SV Sandhausen (Germany)

Sportverein Sandhausen 1916 eV is a professional football club that was formed in August 1916, representing the small town of Sandhausen, which is located four miles south of Heidelberg in the southern state of Baden-Württemberg.

The early years of SVS were interrupted by the outbreak of war, with the club struggling financially once peace had been restored. The negotiations for some land with the Fostamt Schwetzingen were successful, as the club set up a ground on the road to Walldorf, opposite the Wasserwerk.

Initially, the club competed in regional C-Klasse football before winning promotion to B-Klasse in 1924 and rising to A-Klasse in 1929. A league title arrived at Sandhausen the following year. In 1933, German football was divided into sixteen top-level regional Gauligas by the Third Reich, with SVS spending time in Gauliga Südwest/Mainhessen.

Following World War II, Sportgemeinschaft Sandhausen was formed. This was a sports association which affiliated handball, chess, sportsmen and singers to the club. Sandhausen progressed to the newly formed Amateurliga Südwest following a local success. This was the third tier of German football at the time.

However, in 1949, the team were relegated to 2. Amateurliga before the sports association was disbanded. On March 16th 1951, SV Sandhausen became a standalone football club, with club stalwart Walter Reinhard being elected as its first chairman. During the 1950-51 season, a new sports centre was constructed at Waldsplatz. 

Hardt-Stadion was the centrepiece as SVS moved in. The 2. Amateurliga title was won in 1956-57, with the team moving up to 1. Amateurliga Nordbaden. Theo Machmeier was capped at the German amateur level as the team found the going touch; as it was relegated before regaining its position in the early 1960s. 

The club welcomed FC Bayern München, Hamburger SV and 1. FC Köln to Hardt-Stadion for prestigious friendly games. In 1975-76, SVS finished as league runners-up. The following campaign saw the club qualify for the German amateur championships, where the side went all the way to the final before being defeated 3-2 on aggregate by the amateur team of Fortuna Düsseldorf. 

Solace came through promotion to Oberliga Baden-Württemberg. In 1977-78, Sandhausen qualified to compete in the DFB Pokal. FC Traber Berlin-Mariendorf and SC Gladenbach/Hessen were both defeated before SVS went down 1-0 at home to Eintracht Braunschweig in the third round as World Cup winner Paul Breitner scored in front of 15,000 fans.

The team atoned for their defeat in the previous season's German amateur championship, as they progressed to the final once again. This time, there was no mistake as 5,000 supporters cheered SVS to a 3-1 aggregate win against ESV Ingolstadt.

Sandhausen quickly adapted to their position in one of the several third-tier divisions, as they went on to become Oberliga Baden-Württemberg champions in 1980-81, 1984-85, and 1986-87 as Gerd Dais banged in the goals. In 1992-93, a second German amateur title was collected as the amateur team of SV Werder Bremen was defeated 2-0 in Sandhausen.

The team also ended the season as league runners-up. A third Oberliga Baden-Württemberg championship was won in 1994-95. By now, the Oberliga had become the fourth tier of German football following reorganisation, but Sandhausen’s title win elevated them to the third tier Regionalliga Süd. 

However, the step up proved too far and the team were relegated twelve months later. SVS returned to being in contention for honours back in the Oberliga, as Slavisa Staletovic became the league top scorer in 1997-98. After finishing as runners-up in 1998-99, Sandhausen won the league for a fifth time in 1999-00

They eventually out on promotion after a play-off with SSV Jahn Regensburg. The team continued to knock on the door when it came to final top league placings, before a plan was announced in 2006 to merge Sandhausen with TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and FC Astoria Walldorf to create FC Heidelberg 06.

The idea was rejected by Sandhausen and Walldorf. There was also the problem of finding a suitable site for the new stadium in Heidelberg. SVS carried on and won another Oberliga crown in 2006-07. This time, Sandhausen were promoted to Regionalliga Süd.

A top-half finish granted the club a spot in the newly formed 3. Liga for the 2008-09 season, where Régis Dorn finished as the league’s top scorer in 2009-10, while Roberto Pinto pulled the strings in midfield.

