Saturday 27 April 2024

AUSTRIA: ESV Admira-NÖ Energie Wien (1966-1971) / FC Admira/Wacker (1971-1996) / SCN Admira Wacker (1996-1997) / VfB Admira Wacker Mödling (1997-2008) / FC Admira Wacker Mödling (2008-)

Bundesstadion Südstadt, Maria Enzersdorf (FC Admira Wacker Mödling, formerly ESV Admira-NÖ Energie Wien / FC Admira/Wacker / SCN Admira Wacker / VfB Admira Wacker Mödling)

Austria, state: Lower Austria

27 IV 2024 / FC Admira Wacker - FC Liefering 0-0 / 2. Liga (= AUT level 2)

Timeline
  • 1897 / Three years after the first football match in Austria (First Vienna – Cricketer), two football clubs are founded in Jedlesee, a village at the northeastern fringe of Vienna: SK Sturm and Admira. While Sturm settles at Geyerwiese, Admira has a pitch laid out at Kirchenlacke. Not long after, SK Sturm is absorbed into Admira, mainly due to the former’s pitch being overflowed by the Danube regularly.
  • ± 1903 / Admira folds, ceasing all activities. By this time, two new clubs have been founded in Jedlesee, SK Vindobona and Burschenschaft Einigkeit.
  • 1905 / A merger is concluded between SK Vindobona and Burschenschaft Einigkeit, leading to the foundation of 1. Gross-Floridsdorfer Sportklub (SK) Admira – a clear allusion to the club which had folded some years previously. The club is usually referred to as SK Admira or SK Admira Wien due to Jedlesee being incorporated into Vienna in 1905. Friedrich Geyer is the first chairman of the club, which settles at the former Admira’s ground at Kirchenlacke – sharing the facility with, among others SC Columbia XXI.
  • 1906 / 1. Gross-Floridsdorfer SK Admira wins its first silverware, a six-way tournament at the Korneburger Velodrome. Meanwhile, in Meidling, a neighbourhood in the southern parts of Vienna, the foundation of a new football club, Wacker, is attempted by two schoolboys, Max Freund – a former member of Wiener AC – and Oskar Wittek; their foundation plans are stalled due to all prospective members being underage, meaning that no official foundation act could be filed.
  • 1907 / The prospective football club in Meidling finds a chairman, Rudolf Krones, leading to the foundation of SC Wacker Wien. For the moment, the club does not join any championship though.
  • 1909 / Having played at Kirchenlacke for four years, 1. Gross-Floridsdorfer SK Admira moves to a new ground further away from the Danube at Deublergasse. This new Admira-Sportplatz is situated next to the Pollack & Sons cotton mill. Also in 1909, SC Wacker Wien finds itself a pitch at Edelsinnstrasse – a sand pit at the back of a local inn, Gastwirt Nitsch; an inaugural match against ASV Hertha Wien is lost 1-3. Subsequently, the club starts its competitive life in the Third Division, with promotion to the Second Division being achieved in this first season – at this stage, the Austrian football league only consists of teams from Vienna and its immediate surroundings.
  • 1911 / 1. Gross-Floridsdorfer SK Admira Wien, hitherto playing in the Second Division, is excluded from taking part in further league championships due to playing lucrative gala matches against teams from Bratislava – thereby breaking Austrian FA rules. After vain attempts at founding a rival football association, Admira returns into the ÖFB ranks, having to restart at the bottom of the league system in the Fourth Division. 
  • 1912 / SC Wacker Wien achieves the title in the Second Division, 4 points ahead of SC Ober Sankt Veit and SC Blue Star Wien, but the club fails to win promotion to the top flight due to losing a promotion-relegation match against SC Rudolfshügel (0-6); the club’s star player, Franz Twaroch, is called up for the Austrian national team – the first-ever player of a club not playing in the top division to be accorded this honour. Also in 1912, 1. Gross-Floridsdorfer SK Admira Wien achieves the title in the Fourth Division with an impressive goal difference (+ 116).
  • 1913 / SC Wacker Wien achieves the title in the Second Division for the second year running, 9 points ahead of closest followers Wiener Bewegungsspiele; yet again, though, the club fails to accede to the top flight due to losing a promotion-relegation encounter against ASV Hertha Wien (4-2 aggr.). Also in 1913, 1. Gross-Floridsdorfer SK Admira Wien achieves the title in the Third Division (goal difference: + 76).
  • 1914 / With both clubs playing in the Second Division, SC Wacker Wien achieves the title ahead of runners-up 1. Gross-Floridsdorfer SK Admira Wien; due to the promotion-relegation matches having been abolished, Wacker accedes to the First Division automatically. Due to the outbreak of World War I, both clubs see many of their players being called up for the army – some of them never to return. Also in 1914, 1. Gross-Floridsdorfer SK Admira Wien officially abbreviates its name to become SK Admira Wien.
  • 1915 / Finishing 2 points ahead of SC Donaustadt, SK Admira Wien achieves the title in the Second Division, but without acceding to the top flight due to no promotion system being in existence during the years of World War I.
  • 1919 / Runners-up behind First Vienna FC 1894 in the Second Division, SK Admira Wien wins automatic promotion to the First Division in the first full season after the end of World War I. 
  • 1920 / SK Admira Wien finishes in last place in its first season in the First Division, but due to an extra team being added to the top flight, the club evades relegation.
  • 1921 / Having played at Gastwirt Nitsch for the past twelve years, SC Wacker Wien now moves into a veritable, purpose-built stadium which holds 20,000 (3,000 seated) at Rosasgasse, often referred to as the Wackerplatz, situated in a park in the immediate vicinity of the Schönbrunn Palace. Also in 1921, SK Admira Wien finishes in joint-last place in the First Division, but the club evades relegation yet again due to a better goal difference than Wiener AC (-16 vs. -30).
  • 1923 / SC Wacker Wien reaches the cup final, losing the encounter played at Stadion Hohe Warte 1-3 against Wiener SC. Also in this year, SK Admira Wien has its best season so far, finishing in third place in the First Division behind SK Rapid and Wiener Amateure-SV.
