Eintracht Frankfurt


GERMAN CHAMPION 1959
GERMAN CUP 1974, 1975, 1981, 1988
UEFA CUP 1980

Eintracht, founded in 1899, is one of the more famous German clubs. Despite winning only a single title (1959), they have experienced moderate success, winning back-to-back Cups in 74-75, and another two Cup victories in 1981 and 1988. In 1980, they also won the UEFA Cup. They were one of the founding members of the Bundesliga in 1963, until relegation in 1997.

The club was founded as Frankfurter FC back in 1899, soon to be joined by Frankfurter Kickers. Various worthless non-soccer clubs joined, so by 1926 they became SG Eintracht. Eintracht was a strong presence throughout most of their history. In 1959, they defeated regional rivals Kickers Offenbach 5-3 to win the title. Subsequently, this led to a brilliant European Champions run, culminating in the most famous game in Frankfurt history: ironically, the stunning 3-7 loss in the European Championship to legendary Real Madrid.

An original founding member of the Bundesliga, throughout the 1960s-70s, the club was solid, usually in the top half of the table. Things started downhill in the 1980s. In 1984 they were almost relegated, but defeated MSV Duisburg 5-0 away in a playoff.

Nevertheless, the club recovered after another playoff avoided relegation in 1989, defeating 1.Fc Saarbrücken. But then things improved. From 1990-1994, they were a constant player in the title race, but in the 1995/95 season, disaster struck and the club was relegated for the first time in history. The subsequent 2.Liga year proved difficult, although they finally ended the season in the upper half. The 97/98 is going much better, so next year Eintracht is back into the Bundesliga.

There are some 6,000 members, although the fan groups have complained about high membership costs, preventing further gains.

Many famous players have worn the red-black, and probably the best was Jürgen Grabowski, the forward-midfielder who was on the World Cup winners of 1974. Charly Körbel holds a Bundesliga record of 602 games, Willi Neuberger played over 500, and Bernd Nickel another 420. Ghanian forward Anthony Yeboah was a top goal scorer in the late 80s-90s, but then ruined his career by going to England.

The 1998-99 season ended in dramatic fashion. Despite fighting all season long, Frankfurt already had their obituary published. Then in an incredible finale, they thrashed defending champ Kaiserslautern 5-1, while Nuernberg stunningly lost at home. Eintracht saved themselves on the 2nd tie-breaker: more goals scored! Next year was just as dramatic. Frankfurt continued financial incompetance, and the DFB ended up "fining" them: 2 pts would be substracted! This looked to be a death-knell, as Eintracht was bringing up the rear by midseason. But superhuman efforts under new coach Felix Magath got them on track, and by defeating Ulm in a tense battle with a late goal on the final day, they saved themselves once again. But salvation was short lived, as they soon dropped back down, only to pop back up. The biggest news of the 2004 season was hardly the poor performance on the field, but rather the financial difficulties. Frankfurt established itself as an underachiever, usually struggling against relegation.

The 2010-11 season witnessed a post-winterbreak meltdown, and Eintracht managed to get themselves relegated from a secure mid-table spot.

Fullname Eintracht Frankfurt Fußball A.G.
City Frankfurt am Main (Hessen); pop: 640,000 (2002)
Address Sportplatz Am Riederwald, Am Erlenbruch 25, 60386 Frankfurt
Phone: (069) 420-9700
Colors Thick vertical black and red stripes with white trim. Black shorts, white socks. Road uniform is white shirt, black shorts.
Stadium Waldstadion. Capacity: 61,146 (30,546 seats)
Built in 1922, this is one of the famed classic stadiums in Germany. The main tribune area once looked like an antique theater. It was finally torn down for the World Cup 74. A complete remodeling took place for the World Cup 2006. The amateurs and youth team play at the Riederwald, which was once a mighty stadium drawing up to 40,000. Today, it has a capcity of around 5,000.
Nickname Die Adler (The Eagles)
Tickets Priced from 18-40 euros (2004). Except for big matches, tickets should not be too difficult to get, despite strong fan support.
Supporters Usually strong, but recent elevator rides have taken out some of the wind. Averaged 26,000 in the 2004 relegation year, about 20,000 in the 2.Liga. Many fan clubs.
Friends A fan friendship exists with MSV Duisburg.
Foes Bayern and Dortmund are unliked. Fierce local rivals are Kickers Offenbach.
Heroes
Zeroes
Beer Actually instead of beer, the official drink should be Apfelwein. (Apple wine). We will of course do further research...
Pub Grub The Frankfurter Würstchen are recommended and available throughout the stadium.
The Net The official site is www.eintracht.de . A fan site from Alexander Kluender is at eintrachtfans.de . This is a good place to start. Links to the Internet fan club and various fans groups with internet presence.


2013-14 (I)     Bundesliga      13th
2012-13 (I)     Bundesliga      6th 
2011-12 (II)    2.Liga          2nd 
2010-11 (I)     Bundesliga      17th

2009-10 (I)     Bundesliga      10th
2008-09 (I)     Bundesliga      13th
2007-08 (I)     Bundesliga      9th 
2006-07 (I)     Bundesliga      14th
2005-06 (I)     Bundesliga      14th
2004-05 (II)    2.Liga          3rd
2003-04 (I)     Bundesliga      16th
2002-03 (II)    2.Liga          3rd
2001-02 (II)    2.Liga 		7th 
2000-01 (I)     Bundesliga      17th

1999-00 (I)     Bundesliga      14th
1998-99 (I)     Bundesliga      15th
1997-98 (II)    2.Liga          1st 
1996-97 (II)    2.Liga          7th 
1995-96 (I)     Bundesliga      17th
1994-95 (I)     Bundesliga      9th 
1993-94 (I)     Bundesliga      5th
1992-93 (I)     Bundesliga      3rd
1991-92 (I)     Bundesliga      3rd 
1990-91 (I)     Bundesliga      4th

1989-90 (I)     Bundesliga      3rd
1988-89 (I)     Bundesliga      16th
1987-88 (I)     Bundesliga      9th 
1986-87 (I)     Bundesliga      15th
1985-86 (I)     Bundesliga      15th
1984-85 (I)     Bundesliga      12th
1983-84 (I)     Bundesliga      16th
1982-83 (I)     Bundesliga      10th
1981-82 (I)     Bundesliga      8th
1980-81 (I)     Bundesliga      5th 

1979-80 (I)     Bundesliga      9th
1978-79 (I)     Bundesliga      5th
1977-78 (I)     Bundesliga      7th 
1976-77 (I)     Bundesliga      4th 
1975-76 (I)     Bundesliga      9th 
1974-75 (I)     Bundesliga      3rd 
1973-74 (I)     Bundesliga      4th 
1972-73 (I)     Bundesliga      8th 
1971-72 (I)     Bundesliga      5th 
1970-71 (I)     Bundesliga      15th

1969-70 (I)     Bundesliga      8th
1968-69 (I)     Bundesliga      8th 
1967-68 (I)     Bundesliga      6th 
1966-67 (I)     Bundesliga      4th 
1965-66 (I)     Bundesliga      7th 
1964-65 (I)     Bundesliga      8th 
1963-64	(I)	Bundesliga	3rd


(c) Abseits Guide to Germany