The Regionalliga West was the second-highest level of the German football league system in the west of Germany from 1963 until the formation of the 2. Bundesliga in 1974. It covered the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen, the most populous state of Germany.

Overview The league started out in 1963 with 20 teams in the league, which was reduced to 18 the year after.

It was formed from the eleven clubs of the Oberliga West which were not admitted to the new Bundesliga, from the top eight clubs of the 2. Oberliga West and one club from the Verbandsliga Westfalen, the Lüner SV. The Regionalliga West was as such a continuation of the Oberliga West under a different name and a tier lower.

Along with the Regionalliga West went another four Regionalligas, these five formed the second tier of German football until 1974: Regionalliga Nord, covering the states of Niedersachsen, Schleswig-Holstein, Bremen and Hamburg Regionalliga Süd, covering the state of Bayern, Hessen and Baden-Württemberg Regionalliga Berlin, covering West-Berlin Regionalliga Südwest, covering the states of Rheinland-Pfalz and Saarland

The new Regionalligas were formed along the borders of the old post-World War II Oberligas, not after a balanced regional system. Therefore, the Oberligas Berlin and West covered small but populous areas while Nord and Süd covered large areas. Südwest was something of an anomaly, neither large nor populous.

The winners and runners-up of this league were admitted to the promotion play-off to the Bundesliga, which was staged in two groups of originally four, later five teams each with the winner of each group going up.

The bottom teams in varying number were relegated to the Verbandsligas. Below the Regionalliga West were the following Verbandsligas: Verbandsliga Niederrhein Verbandsliga Mittelrhein Verbandsliga Westfalen 1 Verbandsliga Westfalen 2

Schwarz-Weiß Essen is the only club to have played in all eleven seasons of the Regionalliga West.

Disbanding of the Regionalliga West The league was dissolved in 1974. According to their performance of the last couple of seasons, 11 clubs of the Regionalliga went to the new 2. Bundesliga Nord. The seven remaining clubs were relegated to the Amateurligas.

The teams admitted to the 2. Bundesliga Nord were: SG Wattenscheid 09 Rot-Weiss Oberhausen Bayer Uerdingen 1. FC Mülheim Preußen Münster Borussia Dortmund Alemannia Aachen Schwarz-Weiss Essen DJK Gütersloh SpVgg Erkenschwick Arminia Bielefeld

The following teams were relegated to the Amateurligas: to Amateurliga Westfalen Nordost: Arminia Gütersloh, Eintracht Gelsenkirchen to Amateurliga Westfalen Südwest: Rot-Weiß Lüdenscheid, Sportfreunde Siegen, Westfalia Herne to Amateurliga Mittelrhein: Viktoria Köln to Amateurliga Niederrhein: Union Solingen

Re-formation of the Regionalliga West

In 1994, the Regionalligas were re-established, after 20 years, this time as the third tier of German Football. The new Regionalliga West/Südwest was a merger of the two old Regionalligas Südwest and West. In 2000, this league was disbanded again and its clubs spread over the Regionalligas Süd and Nord.

In 2008, the Regionalliga West reformed again, covering the same territory as the Regionalliga West/Südwest did but now called West only. It is the fourth tier of football in Germany.

Champions and runners-up of the Regionalliga West The winners and runners-up of the league were:"Kicker Almanach" The Football Yearbook on German football from Bundesliga to Oberliga, since 1937, published by the kicker Sports Magazine SeasonChampionRunner-Up 1963–64 Alemannia Aachen Wuppertaler SV 1964–65 Borussia Mönchengladbach Alemannia Aachen 1965–66 Fortuna Düsseldorf Rot-Weiss Essen 1966–67 Alemannia Aachen Schwarz-Weiss Essen 1967–68 Bayer Leverkusen Rot-Weiss Essen 1968–69 Rot-Weiss Oberhausen Rot-Weiss Essen 1969–70 VfL Bochum Arminia Bielefeld 1970–71 VfL Bochum Fortuna Düsseldorf 1971–72 Wuppertaler SV Rot-Weiss Essen 1972–73 Rot-Weiss Essen Fortuna Köln 1973–74 SG Wattenscheid 09 Rot-Weiss Oberhausen Bold denotes team went on to gain promotion to the Bundesliga. Alemannia Aachen (1964, 1967, 1999), SG Wattenscheid 09 (1974, 1997), Rot–Weiss Oberhausen (1969, 1998) and Rot–Weiss Essen (1973, 2004, 2006) all have won the old and the new Regionalliga. Placings in the Regionalliga West 1963 to 1974 The league placings from 1963 to 1974:Das deutsche Fußball-Archiv Historical German domestic league tables Club 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 Borussia Mönchengladbach 8 1 B B B B B B B B B VfL Bochum 12 4 5 3 1 1 B B B Fortuna Düsseldorf 3 3 1 B 6 4 4 2 B B B Wuppertaler SV 2 6 5 7 15 5 3 3 1 B B Rot-Weiß Essen 10 7 2 B 2 2 B B 2 1 B Fortuna Köln 16 13 14 4 3 2 B SG Wattenscheid 09 8 13 12 5 1 Rot-Weiß Oberhausen 7 4 4 6 3 1 B B B B 2 Bayer Uerdingen 7 3 3 1. FC Mülheim 8 4 Preußen Münster B 8 6 9 13 14 7 9 11 13 5 Borussia Dortmund B B B B B B B B B 4 6 Alemannia Aachen 1 2 3 1 B B B 6 4 6 7 Schwarz-Weiß Essen 13 9 7 2 7 6 5 11 5 12 8 DJK Gütersloh 10 8 13 9 9 Rot-Weiß Lüdenscheid 10 SpVgg Erkenschwick 15 15 6 10 11 Sportfreunde Siegen 18 7 12 Arminia Gütersloh 9 16 13 Arminia Bielefeld 11 5 10 3 4 7 2 B B 11 14 Union Solingen 15 STV Horst-Emscher 15 17 18 16 Westfalia Herne 6 12 15 11 17 12 14 15 17 Viktoria Köln 5 10 9 13 10 16 12 10 17 18 Eintracht Gelsenkirchen 13 16 12 14 18 5 10 14 Bayer Leverkusen 12 16 14 10 1 8 11 7 8 17 Lüner SV 20 8 10 6 14 15 18 VfR Neuß 8 12 9 9 16 16 VfL Klafeld 18 Bonner SC 17 15 13 17 SF Hamborn 07 14 14 8 5 9 11 16 18 SSVg Velbert 17 TSV Marl-Hüls 4 15 13 14 11 12 18 Eintracht Duisburg 9 11 11 18 17 VfB Bottrop 17 17 18 SSV Hagen 15 Hammer SpVg 16 Homberger SV 18 SpVgg Herten 16 Duisburg 48/99 19 Source:

Key Symbol Key B Bundesliga Place League Blank Played at a league level below this league

Notes Duisburger SV and Duisburg 48/99 merged in 1964 to form Eintracht Duisburg. In 1973, Eintracht Gelsenkirchen merged with STV Horst-Emscher, calling itself STV Eintracht Gelsenkirchen until 1978, then STV Horst-Emscher again.

References

Sources Deutschlands Fußball in Zahlen, An annual publication with tables and results from the Bundesliga to Verbandsliga/Landesliga, publisher: DSFS Kicker Almanach, The yearbook on German football from Bundesliga to Oberliga, since 1937, published by the Kicker Sports Magazine Die Deutsche Liga-Chronik 1945–2005 History of German football from 1945 to 2005 in tables, publisher: DSFS, published: 2006

External links Das deutsche Fussball Archiv Regionalligas at Fussballdaten.de