Regionalliga West (1963–1974)


The Regionalliga West was the second-highest level of the German football league system in the west of Germany from 1963 until the formation of the 2. Bundesliga in 1974. It covered the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen, the most populous state of Germany.

Overview

The league started out in 1963 with 20 teams in the league, which was reduced to 18 the year after.
It was formed from the eleven clubs of the Oberliga West which were not admitted to the new Bundesliga, from the top eight clubs of the 2. Oberliga West and one club from the Verbandsliga Westfalen, the Lüner SV. The Regionalliga West was as such a continuation of the Oberliga West under a different name and a tier lower.
Along with the Regionalliga West went another four Regionalligas, these five formed the second tier of German football until 1974:
The new Regionalligas were formed along the borders of the old post-World War II Oberligas, not after a balanced regional system. Therefore, the Oberligas Berlin and West covered small but populous areas while Nord and Süd covered large areas. Südwest was something of an anomaly, neither large nor populous.
The winners and runners-up of this league were admitted to the promotion play-off to the Bundesliga, which was staged in two groups of originally four, later five teams each with the winner of each group going up.
The bottom teams in a varying amount were relegated to the Verbandsligas. Below the Regionalliga West were the following Verbandsligas:
Schwarz-Weiß Essen is the only club to have played in all eleven seasons of the Regionalliga West.

Disbanding of the Regionalliga West

The league was dissolved in 1974. According to their performance of the last couple of seasons, 11 clubs of the Regionalliga went to the new 2. Bundesliga Nord. The seven remaining clubs were relegated to the Amateurligas.
The teams admitted to the 2. Bundesliga Nord were:
The following teams were relegated to the Amateurligas:
In 1994, the Regionalligas were re-established, after 20 years, this time as the third tier of German Football. The new Regionalliga West/Südwest was a merger of the two old Regionalligas Südwest and West. In 2000, this league was disbanded again and its clubs spread over the Regionalligas Süd and Nord.
In 2008, the Regionalliga West reformed again, covering the same territory as the Regionalliga West/Südwest did but now called West only. It is the fourth tier of football in Germany.

Winners and runners-up of the Regionalliga West

The winners and runners-up of the league were:
SeasonWinnerRunner-Up
1963–64Alemannia AachenWuppertaler SV
1964–65Borussia MönchengladbachAlemannia Aachen
1965–66Fortuna DüsseldorfRot-Weiss Essen
1966–67Alemannia AachenSchwarz-Weiss Essen
1967–68Bayer LeverkusenRot-Weiss Essen
1968–69Rot-Weiss OberhausenRot-Weiss Essen
1969–70VfL BochumArminia Bielefeld
1970–71VfL BochumFortuna Düsseldorf
1971–72Wuppertaler SVRot-Weiss Essen
1972–73Rot-Weiss EssenFortuna Köln
1973–74SG Wattenscheid 09Rot-Weiss Oberhausen

The league placings from 1963 to 1974:
Club6465666768697071727374
Borussia Mönchengladbach81BBBBBBBBB
VfL Bochum1245311BBB
Fortuna Düsseldorf331B6442BBB
Wuppertaler SV2657155331BB
Rot-Weiß Essen1072B22BB21B
Fortuna Köln161314432B
SG Wattenscheid 098131251
Rot-Weiß Oberhausen744631BBBB2
Bayer Uerdingen733
1. FC Mülheim84
Preußen MünsterB86913147911135
Borussia DortmundBBBBBBBBB46
Alemannia Aachen1231BBB6467
Schwarz-Weiß Essen13972765115128
DJK Gütersloh1081399
Rot-Weiß Lüdenscheid10
SpVgg Erkenschwick151561011
Sportfreunde Siegen18712
Arminia Gütersloh91613
Arminia Bielefeld115103472BB1114
Union Solingen15
STV Horst-Emscher15171816
Westfalia Herne61215111712141517
Viktoria Köln510913101612101718
Eintracht Gelsenkirchen131612141851014
Bayer Leverkusen1216141018117817
Lüner SV208106141518
VfR Neuß812991616
VfL Klafeld18
Bonner SC17151317
SF Hamborn 071414859111618
SSVg Velbert17
TSV Marl-Hüls4151314111218
Eintracht Duisburg911111817
VfB Bottrop171718
SSV Hagen15
Hammer SpVg16
Homberger SV18
SpVgg Herten16
Duisburg 48/9919

Source:

Key