  • 1927 / While SC Wacker Wien manages stable mid-table finishes throughout most of the 1920s and 1930s, SK Admira Wien begins the most successful spell in club history by winning the Austrian title for the first time, 3 points ahead of closest followers Brigittenauer AC, which had been defeated 0-5 in a direct confrontation two matches before the end of the season in front of 20,000 spectators. Admira’s Anton ‘Toni’ Schall crowns himself top goalscorer of the league with 27 goals – going on to repeat that feat in 1928, 1929, 1931, and 1932. As champions, Admira qualifies for the first edition of the Mitropa Cup, a cup competition between the best teams from several states in Central Europe, being eliminated by AC Sparta Praha (8-6 aggr.).
  • 1928 / SK Admira Wien clinches the Austrian title for the second year running, 3 points ahead of closest rivals SK Rapid; the club also goes on to win the cup final against Wiener AC at Stadion Hohe Warte – with goals by Ignaz Sigl and Franz Runge (2-1). In the Mitropa Cup, the club defeats SK Slavia Praha (6-4 aggr.) before being eliminated in the semis by Ferencvárosi TC.
  • 1929 / SK Admira Wien finishes in second place in the First Division, 3 points behind SK Rapid.
  • 1930 / SK Admira Wien finishes in second place in the First Division, 1 point behind SK Rapid.
  • 1931 / SK Admira Wien finishes in second place in the First Division for the third year running, 2 points behind First Vienna FC 1894.
  • 1932 / With the decisive points being achieved in a 4-1 away win against derby rivals Floridsdorfer AC, SK Admira Wien wins its third Austrian title, 2 points ahead of First Vienna FC 1894. The club also goes on to win the cup final, defeating Wiener AC emphatically (6-1). In the Mitropa Cup, the club is eliminated in R1 by SK Slavia Praha (1-3 aggr.).
  • 1933 / Due to the ground at Deublergasse with its small wooden boards having become far too small for the number of spectators flocking to home games, SK Admira Wien moves to a stadium at Hopfengasse, which it purchases from another Viennese club, Viktoria XXI – extending the spectator facilities to turn it into a real stadium, later renamed the Leopold Stroh Stadium. 
  • 1934 / SK Admira Wien wins its fourth Austrian title, 2 points ahead of SK Rapid – while also defeating that same club in the cup final (8-0!). Also, following wins over AC Napoli, AC Sparta Praha, and Juventus FC, the club reaches the final of the Mitropa Cup, in which it suffers a 7-4 aggregate defeat at the hands of Bologna FC. Also in 1934, Admira striker Toni Schall as well as his teammates, goalkeeper Peter Platzer and midfielder Johann Urbanek, are called up for Austria’s World Cup squad – as are SC Wacker strikers Karl Zischek and Hans Walzhofer; ultimately, this Austrian team manages a fourth place in the competition, held in Italy.
  • 1935 / SK Admira Wien finishes in second place in the First Division, 6 points behind SK Rapid; in the Mitropa Cup, the club is eliminated in R1 by MTK Hungária Budapest.
  • 1936 / SK Admira Wien wins its fifth Austrian title, 5 points ahead of First Vienna FC 1894 – with 23 goals being scored by the club’s star striker Willy Hahnemann. In the Mitropa Cup, the club is eliminated in R1 by 1. SK Prostějov.
  • 1937 / Suffering only one defeat in the entire season, SK Admira Wien wins the Austrian title for a sixth time – with an equal number of points as runners-up FK Austria Wien, but with a better goal difference bringing the decision (+57 vs. + 34). In the Mitropa Cup, the club edges past AC Sparta Praha in a three-match thriller to reach the quarterfinal, in which the second tie against Genova 1893 FBC at the Prater Stadium leads to controversy, when the Viennese crowd reacts badly to the Italian players bringing the fascist salute; as a result of the violence breaking out subsequently, both clubs are eliminated from the competition.
  • 1938 / With Austria having been annexed by Germany earlier that year, Willy Hahnemann is called up for the German squad taking part in the 1938 World Cup in France.
  • 1939 / With the Austrian top flight having been absorbed into the German league system as the Gauliga Ostmark – SK Admira Wien goes on to win the 1938-39 edition, 2 points ahead of SC Wacker Wien, with the decisive match between the two clubs ending in a 4-2 win for Admira at the Prater Stadium in front of 38,000 spectators. As a result, Admira qualifies for a competition with the other regional champions to determine the pan-German title winners. Reaching the final, the club suffers a 9-0 defeat at the hands of FC Schalke 04, with the heavily biased referee Schulz sending off no fewer than three Admira players; in a ‘reconciliation match’ at Vienna’s Prater Stadium with the same referee overseeing proceedings, Schulz goes on to annoy the local crowd of 50,000 to such an extent, that the pitch is stormed, the referee is beaten up, Schalke’s coach is demolished, and even the tires of Gauleiter Baldur von Schirach’s car being slashed. Following this blatant anti-government demonstration, most of Admira’s players are called up to be sent to the front at the start of World War II with Hitler’s invasion of Poland in the summer of 1939. Meanwhile, SC Wacker Wien reaches the semi-final of the pan-German cup competition, in which it draws with SV Waldhof Mannheim three times before losing the encounter by the toss of a coin.
  • 1940 / SC Wacker Wien finishes in second place in Gauliga Ostmark, 3 points behind SK Rapid.
  • 1941 / SC Wacker Wien finishes in second place in Gauliga Ostmark, 4 points behind SK Rapid.
  • 1942 / SC Wacker Wien’s striker Ernst Reitermaier crowns himself top goalscorer of the Gauliga with 20 goals.
  • 1943 / Heralding the end of the club’s heyday, SK Admira Wien is retrograded to the Second Division for the first time in its history, along with SG Reichsbahn and bottom club SK Sturm Graz.
  • 1944 / Winning the title in Division 1B Vienna, 9 points ahead of SG BAK-SV Eis, SK Admira Wien goes on to defeat the D1A winner SC Rapid Oberlaa in a play-off (6-3 aggr.) to return to the Gauliga Ostmark after just one season. Also in 1944, the Wackerplatz at Rosasgasse is hit by Allied aircraft bombs. 
  • 1945 / Upon war’s end, only one player of the 1939 squad of SK Admira Wien is left, Paul Giesser – also due to the fact that the club’s ground is situated in the Russian occupation zone of Vienna, which leads to star player Willy Hahnemann switching to SC Wacker Wien, closer to his house in the British zone. In the first seasons after the war, Admira only narrowly staves off relegation from the top flight.
