Sports club Wienerberg 1921 is an Austrian football club formed in 1921 in the Inzersdorf-Stadt district of Vienna, originally as ASV Wienerberg by workers at the local brickworks in the Italian restaurant Belle Gatti. The team started out its life in the south-west section of fourth-grade football with future international Franz Kellinger in the side.
This was before switching to the VAFÖ, an association set up for works football clubs. Future international goalkeeper Walter Zeman started his career with the ‘Ziegelböhm’ before going on to join FC Wien in 1942. Returning to the ÖFB umbrella, Wienerberg won the 2. Klasse A title in 1947-48.
Further progression was made as promotion to the third-tier Wiener Stadtliga was achieved in 1952-53, but the spell lasted just twelve months. Consolidation followed before the side returned in 1954-55, where a runners-up spot followed in 1957-58.
The Wiener Stadtliga championship was won in 1960-61, leading to a place at the second level Regionalliga Ost, where the club continued, with former Austrian title-winning and international star player Alfred Körner appointed as chief trainer in 1966. The team was relegated in 1967-68 before returning to the second tier at the first attempt.
The club title changed to SV Wienerberg in 1969 as they finished as Regionalliga Ost runners-up in 1969-70, coming close to reaching top-flight Austrian football with another future international player, Helmut Maurer, keeping goal.
Another second place followed in 1971-72 before the team finished bottom a year later to drop back down to the Wiener Stadtliga, which became the fourth tier after league restructuring for the 1974-75 season. A further championship was won in 1975-76 as Wienerberg returned to Regionalliga Ost, albeit now at the third level.
Their spell lasted until relegation in 1978-79 on goal difference, from where another demotion down to 1. Klasse came in 1983-84. The club merged with neighbouring club Inzersdorf to become Wienerberger/Inzersdorf before winning promotion back to the Wiener Stadtliga in 1992-93 and establishing themselves at that standard.
The title was lifted in 2006-07 as the club returned to Regionalliga Ost as SV Wienerberg before a sponsorship deal changed their title to SV Magna Wienerberg. Ziegelböhm were relegated in 2009-10.
Worse was to follow in 2011-12 as the side was relegated from the Wiener Stadtliga to Oberliga A. However, SV Wienerberg regrouped and returned twelve months later after seeing off Sportunion Mauer on the final round of matches to secure promotion as Fabio Santos Da Silva Marques finished as top scorer.
A fifth-place finish was achieved in 2014-15 before a further sponsorship deal saw the club rebranded as Young Style Soccerclub Wienerberg, as the Stadtliga title was lifted in 2015-16 under trainer Peter Schiller, as Stefan Lerner banged in the goals.
Wienerberg were denied promotion owing to financial reasons, despite being crowned as champions, as Claus Schönberger was appointed as chief trainer in July 2016, with Schiller dropping down in an assistant role, with the club taking the title SV Wienerberg in 1921.
After a mid-table ending, the side finished in sixth place in 2017-18 with the forward partnership of Thomas Helly and Rene Mjka causing havoc to opposing defences. The position was improved by one place in 2018-19.
Once things returned to relative normality in 2021-22 following the pandemic, the side, trained by Dipl. Päd. Florian Sauer finished in eleventh place in the Wiener Stadtliga. Patrick Ivandic was appointed as trainer in January 2023 before being replaced by Werner Hasenberger ten months later.
The new man took his charges to eighth place before fifth place was achieved in 2024-25, as Jan Mülner led the scoring.
SV Wienerberg will play in the Wiener Stadtliga in the 2025-26 season.
My visit
Sunday 8th March 2020
The Sunday of my long weekend in the Austrian capital followed the pattern of the previous two days. It was near perfection. I’d visited several venues and watched the morning Stadtliga game between Slovan HAC and Schwechat.
Schönbrunner Schlosspark was absolutely stunning, and after a good walk and bus ride, I let myself down because time was getting on by dining at McDonald's by Meidling station when I’d have preferred to find a local bar or restaurant.
Needs must, as they say. I wasn’t entirely sure as to where the stop was for the WLB light transit rail towards Wienerberg? I eventually found Schedifkaplatz and sussed out the correct direction before jumping aboard. I learned from my bus cock up after the Austria Wien game the previous evening!
I had contemplated going to the Wienerberg against FC Stadlau game in the Stadliga before that Bundesliga clash at the Generali-Arena, but the overtures of ASK Elektra against First Vienna offered more options as to visiting clubs beforehand.
I’d missed a 4-0 thumping to the hosts in front of 150 fans as it turned out. The visit to the HMI Arena fitted perfectly into my plans, with it being on route between my morning activities and the afternoon match between Admira Juniors and Drassburg.
The train dropped me at Gutheil-Schoder-Gasse in what looked like an area of residents and light industry. Going back under the bridge, I turned right along Computerstraße past a dog training centre and then an electrical headquarters opposite.
Like the other venues, the entrance to the HMI Arena was open as other matches were taking place. In this instance, it looked like underage matches on the artificial pitch on the left of the clubhouse and changing room buildings.
Fortunately for me, the lock on the gate into the main ground was not secured, so I entered to take my photos. One side of the arena had natural banking to enclose it. The far side had a covered seated stand, while neither end had any real spectator accommodation.
Once done, I retraced my steps as more junior players returned from their matches, while I headed off for some Regionalliga football at Admira Juniors, while Hans my local knowledge, let me know that the HMI Arena was also hosting matches of the reformed Wacker Wien.
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