1. FSV Mainz 05 - last updated on 3 March 2008
(Courtesy of Johnny Beaufays)
Club name: 1. Fußball- und Sport-Verein Mainz 05 e.V.
Foundation: March 16th 1905
City: Mainz
Colours: Red and white
Website: www.mainz05.de
Honours:
Regionalliga Südwest - 1 (1973)
Oberliga Südwest - 4 (1981, 1988, 1990, 2003)
Amateurliga Südwest - 1 (1978)
A bit of history:
A failed attempt to start a football team in the city in 1903 was followed up two years later by the successful creation of 1. Mainzer Fussballclub Hassia 1905. After a number of years of play in the Süddeutschen Fußballverband (South German Football League), the club merged with FC Hermannia 07 – the former football side of Mainzer TV 1817 – to form 1. Mainzer Fussballverein Hassia 05, which dropped "Hassia" from its name in August 1912. Another merger after World War I, in 1919, with Sportverein 1908 Mainz, resulted in the formation of 1. Mainzer Fußball- und Sportverein 05. Die Nullfünfer were a solid club that earned several regional league championships in the period between the wars and qualified for the opening round of the national championships in 1921.
In the late 20s and early 30s the club earned decent results in the Bezirksliga Main/Hessen - Gruppe Hessen, including first place finishes in 1932 and 1933. This merited the team a place in the Gauliga Südwest, one of sixteen new first division leagues formed in the re-organization of German football under the Third Reich . Unfortunately, they only managed a single season at that level before being relegated. In 1938, they were forced into a merger with Reichsbahn SV Mainz and played as Reichsbahn SV Mainz 05 until the end of World War II.
After the war the team again joined the upper ranks of league play in Germany's Oberliga Südwest, but were never better than a mid-table side. They played in the top flight until the founding of the new professional league, the Bundesliga, in 1963 and would go on to play as a second division side for most of the next four decades. They withdrew for a time – from the late 70's into the late 80's – to the Amateur Oberliga Südwest (III), as the result of a series of financial problems. Mainz earned honours as the German amateur champions in 1982.
The club returned to professional play with promotion to the 2.Bundesliga for a single season in 1988 before finally returning for an extended run in 1990. Initially, they were perennial relegation candidates, struggling hard each season to avoid being sent down. However, under unorthodox trainer Wolfgang Frank, Mainz became one of the first clubs in German soccer to adopt a flat four zone defense, as opposed to the then-popular man-to-man defense using a libero.
Mainz failed in three attempts to make it to the top flight in 1997, 2002, and 2003 with close fourth place finishes just out of the promotion zone. The last failed attempt stung as they were denied promotion in the 93rd minute of the last game. A year earlier, they became the best non-promoted team of all time in the Second Bundesliga with 64 points. But their persistence paid dividends with an ascent into the Bundesliga in 2004. The team played three seasons in the top flight.
Mainz also earned a spot in the UEFA Cup in their debut Bundesliga season as Germany's nominee in the "Fair Play" draw which acknowledges positive play, respect for one's opponent, respect for the referee, the behaviour of the crowd and of team officials, as well as cautions and dismissals. Three "Fair Play" sides earned admission into the first round of UEFA Cup play. Due to the Bruchweg stadium's limited capacity, the home games in UEFA cup were played in Frankfurt's Commerzbank-Arena.
Mainz finished the 2005-06 season in mid-table, five points clear of relegation, on the strength of a five game unbeaten streak to end the season. The 2006/07 season brought their three-year run in the Bundesliga to an end, where they won only 8 of their 34 games and finished third-last. Mainz were thus relegated and will play in the Second Bundesliga for the 2007/08 season.
Club crests: (roll on the crest to get more informations)
1. FSV Mainz 05