  • 1946 / Reinforced by Willy Hahnemann and fellow-Admira player Otto Marischka, SC Wacker Wien manages a respectable third place in the First Division in the first full post-war season.
  • 1947 / Clinching the decisive points in a 4-0 win over Wiener AC, SC Wacker Wien wins the Austrian title, 2 points ahead of SK Rapid. Moreover, the club also wins the cup final against FK Austria Wien (4-3, with Ernst Reitermaier and Willy Hahnemann scoring two goals each) at the Prater Stadium, with 35,000 spectators attending.
  • 1948 / With SK Rapid clinching the title, SC Wacker Wien and SK Admira Wien have to settle for second and third place respectively. Admira manages to win the Vienna Cup, defeating FK Austria Wien 2-1 at the Prater Stadium (30,000 spectators).
  • 1949 / In the 1948-49 season, incidentally the first-ever nationwide Austrian top division – therefore, the competition has been renamed Staatsliga – SK Admira Wien finishes in third place, only 3 points behind champions FK Austria Wien. Admira’s Erich Habitzl crowns himself top scorer of the league with 23 goals.
  • 1950 / After a six-month wrangle, SC Wacker Wien has to accept losing its star player Gerhard Hanappi to SK Rapid. Hanappi, 20 years old at the time, had made his debut in the Austrian national team two years previously, in 1948, in a 2-1 win over Sweden. Due to the unprecedented way in which Hanappi had been wrested from the club – he had been encouraged by Rapid’s board to go into hiding for the time being – Wacker developed a fierce rivalry with Rapid in the following years.
  • 1951 / With SK Rapid clinching the Austrian title, SC Wacker Wien has to settle for second place, 5 points behind its rival. Meanwhile, SK Admira Wien concludes a merger with Eisenbahnsportverein (ESV) Wien – though ESV Wien’s footballing branch remains independent – leading to the club name being adapted to become ESV Admira Wien. Following its good season, SC Wacker Wien earns a ticket for the Zentropa Cup, a revival of the pre-war Mitropa Cup, defeating GNK Dinamo Zagreb in the semis (4-1), but losing the final against city rivals SK Rapid (2-3).
  • 1953 / SC Wacker Wien finishes runners-up in the Austrian top flight for the second time in three seasons, finishing 1 point behind champions FK Austria Wien. Wacker’s midfielder Theodor ‘Turl’ Brinek Jnr. is called up for a FIFA World XI, leading to him earning a transfer to AS Monaco.
  • 1954 / SC Wacker player Theodor ‘Turl’ Wagner scores three goals in Austria’s win over Switzerland in the World Cup quarter final – thereby playing a big part in his country winning a bronze medal in that tournament, the best Austrian result ever in the World Cup. Further Wacker players called up into this successful Austrian squad were goalkeeper Franz Pelikan, midfielder Walter Kollmann, and attacker Walter Haummer.
  • 1955 / SC Wacker Wien’s striker Richard Brousek crowns himself top goalscorer of the Staatsliga with an impressive 31 goals; ultimately finishing in fourth place, Wacker earns a ticket for the Mitropa Cup – as the Zentropa Cup has been renamed – losing in the qualifying round against Budapesti Vörös LSE after a three-match thriller.
  • 1956 / SC Wacker Wien finishes runners-up in the Austrian top flight for the third time in the decade, 2 points behind SK Rapid. In the Mitropa Cup, Wacker is eliminated in the quarter final by FK Partizan (2-2 aggregate and a tie-break match: 4-0 defeat). The club’s chairman, Alfred Frey, submits a suggestion at the UEFA to introduce a Cup Winners’ Cup – eventually resulting in the introduction of this competition four years later. 
  • 1958 / SC Wacker players Ernst Kozlicek, Paul Kozlicek, and Walter Kollmann are members of the Austrian squad taking part in the 1958 World Cup in Sweden; as in 1954, no Admira players are called up for this World Cup edition.
  • 1960 / Rock bottom of the Staatsliga table with just three wins in the entire season, ESV Admira Wien drops back into the Regionalliga along with WSV Donawitz. That summer, energy provider NEWAG/NIOGAS becomes the club main sponsor, leading to the club name being adapted to become ESV Admira-NÖ Energie Wien, usually abbreviatedly referred to as Admira Energie.
  • 1961 / Marred by financial problems since various years, SC Wacker Wien drops out of the top division of Austrian football for the first time, falling 1 point short of SV Schwechat and 1. Simmeringer SC, who both stay up. The club’s fate is sealed with a 2-0 away defeat at First Vienna FC 1894. As such, the club descends into the Regionalliga along with SV Austria Salzburg and bottom club FC Dornbirn 1913. Meanwhile, ESV Admira Energie clinches the title in the Regionalliga East, 8 points ahead of closest followers BSV Voith Sankt Pölten, thus managing an immediate return to the Staatsliga.
  • 1962 / Clinching the title in the Regionalliga East, 2 points ahead of closest rivals Kremser SC and ASV Siegendorf, SC Wacker Wien manages an immediate return to the Staatsliga.
  • 1963 / Falling 1 point short of SV Stickstoff Linz and safety, SC Wacker Wien drops out of the Staatsliga again after just one season, descending into the Regionalliga along with SV Austria Salzburg and SK Austria Klagenfurt. Meanwhile, Admira takes part in the 1963-64 Mitropa Cup, being eliminated in the quarter final by Jednota Trenčín (5-2 aggr.).
  • 1964 / Coached by Hans Pesser, ESV Admira Energie wins the Austrian cup by defeating FK Austria Wien in the Prater Stadium with the narrowest of margins (only goal of the match scored by Walter Stamm). Meanwhile, SC Wacker Wien conquers the Regionalliga East title again, 3 points ahead of Kremser SC, thus returning to the Staatsliga. In the 1964-65 Cup Winners’ Cup, Admira is eliminated in the qualifying round by Legia Warszawa SA (4-1 aggr.).
  • 1965 / ESV Admira Energie finished in joint second place in the Staatsliga with SK Rapid, just 1 point short of champions LASK. Meanwhile, at the other end of the table, SC Wacker Wien suffers its second relegation in three seasons, finishing bottom of the table and descending into the Regionalliga along with SK Sturm Graz and Wiener AC.
