Extreme Football Tourism: LUXEMBOURG: FC UNA Strassen (1963-2025)

Complexe Sportif Jean Wirtz "Terrain am Hueflach", Strassen (formerly FC UNA Strassen)

Luxembourg, canton: Luxembourg

5 VIII 2017 / FC UNA Strassen - FC Rodange 91 2-2 / National Division (= LUX level 1)

Timeline

1921 / Foundation of a football club in Strassen, a village to the west of Luxembourg-Ville, on February 13th, 1921; the new club takes on the name FC Union Athlétique (UNA) Strassen. The club starts its existence on a plot of land referred to locally as Terrain am Bauerepaesch (situated near Haus Lacour).
1922 / FC UNA Strassen joins the Luxembourg Football Association (FLF).
1923 / FC UNA Strassen starts its life as a competitive club in Division 3, i.e. the fourth and lowest level of Luxembourg’s football pyramid at that time.
1925 / Runner-up in Division 3 Group 2, with an equal number of points as champions CS Hollerich, but with an inferior goal difference (+ 12 vs. +23), FC UNA Strassen wins promotion to Division 2, the fourth tier of Luxembourgian football. That same year, moving away from Terrain am Bauerepaesch, FC UNA Strassen settles on a newly laid-out pitch in the hamlet of Geeseneck, on a plot of land rented to the club by Mathias Ewen, a fervent supporter nicknamed Zäre Mett.
1926 / Finishing bottom of the table in Division 2 Group 2, FC UNA Strassen saves its skin in the relegation play-offs against the bottom clubs in the other two D2 groups, by finishing in second place behind FC Mansfeldia Clausen, but ahead of sole descendant SC Tétange.
1927 / FC UNA Strassen finishes as runner-up in Division 2 Group 2, 6 points behind champions FC Mansfeldia Clausen.
1932 / Finishing bottom of the table in Division 2 Group 2, FC UNA Strassen drops back into Division 3 – in what is not level 4, but level 5 of Luxembourg’s football pyramid from now on, following the introduction of the Division of Honour as the new top level from the start of the new season. Also in 1932, moving away from Terrain Geeseneck after seven years, FC UNA Strassen settles on a newly laid-out pitch, Terrain Hemmeschpaesch.
1934 / Runner-up in Division 3 Group 2, 2 points behind champions FC Red Boys Aspelt, FC UNA Strassen qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is defeated by FC Egalité Weimerskirch (2-6).
1935 / Runner-up in Division 3 West, 5 points behind champions FC Rapid Neudorf, FC UNA Strassen wins promotion to Division 2, the fourth level of Luxembourg’s football pyramid, alongside the aforementioned club and FC Blue Boys Muhlenbach.
1936 / Finishing in third-last place in Division 2 Group 1, FC UNA Strassen drops back into Division 3 after just one season, along with US Mondorf-les-Bains and bottom club FC Mondercange.
1937 / Runner-up in Division 3 Group 1, 2 points behind champions FC Marisca Mersch, FC UNA Strassen wins promotion to Division 2 along with the aforementioned club.
1938 / Moving away from Terrain Hemmeschpaesch, FC UNA Strassen settles on a newly laid-out pitch, Terrain Wöllefsheck.
1939 / Finishing in joint third-last place in Division 2 Group 1 along with FC Progrès 08 Grund, FC UNA Strassen suffers defeat in a tie-break match against that club (5-2). As a result, the club drops back into Division 3 along with FC Résidence Walferdange and bottom club FC Racing Troisvièrges. Also in 1939, moving away from Terrain Wöllefsheck, little more than a temporary solution, FC UNA Strassen settles on a newly laid-out pitch at Route d’Arlon.
1940 / Due to the outbreak of war in Western Europe and Germany's occupation – or rather absorption – of the Grand-Duchy, all regular football activities are suspended. Forced to germanicise its name by German occupation authorities, FC UNA Strassen takes on the new name Fussballklub (FK) Strassen.
1944 / Upon liberation of Luxembourg from the German yoke, FK Strassen takes on its old name of FC UNA Strassen.
1945 / As activities are resumed after the havocs of World War II, FC UNA Strassen settles on a newly laid-out pitch, situated at Route d’Arlon like its predecessor, but slightly further to the east.
1946 / In the first footballing season following the end of World War II, FC UNA Strassen finishes as runner-up in Division 3 Group 2, 8 points behind champions – and derby rivals – FC Sporting Bertrange – resulting in promotion to Division 2 (level 4) along with the aforementioned club and FC Sporting Steinfort.
1948 / Finishing in third place in Division 2 Group 1, FC UNA Strassen wins promotion to Division 1 – renamed Promotion (level 3) – along with champions US Esch and runner-up FC Kopstal 33.
1950 / Finishing in third-last place in Promotion Group 2, FC UNA Strassen descends into Division 2 (level 4) along with FC Koeppchen Wormeldange and bottom club US Mertert.
1952 / Finishing in third place in Division 2 Group 1, FC UNA Strassen wins promotion to Promotion (level 3) along with champions CS Hollerich and runner-up FC Swift Hesperange.
1957 / In a reorganisation of the Luxembourgian football pyramid, FC UNA Strassen is placed in Division 2 (level 4), thus dropping back one level.
1963 / Moving away from its pitch at Route d’Arlon, FC UNA Strassen settles on a newly laid-out pitch near the village centre, Terrain am Hueflach, later renamed Complexe Jean Wirtz in honour of the socialist mayor of Strassen (1964-75) and an ardent supporter of the club.
1965 / Runner-up in Division 2 Group 2, 2 points behind champions FC Koeppchen Wormeldange, FC UNA Strassen wins promotion to Division 1 (level 3). The successful coach is Edmond Klein.
