VfB Oldenburg

Football club infobox
clubname = VfB Oldenburg


fullname = Verein für Bewegungsspiele e.V. Oldenburg
nickname =
founded = May 27, 1901
ground = Marschweg-Stadion
capacity = 15,000
chairman = Frank Lachmann
manager = Josef Zinnbauer
league = Oberliga Niedersachsen-West (V)
season = 2007-08
position = Oberliga Nord (IV), 7th
pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=|pattern_ra1=
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pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=|pattern_ra2=
leftarm2=FFFFFF|body2=FFFFFF|rightarm2=FFFFFF|shorts2=FFFFFF|socks2=FFFFFF

VfB Oldenburg is a German football club in Oldenburg, Lower Saxony. The footballers are part of a 500 member sports club that also offers cricket, rugby, wrestling, table tennis, and volleyball.

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History

Founded by a group of high school boys as "FC 1897 Oldenburg" on October 17, 1897, they merged with "FV Germania 1903 Oldenburg" in 1919 and adopted their current name. Their interests were football, cricket and track. Within a year the club acquired an old velodrome in Donnerschwee – part of the town of Oldenburg today – and converted it to a football ground.After again restoring their ground in the aftermath of World War II, the club was able to pickup play in the Oberliga Nord in the 1949-50 season, but immediately found themselves relegated to tier II. They made another single season appearance in the upper league in 1955-56, before returning for a run of three seasons from 1960 to 1963 in the lead up to the formation of the Bundesliga, Germany's new professional football league. "Oldenburg" did not qualify for the new circuit and found themselves in the Regionalliga Nord (II). They played at that level until the mid-70's when they slipped into the Amateur Oberliga Nord (III).

The 90's were time of mixed blessings for the club. They enjoyed their greatest ever success on the field with a three year run in the 2.Bundesliga from 1991 to 1993 that included a second-place finish in 1992, just missing promotion to the Bundesliga by a single point behind "KFC Uerdingen 05" despite earning a win and a draw against in their match-ups against that side. Financially it was difficult for the club: over 1 million DM in debt, they were forced to sell their grounds in 1990. After their second-division adventure "Oldenburg" slipped back to the amateur league Regionalliga Nord (III). By 1999 they were again deeply in debt and on the verge of bankruptcy. Plans were in place to dissolve the club and create a successor association to be called "FC Germania Oldenburg". However, the club was saved through a financial plan that included a new sponsor and three friendlies played against Bundesliga sides "Hamburger SV", "Werder Bremen", and "Schalke 04". By August 2000 the club was in the clear and ready for play in tier IV Oberliga Niedersachsen, but by 2004 had again run into diffuculty and were sent down due to renewed financial problems. Today the team plays in the Verbandsliga Niedersachsen-West (V).

*In 2004, the Oldenburger Cricket Club joined VfB Oldenburg as its new cricket department.
*In 2005, long-time president Klaus Berster was succeeded by Frank Lachmann.
*In 2007, the Oldenburger Cricket Club left VfB Oldenburg to become independent again.

tadium

Since 1991 "VfB Oldenburg"'s home games have taken place in the municipal "Marschweg-Stadion" which has a current capacity of 15,000 (4,500 seats). Attendance records were set when the club played losing German Cup matches against "Borussia Mönchengladbach" in 1960 and "Hamburger SV" in 1974, before crowds of 30,000 people.

Honours

After a third-place finish in the Amateur-Oberliga Nord, "Oldenburg" went on to become German amateur vice-champions in 1988.

*Oberliga Niedersachsen West champions: 1952, 1957, 1959
*Oberliga Niedersachsen champions: 1972
*Oberliga Nord champions: 1975, 1980, 1990
*Regionalliga Nord champions: 1996
*Oberliga Nord, Staffel Niedersachsen/Bremen champions: 2002

Current squad

Fs player|no=14|nat=Germany|name=Matthias Plump|pos=DF(captain)

Notable players

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External links

* [http://www.vfb-oldenburg.de/index.html Official team site]
* [http://www.oldenburger-cc.de/ Oldenburger Cricket Club e.V.]
* [http://www.abseits-soccer.com/clubs/oldenburg.html The Abseits Guide to German Soccer]