  • 1966 / ESV Admira Energie wins its first and only post-war Austrian title, 3 points ahead of runners-up SK Rapid. The club goes on to also win the Austrian cup, defeating SK Rapid 1-0 with the only goal of the match scored by Burli Herzog. Also in 1966, SC Wacker Wien wins the Regionalliga East title for the third time in the 1960s, 2 points ahead of Wiener AC, thus managing another immediate return to what has meanwhile been renamed the National League. In a dramatic move – and to the dismay of the club’s fanbase – the board of fresh double champions ESV Admira Energie moves its club away from its Leopold Stroh Stadium at Hopfengasse, and from Vienna altogether, at the instigation of sponsors NEWAG NIOGAS, who own a plot of land in Maria Enzersdorf, to the south of the Austrian capital, where a new stadium is being built for the club. Admira settles for a short groundshare with VfB Mödling in the Stadion der Stadt Mödling before moving into the new Bundesstadion Südstadt, although building works on the projected ground are still ongoing. The stadium at Hopfengasse is taken over by Admira’s old derby rivals Floridsdorfer AC, who have been home at the ground ever since.
  • 1967 / Inauguration of the new Bundesstadion Südstadt in Maria Enzersdorf on March 4th, 1967, a ground with a grandstand and an open terrace facing it. The projected behind-goal stands are never added due to subsequent financial problems following the withdrawal of NEWAG NIOGAS as the club’s sponsor – giving the ground a capacity of 10,600. In the club’s only-ever participation in the European Cup, Admira is eliminated in R1 by FK Vojvodina Novi Sad (1-0 aggr.). Also in 1967, continuing the club’s streak of subsequent promotions and relegations, SC Wacker Wien drops out of the National League after just one season, due to its goal difference being inferior to that of SK Sturm Graz, who just stay up (-15 vs. -22); as such, the club descends into the Regionalliga along with 1. Wiener Neustädter SC and Kapfenberger SV.
  • 1968 / Changing divisions for the eighth year running – an unbroken record in Austrian football history – SC Wacker Wien clinches the title in the Regionalliga East, 9 points ahead of closest followers SC Tulln, thus returning to the Nationalliga. In the following two seasons, the club admirably holds its own at that level. In the 1968-69 season, ESV Admira Energie takes part in the Mitropa Cup, defeating FK Vardar Skopje in R1 (5-2 aggr.) before bowing out in the quarter final against Internacionál Bratislava on away goals (3-3 aggr.).
  • 1969 / ESV Admira Energie takes part in the 1969-70 Mitropa Cup, edging past Bohemians ČKD Praha in R1 (4-2 aggr.) before bowing out in the quarter final against Vasas SC (7-1 aggr.).
  • 1971 / In its last season as an independent club, SK Admira Energie finishes in eighth place in the Nationalliga, with its striker Willy Kreuz crowning himself top goalscorer of the league (26 goals). Meanwhile, losing its last match of the season 2-4 against FC Wacker Innsbruck, who incidentally clinch their first-ever Austrian title, SC Wacker Wien suffers relegation to the Regionalliga along with SC Schwarz-Weiss Bregenz and WSG Radenthein. With both ESV Admira Energie and SC Wacker Wien having suffered financial problems in the preceding years and both clubs having had fruitless merger talks with others – Admira with FK Austria Wien, and Wacker with Schwechater SV among others – the two clubs decide to come together to form FC Admira/Wacker, settling at Admira’s ground in Maria Enzersdorf. Wacker’s historic ground at Rosasgasse is abandoned after fifty years, although the Wackerplatz, deprived of all stands, has continued life until the present day as a community field for school sports as Bundesspielplatz Schönbrunn. With FC Admira/Wacker commencing the 1971-72 season in the top flight, SC Wacker Wien’s license for Regionalliga East is taken over by the newly created FC Wacker/Admira, in effect the new merger club’s B team. In its first season, FC Admira/Wacker faces the humiliation of being eliminated in Austria’s cup by FC Wacker/Admira and the club also has a difficult start to the Nationalliga season, but after sacking coach Karl Schlechta, results improve, with the club finishing in the top half of the 1971-72 season table.
  • 1972 / In the Regionalliga East, FC Wacker/Admira narrowly staves off the drop, staying 1 point ahead of ASV Siegendorf and relegation. After the 1971-72 season, FC Wacker/Admira is absorbed into SC Brunn, which changes its name to become Wacker Brunn.
  • 1973 / Wacker Brunn changes back its name to SC Brunn, thus heralding the final disappearance of SC Wacker Wien two years after the merger with Admira. Meanwhile, having finished in fourth place in the Nationalliga, FC Admira/Wacker qualifies for the UEFA Cup, sensationally eliminating FC Internazionale Milano on away goals (2-2 aggr., goals by Kurt Swojanovsky & Günter Kaltenbrunner) before being eliminated in R2 by Fortuna Düsseldorf (4-2 aggr.). In the remainder of the 1970s, the club manages stable mid-table results in the Nationalliga – being renamed Bundesliga in 1974.
  • 1978 / FC Admira/Wacker defender Heinrich Strasser, who incidentally played for SC Wacker Wien and ESV Admira Energie before the merger of the two clubs in 1971, takes part in the 1978 World Cup in Argentina as a member of the Austrian squad.
  • 1979 / FC Admira/Wacker reaches the Austrian cup final, drawing the first encounter with SSW Innsbruck before losing the tie-break match 1-0.
  • 1982 / Finishing in fourth place in the 1981-82 Bundesliga season, FC Admira/Wacker qualifies for the UEFA Cup, in which it is eliminated in R1 by Bohemians ČKD Praha (7-1 aggr.). FC Admira/Wacker defenders Josef Degeorgi and Gerald Messlender are called up for the Austrian squad taking part in the 1982 World Cup.
  • 1987 / Finishing in fourth place in the 1986-87 Bundesliga season, FC Admira/Wacker qualifies for the UEFA Cup, in which it is eliminated in R1 by Turun Palloseura (Turku PS, 2-1 aggr.). Also in 1987, Admira’s talented midfielder Manfred Zsak, who goes on to represent his country at the 1990 World Cup, leaves the club, signing a contract with FK Austria Wien.
