FV Bad Vilbel (Germany)

Fußballverein Bad Vilbel 1919 is a football club with about 450 members from the small town of Bad Vilbel, which is located just north of the German city of Frankfurt. The sports club SV Bad Vilbel was formed on March 30th 1919, with the football department; Football Club Phönix being established a year later.

In 1929 the club won a regional title before Sportverein 1919 was banned under Third Reich rule in 1933. Football Club Phönix was retitled Fußballgemeinschaft Phönix (FG Phönix), with the team picking up a junior title in the 1934-35.

The 1938-39 campaign saw FG become Bezirksklasse champions before the Allied forces abolished all sports clubs at the end of World War Two. In 1947 Fußballvereins (FV) Vilbel 1945 was formed.

The new team went on to be crowned regional champions in their debut season. Previous members of SV 1919 and FC Phönix accepted the new club and joined forces in 1953; with the club changing their title to Fußballverein (FV) Bad Vilbel e.V.

In 1954 the new Niddasportfeld was opened as FV’s new home ground before went on to become champions of B-Klasse Obertaunus/Usingen in 1966-67. The 1970-71 saw the club progress to win the B-Klasse Frankfurt/Ost league and winning promotion.

In 1973-74 Bad Vilbel lifted the A-Klasse title, where the team remained until the 1980’s when Niddasportfeld received investment and a redesign. Another success followed as the Bezirksklasse Frankfurt/West was won.

The club continued its upward curve as the team won the titles of the B-Klasse in 1989-90 and Bezirksklasse Frankfurt in 1990-91 before becoming champions of Landesliga Süd in 1991-92 and winning promotion to Oberliga Hessen.

The team spent the following fifteen years in the Oberliga; which for much of that time was one of the regional fourth highest levels of football in Germany. The 1999-00 season saw Bad Vilbel finish in third position in the league; their highest ever placing.

However, FV’s run came to an end when they were relegated in 2006-07 to Landesliga Hessen-Süd. Following a re-organisation of German football the club was moved to the sixth tier Verbandsliga Hessen-Süd for the 2008-09 season.

The team weighed in with several consecutive mid table finishes, before coming out in third position at the conclusion of the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons. The Verbandsliga Süd title was won in 2017-18 to take the side up to the fifth tier Hessenliga. 

The side consolidated in 2018-19 before the following season was left in suspense when the COVID-19 pandemic halted the season with Bad Vilbel in a potential relegation spot.

FV Bad Vilbel will play in the Hessenliga in the 2019-20 season.


My visit

FV Bad Vilbel 4 FC 07 Bensheim 0 (Friday 20^th October 2017) Verbandsliga Hessen-Süd (att: 150)

The Friday evening fixtures in the run up to my trip looked to be limited, and so it proved on the day itself. However, a bit of research revealed that Bad Vilbel appeared to be a decently run club with a tidy venue.

I’d been to Wiesbaden for the 4pm kick off in the Women’s World Cup Qualifiers between Germany and Iceland before returning to Frankfurt; where I was to spend the following three evenings. The S6 train took me to Bad Vilbel Süd in around twenty five minutes.

The town looked nice enough, with the River Nidda running between the station and the ground. I was only to get a brief look as the station was far closer than the main stop and time was of the essence.

Once I negotiated the way across the river and under the railway I found myself on Am Sportveld. The challenge was to find the entrance as both that narrow lane and Huizener Straße backed onto the ground.

I saw a couple of blokes ahead also looking a little lost before disappearing on the right, so I followed them. It led to an area which had buildings to cater for the football ground and to provide for the open air swimming pool behind.

It was quite a sports hub, with the headquarters of TV Bad Vilbel across the road; with their provisions for tennis, gymnastics, basketball, squash, handball, table tennis and running. I decided to pay my admission through the gate and try and secure a programme.

The bloke and his mate didn’t seem too enamoured when I handed over a €50 note. I’d no idea that it only cost €5 including a free teamsheet. They saw the funny side when they realised I was a visitor; as I headed back outside for refreshment.

