Amateurliga Schwarzwald-Bodensee

:"For the history of the Amateurliga Schwarzwald-Bodensee after 1978, see Verbandsliga Württemberg."

The Amateurliga Schwarzwald-Bodensee was the highest football league in the southern region of the Württemberg FA and the third tier of the German football league system from its inception in 1960 to the formation of the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg and the Verbandsliga Württemberg below it in 1978.

Overview

The Amateurliga Schwarzwald-Bodensee was formed in 1960 in the southern half of Württemberg by splitting the Amateurliga Württemberg in two groups, north and south. It was a feeder league to the 2nd Oberliga Süd, after 1963 to the Regionalliga Süd and finally, after 1974, to the 2nd Bundesliga Süd. Until the establishment of the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg in 1978, it was the third tier of the football league system. The reason for splitting the league was to gain two possible promotion spots for teams from Württemberg by having two league champions, as Baden did with its two leagues.

The separation of Württemberg and Südwürttemberg results from the outcome of the 2nd World War when the state was split into two separate occupation zones. The north was in the US zone and the south in the French zone. Until 1950, the French zone had its own league in two groups, which then merged with the Landesliga Württemberg to form the Amateurliga Württemberg.

The winner of the Amateurliga Schwarzwald-Bodensee was not automatically promoted but rather had to take part in a promotion play-off to its league above. Usually, the champion would have to compete with the winners of the Amateurligas Südbaden, Nordbaden and Nordwürttemberg.

When the league was established in 1960, the founder members were:

*SC Schwenningen
*VfR Schwenningen
*FV Ravensburg
*FC Tailfingen
*VfB Friedrichshafen
*FC Wangen 1905
*FC 08 Villingen
*FV Ebingen
*FC Konstanz
*TSV Blumberg
*Olympia Laupheim
*TSV Burladingen
*SV Spaichingen
*FC Radolfzell
*FC Furtwangen
*FC Überlingen

In 1974, five of its clubs left the league to join the Amateurliga Südbaden instead, these clubs being FC Villingen, DJK Konstanz, FC Konstanz, FC Gottmadingen und FC Singen.

The SpVgg Lindau, in the league from 1962 to 1978 is actually a Bavarian club but playing in its neighbouring state due to the fact that Lindau is geographically closer to the teams from there.

During its 18 year existence, three clubs were always present in the league, the FC Tailfingen, FC Wangen and FV Ebingen.

Disbanding of the Amateurliga Schwarzwald-Bodensee

In 1978, the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg was formed to alow direct promotion to the 2nd Bundesliga Süd for the Amateure champion of the state. The teams placed one to five gained entry to the Oberliga while the teams placed six to thirteen were put into the new Verbandsliga Württemberg, now the fourth tier of the football league system. The last four teams were relegated to the Landesligas.

Admitted to the new Oberliga:

*SSV Reutlingen
*FV Biberach
*FC Tailfingen
*FV Ravensburg
*VfB Friedrichshafen

Relegated to the new Verbandsliga:

*BSV Schwenningen
*SV Tübingen
*FC Wangen 1905
*FV Ebingen
*TSV Ofterdingen
*SpVgg Lindau
*FC Tuttlingen
*TSG Tübingen

Relegated to Landesliga:

*SV Kreßbronn
*TSV Tettnang
*SG Aulendorf
*SV Weingarten

Winners of the Amateurliga Schwarzwald-Bodensee ["Kicker Almanach" The Football Yearbook on German football from Bundesliga to Oberliga, since 1937, published by the Kicker Sports Magazine]

1961 SC Schwenningen 1962 FC Hechingen 1963 VfB Friedrichshafen 1964 FV Ebingen 1965 FV Ebingen 1966 FC Villingen 1967 FC Tuttlingen 1968 FC Wangen 1969 VfB Friedrichshafen 1970 SV Tübingen 1971 FC Singen 1972 FC Singen 1973 FC Villingen 1974 FC Villingen 1975 SSV Reutlingen 1976 BSV Schwenningen 1977 SSV Reutlingen 1978 SSV Reutlingen

Bold denotes team gained promotion.

External links

* [http://www.f-archiv.de/ Das deutsche Fussball Archiv ]
* [http://www.wuerttfv.de/spielbetrieb_herren WFV: The Württemberg FA]

References