Amateurliga Württemberg
Amateurliga Württemberg
| Founded | 1945 |
|---|---|
| Folded | 1978 |
| Replaced by |
|
| Country |  Germany |
| State |  Baden-Württemberg |
| Region | Württemberg |
| Level on pyramid | Level 3 |
| Promotion to |
|
| Domestic cup(s) | Württembergischer Pokal |
| Last champions | SSV Ulm 1846 (1977–78) |
The Amateurliga Württemberg was the highest football league in the region of the Württemberg FA and the third tier of the German football league system from its inception in 1945 until the formation of the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg and the Verbandsliga Württemberg below it in 1978.
| Founded | 1945 |
|---|---|
| Folded | 1978 |
| Replaced by |
|
| Country | Germany |
| State | Baden-Württemberg |
| Region | Württemberg |
| Level on pyramid | Level 3 |
| Promotion to |
|
| Domestic cup(s) | Württembergischer Pokal |
| Last champions | SSV Ulm 1846 (1977–78) |
Overview
The Amateurliga Württemberg was formed in 1945 in the northern half of the state of Württemberg, which is now the eastern half of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It was a feeder league to the Oberliga Süd and therefore the second tier of the football league system in the south of Germany until the interception of the 2. Oberliga Süd in 1950. From 1950 until the establishment of the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg in 1978, it was the third tier of the football league system.
Originally, the league was called Landesliga Württemberg; in 1950 it was renamed Amateurliga after being downgraded from second to third tier. Along with this went the integration of three clubs from the Südwürttemberg region, which had been playing in two separate groups and four clubs from the now disbanded southern group of the Oberliga Südwest.
The winner of the Amateurliga Württemberg was not automatically promoted but rather had to take part in a promotion play-off to its league above. Usually, the champion would have to compete with the winners of the Amateurligas Südbaden, Nordbaden and (from 1961) Schwarzwald-Bodensee.
The league was established in 1945 with ten teams, the winner gaining promotion to the Oberliga Süd. The founder members were:
TSG Ulm 1846
Spfr. Stuttgart
SV Göppingen
SC Stuttgart
SSV Ulm
SpVgg Feuerbach
VfR Aalen
Union Böckingen
VfR Heilbronn
FV Zuffenhausen
The league was split into two groups in 1960, a northern and a southern group. However, only four clubs actually left from the Amateurliga Württemberg to join the new Amateurliga Schwarzwald-Bodensee. The league in the north was renamed Amateurliga Nordwürttemberg but was essentially still the same league.
The clubs leaving to the new Amateurliga Schwarzwald-Bodensee were:
FV Ebingen
FC Wangen 1905
SC Schwenningen
VfR Schwenningen
With the introduction of the Bundesliga in 1963 the Amateurliga was placed below the new Regionalliga Süd but still retained its third-tier status. It continued to do so after the introduction of the 2. Bundesliga Süd in 1974.
The Union Böckingen holds the record for years in the league, having spent 28 seasons out of a possible 33 in it, 19 of it uninterrupted from 1954 to 1973. The VfL Sindelfingen holds the record for continuous seasons in the league, having stayed there for 23 seasons from 1950 to 1973.
Disbanding of the Amateurliga Württemberg
In 1978, the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg was formed to allow direct promotion to the 2nd Bundesliga Süd for the Amateure champion of the state. The teams placed one to five gained entry to the Oberliga, while the teams placed six to twelve were put into the new Verbandsliga Württemberg, now the fourth tier of the football league system. The last four teams were relegated to the Landesligas.
Admitted to the new Oberliga:
SSV Ulm 1846
SV Göppingen
FC Eislingen
SB Heidenheim
SpVgg Ludwigsburg
Relegated to the new Verbandsliga:
VfB Stuttgart II
VfR Heilbronn
Union Böckingen
TSG Giengen
VfL Schorndorf
FV Zuffenhausen
SpVgg Renningen
Relegated to Landesliga:
TG Heilbronn
SC Geislingen
Germania Bietigheim
SpVgg Aidlingen
League winners
Bold denotes team gained promotion.
In 1950 there were two teams promoted to the new 2. Oberliga, the other team being Union Böckingen.
In 1967 and 1971 the TSG Backnang and the SpVgg Ludwigsburg were promoted as runners-up since the VfB Stuttgart II was ineligible.
The VfB Stuttgart II and the SSV Ulm 1846 (merger of TSG 1846 and SSV Ulm in 1970) both hold a record six championships in the Landesliga/Amateurliga Württemberg.