Initially I looked inside the club offices. If they were selling beer I’d rather have given it to the club, rather than Mehret’s restaurant and bar next door. There didn’t appear to be anything going on at the club, so Mehret’s it was.

The establishment had lots of seats outside, which gave a pretty decent view of the whole pitch across a few yards of driveway and through the wire fence. The helpful young waitress spoke English and sorted me with a large dark beer for €3.50.

The temptation was to remain in the same place. I had a decent seat and I had everything I needed. Well almost. I did the proper thing and went back into the ground to watch the game from various vantage spots.

Nidda-Sportfeld was a nice venue and ideal for a club of Bad Vilbel’s status. There was flat open hard standing on three sides; with a couple having grass banking. The far goal was nicely enclosed with some beautiful trees.

The final fourth far side had around ten steps of terracing running the full length of the pitch, with a sizeable cover straddling the half way line. There were also a few benches scattered about for those wishing to sit down.

The teams emerged from changing rooms next to from where I entered the complex. I liked the fact that both sides wore kits that I hadn’t seen before, rather than the usual massed produced stuff that many clubs go for.

The club had a decent PA system, with the enthusiastic young bloke giving the game a slightly overhyped feel. Most of the spectators looked like they chose the game to avoid that sort of stuff. The majority of the home support along the entrance side was getting on in years.

I was naturally interested to see what kind of standard the game would be? I knew that the players would be very adept technically, but I was rather disappointed that it was too textbook. Adventure appeared to be lacking.

Bad Vilbel went into the game as league leaders, with Bensheim positioned towards the other end of the ladder; but the visitors gave it a good go. There seemed to be just too many passes, rather than creativity.

The first half was a tough watch. Visiting keeper Kevin Krezdorn was vocal and keeping his back four in check. There didn’t look likely to be a goal until referee Robyn Wensky pointed to the penalty spot just two minutes before the interval in favour of the home team.

The near side linesman immediately shook his head when he heard the whistle. It did look to be a very soft decision, with the Bensheim players naturally incensed. Benjamin Sabic stepped up to put Bad Vilbel 1-0 up, as the DJ played some unnecessary goal jingle.

At the break I headed back to the bar, but all the seats had been taken. Quite a few people had wrapped up and decided to have an evening out, while taking in a bit of football in the background.

Unfortunately, the influx meant that the staff struggled to serve those wanting a quick drink and those dining in the restaurant. Instead I went back inside and brought a krakauer sausage in a roll and a bottle of Pils for the combined price of €5.50.

The temperature was beginning to drop as the game restarted. I had two options. I could see the game to its conclusion and wait around for a train back to the city, or I could go fifteen minutes or so before the end for an earlier service.

I decided to bail out as I was beginning to feel the cold, and the match wasn’t the best, if truth be told. I’d walked round the back of the stand before seeing Lukas Knell convert a chance at the far post to make it 2-0, from my perfect view on the bridge.

I’d heard another cheer when I’d reached the station platform. It transpired I’d missed two late goals for Bad Vilbel, as Knell added a second before Alexander Bauscher rounded off proceedings.

It had been typical that my train was ten minutes late on arrival, so I could have stayed a bit longer, but I couldn’t complain at my opening day’s football. Aside, I wanted to explore some of Frankfurt.

I decided to alight the train at Frankfurt-Eschersheim to transfer to the UBahn at Weißer Stein a few metres up the road. I’d worked out that it would take me to Hauptwache, right in the heart of the city.

My aim was to have a look at the Aldstadt old town. It certainly looked pretty enough around a large cobbled square; even if it could have done with some increased lighting. I had time for a quick beer at Binding Schirn before jumping on the number 11 tram outside at Römer/Paulskirche.

It was still relatively early, so I decided to take a nightcap at the Frankfurt Pub. It looked an interesting bar and was nice enough inside; if a little plastic in search of trying to be an Irish Bar. It was a decent enough way to round off the day. I certainly slept that night!