  • 1989 / FC Admira/Wacker finishes in second place in the Bundesliga, 6 points behind FC Swarovski Tirol – going on to also lose the cup final against the Tiroleans (6-4 aggr.); ultimately, the club finally manages to defeat Swarovski in the Super Cup (1-1 and penalty shoot-out). Subsequently, in the 1989-90 Cup Winners’ Cup, FC Admira/Wacker has a decent run, eliminating AEL Limassol (3-1 aggr.) and Ferencvárosi TC (2-0 aggr.) before bowing out against RSC Anderlechtois (2-1 aggr.). Also in 1989, the club’s star defender Ernst Aigner, who goes on to represent Austria at the 1990 World Cup, signs a contract for FK Austria Wien.
  • 1990 / FC Admira/Wacker finishes in fourth place in the Bundesliga, but sees its squad being seriously depleted as all three of their star strikers leave the club, with Gerhard Rodax – who scored 35 goals in the 1989-90 season – signing for Club Atlético de Madrid, Walter Knaller for FC Stahl Linz, and Fred Schaub for VfB Mödling. Before leaving for Spain, Gerhard Rodax is part of the Austrian squad taking part in the 1990 World Cup in Italy, in which he scored one goal; apart from Rodax, the club’s defender Peter Artner is also called up. One of the replacement strikers being signed by the club in the summer of 1990 is East Germany’s Olaf Marschall of 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig. In the 1990-91 UEFA Cup, FC Admira/Wacker eliminates Vejle BK (4-0 aggr.) and FC Luzern (2-1 aggr.) before bowing out against Bologna FC in R3 (3-3 aggr. and penalty shoot-out).
  • 1991 / Swedish defender Roger Ljung joins FC Admira/Wacker from FC Zürich. Ljung, who represented his country in three international tournaments, goes on to play for Admira for two seasons before leaving to Galatasaray SK in 1993.
  • 1992 / FC Admira/Wacker reaches the Austrian cup final, suffering a 1-0 defeat at the hands of FK Austria Wien. In the 1992-93 Cup Winners’ Cup, the club defeats Cardiff City FC (3-1 aggr.) before being eliminated by R Antwerp FC in R2 (7-6 aggr.).
  • 1993 / Finishing in third place in the Bundesliga, FC Admira/Wacker qualifies for the UEFA Cup, in which it is eliminated in R1 by FK Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk (4-2 aggr.).
  • 1994 / Finishing in third place in the Bundesliga, FC Admira/Wacker qualifies for the UEFA Cup, in which it manages defeats of Górnik Zabrze (6-3 aggr.) and AS Cannes (5-3 aggr.) before being eliminated by Italian giants Juventus FC (5-2 aggr.).
  • 1996 / FC Admira/Wacker reaches the Austrian cup final, suffering a 3-1 defeat at the hands of SK Sturm Graz. Being hard-hit by the Bosman ruling, which prevent the club from reaping the fruits of its reputed youth academy, Bundessportzentrum Südstadt – with out-of-contract players now being allowed to change clubs without transfer money – the club has a hard time in the Austrian Bundesliga, finishing second-last in the table, ahead of bottom club SK Vorwärts Steyr and assuring itself of a prolonged stay in the top flight by defeating its satellite club SV Gerasdorf in the promotion-relegation play-off (9-4 aggr.). At the instigation of Lower Austria’s state president Erwin Pröll, merger talks are held with VSE Sankt Pölten to form a projected SC Niederösterreich, but those coming to naught, FC Admira/Wacker goes it alone, adapting its name to become SCN (Sportclub Niederösterreich) Admira Wacker in an attempt to broaden its appeal beyond the Mödling region.
  • 1997 / In its only season as SCN Admira Wacker, the club finish bottom of the table in the Bundesliga, staving off direct relegation due to FC Linz concluding a merger with LASK – as a result of which Admira takes over FC Linz’s place in the promotion-relegation play-off against SK Vorwärts Steyr, which is won (5-1 aggr.). Following the 1996-97 season, the club concludes a merger with VfB Mödling, resulting in the foundation of VfB Admira Wacker Mödling – thereby avoiding a bankruptcy. First team football is naturally played at the Bundesliga Südstadt, with the Stadion der Stadt Mödling being retained for lower team football for the time being.
  • 1998 / Bottom of the table in the Bundesliga, 10 points behind second-last SC Austria Lustenau, VfB Admira Wacker Mödling descends into the First Division – as the second tier of Austrian football is called at the time.
  • 2000 / Champions in the First Division, 11 points ahead of closest followers DSV Leoben, VfB Admira Wacker Mödling manages a return to the Bundesliga after an absence of two seasons.
  • 2002 / VfB Admira Wacker Mödling signs Polish international midfielder Tomasz ‘Tomec’ Iwan from FK Austria Wien. Iwan goes on to defend the club colours for three seasons before leaving for KKS Lech Poznań in 2005.
  • 2003 / VfB Admira Wacker Mödling signs former Yugoslavian international midfielder Vladimir Jugović from AS Monaco. Jugović represents the club for one season before leaving for LR Ahlen in the summer of 2004.
  • 2005 / Admira’s striker Marc Janko, who had made his professional debut at the club two years previously, leaves the club, signing a contract with FC Red Bull Salzburg. Janko goes on to play for FC Twente, FC Porto, Trabzonspor Kulübü, Sydney FC, FC Basel, AC Sparta Praha, and FC Lugano – as well as earning 70 caps for the Austrian national team – before hanging up his boots in 2019.
  • 2006 / Bottom of the table in the 2005-06 Bundesliga, 9 points adrift from FC Wacker Tirol and safety, VfB Admira Wacker Mödling drops back into the First Division.
  • 2007 / On the pitch, VfB Admira Wacker Mödling narrowly staves off relegation to the Regionalliga, finishing in tenth place in the First Division, but due to losing its license for professional league football, the club is relegated nonetheless to the third tier of Austrian football for the first time ever.
  • 2008 / Businessman Richard Trenkwalder, who is chairman of second-tier club ASK Schwadorf, moves his club to the Bundesstadion Südstadt in Maria Enzersdorf and changing its name to become FC Trenkwalder Admira – or FC Admira Wacker Mödling without the sponsor name. VfB Admira Wacker Mödling becomes the new club’s B team as FC Trenkwalder Admira Amateure in the Regionalliga East. Trenkwalder signs former Austrian international defender Heribert Weber as the club’s sports director.