1968 / Finishing bottom of the table in Division 1 , FC UNA Strassen drops back into Division 2 along with FC Racing Troisvièrges, FC Arminia Weidingen, and FC Titus Lamadelaine.
1971 / Finishing bottom of the table in Division 2 Group 2, FC UNA Strassen descends into Division 3 (level 5) along with the club in second-last place, US Bascharage.
1974 / Runner-up in Division 3 Group 2, 2 points behind champions FC Red Boys Aspelt, FC UNA Strassen manages a return to Division 2 after an absence of three years.
1977 / Finishing in second-last place in Division 2 Group 2, FC UNA Strassen drops back into Division 3 along with FC Tricolore Gasperich and bottom club FC Hamm 37.
1978 / Champions in Division 3 Group 2 – incidentally the club’s first-ever title – FC UNA Strassen wins promotion to Division 2, along with runner-up AS Luxembourg, which finished 2 points behind them.
1981 / Finishing second from bottom in Division 2 Group 4, FC UNA Strassen drops back into Division 3 along with the club in last place, ES Schouweiler.
1982 / Champions in Division 3 Group 2, FC UNA Strassen manages an immediate return to Division 2, along with runner-up FC Lorentzweiler, which finished 3 points behind them.
1983 / Finishing bottom of the table in Division 2 Group 2, FC UNA Strassen descends into Division 3, along with the team in second-last place, FC Spora Luxembourg Reserves.
1985 / Champions in Division 3 Group 2 on goal difference, FC UNA Strassen wins promotion to Division 2, along with runner-up SC Rédange.
1989 / A second pitch is laid out at Complexe Jean Wirtz.
1992 / Finishing in second-last place in Division 2 Group 2, FC UNA Strassen drops back into Division 3 along with bottom club FC Berdenia Berbourg.
1994 / Champions in Division 3 Group 3, 1 point ahead of runner-up FC Alisontia Steinsel, FC UNA Strassen wins promotion to Division 2 along with the aforementioned club.
1997 / Runner-up in Division 2 Group 2, 2 points behind champions FC Marisca Mersch, FC UNA Strassen qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club finishes in second place behind FC Wiltz 71 Reserves, but ahead of FC Red Star Merl-Belair and F91 Dudelange Reserves – and sufficient for promotion to Division 1, the third level of Luxembourg’s football pyramid, after an absence of 29 years at that level. The successful coach is Jacques Arnold.
1998 / Finishing bottom of the table in Division 1 Group 2, FC UNA Strassen descends into Division 2 along with AS Differdange and CS Oberkorn.
1999 / Champions in Division 2 Group 2, 4 points ahead of closest rivals FC Kehlen, FC UNA Strassen manages an immediate return to Division 1.
2001 / New dressing rooms are erected at Complexe Jean Wirtz.
2002 / A synthetic pitch is laid out on the training pitch of Complexe Jean Wirtz.
2011 / Champions in Division 1 Group 2, 9 points ahead of closest followers FC Mamer 32, FC UNA Strassen wins promotion to Promotion d’Honneur, the second tier of the Luxembourgian football pyramid, for the first time, along with the aforementioned club. The successful coaches are Patrick Gloden and Markus Stegmann.
2013 / Finishing in third place in Promotion d’Honneur, FC UNA Strassen qualifies for the promotion-relegation play-offs, in which the club suffers a narrow defeat at the hands of FC Progrès Niederkorn (1-0 A.E.T.).
2015 / Finishing in third place in Promotion d’Honneur, FC UNA Strassen qualifies for the promotion-relegation play-offs; at Stade Alphonse Theis in Hesperange, the club sails past UN Käerjéng 97 (3-0), as a result of which FC UNA Strassen accedes to the National Division, the top division in Luxembourg football, for the first time in club history – along with top-two finishers FC RM Hamm Benfica and RFCU Luxembourg. The successful coach is Patrick Grettnich.
2021 / The decision is taken by Strassen’s municipal council to move the activities of the club to a new to be laid-out Campus de Football near the local wellness resort, Les Thermes, on the exit road to Bertrange.
2023 / Works get underway on the projected Campus de Football near Les Thermes in March 2023.
2024 / Finishing in sixth place in the National Division – and, more importantly, reaching the semifinal of the Luxembourg Cup for the first time, being denied the final by FC Swift Hesperange (0-2) – FC UNA Strassen qualifies for the Conference League for the first time in club history, suffering elimination in qualifying round 1 at the hands of KuPS (5-0 aggr.).
2025 / In the best season in club history, FC UNA Strassen finishes as runner-up in the National Division, 18 points behind runaway champions FC Differdange 03. As such, the club qualifies for the Conference League for the second time, with the club suffering elimination in qualifying round 2 at the hands of Dundee United FC (2-0 aggr.). Later that same year, in the fall of 2025, moving away from Complexe Jean Wirtz after 62 years, FC UNA Strassen settles at the so-called Stade An de Millewisen, playing its first home match on the new location on October 26th, a convincing 5-0 win over FC Rodange 91. The official inauguration of the ground takes place one month later, on November 23rd.
2026 / The main pitch of Complexe Jean Wirtz is knocked down to make way for a new primary school. The synthetic side-pitch of the old ground will remain in use for school activities as well as training sessions of FC UNA Strassen.

Note – The last photo in the series below dates back to a non-matchday visit in early March 2011; in between my two visits, part of the uncovered terracing on each end of the stand was given a cover, in effect slightly extending the stand to both sides.