1.FC Pforzheim

This club was one of the early pioneers of German soccer, although they now wallow in obscurity.

The club was founded in 1896, and was soon a regional powerhouse. By 1902, they competed in the final rounds of the southern championship. However, they had the misfortune of being in the same area as powerful Karlsruher FV and Phönix Karlsruhe, who usually kept them out.

In 1905/06, the club got it's first major break. Rivals Karlsruher FV used an ineligible player in one of their games; the southern German Federation promptly declared ALL KFV games forfeit, so Pforzheim was declared regional champ. FCP took advantage of the opportunity, and had a nice run in the German championship, knocking out defending champ Union Berlin, before losing 2-1 in the finals to VfB Leipzig. However, part of the defeat was that the FCP players arrived late for the finals in Nürnberg, and instead of practicing, instead went on a tour of the city pubs (although they claimed they were "as Goldsmiths, we visted the city gold and iron works". Yeah, right.)

While the finals of 1906 was the highpoint, FCP continued to have some respectable seasons. In the 1920s, they managed the final rounds of the Southern German championship. In the 1930s they were often runner-up in the Gauliga Baden, but could never win it.

After WW-II, FCP was 2nd division level, and was one of the original members of the Regionalliga. In these days, crowds often reached up to 10,000. However, the decline set in, and by 1967 FCP was relegated. The club spent a lot of money to try and get back, and by 1974 faced insolvency, with over 400,000 DM debt. The city stepped in with an eventual 1 million DM in cash for the stadium over the next few years to keep the club afloat. There was some improvement, and by the mid 1990s, the FCP was knocking on the door of the 3rd division. However, they were unable to make the jump, and debt again started to increase.

In 2004, FCP went into insolvency and was therefore forcibly relegated from the Oberliga. However since they were in administration and with debts cleared, the prospects of survival were deemed high. As a result, they were only dropped one division.

Full Name Erster Fußball-Club Pforzheim 1896 e.V.
City Pforzheim (Baden-Württemberg). Pop: 118,002 (2002).
Address Adolf-Richter-Str. 3, 75179 Pforzheim
Phone: (07231) 441518, Fax: (07231) 451458
Colors All white or all blue.
Nickname Die Goldstädter. (The Gold-City ers. Pforzheim is known as the Gold City)
Stadium Stadion Brötzinger Tal. Capacity: 8,338 (938 seats)
Built in 1913, it once held about 15,000. FCP was forced off their original turf when the local river flow changed. In 1968, a rare tornado tore the roof off the covered seating area.
Tickets The Stadium publication is "1.FC Pforzheim-Magazin".
Supporters Averaged 412 in 2004 (Oberliga). Numbers have dwindled down to a couple hundred, but they have a reuptation as fanatical. Heidelberg accused them of trying to burn down their stadium in 2004.
Friends
Foes
Heroes 11 German internationals, the last in 1933. Arthur Hiller (4 caps, 1908-09) was Germany's captain in it's first international. Plus one Argentinian international! Arthur's nephew, Marius Hiller was capped twice for Germany (1910-11) and emigrated to Argentina, where he also played for the national team.
Zeroes
Beer A microbrewery, Brauhaus Pforzheim. Also the Hopfen-Schlingel brewery.
Pub Grub The club runs it's own "Vereinsgaststätte 1. FC Pforzheim". Among the featured meals are "Der Hammer: Riesen-Schnitzel mit Pommes Frites und Salat for 6,50 €"
The Net Official site: www.fcpforzheim.net 

Recent History:
--------------

1963-64	(II)	Regionalliga Süd		15th
1964-65	(II)	Regionalliga Süd		13th
1965-66	(II)	Regionalliga Süd		7th
1966-67	(II)	Regionalliga Süd		18th
1967-68	(III)	Amateurliga Nordbaden		2nd
1968-69	(III)	Amateurliga Nordbaden		2nd
1969-70	(III)	Amateurliga Nordbaden		7th
1970-71	(III)	Amateurliga Nordbaden		2nd
1971-72	(III)	Amateurliga Nordbaden		7th
1972-73	(III)	Amateurliga Nordbaden		3rd
1973-74	(III)	Amateurliga Nordbaden		5th
1974-75	(III)	Amateurliga Nordbaden		4th
1975-76	(III)	Amateurliga Nordbaden		3rd
1976-77	(III)	Amateurliga Nordbaden		4th
1977-78	(III)	Amateurliga Nordbaden		3rd
1978-79	(III)	Am.Oberliga Baden-Württemberg	17th
1979-80	(III)	Amateurliga Nordbaden		4th
1980-81	(III)	Amateurliga Nordbaden		10th
1981-82	(III)	Amateurliga Nordbaden		5th
1982-83	(III)	Amateurliga Nordbaden		3rd
1983-84	(III)	Amateurliga Nordbaden		6th
1984-85	(III)	Amateurliga Nordbaden		1st
1985-86	(III)	Am.Oberliga Baden-Württemberg	3rd
1986-87	(III)	Am.Oberliga Baden-Württemberg	7th
1987-88	(III)	Am.Oberliga Baden-Württemberg	9th
1988-89	(III)	Am.Oberliga Baden-Württemberg	2nd
1989-90	(III)	Am.Oberliga Baden-Württemberg	3rd
1990-91	(III)	Am.Oberliga Baden-Württemberg	1st
1991-92	(III)	Am.Oberliga Baden-Württemberg	13th
1992-93	(III)	Am.Oberliga Baden-Württemberg	8th
1993-94	(III)	Am.Oberliga Baden-Württemberg	10th
1994-95	(IV)	Oberliga Baden-Württemberg	8th
1995-96	(IV)	Oberliga Baden-Württemberg	3rd
1996-97	(IV)	Oberliga Baden-Württemberg	2nd
1997-98	(IV)	Oberliga Baden-Württemberg	5th
1998-99	(IV)	Oberliga Baden-Württemberg	3rd
1999-00	(IV)	Oberliga Baden-Württemberg	7th
2000-01	(IV)	Oberliga Baden-Württemberg	2nd
2002-03	(IV)	Oberliga Baden-Württemberg	12th
2003-04	(IV)	Oberliga Baden-Württemberg	9th	administration
2004-05	(V)	Verbandsliga Nordbaden
2005-06	(V)	Verbandsliga Nordbaden
2006-07	(IV)	Oberliga Baden-Württemberg	16th
2007-08	(V)	Verbandsliga Nordbaden

(c) Abseits Guide to Germany: www.abseits-soccer.com