SV Wilhelmshaven - last updated on 1 August 2008
(Courtesy of Johnny Beaufays)
Club name: Sport-Verein Wilhelmshaven e.V.
Foundation: 1905
City: Wilhelmshaven
Colours: Red and black
Website: www.svwilhelmshaven.de
Honours:
Gauliga Weser/Ems - 2 (1943, 1944)
Bezirksliga Jade - 1 (1924)
A bit of history:
Predecessor side SpVgg Wilhelmshaven was formed as FC Comet in 1905 and was quickly re-named FC Deutschland Wilhelmshaven. In 1912 this club was joined by Heppenser BSV, and later, in 1924, merged with VfB Wilhelmshaven to become Wilhelmshavener SV 1906.
In 1939 SV 06 merged with VfL 1905 Rüstringen to create SpVgg Wilhelmshaven. This side immediately won promotion to the first division Gauliga Niedersachsen, one of sixteen top flight divisions created in the re-organization of German football under the Third Reich in 1933. After the division was split in 1942, the club captured two consecutive titles in the newly formed Gauliga Weser-Ems in 1943 and 1944, but was unable to advance past the eighth-final round in the national playoffs.
In the aftermath of World War II SpVgg was disbanded as were most other organizations in Germany, including sports and football associations. It was not until 1952 that the club was resurrected. In 1972 they were joined by TSV Germania to form an association under the current name SV Wilhelmshaven.
The combined club spent its first three seasons in the Regionalliga Nord (II) / 2.Bundesliga Nord, but then fell to the third tier Amateur Oberliga Nord. SV was relegated to the Verbandsliga Niedersachsen (IV) for the first time in 1980 and since then has played as an elevator side moving between the third and fourth divisions.
In 1992 SVW merged with TSR Olympia Wilhelmshaven, but TSR 's footballers left to play on their own on the local city circuit. SVW then had a brush with bankruptcy in 2000, and after being refused permission by the DFB for a merger that would have seen the return of Olympia's footballers, was forcibly sent down in spite of a respectable finish well clear of relegation.
SV Wilhelmshaven performed well in the Oberliga Nord (IV) and a division championship in 2005-06 returned the team to the Regionalliga Nord (III), briefly ending a five year stay in the fourth division. The club finished last there in the following season and returned to Oberliga play. SV enjoyed a successful 2007-08 campaign and, on the strength of a third place finish, qualified for play in what will become the fourth division Regionalliga after the introduction of the new 3rd Liga in 2008-09.
Club crests: (roll on the crest to get more informations)
SV Wilhelmshaven