  • 2009 / FC Admira Wacker Mödling finishes in third place in the First Division behind SC Wiener Neustadt and FC Wacker Innsbruck, thus missing out on promotion, while the club also reaches the Austrian cup final, played at SV Mattersburg’s Pappelstadion, in which it is defeated 3-1 by FK Austria Wien.
  • 2010 / FC Admira Wacker Mödling misses out on promotion to the Bundesliga yet again, finishing runners-up in the First Division, 2 points behind FC Wacker Innsbruck.
  • 2011 / Coached by former Admira player Didi Kühbauer, FC Admira Wacker Mödling clinches the title in the First Division, 1 point ahead of SCR Altach. As such, the club returns to the top flight after an absence of five seasons.
  • 2012 / In its first season back at the top level, still coached by Didi Kühbauer, FC Admira Wacker Mödling manages a sensational third place in the Bundesliga behind FC Red Bull Salzburg and SK Rapid, resulting in the club qualifying for the Europa League. Defeating VFMD Žalgiris in the second qualifying round (6-2 aggr.), the club is eliminated in the third qualifying round by AC Sparta Praha (4-2 aggr.).
  • 2013 / Avoiding the bottom of the league table on goal difference only (-21 vs. -31 for SV Mattersburg), FC Admira Wacker Mödling narrowly stays up in the Bundesliga. Didi Kühbauer is replaced as trainer/coach by former Austrian international top goalscorer Toni Polster. However, Polster is sacked just three matches into the new season. Due to financial problems following the departure of chairman and sponsor Richard Trenkwalder, the club is deducted 5 points, eventually finishing second-last in the Bundesliga, 8 points ahead of FC Wacker Innsbruck, and thereby assuring itself of one more season in the top flight.
  • 2015 / Yet again, FC Admira Wacker Mödling finishes second-last, 5 points ahead of bottom club SC Wiener Neustadt, thereby assuring itself of a prolonged stay in the Bundesliga.
  • 2016 / FC Admira Wacker Mödling reaches the Austrian cup final, played at Klagenfurt’s Wörtherseestadion, losing the match against FC Red Bull Salzburg comprehensively (5-0). Meanwhile, in the regular season, the club manages a respectable fourth place, resulting in qualification for the Europa League. The club survives two preliminaries, successively seeing off TJ Spartak Myjava (4-3 aggr.) and Kəpəz PFK (3-0) aggr.) before being eliminated in the third qualifying round by FC Slovan Liberec (4-1 aggr.).
  • 2017 / The club officially changes its name to become FK Flyeralarm Admira for sponsorship reasons.
  • 2018 / Finishing in fifth place in the Bundesliga, FC Admira Wacker Mödling qualifies for the Europa League, being eliminated in the second qualifying round by CSKA Sofia (6-1 aggr.).
  • 2022 / Bottom of the table in the Bundesliga, 1 point behind TSV Hartberg, FC Admira Wacker Mödling drops back into the Second League after eleven seasons. Meanwhile, Admira’s reserves’ team, playing in the Regionalliga East, concludes a merger with FCM Traiskirchen, the result being FCM Flyeralarm Traiskirchen – with this club playing its home matches at the Sportzentrum Traiskirchen. Also in 2022, club icon Gerhard Rodax passes away after a long depression at the age of 57.

























All photos: (c) W.B. Tukker / www.extremefootballtourism.blogspot.com. Publication of any of these images only after permission of author

Friday 26 April 2024

AUSTRIA: SK Vorwärts Steyr (1935-1944, 1945-2000, 2001-) / FG Steyr (1944)

Stadion an der Volksstrasse "Vorwärts-Stadion", Steyr (SK Vorwärts Steyr)

Austria, state: Upper Austria

26 IV 2024 / SK Vorwärts Steyr - UVB Vöcklamarkt 0-0 / Regionalliga Mitte (= AUT level 3)

Timeline
  • 1919 / Foundation of a first football club in Steyr, Steyrer Fussballklub (FK) Vorwärts, with the inaugural celebrations taking place at the local casino; as such, Vorwärts is one of the oldest clubs in Upper Austria. The first official match is played away at Linzer ASK Siegfried (2-2).
  • 1920 / Steyrer FK Vorwärts, possibly already at this stage officially renamed Sportklub (SK) Vorwärts Steyr, settles at a ground at Volksstrasse, the so-called Industrieplatz, but this is not the exact location of the later Vorwärts-Stadion. Also in 1920, Vorwärts clinches the title in the Upper Austrian State League (Oberösterreichische Landesliga) – with Austria lacking a national league pyramid at this stage, there is no opportunity for the club to gain promotion to a higher level. Vorwärts goes on to clinch the same title in 1921, 1922, and 1923. 
  • 1923 / Vorwärts meets its local rivals SK Freiheit Steyr, founded in 1921, on the pitch for the first time, losing the encounter 3-1. SK Freiheit Steyr takes on the new name SK Amateure Steyr later in 1923.
  • 1926 / In the increasingly pillarised Austrian society of the 1920s, Vorwärts changes its allegiance, abandoning the official Austrian Football Association and joining the newly founded socialist football association VAFÖ (Verband des Arbeiter-Fussballer Österreichs). Being placed in VAFÖ’s Upper Austrian State League, Vorwärts deprives itself of derby encounters against local rivals SK Amateure Steyr, LASK Linz, and Welser SC – with all of those clubs remaining ÖFB members. With most of the strongest teams remaining in the ÖFB, Vorwärts condemns itself to an isolated existence within the ranks of VAFÖ.
  • 1932 / SK Vorwärts Steyr clinches the VAFÖ’s nationwide cup competition.
  • 1934 / After Austria’s chancellor Dollfuss being murdered by Nazi thugs in February 1934 and Austria descending into a state of near-civil war, all civil society organisations in Austria not affiliated to the government are banned – and as such, the VAFÖ has to cease its activities. SK Vorwärts Steyr also folds, even having to give up its pitch, the Industrieplatz, to SK Amateure Steyr, but the club is refounded in May 1934 as Österreichischer Sportklub (ÖSK) Steyr, joining the ÖFB that same year and being placed in Upper Austria’s Division 1 East.
