Rot-Weiß Oberhausen

Football club infobox
clubname = Rot-Weiss Oberhausen


fullname = Sport-Club Rot-Weiss Oberhausen e.V.
nickname = Die Kleeblätter (The Four Leaf Clovers)
founded = 1904
ground = Niederrheinstadion
capacity = 21,318
chairman =
manager = Jürgen Luginger
league = 2. Bundesliga
season = 2007-08
position = Regionalliga Nord (III), 2nd (promoted)
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pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=_redwhitevertical|pattern_ra2=
leftarm2=FFFFFF|body2=FFFFFF|rightarm2=FFFFFF|shorts2=FFFFFF|socks2=FFFFFF

Rot-Weiss Oberhausen is a German football club in Oberhausen, North Rhine-Westphalia. The club was formed as "Oberhausener SV" in December, 1904 out of the merger of "Emschertaler SV" (1902) and the football enthusiasts of "Oberhausener TV 1873". The new side entered into a union with "Viktoria Styrum BV" to create "SpVgg 1904 Oberhausen-Styrum", but within six months a number of the club's members left to form "1.FC Mülheim-Styrum". The remaining club members carried on and in 1934 took on their current name.

History

The team was unremarked through its early history, simply playing local ball. After the re-organization of German football in the early 30's under the Third Reich "Rot Weiss" played in the Gauliga Niederrhein but could never match the strength of division rival Fortuna Düsseldorf. The club worked its way into the upper league Oberliga West after the war and with the formation of the Bundesliga, Germany's new professional circuit, found themselves in the second division Regionalliga West. A first place finish there in 1969 led to promotion to the Bundesliga for the workmanlike side. The club's turn in the top flight was tainted when they were implicated in the Bundesliga bribery scandal of 1971. While it was clear they were involved, the club and its players escaped sanction. After three years in the upper league without doing any better than a 14th place finish, the club returned to its existence as a tier II and III side.

Financial problems in 1988 were the prelude to a slide into the Verbandsliga Niederrhein (IV) two years later. After nearly a decade spent bouncing up and down between the third and fourth divisions "Die Kleeblätter" returned to the 2.Bundesliga in 1998, winning the Regionalliga West/Südwest. They remained a lower table side for the most part, but did manage to put forward their best ever performances with sixth and fifth place finishes in 2000 and 2004. "Oberhausen" was relegated again to the Regionalliga Nord (III) for 2005. Relegation to the Oberliga (IV) followed a year later. She returned to 2. Bundesliga after two successively promotions; which were 1st of Nordrhein Group at Oberliga in 2006-2007 and 2nd of North Group at Regionalliga in 2007-2008 season. This year they play the 1st round national cup match agains Bundesliga-squad Bayer 04 Leverkusen.

Recent seasons

Current squad (2008/2009)

"For recent transfers, see List of German football transfers summer 2008."

Famous players and successes

"Rot-Weiss Oberhausen" has seen three of its players capped for Germany.

The club's 1970-71 Bundesliga season was distinguished by the performance of Lothar Kobluhn, who won the league scoring title with 24 goals - 12 of those coming in the last 8 games of the season to save "Rot-Weiss" from relegation by just one goal. The team was embroiled in the Bundesliga scandal of 1971 and as a result Kobluhn was not awarded the Torjägerkanone trophy as top-scorer until October 2007, 36 years after his achievement.

In 1999, "Oberhausen" played a DFB-Pokal (Geman Cup) semifinal in Gelsenkirchen against Bayern München in front of 45,000 spectators, dropping a 1:3 decision. On their way to their semifinal appearance they beat "Borussia Mönchengladbach" and "Hamburger SV".

Athletics

Rot-Weiß Oberhausen has also had an athletics section. Among its most prominent former members are Willi Wülbeck [ [http://www.sport-komplett.de/sport-komplett/sportarten/l/leichtathletik/hst/91.html German athletics championships - men's 800 metres] ] and Fritz Roderfeld. [ [http://www.sport-komplett.de/sport-komplett/sportarten/l/leichtathletik/hst/86.html German athletics championships - men's 400 metres] ] The team also became national champions in 4 x 400 metres relay in 1948 [ [http://www.sport-komplett.de/sport-komplett/sportarten/l/leichtathletik/hst/67.html German athletics championships - men's relays part I] ] and 3 x 1000 metres relay in 1951. [ [http://www.sport-komplett.de/sport-komplett/sportarten/l/leichtathletik/hst/68.html German athletics championships - men's relays part II] ]

External links

* [http://www.rwo-online.de Official team site]
* [http://www.abseits-soccer.com/clubs/rwo.html The Abseits Guide to German Soccer]

References