 2 groups – Northern and Southern. That was the formula for many, many years now. However, one regional league champion was not permitted to compete for promotion – most likely for financial reasons.
Wormatia (Worms) was not allowed. Top row from left: Alfred Oehrlein, Ralf Karb, Jozef Adamiec, Heinz Lubanski, Jurgen Klotz, Gunther Birkle – assistant coach, Heiner Ueberle – coach. Middle row: Gunter Reinhardt, Walfried Gunther, Gunter Braun, Michael Wolsiffer, Peter Ritzheim, Bernhard Schwank, Stefan Steinmetz, Heinz-Jurgen Schlosser, Dr. Priester. Sitting: Jurgen Fischer, Lutz Hofmann, Georg Muller, Stephan Kuhnert, Ralph Pfirrmann, Martin Simonis, Dieter Gutzler, Helmut Wagner.
Wormatia was replaced by the 2nd-placed ASC Schöppingen.
Gruppe Nord:
1. FC St.Pauli 8 5 2 1 16:8 12:4
2. Rot-Weiß Essen 8 5 1 2 16:12 11:5
3. SC Charlottenburg 8 3 3 2 16:9 9:7
4. VfB Oldenburg 8 2 1 5 12:18 5:11
5. ASC Schöppingen 8 1 1 6 8:21 3:13
ASC Schöppingen clearly was not up to the task, but the former Bundesliga members were:
Rot Weiss (Essen) and
FC St. Pauli (Hamdurg) were promoted to Second Division. This photo of St Pauli may not be correct, but is from that period at least.
Gruppe Süd:
1. SSV Ulm 1846 6 3 2 1 11:7 8:4
2. FSV Salmrohr 6 3 2 1 10:7 8:4
3. Kickers Offenbach 6 1 5 0 11:8 7:5
4. 1860 München 6 0 1 5 4:14 1:11
Different story here – the former Bundesliga members failed.
TSV Munchen 1860 was particularly bad and had to return to Bayernliga for at least one more season. How to measure the relative strength of the teams playing in the regional league? Netolicka not long ago played for the national team of Czechoslovakia…
FSV Salmrohr had no well-known players, but achieved great success and was going to debut in the Second Division.
SSV Ulm 1846 won the qualification group and was promoted – great success for them. Top row from left: Thomas Schmidt, Hannes Schuler, Harald Hage, Wolfgang Neipp, Peter Steck, Dieter Simon. Middle row: Kneer – masseur, Gunnar Weiss, Peter Assion, Robert Birner, Peter Kempa, Marcus Kohnle, Werner Nickel – coach. Front row: Hildebrandt, Wolfgang Riecker, Raimund Muller, Frank Ahrens, Christoph Weber, Thomas Richter, Kurt Kalchschmidt, Gunter Berti, Joachim Zeller, Walter Kubanczyk – assistant coach.
SSV Ulm returning to familiar grounds.
Good luck to the winners in the next season.