Landesliga Weser-Ems

The Landesliga Weser-Ems, called the ''Bezirksoberliga Weser-Ems'' from 1979 to 1994 and 2006 to 2010,Fußball-Journal Niedersachsen
Official monthly publication of the NFV. May 2010. p. 65. Retrieved 5 February 2011 is the sixth tier of the German football league system and the second highest league in the German state of Lower Saxony (German:''Niedersachsen''). It covers the region of the now defunct ''Regierungsbezirk'' Weser-Ems.

It is one of four leagues at this level in Lower Saxony, the other three being the '' Landesliga Lüneburg'', the '' Landesliga Hannover'' and the '' Landesliga Braunschweig''.

The term '' Landesliga'' can be translated as ''State league''.

Overview

The league's history goes back to 1979, when four new ''Bezirksoberligas'' (Braunschweig, Hannover, Lüneburg and Weser-Ems) were formed in the state of Lower Saxony. The ''Bezirksoberligas'' (6th tier) were set below the ''Verbandsliga Niedersachsen'' (4th tier) and the two ''Landesligas'' (5th tier) in the German football league system. In 1994, the two old ''Landesligas'' were dissolved, while the four ''Bezirksoberligas'' were renamed into ''Landesliga Braunschweig'', ''Landesliga Hannover'', ''Landesliga Lüneburg'', and ''Landesliga Weser-Ems'' respectively. Due to the introduction of the new Regionalliga (IV) the new ''Landesligas'' still remained at the 6th tier of German football, however.

In 2006, the ''Landesliga'' was renamed into ''Bezirksoberliga'' again. The new ''Bezirksoberliga Weser-Ems'' was made up of sixteen clubs, three from the tier-five ''Verbandsliga Niedersachsen-West'', nine from the ''Landesliga'' and two each from the two ''Bezirksligas''. The league was formed in a reorganisation of the league system in Lower Saxony, whereby the four regional ''Landsligas'' were replaced by the ''Bezirksoberligas''. Below these, the number of ''Bezirksligas'' was increased. In Weser-Ems, the two ''Bezirksligas'' were expanded to five, while the other three regions operate with four ''Bezirksligas'' at this level.

The ''Bezirksoberliga'', like the ''Landesliga'' before, was set in the league system below the ''Verbandsliga'' and above the now five ''Bezirksligas'', which were numbered from one to five. The winner of the ''Bezirksoberliga'' was directly promoted to the ''Verbandsliga'', while the bottom placed teams, in a varying number, were relegated to the ''Bezirksliga''. The ''Bezirksoberligas'' of Weser-Ems and Hanover form the tier below the ''Verbandsliga West'', while those of Lüneburg and Braunschweig form the tier below the eastern division of the ''Verbandsliga''.

In the leagues first season, 2006–07, the runners-up of the league, SV Holthausen-Biene, had to play-off with the runners-up of the ''Bezirksoberliga Hannover'', TSV Stelingen, a game they lost 1-0 and thereby failed to gain promotion. In the following two seasons, only the league champions were eligible for promotion.

At the end of the 2007-08 season, with the introduction of the ''3. Liga'', the ''Verbandsliga'' was renamed ''Oberliga Niedersachsen-West''.''Deutschlands Fußball in Zahlen - Die Saison 2007-08'' DSFS. p. 238 For the ''Bezirksoberliga'', this had no direct consequences, but the league was increased to eighteen clubs.

After the 2009-10 season, the two '' Oberligas'' ( en, Premier league) in Lower Saxony were merged to one single division. The four ''Bezirksoberliga'' champions that season were not be automatically promoted, instead they had to compete with the four teams placed ninth and tenth in the ''Oberliga'' for four more spots in this league.Oberliga Niedersachsen 2009-10: Regulations
NFV website. Retrieved 9 July 2009

On 17 May 2010, the Lower Saxony football association decided to rename the four ''Bezirksoberligas'' to ''Landesligas'' from 1 July 2010. This change in name came alongside the merger of the two ''Oberliga'' divisions above it into the ''Oberliga Niedersachsen''.

Champions

Bezirksoberliga Weser-Ems 1979–1994

Landesliga Weser-Ems 1994–2006

Bezirksoberliga Weser-Ems 2006–2010

Landesliga Weser-Ems 2010–present

* Promoted teams in bold.

References

Sources

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

External links

Das deutsche Fussball Archiv
Historic German league tables

The ''Oberliga Niedersachsen'' at Fussball.de


The ''Lower Saxony Football Association'' (NFV)

{{Football in Lower Saxony

Wes
Football competitions in Lower Saxony
1979 establishments in West Germany
Sports leagues established in 1979

de:Landesliga Niedersachsen
nl:Bezirksoberliga Weser-Ems