1. FC Union Solingen
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| Full name | 1. Fußball Club Union Solingen e.V. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1949 | ||
| Ground | Stadion am Hermann-Löns-Weg | ||
| Capacity | 15,000 | ||
| Chairman | Andreas Sonius | ||
| Manager | Thomas Brdarić | ||
| League | Verbandsliga Niederrhein (VI) | ||
| 2008–09 | 2nd | ||
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1. FC Union Solingen is a German association football club from Solingen, North Rhine-Westphalia.
History
The side can trace its roots back to an earlier Union Solingen club founded in 1897 out of the merger of a number of clubs from the district of Ohligs that would over time include Ohligs FC 06, VfR Ohligs, Walder Ballspielverein, and BV Adler Ohligs. Of the club's predecessor sides only VfR Ohligs would distinguish itself with any time spent in first division football when they played the 1940–41 season in the Gauliga Niederrhein before being relegated on the heels of last place finish.
In 1949, after World War II, the club was re-formed as Union Ohligs and began play in the 2nd Oberliga West (Gruppe 2). By the early 70s they were playing in the Amateurliga Niederrhein (III). A 1973 merger with VfL Wald Ohligs 1897 led to the formation of a club that played in the Regionalliga Nord (II) as Ohligs SC Solingen for a single season before being relegated. Renamed SG Union Solingen the next year, the team earned promotion to the 2.Bundesliga-Nord by the middle of the decade. They would stay fourteen seasons in the professional ranks with their best finishes being a fifth and sixth in 1984–85. Solingen returned to the Amateur-Oberliga Nordrhein (III) in 1989: by this time the club was suffering financially and would soon be bankrupt.
The current club was formed as 1. FC Union Solingen in 1990 and took up play in the Verbandsliga Niederrhein (IV). The team has experienced several promotions and relegations and currently plays in the Verbandsliga Niederrhein, which is now a fifth tier circuit.
Former coaches
- Frank Zilles (2007–2009)
- Harald Becker (2007)
- Eddy Malura (2006–2007)
- Sven Demandt (2003–2006)
- Bernd Klotz (2002–2003)
- Olaf Rosenthal (2000–2002)
- Gerd Zewe (1999–2000)
- Manfred Krafft (1986–1987)
- Eckhard Krautzun (1983)
- Erhard Ahmann † (1981–1982)
- Gerhard Prokop † (1980–1981)
- Horst Franz (1977–1980)
- Manfred Krafft (1970–1971)
Former players
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Honours
- Amateurliga Niederrhein champions: 1973, 1975
- Verbandsliga Niederrhein champions: 1994, 2002
- Landesliga Niederrhein champions: 1969, 2000