Only a few miles outside of Munich lies the leafy suburb of Unterhaching; more known for it’s winter sport prowess than footballing accolades.

Yet little over a decade ago, the aptly named Haching were dining at the highest table of German football and were the hosts to two of the most dramatic events in domestic German football history.

However, in the near future teams such as FC Memmingen and Wacker Burghausen will be the sides visiting the Alpenbauer Sportpark, rather than Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, as SpVgg Unterhaching find themselves in the doldrums of the Regionalliga Bayern - a long way away from the heights and feats of time gone by.

So what went wrong for die Haching? This is the story of the rise and fall of SpVgg Unterhaching.

For large swathes of their history, die Haching had been little more than seasoned amateurs in the various Regional Bavarian leagues, merely more than a drop in the ocean of German football. However starting in 1976, the club embarked on a rapid rise through the leagues and by the late 1990’s Unterhaching were on the verge of reaching the coveted Bundesliga.

After a long, arduous 2. Bundesliga campaign, under the guidance of Lorenz Günther Köstner, die Haching finally had their wish in 1999, joining Arminia Bielefeld and SSV Ulm in promotion to the Bundesliga.

The Bundesliga adventure begins

Unterhaching’s Bundesliga adventure began away at the Commerzbank Arena, against Eintracht Frankfurt. A 3-0 defeat didn’t bode well for what was to come, but after two victories in their following three games showed that die Haching weren’t just there to make up the numbers.

Throughout the season the Alpenbauer Sportpark was transformed into a fortress, with only eventual champions Bayern Munich winning in the Munich suburb. Therefore, die Roten were the only side to do the double over die Haching in their debut Bundesliga campaign. Memorable victories included the scalps of Borussia Dortmund (Champions League finalists only two years before) and the double over die Schwaben, VfB Stuttgart.

But the most dramatic event that season that involved Günther Köstner’s side no doubt was the last game of the season, an event that has had lasting impacts of German football ever since.

Dramatic day to end the season

Die Haching welcomed the high-flying stars of Bayer Leverkusen, such as Michael Ballack and Zé Roberto, to the Alpenbauer Sportpark on the final day of the season. Die Werkself needed only a point to seal their first Bundesliga title and thus prevent Bayern Munich from retaining the Meisterschale, which would be their 15th in total.

It was the worst possible start for the Champions elect as die Mannschaft regular, Michael Ballack deflected a shot past a helpless Adam Matysek. Meanwhile just across town at the Olympiastadion, Bayern Munich were cruising towards a 3-1 victory over Werder Bremen. Markus Oberleitner added a second late in the second half, well and truly breaking die Werkself hearts. The Meisterschale headed to the Olympiastadion. Neverkusen was born.

After a solid 10th place finish in their premier Bundesliga season the following 2000/2001 season got off to the worst possible start with five points from their opening eight games. Despite a run of six undefeated, die Haching found themselves one place above the relegation spots at the turn of fixtures, only due to the virtue of goal difference. Günther Köstner’s side only managed four wins in their opening seventeen games.

The second half of the season was just as dismal; although the Alpenbauer Sportpark side did claim victories over fellow Munich clubs, Bayern and 1860.

Final day despair

Yet once again on the final day of the season Unterhaching would play a crucial role in where the title would go, as well as this time their own Bundesliga status.

Die Haching travelled to the Veltins Arena knowing a win (as well as other results going there way) could confirm their Bundesliga adventure continued for at least one more season.  Their opponents, Schalke 04, were looking to seal their first Meisterschale (under the guise of the Bundesliga) but were well aware that if Bayern Munich avoided defeat in the far North of the country at Hamburg, the title would once again be heading back to Bavaria.

History looked to repeating itself as Unterhaching, who looked little more than relegation fodder to the impervious Königsblauen; yet against all the odds Günther Köstner’s side led on two occasions, 2-0 and 3-2.

However, it wasn’t to be. die Königsblauen eventually overcame the plucky Bavarian minnows 5-3.  SpVgg Unterhaching Bundesliga adventure had ended, and a return to the 2. Bundesliga was sealed.

All around was jubilation, as news filtered through that HSV were beating Bayern Munich with only seconds to go, courtesy of a late Sergej Barbarez goal. The coveted Meisterschale was heading to Rhineland, or was it?

Seconds remained at the Volksparkstadion, and Bayern Munich had an indirect free kick only yards from Mathias Schober’s goal; and it’s safe to say you know what happens next… Compare it to QPR equalizing straight after that infamous Sergio Aguero goal.

Back to the 2 Bundesliga

And so a new dawn beckoned at the Alpenbauer Sportpark, life back in the second tier.

Unsurprisingly, die Haching’s following time in the 2. Bundesliga wasn’t far from surprise and the unexpected.

After Lorenz Günther Köstner was relieved of his duties after only five match days, the club turned to former manager Rainer Adrion. Despite an usurp in immediate form, Unterhaching slid closer and closer to the relegation zone; and therefore back ‘to’ back relegations were on the card.

In a bizarre turn of events, with only five games remaining, club treasurer Anton Schrobenhauser was appointed manager; however the writing was already on the wall for the suburbanites and die Haching joined fellow former Bundesliga sides Fortuna Düsseldorf and SSV Ulm in the Regionalliga.

3. Liga disaster begins to take hold

For the following few years die Haching yo-yoed between the second and third division and by the time of the restructuring of the German football pyramid in 2008, Unterhaching found themselves in the newly realigned 3. Liga

For the following six years it was a rather calm period for Unterhaching’s usual turbulent character. Mid table finishes were the norm, until the 2013-14 season when three points was the difference between relegation to the now fourth tier Regionalliga; perhaps foreboding what was to come?

Things looked to be going well for the Alpenbauer Sportpark side at the beginning of the last season, with three wins and two draws. You would have been forgiven for thinking that even a promotion push could have been on the cards for die Haching. But signs that things were about to turn sour (and very quickly) were only just round the corner…

In their next four league games, die Haching shipped eleven goals and scored a total of one in reply (you can guess how many points they amassed in this period…). A further fifteen points followed between the 19th of September and 20th of December in what was a thirteen game spell.

The now ever important second half of the campaign got of to a mixed start for the Munich suburbanites; a 4-1 win away to Großaspach looked to hint at improved fortunes but any hopes of a much improved second half were quashed by a four games losing run in March and April.

Relegation was looking to be a real prospect, but fears of the drop that was only missed by three points the season before, were quelled somewhat by two back to back wins against Hansa Rostock and VfB Stuttgart II.

And so the final match day was reached, once again with die Haching needing something to remain in the division (Unterhaching, controversy and final days seem to go hand in hand!) 

A trip to mid-table Rot Weiß Erfurt was the prospect for Unterhaching, knowing a win would more than likely keep them in the 3. Liga, as fellow relegation candidates Hansa Rostock and Borussia Dortmund II had hard tasks against Dynamo Dresden and Preußen Münster.

The fairytale story that in yesteryear had surrounded die Haching failed to appear as the suburbanites fell to a 1-0 defeat. Any other results were irrelevant. SpVgg Unterhaching were relegated to the Regionalliga Bavaria.

A new era beckons at the Alpenbauer Sportpark, one that hasn’t been seen in the Munich suburbs since the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. As always with die Haching, they won’t be far from controversy and drama; but it’s that fact that has made the rise and fall of SpVgg Unterhaching such a tale and there’s sure to be many more twists and turns in the following years and months. 

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About the author
Alex Howell
A writer of football related words. A Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga enthusiast and the only English member of FC Ingolstadt 04 and current producer of content for the official site. Thanks for visiting my profile. Find my twitter @Bundesliga_UK