50 years of Bundesliga 2: A history of Germany's second division
Bundesliga 2's history is a rich one, with German football's second tier proving to be the launching pad for clubs and players to go on and reach the highest level of the game.
A decade on from the formation of the Bundesliga at Dortmund's Westfalenhalle on 28 July 1962, club representatives sign off on a new second division aimed at bridging the gap between the professional and amateur game. This time, in Frankfurt on 30 June 1973, a 20 team, two-division Bundesliga 2 was announced for the 1974/75 season.
Those conversations were previously held around the same time of the Bundesliga's founding, but without getting off the ground. The success of Germany's new top-flight, however, was able to swing opinion, paired with the increasing gap opening up between the soaring Bundesliga and the five division Regionalliga which was, until then, feeding the pointy end of the footballing pyramid.
It wasn't all smooth sailing, though, especially when it came to deciding which teams should make up the new divisions. As with the founding of the Bundesliga, various criteria determined the first 40 clubs in Bundesliga 2, who were split evenly across North and South leagues. In addition to sporting success over the previous five years, technical and economic requirements also played a role in allocating the teams.
In sporting terms, SV Alsenborn, coached by Kaiserslautern legend and 1954 World Cup captain Fritz Walter, would undoubtedly have qualified. However, the licence was then refused due to the inadequacies of their pitch and economic uncertainty. Instead, FC Saarbrücken were awarded the licence and legal proceedings dragged on until 20 July 1974 - just under two weeks before the start of the league.
What's Your Reaction?