The team consistently finished in the bottom half of the table while retaining their status with relative ease. SVS won 3. Liga in 2011-12 to claim promotion to 2. Bundesliga as Frank Löning topped the goalscoring charts at Hardtwaldstadion. Former player Gerd Dais was replaced as chief trainer by Hans-Jürgen Boysen as the club narrowly avoided relegation in 2012-13.

Alois Schwartz became the new team boss in May 2013 as the club took on work to extend the capacity of Hardtwaldstadion. Schwartz departed to 1. FC Nürnberg was replaced as trainer by Kenan Kocak in the summer of 2016, as the new man took the team to tenth place in 2016-17. 

The following season saw a similar finish, before the 2018-19 campaign saw Sandhausen end close to the drop zone. The goals of Andrew Wooten helped secure second-tier status with Uwe Koschinat arriving as the chief trainer. Kevin Behrens led the forward line in 2019-20, which saw another struggle before they recovered to finish in tenth place. 

Gerhard Kleppinger was given the trainer's job as the team avoided relegation in 2020-21, before Alois Schwartz was appointed. Sandhausen were relegated in 2022-23 under the leadership of Oscar Corrochano. Kleppinger returned to take the side to eighth place on their return to 3. Liga. Dennis Diekmeier arrived as trainer during the relegation season of 2024-25.

Olaf Janßen was appointed to take charge of the side in the fourth-tier Regionalliga Südwest.

SV Sandhausen will play in the Regionalliga Südwest in the 2025-26 season.

My visit

SV Sandhausen 1 FC St Pauli 1 (Monday 23rd October 2017) 2. Bundesliga (att: 8,514)

It was the final full day of my latest German adventure before I returned home the following morning. Frankfurt had been good to me, but it was time to move south. I took a decent walk most of the way to the station to try and freshen up before lunch.

I wasn’t feeling 100% after once again trying the local applewein as a nightcap the previous evening. Would I ever learn? The stretch did me good on a cool but pleasant morning, before I grabbed a snack and found the bus station.

Again, I chose the budget option of the FlixBus for €9 for the two-hour journey. I drifted in and out of sleep while listening to TalkSport on the journey to the town of Heidelberg for my overnight stay.

I’d soon sussed out that the number 21 tram would take me close to Hemingway’s Pub & Hostel, where I’d pre-booked. Sure enough, I was soon alighting at Bismarckplatz before walking around the corner and checking in.

My room cost €55 in an admittedly expensive tourist destination, but I expected a bit more than the basic top-floor accommodation with a shared bathroom. I decided to go and explore the town on foot.

Heidelberg was very pretty, sitting on the banks of the Neckar, with historic buildings and a dramatic castle on the hill overlooking the old town. The places I fancied for a drink were either busy or closed, and I certainly didn’t fancy anywhere too touristy.

Instead, I did all my sightseeing and walked across the river before taking the bus back the mile or so to Bismarckplatz to grab some food and drink and then head back to have a siesta before heading out to the match.

Sandhausen is a small town about five miles from Heidelberg. There were several options to reach the stadium, but I opted for the direct 780 bus. It arrived late; no doubt owing to match traffic on its previous run. I managed to get a seat for the longer-than-imagined ride.

The roads approaching BWT-Stadion am Hardtwald were not built for large crowds. Cars were parked wherever they could find a spot, while many others walked up. Our driver wouldn’t open the doors, despite pleas from both sets of fans on board as we neared our venue.

Eventually, he relented so that we could walk the last few minutes. I was unsure of where I wanted to be until I found a stadium plan. My gate was just the other side of the clubhouse and by the souvenir shop.

The stadium had obviously been built bit by bit. I picked up a free A4-sized programme on entry, before walking along several fenced-in alleys behind a stand and the sports centre. Eventually, the area opened out and I saw signs to my block.

I’d bought and printed my €13 ticket online in advance before I set off from London for a terraced place behind the goal. Before finding a spot, I decided it was time for a beer. Rather frustratingly, refreshments were only available through purchase on a club card.

