1. FSV Mainz 05

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1. Fußball- und Sportverein Mainz 05 (1st Football and Sports Club Mainz 05), short name 1. FSV Mainz 05, is a German football club based in Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate.

Contents

1 History

1.1 Early years
1.2 Play under the Third Reich
1.3 Long march to the Bundesliga
1.4 Current

2 Stadium
3 Club culture
4 Honours
5 Famous players
6 2005/06 Squad
7 External links

History

Early years

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.

Play under the Third Reich

In the late 20's and early 30's the club earned decent results in the Bezirksliga Main/Hessen - Gruppe Hesse, 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.

Long march to the Bundesliga

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 Sudwest (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 in 1990 with promotion to the 2.Bundesliga. Initially, they were perennial relegation candadates, struggling hard each season to make the cut. 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 play with man-to-man defense and a libero.

Mainz failed in three attempts to make it to the top flight in 1997, 2002, and 2003. The last failed attempt stung because 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. Now out from under the shadow of neighbouring and long-time rival 1. FC Kaiserslautern, who was relegated in 2006, the team is looking forward playing their third season at 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.

Current

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.

Stadium

Die Nullfünfer play in Stadion am Bruchweg, built in 1928 and modified several times over the years to hold a crowd of over 20,300 spectators. Averaging crowds of about 15,000 while in the 2.Bundesliga, the team's recent and hard won success has them regularly filling their venue.

Club culture

Mainz is known for being one of the three foremost carnival cities in Germany, the others being Düsseldorf and Cologne. After every goal, the Nahallamarsch is played, a famous German carnival tune.

Honours

German amateur champions: 1982
UEFA Fair Play selection: 2005

Famous players

Manuel Friedrich
Emil Kostadinov

2005/06 Squad

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External links

[Official team site]
[http://www.fsv05.de/ Online Archive of Mainz 05
[Abseits Guide to German Soccer]
[Mainz 05 statistics]
[Mainz Online Fanzine] (in German)

German Bundesliga Football Clubs (2006-07)

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