  • 1935 / Clinching the title in Upper Austria’s Division 1 East, ÖSK Steyr wins promotion to Upper Austria’s State League – with a nationwide division still not having been organised, this amounts to the club’s return to the highest ÖFB level after an absence of nine years. In the summer of 1935, the club takes on its old name SK Vorwärts Steyr, while also moving slightly northwards to a new pitch at Volksstrasse – the exact location of the current Vorwärts-Stadion.
  • 1938 / In the year of the German occupation of Austria, Vorwärts clinches Upper Austria’s Statal Cup.
  • 1940 / Vorwärts wins the title in the Upper Danube League.
  • 1944 / Due to a lack of players in both clubs due to many members having been called up into the German army, SK Vorwärts Steyr and SK Amateure Steyr conclude a merger, resulting in the foundation of Fussballgemeinschaft (FG) Steyr. Also in 1944, FG Steyr wins the title in the Upper Danube League, but amid growing chaos in the latter stages of World War II, the club ceases all activities at the end of the same year. 
  • 1945 / Refoundation of SK Vorwärts Steyr and SK Amateure Steyr as separate clubs.
  • 1946 / Vorwärts wins the title in Upper Austria’s State League – organised anew after having been abolished by the Germans upon their occupation of Austria in 1938.
  • 1949 / Winning the title in Upper Austria’s State League, 6 points ahead of closest followers Welser SC, SK Vorwärts Steyr is admitted to the newly founded Statal League A (Staatsliga A), the first-ever nationwide football competition in Austria. Also in 1949, the club reaches the final of the nationwide cup, losing the encounter, played in Vienna, against FK Austria Wien (5-2).
  • 1950 / In the first Statal League A season, Vorwärts finishes in a shared eighth position with Floridsdorfer AC, with the first seven positions all occupied by teams from Vienna.
  • 1951 / Finishing eleventh of thirteen teams in Statal League A, 3 points short of derby rivals LASK and safety, Vorwärts descends into Statal League B (Staatsliga B) along with 1. Wiener Neustädter SC and FS Elektra Wien.
  • 1953 / SK Amateure Steyr abandons the Industrieplatz at Volksstrasse, initially settling at Rennbahn and later moving to the current Lauberleite.
  • 1954 / Finishing in eleventh place in Statal League B, SK Vorwärts drops back into Upper Austria’s State League, by now the third tier of Austria’s league pyramid.
  • 1955 / Runaway champions in Upper Austria’s State League, 8 points ahead of closest followers SV Stickstoff Linz, Vorwärts manages an immediate return to Statal League B. In the following season, the club manages a respective sixth place at that level.
  • 1959 / In a reorganisation of the league pyramid, several Regional Leagues (Regionalligen) are created to replace Statal League B. As such, SK Vorwärts is placed in Regionalliga Mitte, the regional league for the central parts of Austria.
  • 1964 / In Regionalliga Mitte, Vorwärts suffers a humiliating 7-1 defeat in the derby encounter with SK Amateure Steyr.
  • 1969 / Finishing in twelfth place in Regionalliga Mitte, 1 point short of SV Phönix Hönigsberg and safety, SK Vorwärts drops back into Upper Austria’s State League, by now the third tier of the league pyramid – along with local rivals SK Amateure Steyr and bottom club Klagenfurter AC.
  • 1970 / Champions in Upper Austria’s State League, 1 point ahead of SK Amateure Steyr, SK Vorwärts manages an immediate return to Regionalliga Mitte.
  • 1974 / In a reorganisation of the league pyramid, a National League (Nationalliga) is created as a new second tier between top-flight Bundesliga and the State Leagues, with the Regional Leagues being abolished; with Vorwärts finishing in eighth place in Regionalliga Mitte, the club is automatically placed in Upper Austria’s First State League for the new season.
  • 1975 / Vorwärts wins the title in Upper Austria’s First State League, 1 point ahead of SV Traun. As such, the club qualifies for the promotion play-offs against the champions of the other statal leagues, in which it is eliminated in the qualifying round against SV Sankt-Veit/Glan (3-1 aggr.).
  • 1979 / Clinching the title in Upper Austria’s First State League (Erste Landesliga Oberösterreich), 2 points ahead of Union Wels, Vorwärts qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which it defeats SV Flavia Solva by the narrowest of margins (0-0 aggr. and penalty shoot-out) to win promotion to the Second Division – as the National League has meanwhile been renamed. 
  • 1980 / Finishing in joint thirteenth place in the Second Division, with an equal number of points as 1. Wiener Neustädter SC, but with an inferior goal difference (-24 vs. -4), SK Vorwärts is relegated along with SV Heid Stockerau and Favoritner AC, being placed in Upper Austria’s State League for the new season due to the temporary abolition of Regionalliga Mitte.
  • 1982 / Winning the title in Upper Austria’s State League, Vorwärts qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which it secures promotion to the Second Division along with SV Spittal an der Drau at the expense of ASK Voitsberg. In the following year, the club manages a respectable sixth place in the Second Division.
  • 1986 / The Vorwärts-Stadion undergoes a complete renovation, leading to the current set-up with two covered stands – of which one terrace – and two open terraces. The ground’s capacity is estimated at 7,000 (later reduced to 5,800 due to security reasons).
  • 1988 / Finishing in third place in the regular Second Division season, SK Vorwärts Steyr qualifies for a play-off round with the bottom four teams of the Bundesliga and the top four teams of the Second Division. In those play-offs, the club finishes in third place, enough to secure promotion to the Bundesliga for the new season – incidentally heralding the return of Vorwärts to the top level of Austrian football after an absence of 37 years. Spectacularly, the club secures the signing of former Ballon d’Or winner, striker Oleg Blochin from FK Dinamo Kiev; 35 years old by then, Blochin, who won 101 caps for the Soviet Union (35 goals) and played in the 1982 and 1986 editions of the World Cup, was the first Soviet footballer to be given permission by authorities in Moscow to move abroad and have a professional career in Western Europe. Also in 1988, Vorwärts midfielder Daniel Madlener is the first-ever player of the club to be called up for the Austrian national team.
  • 1989 / In its first Bundesliga season, SK Vorwärts stays up after finishing in ninth place in the regular competition and saving its skin in the play-off rounds. Having played 41 matches (9 goals) for Vorwärts, Oleg Blochin leaves the club, signing a contract for Cypriot side Aris FC Limassol. Also in 1989, legendary coach Otto Barić joins Vorwärts, staying at the helm of the club until 1991.