Eventually, I found the counter selling new cards, with the fella doing the vending being very helpful and speaking English. The card would cost €10, but it was returnable after the game. I put a further €10 credit on it.

Beers cost €3.50, with bratwurst €3. This was ideal for my needs! I bought a beer and went up into my block to take in my surroundings for the evening, to discover that BWT-Stadion am Hardtwald was like many lower division grounds, as I grew up in England.

The Main Stand was in three separate builds behind an open terrace, with the open section, the far side of the players' tunnel, being converted to seating. The centre and far stands both had seats, with the one nearest me covered terracing.

The far end was a single-tier seated stand with corporate facilities in the corner. The far touchline had seating at the back of a paddock of open terracing, while the section that I was in was covered terracing, divided between home and away fans.

As usual, St Pauli had a large following; although I was particularly impressed for such a long distance on a Monday evening, with the game being shown on live TV. Their fans filled their section behind the goal, as well as taking many places up until the halfway line down the side.

My view wasn’t bad at all, but it was blighted by the sound of the leader of the songs screaming into his microphone to try and enthuse the home fans into song. I don’t mind the culture, abroad anyway, but some try just too hard.

In fairness, it did need someone to try and spark some excitement, because there was precious little out on the pitch. Both sides were just a few places from the promotion places, although I did struggle to wonder how?

The visitors looked more likely to score in what was a dour opening period. Their diminutive midfielder Waldemar Sobota was worth watching as he pulled the strings. They came closest when Bernd Nehrig fluffed an opportunity just before the interval.

I’d left my intended place and watched some of the game from the side open terrace. The din and ranting were just too much. At half time, I went for a beer and a banger double, with the bratwurst being more like an English sausage.

I’d got my card deposit back and taken up a place back on the open terrace near the corner flag in the hope that the action would heat up. Philipp Förster tested St Pauli keeper Robin Himmelmann with a low shot, while Lasse Sobiech’s header was easily handled by SVS goalie Marcel Schuhen.

Substitute Richard Sukuta-Pasu set up Philipp Klingmann, but the home side’s full back found the side netting with his shot. It would be Sandhausen who eventually took the lead after eighty minutes.

A corner was half cleared by Christopher Avevor to the edge of the box, where a low shot from Manuel Stiefler took a deflection off Sami Allagui to find the corner of the net. I had to watch the goal by replay on the scoreboard as I was in the loo when it went in!

That looked for all money to be the winner, but St Pauli continued to try playing football against the resolute Sandhausen side. Sobota had been my standout player all evening, so it was fitting that he crafted the last-minute equaliser. His pass into the area found Jeremy Dudziak in the area, who crossed low for Jan-Marc Schneider to control, turn and fire past Schuhen to make it 1-1. 

After five minutes of additional time, referee Markus Schmidt brought proceedings to an end.

I’d positioned myself near the exit and was soon on my way and outside to where there were several buses lined up. My first thought was to take the shuttle bus to St. Ilgen/Sandhausen station and then take the train to Heidelberg.

However, I’d vaguely read another option to a place I’m sure was called Leiman and then catch a tram. I came across a bus with that place among its destinations, so I jumped on board. It was all a bit of a risk as I couldn’t check owing to having no phone coverage.

It was all a bit of an adventure, but I must admit to being relieved when my map App kicked in and we started to take turns in the right direction with passengers still on board. Sure enough, we were dropped right by the tram terminus.

There were still over twenty minutes before the number 23 turned up, so I went to try and get a beer. The service in the place I chose wasn’t forthcoming, so I walked out. However, it turned out that their ignorance would do me a real favour.

Further up Römerstraße, I found a brew pub and had time to enjoy a fine, large dunkel dark beer, while being served by a not unattractive waitress. The tram took me all the way back to Bismarckplatz.

There was still time for a couple of nightcaps at Hemingway’s before I went to bed in readiness for an early start the next day, as I took the 7.50am FlixBus to Stuttgart Airport in time for my lunchtime flight back to Heathrow after four magnificent days once again in Germany.