Austria. Epic battle this season, but only between the two so familiar clubs. Behind them the picture was rather gloomy. The exodus of Austrian talent continued as ever and the clubs were able only partially to cover their losses by importing third rate Yugoslavian and West German players and, increasingly, aging East Europeans. No wonder only the leading clubs managed to maintain decent squads. Everybody else was more concerned with mere existence – money were short. One club expired and the disbandment of Union Wels affected immediately another two clubs: why this was done is hard to rationalize, but Union Wels, next to last in First Division, opened an ’empty place’ and play-off between the 14th team and the 3rd in Second Division was organized. A promotion/relegation play-off, for there was no empty place in the top league – there was empty space in Second Division, for Union Wels did not exist anymore. But never mind this whimsical technicality.
Second Division was nothing to be excited of – 4 teams fought for top positions, but as a whole the second tier was way weaker than First Division. At the end, Bregenz/Dornbirn finished 4th with 37 points and was unlucky to lose 3rd place on worse goal-difference.
Donawitzer SV Alpine clinched 3rd place and was lucky out of the blue, because of the disbandment of Union Wels: they went to the promotion/relegation play-off and prevailed over poor SV Sankt Weit 2-1 and 1-1. Next year Alpine was going to play first division football.
First Vienna FC was 2nd with 38 points and promoted normally.
SV Spittal/Drau played their best ever season – they won the Second Division championship with 41 points. Promoted as champions, which was their first time in both categories: never winning the Second Division before, never playing top league before. Splendid season.