  • 1991 / SK Vorwärts Steyr finishes in seventh place in the Bundesliga, the best-ever result in club history. In the summer of 1991, the club takes part in the Mitropa Cup, being eliminated in the group phase by AC Torino and Veszprém FC.
  • 1992 / SK Vorwärts repeats the result of the previous season, finishing in seventh position in the Bundesliga. In the summer of 1992, the club takes part in the Intertoto Cup, finishing in third place in a group of four, behind Siófoki Bányász SE and AC Sparta Praha, but ahead of Lausanne-Sports. That summer, Vorwärts signs Czechoslovak international striker Ivo Knoflíček, who participated in the 1990 World Cup, from VfL Bochum. Also in 1992, Vorwärts player Walter Waldhör is called up for the Austrian national team.
  • 1993 / Having played 22 matches (2 goals) for Vorwärts in the 1992-93 season, Ivo Knoflíček leaves the club, signing for FK Švarc Benešov in Czechia.
  • 1995 / In an attempt to qualify for the UEFA Cup, SK Vorwärts takes part in the Intertoto Cup, surprisingly finishing in first place in a group with Eintracht Frankfurt, FC Spartak Plovdiv, PAE Iraclis Salonica, and FK Panerys Vilnius. In the round of last 16, however, the club is eliminated by RC Strasbourg (4-0). Also in 1995, Steyr’s municipal authorities have to save the club from bankruptcy with a guarantee of 15 million schillings. 
  • 1996 / Due to most of the squad having left the club in the summer of 1995, SK Vorwärts Steyr is unable to hold its own in the top flight, finishing bottom of the table with just 6 points from six draws. As such, the club descends into the Second Bundesliga after eight consecutive seasons in the Bundesliga.
  • 1997 / Runners-up in the Second Bundesliga, 5 points behind champions SC Austria Lustenau, Vorwärts qualifies for a promotion play-off against the bottom club in the Bundesliga, SCN Admira Wacker, losing the encounter (7-3 aggr.) and thus ultimately missing out on an immediate return to the top division.
  • 1998 / In spite of financial difficulties, which nearly lead to the club not being granted permission to play professional league football, SK Vorwärts clinches the title in the Second Bundesliga, 4 points ahead of closest rivals SV Spittal an der Drau, thus managing a return to top flight football after an absence of two seasons.
  • 1999 / SK Vorwärts Steyr suffers relegation from the Bundesliga following a painful 2-0 home defeat against LASK Linz – thus finishing second-last and dropping back into the First Division, the second tier of the league pyramid, along with bottom club SV Spittal an der Drau. In the new season, the club’s board finds itself in dire straits, only being able to pay their players’ salaries after an ultimatum. By now, the club’s debt is over 50 million schillings.
  • 2000 / On January 11th, 2000, Vorwärts’ permission to play professional league football is withdrawn due to the club’s huge debts. Bankruptcy is unavoidable, but due to the Raiffeisen Bank acting as a guarantor by taking over the ownership of the stadium, the club is given a lifeline. Subsequently, merger talks with SK Amateure Steyr to form a projected FC Steyr lead to nothing, upon which Vorwärts starts a period of over one year of inactivity to plan a return as a competitive club in non-league.
  • 2001 / After 1,5 year of inactivity, SK Vorwärts Steyr re-starts in Upper Austria’s Second Division East, the eighth and lowest tier of Austria’s football pyramid. In its first season, the club finishes in second place.
  • 2003 / Champions in Upper Austria’s Second Division East, Vorwärts wins promotion to First Division East. The match in which the club clinches the title, a home game against ASK Sankt-Valentin, is attended by some 5,000 spectators.
  • 2005 / Champions in Upper Austria’s First Division East, Vorwärts accedes to the so-called Bezirksliga, the sixth tier of the Austrian football pyramid.
  • 2006 / Champions in Upper Austria’s Bezirksliga East, Vorwärts accedes to Upper Austria’s Second State League.
  • 2007 / A renovation of the Vorwärts-Stadion is undertaken. Also in 2007, the home game against Sportunion Weisskirchen draws 7,000 spectators to the stadium, a record since Vorwärts’ withdrawal from professional league football in 2000. Also in 2007, former Austrian international player Kurt Russ is signed as the club’s new manager, but he is sacked in March 2008 following heavy pressure to do so being put on the club’s board by the local fan community.
  • 2009 / Runners-up in Upper Austria’s Second State League East in the two previous seasons, Vorwärts now wins the title in that division, thus acceding to the First State League, i.e. the fourth tier of the Austrian league pyramid.
  • 2010 / Defeating SV Gmunden in the final (3-0), SK Vorwärts Steyr wins the Upper Austrian Statal Cup. As such, the club is seeded for the nationwide cup for the 2010-11 season, going on to eliminate D2 clubs SKN Sankt Pölten and WAC before suffering elimination at the hands of SK Sturm Graz (0-1 A.E.T.) in a home game attended by 7,000 spectators.
  • 2011 / Winning the title in Upper Austria’s First State League, Vorwärts accedes to Regionalliga Mitte, i.e. the third tier of the Austrian league pyramid.
  • 2012 / Finishing in fourteenth place in Regionalliga Mitte, Vorwärts is retrograded to Upper Austria’s State League.
  • 2013 / Coached by Adam Kensy, Vorwärts wins the title in Upper Austria’s State League, thus managing an immediate return to Regionalliga Mitte. Also in 2013, the club clinches the Upper Austrian Statal Cup.
  • 2018 / Coached by Gerhard Scheiblehner, Vorwärts finishes in third place in Regionalliga Mitte, acceding to the Second Division – marking the return of the club to professional league football after an absence of eighteen years. 
  • 2020 / In the best season since the club’s restart in 2001, SK Vorwärts finishes in seventh place in the Second Division.
  • 2023 / Finishing in fourteenth place in the Second Division, losing the decisive last home game against FC Admira Wacker Mödling (0-3), Vorwärts drops back into Regionalliga Mitte after five seasons.
























All photos: (c) W.B. Tukker / www.extremefootballtourism.blogspot.com. Publication of any of these images only after permission of author