Bezirksoberliga Schwaben

The Bezirksoberliga Schwaben was the seventh tier of the German football league system in the Bavarian ''Regierungsbezirk'' of Swabia (german: Schwaben). Until the introduction of the 3. Liga in 2008 it was the sixth tier of the league system, until the introduction of the Regionalligas in 1994 the fifth tier.

The league was disbanded at the end of the 2011–12 season, when major changes to the Bavarian football league system were carried out. Above the Bezirksoberligas, the Landesligas were expanded in number from three to five divisions and the ''Bezirke'' have two to three regional leagues, the Bezirksligas, as its highest level again, similar to the system in place until 1988.Auf- und Abstiegsregelung der Bayernliga und der Landesligen für das Qualifikationsspieljahr 2011/2012
Bavarian FA website - Regulations for promotion and relegation in 2012, accessed: 16 July 2011

Overview

The '' Bezirksoberligas'' in Bavaria were introduced in 1988 upon the suggestion of the '' 1. FC Sonthofen'' in 1986, to create a highest single-division playing level for each of the seven ''Regierungsbezirke''. The term ''Bezirksoberliga'' translates roughly into ''County Premier League'', a ''Regierungsbezirk'' being a similar administrative entity to a County.

Before the introduction of the ''Bezirksoberligas'', the ''Bezirksliga'' was the level of play below the ''Landesliga''. The '' Bezirksliga Schwaben-Nord'' and '' Schwaben-Süd'' fed the ''Landesliga Bayern-Süd'' as they afterwards feed the ''Bezirksoberliga Schwaben''. From 1963 to 1968 there was only one common ''Bezirksliga'' in Schwaben, similar to what the ''Bezirksoberliga'' does now. From 1968 onwards the ''Bezirksligas'' were always split.

The winner of the ''Bezirksoberliga Schwaben'', like the winner of the '' Bezirksoberliga Oberbayern'', was directly promoted to the '' Landesliga Bayern-Süd''. The two second placed teams out of those league's played-off for another promotion spot. The winner went to '' Landesliga'', the loser faced the 15th placed team out of the ''Landesliga'' for the last spot there. However, in some years additional promotion places were available in the ''Landesliga''. In 1994, 2000 and 2004, three teams from Schwaben gained promotion to the ''Landesliga''.

The three bottom teams of the ''Bezirksoberliga'' were relegated to the ''Bezirksliga'', the team just above those faced a play-off against the second placed ''Bezirksliga'' teams.

The area covered by the Schwaben FA is not identical to the ''Bezirk'' Schwaben, mainly because that the ''Bezirks'' borders, like everywhere in Bavaria, were altered in the 1970s in a border reform. Therefore, there are quite a few clubs playing in Schwaben that are actually at home in Oberbayern. The '' TSV Landsberg'' and the ''FC Pipinsried'' are the most successful of those but others have made it into the ''Bezirksoberliga'' too. Also, some clubs from western Schwaben are playing in the Baden-Württemberg football league system. These are called the ''Iller Vereine'' after the river Iller that forms the border in this area. These mostly left the Schwaben FA in 1946, but some, like the '' SpVgg Lindau'', have always played in Württemberg.

Another oddity is the club ''SV Casino Kleinwalsertal'', playing in the Schwaben but being at home in Austria. The Kleinwalsertal can only be accessed by land via Germany.

The Schwaben Cup, one of the seven now defunct ''Bezirkspokale'' (Cups), featured another oddity. It heavily favours low-level clubs. A lower-level club always had home advantage to the higher one and also only need a draw to advance. In 1994 the ''SC Altenmünster'' and in 1998 the ''BC Aichach'' both won the cup against higher classed ''Bayernliga'' club ''FC Memmingen'' by drawing after extra time. The rule was changed for the cup-final game after 1998.

The region of Schwaben is actually much larger than the Bavarian region of Schwaben, it compromises all of the state of Baden-Württemberg and event relates linguistically into Austria and Switzerland. In football however, the only region that carries the name is the Bavarian region of Schwaben.

With the league reform at the end of the 2011–12 season, which includes an expansion of the number of Landesligas from three to five, the Bezirksoberligas were disbanded. Instead, the Bezirksligas took the place of the Bezirksoberligas below the Landesligas once more.

The clubs from the Bezirksoberliga joined the following leagues:Die Auf- und Abstiegsregeln für die Spielzeit 2011 / 2012
Bavarian FA website - Regulations for promotion and relegation in 2012 in Bavarian Swabia, accessed: 25 July 2011
* Champions: Promotion round to the Bayernliga, winners to the Bayernliga, losers to the Landesliga.
* Teams placed 2nd to 6th: Directly qualified to the Landesliga.
* Teams placed 7th to 10th: Three additional Landesliga places to be determined in a play-off round with the Bezirksliga champions, losers enter Bezirksliga.
* Teams placed 11th to 16th: Directly relegated to Bezirksligas

Top-three of the Bezirksoberliga

The top-three finishers in the league since its interception:
Manfreds Fussball Archiv, accessed: 4 February 2011

* Promoted teams in bold.
* ⁺ Teams finished on equal points, decider needed to determine final position.

Multiple winners

The following clubs have won the league more than once:

League placings

The final placings in the league since its interception:

Key

* S = No of seasons in league ''(as of 2011-12)''

Notes

* ^''1'' The FC Augsburg II withdrew from the league in 1989.
* ^''2'' The FC Enikon Augsburg withdrew from the ''Oberliga'' in 1995.

All-time table 1988–2012

The SpVgg Kaufbeuren leads the all-time table of this league with 1,061 points, 326 points ahead of the TSV 1861 Nördlingen, third placed is the TSV Kottern. The SV Klingsmoos holds the 71st and last place with 16 points. The SpVgg Kaufbeuren has spent 22 out of a possible 24 seasons in the ''Bezirksoberliga'', only interrupted by two one-year stints in the ''Landesliga''. For the 2011–12 season, the last of the league, three clubs joined it that have never before played in it, the TSV Dinkelscherben, SV Mering and SV Egg an der Günz.All-time table BOL Schwaben 1988–2011
'' DSFS'', accessed: 5 May 2011

References

Sources

* ''Die Bayernliga 1945 - 1997'', published by the DSFS, 1998
* ''50 Jahre Bayrischer Fussball-Verband'' 50-year-anniversary book of the Bavarian FA, publisher: Vindelica Verlag, published: 1996
* ''Das Fussball Jahresjournal'' Annual end-of-season magazine of the Swabian FA

External links

Bayrischer Fussball Verband (Bavarian FA)


''Schwaben'' branch of the Bavarian FA


Das deutsche Fussball Archiv
Historic German league tables

Bavarian League tables and results


Website with tables and results from the Bavarian Oberliga to Bezirksliga

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bezirksoberliga Schwaben
Defunct football leagues in Bavaria
Football leagues in Swabia
1988 establishments in West Germany
2012 disestablishments in Germany
Schwaben
Sports leagues established in 1988