KFC Uerdingen 05

KFC Uerdingen 05 is a German football club in the Uerdingen district of the city of Krefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia.

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History

The club was founded on November 17, 1905 as FC Uerdingen 05. In 1953, nearly half a century after their founding the club merged with Werkssportgruppe Bayer AG Uerdingen the local worker's sports club of the chemical giant Bayer AG becoming FC Bayer 05 Uerdingen. Bayer withdrew their sponsorship of the football team in 1996 at which time the club took on its current name. Bayer continues to support the non-footballing departments of the club as SC Bayer 05 Uerdingen.

Uerdingen played in the amateur local leagues throughout its early history. By early 60's they had advanced as far as the Amateurliga Niederrhein (III) where they would play until 1971 when they stepped up into the Regionalliga West (II). The club then enjoyed a succession of strong finishes: a second place result in 1974-75 earned them promotion to the top flight Bundesliga, where they finished dead last. After three seasons in the second tier 2.Bundesliga Nord, another second place finish returned Uerdingen to the Bundesliga in 1979, this time for a two year stay. The club would go on to enjoy its most successful years through the 80's. They returned to the Bundesliga in 1983 and earned a best-ever third place result there in 1986. Uerdingen also captured the German Cup in 1985 with a 2:1 victory over Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich in Berlin's Olympiastadion.

Legendary in the club's history from this time period is their victory over Dynamo Dresden in the quarter-finals of the 1986 European Cup Winners Cup. Down 0:2 after the first leg away and behind 1:3 by half-time at home in the return leg, Uerdingen came storming back with six unanswered goals to win 7:3.

The team spent the first half of the 90's as an "elevator crew" bouncing up and down between the Bundesliga and 2.Bundesliga. After the 1995 season Bayer withdrew its sponsorship of the football team which has suffered chronic financial difficulties ever since. Uerdingen took up their final year of play in the Bundesliga in the 1995-96 season as KFC Uerdingen 05. By the turn of the millennium they had slipped through the second division and into third division play. Last season the club's persistent financial problems led the DFB (German Football Association) to deny them a license for play in the Regionalliga Nord (III) in spite of a mid-table finish. They were relegated to the Oberliga-Nordrhein (IV) where they play today. The squad has been re-worked for 2005-06 and is aiming for a return to the Regionalliga under manager Wolfgang Maes.

Team Trivia

Friendly vs. Bayern Munich

On January 21, 2006, KFC played a friendly against Bayern Munich before 18,500 spectators who came out to see Bayern stars such as Michael Ballack and Bastian Schweinsteiger. The match captured media attention through the introduction of Markus Öllers as an Uerdingen substitute four minutes before full time. He had secured his place on the squad with his winning bid of €2,688.05 in an eBay auction staged as part of the club's fight against insolvency. KFC Uerdingen lost the match 0:4, but through no fault of Öllers', who did not get to play the ball. The 33-year-old insurance salesman was still delighted with the oppourtunity to take to the field with his team against Bayern.

Recent League Finishes

1974/75 - Promoted to the 1. Bundesliga

1975/76 - 18th place (relegated)

1976/77 - 2. Bundesliga

1977/78 - 2. Bundesliga

1978/79 - Promoted to the 1. Bundesliga

1979/80 - 15th place

1980/81 - 18th place (relegated)

1981/82 - 2. Bundesliga

1982/83 - Promoted to the 1. Bundesliga

1983/84 - 10th place

1984/85 - 7th place

1985/86 - 3rd place

1986/87 - 8th place

1987/88 - 11th place

1988/89 - 13th place

1989/90 - 14th place

1990/91 - 17th place (relegated)

1991/92 - Promoted to the 1. Bundesliga

1992/93 - 17th place (relegated)

1993/94 - 2. Bundesliga

1994/95 - 15th place

1995/96 - 18th place (relegated)

1996/97 - 2. Bundesliga

1997/98 - 2. Bundesliga

1998/99 - 2. Bundesliga (relegated)

Famous players

External links

German football clubs