1. Rödelheimer FC 02
Encyclopedia
The 1. Rödelheimer FC is a German association football club
from the Rödelheim district in the city of Frankfurt am Main, Hesse.
For most of its history, the club did not rise above local level and stood in the shadow of Frankfurts bigger clubs, Eintracht
and FSV
. ZIt played for one season in the tier-one Kreisliga Nordmain
in 1921–22. In 1943, the club, then under the name of VfL Rödelheim, won promotion to the tier-one Gauliga Südwest/Mainhessen
.
The clubs biggest success to date came in 1948, when it managed to win the Landesliga Hessen, then the second tier of the league system in Southern Germany. The team was promoted to the Oberliga Süd
, the highest level of play, where it lasted for only one season, finishing last, before being relegated again, back to the Landesliga. While the low point of the season came with a 0–10 defeat to Kickers Offenbach
, another local rival, its last Oberliga game was a 4–1 triumph over 1. FC Nuremberg, in front of 8,000 spectators. All four goals were scored by Hubert Schieth
. Another player of the Oberliga team that season was Alfred Pfaff
, who would later, as an Eintracht Frankfurt player, be part of the German team that won the 1954 FIFA World Cup
.
The club soon found itself back to the lower ranks of football, being relegated from what was now the Amateurliga Hessen in 1951. It did not reappear in any of the top-four divisions of German football after 1963.
In 2007–08, a second place finish in the Bezirksliga Frankfurt (VII) meant, the club was promoted to what was now the Gruppenliga Frankfurt-West, formerly Bezirksoberliga Frankfurt-West.
Football in Germany
Association football is the most popular sport in Germany. The German Football Association is the sport's national governing body, with 6.6 million members organized in over 26,000 football clubs. There is a league system, with the 1. and 2. Bundesliga on top, and the winner of the first...
from the Rödelheim district in the city of Frankfurt am Main, Hesse.
History
The 1. RFC was formed as football club on 12 April 1902 by twelve football enthusiasts in a local pub, the Zum Taunus. The club went through a number of name changes to eventually revert ot its original name after the Second World War.For most of its history, the club did not rise above local level and stood in the shadow of Frankfurts bigger clubs, Eintracht
Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt is a German sports club, based in Frankfurt, Hesse that is best known for its association football club.- Club origins :...
and FSV
FSV Frankfurt
FSV Frankfurt is a German association football club based in the Bornheim district of Frankfurt am Main, Hesse and founded in 1899. The club plays in the shadow of larger and much more successful Eintracht Frankfurt, which has recently returned to 2nd tier football...
. ZIt played for one season in the tier-one Kreisliga Nordmain
Kreisliga Nordmain
The Kreisliga Nordmain was the highest association football league in parts of the German state of Hesse and the Prussian province of Hesse-Nassau from 1919 to 1923...
in 1921–22. In 1943, the club, then under the name of VfL Rödelheim, won promotion to the tier-one Gauliga Südwest/Mainhessen
Gauliga Südwest/Mainhessen
The Gauliga Südwest/Mainhessen was the highest football league in the German state of Hesse,the Bavarian province of Palatinate, the Saarland and some parts of the Prussian province of Hesse-Nassau from 1933 to 1941. From 1941, it also included parts of the occupied French region of Lorraine...
.
The clubs biggest success to date came in 1948, when it managed to win the Landesliga Hessen, then the second tier of the league system in Southern Germany. The team was promoted to the Oberliga Süd
Oberliga Süd (1945-63)
The Oberliga Süd was the highest level of the German football league system in the south of Germany from 1945 until the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963.It covered the three states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Hessen.-Overview:...
, the highest level of play, where it lasted for only one season, finishing last, before being relegated again, back to the Landesliga. While the low point of the season came with a 0–10 defeat to Kickers Offenbach
Kickers Offenbach
Kickers Offenbach is a German association football club in Offenbach am Main, Hesse. The club was founded on 27 May 1901 in the Rheinischer Hof restaurant by footballers who had left established local clubs including Melitia, Teutonia, Viktoria, Germania and Neptun...
, another local rival, its last Oberliga game was a 4–1 triumph over 1. FC Nuremberg, in front of 8,000 spectators. All four goals were scored by Hubert Schieth
Hubert Schieth
Hubert Schieth is a retired German football striker and manager.-External links:...
. Another player of the Oberliga team that season was Alfred Pfaff
Alfred Pfaff
Alfred Pfaff was a German football player and World Cup winner with West Germany in 1954.- Life :Pfaff was capped seven times between 1953 and 1956 for the West German national team, scoring two goals as an inside forward....
, who would later, as an Eintracht Frankfurt player, be part of the German team that won the 1954 FIFA World Cup
1954 FIFA World Cup
The 1954 FIFA World Cup, the fifth staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Switzerland from 16 June to 4 July. Switzerland was chosen as hosts in July 1946. The tournament set a number of all-time records for goal-scoring, including the highest average goals scored per game...
.
The club soon found itself back to the lower ranks of football, being relegated from what was now the Amateurliga Hessen in 1951. It did not reappear in any of the top-four divisions of German football after 1963.
In 2007–08, a second place finish in the Bezirksliga Frankfurt (VII) meant, the club was promoted to what was now the Gruppenliga Frankfurt-West, formerly Bezirksoberliga Frankfurt-West.
Recent seasons
| Year | Division | Position |
| 2003–04 | Bezirksliga Frankfurt (VII) | 11th |
| 2004–05 | Bezirksliga Frankfurt | 13th |
| 2005–06 | Bezirksliga Frankfurt | 6th |
| 2006–07 | Bezirksliga Frankfurt | 4th |
| 2007–08 | Bezirksliga Frankfurt | 2nd  |
| 2008–09 | Gruppenliga Frankfurt-West (VII) | 9th |
| 2009–10 | Gruppenliga Frankfurt-West |
Sources
- Das deutsche Fußball-Archiv historical German domestic league tables