1939–40 FC Basel season

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FC Basel
1939–40 season
Chairman Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Albert Besse
First team coach Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Walter Dietrich
Max Galler
Ground Landhof, Basel
1. Liga Group 3Winners
1. Liga play-offWinners
Swiss Cup Round 4
Top goalscorerLeague: August Ibach (19)
All: August Ibach (20)
Highest home attendance2,000 on 31 March 1940
vs Aarau
Lowest home attendance500 on 18 February 1940
vs Concordia Basel
and on 23 June 1940
vs Solothurn
Average home league attendance1,266
  1938–39
1940–41  

The FC Basel 1939–40 season was the forty-seventh season since the club's foundation on 15 November 1893. FC Basel played their home games in the Landhof in the district Wettstein in Kleinbasel. Albert Besse was the club's new chairman. He took over from Emil Junker at the AGM on 15 July 1939. Due to the outbreak the Second World War on 1 September 1939 the start of the Swiss football championship was postponed until 22 October. The 1. Liga was postponed until December and it was completely reorganised for this season.

Contents

Overview

World War II

The outbreak of the Second World War, triggered by the German attack on Poland on 1 September 1939, was also a shock for Switzerland, although international signs had been pointing towards a war for some time. On 30 August, the Federal Assembly elected staff officer Henri Guisan as Commander-in-Chief of the Army. On 2 September, general mobilisation for war took place. The national exhibition in Zurich, during which the national football team had also played representative matches against teams from neighbouring countries, was closed for some time. The general mobilisation brought regular championship operations to a standstill, and in its place an improvised mobilisation championship was held without automatic promotion or relegation. In some cases the games could not be played or were postponed because the clubs did not have enough players available.

In Switzerland during the second world war period, sport became an integral part of the "spiritual national defense". This was a political and cultural movement that had already become increasingly important during the late 1930s. Politicians, intellectuals and media professionals had increasingly called for measures to strengthen Switzerland's basic cultural values. Since the Nationalliga games were also considered to be one of the activities that seemed important for maintaining the morale of the population, the military authorities put considerably fewer obstacles in the way of the top players and leading clubs as they had during the previous World War. [1]

Format

Due to the outbreak of World War II on 1 September 1939 the start of the Swiss football championship was postponed until 22 October and the 1. Liga postponed until December. The 1939–40 Nationalliga was played as "Championnat Suisse de Mobilisation". The 12 teams of the top-tier competed the improvised championship as in the years before. However, the 24 clubs that competed in the 1. Liga were re-organised. This season they were divided into five regional groups (as opposed to two in previous years), this was done to reduce travelling times. There were six teams in group 1 (West), five teams in group 2 (North-West), group 3 (Central) and group 4 (North-East), but only three in group 5 (South). The teams in group 1 played a double round-robin to decide their league position. The teams in the groups 2, 3 and 4 played three round-robins and the teams in group 5 played four round-robins. Two points were awarded for a win and one point was awarded for a draw. The five group winners then contested a play-off round to decide the championship. This consisted of: a two legged semi-final for the two west group winners, a three team round-robin semi-final for the other groups and then there was to be a two legged-final for the title of 1. Liga champions. There was to be no promotion and no relegation. [2]

After being relegated last season for the first time in the club's history, Basel played this season in the newly reorganized 1.Liga. They were allocated to group 3 (Central) together with Solothurn, Aarau and the two local clubs Concordia Basel and FC Birsfelden.

FCB pre-season

Player-manager Fernand Jaccard had left the club after the relegation season to join FC Locarno. The former players Walter Dietrich and Max Galler took over as team co-managers. Basel played a good season, in total including test matches they played 29 games, winning 22, drawing three and suffering four defeats. In total they scored 98 goals conceding 50. [3]

After winning their four test games in October and their first Swiss Cup in November , Basel started the season well in December winning the first seven matches straight-off before suffering their first defeat at the beginning of April. At the end of the group stage Basel had won nine games drawn two and were defeated just once and with 20 points were five points above second placed Aarau. Basel advanced to the play-off stage. In the semi-final they won the round-robin against group four winners SC Brühl St. Gallen and group five winners AC Bellinzona. Basel became 1. Liga champions winning the best of three final against Fribourg. [4] August Ibach was team top league goal scorer with 19 goals, Fritz Schmidlin, Hermann Suter and Werner Wenk each scored five times.

In the Swiss Cup Basel started with a victory in the 2nd principal round away against lower tier SC Zofingen. In the next round they were again drawn away from home against lower tier SC Schöftland. This was won 4–1. In the next round Basel played in the Landhof against Aarau but were defeated and knocked out of the competition. [5]

Players

The following is the list of the Basel first team squad during the season 1939–40. The list includes players that were in the squad the day the season started on 1 October 1939 but subsequently left the club after that date.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.NationPlayer
GK Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Kurt Imhof
GK Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Paul Wechlin
DF Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Henri Bernard
DF Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Louis Favre
DF Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Ernst Grauer
MF Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Ernst Hufschmid
DF Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI René Champod
DF Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Alexander Ebner
DF Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Heinz Elsässer
DF Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Hauenstein
DF Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Fritz Huggenberger
MF Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI August Ibach
MF Flag of Germany.svg  FRG Andreas Kränzlin
MF Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Albert Mohler
No.Pos.NationPlayer
MF Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Fritz Schmidlin (I)
MF Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Walter Schmidlin (II)
MF Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Guglielmo Spadini
MF Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Hans Studer
MF Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Werner Wenk
FW Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Max Bosshard
FW Flag placeholder.svg  Henri Brinks
FW Flag placeholder.svg  Karl Doppler
FW Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Alfred Jaeck
FW Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Kurrus
FW Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Fritz Lanz
FW Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Alex Mathys
FW Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Hermann Suter
FW Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Walter Zürrer
Players who left the squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.NationPlayer
GK Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Eugène de Kalbermatten
GK Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Fritz Glaser
DF Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Robert Büchi
DF Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Heinrich Diethelm
MF Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Fernand Jaccard
MF Flag of Germany.svg  FRG Franz Sattler
No.Pos.NationPlayer
MF Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Eduard Zuber
FW Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Eduard Buser
FW Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Maurice Dubosson
FW Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Eduard Irniger
FW Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI Othmar Saner
FW Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  SUI René Schaller

Results

Legend

  Win  Draw  Loss  Postponed

Friendly matches

Pre-season

1 October 1939Pre-season Basel Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg 3–2 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg FC Polizei Basel Landhof, Basel
Ibach Soccerball shade.svg(1:0)
Soccerball shade.svg
Soccerball shade.svg
Summary Soccerball shade.svg(1:1) Dill
Soccerball shade.svg
8 October 1939Pre-season Basel Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg 4–1 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Nordstern Basel Landhof, Basel
15:00 Ibach Soccerball shade.svg20' (1:1)
Soccerball shade.svg(2:1)
Grauer Soccerball shade.svg77' (3:1)
Ibach Soccerball shade.svg(pen. 4:1)
Summary Soccerball shade.svg5' (0:1) GigerAttendance: 1,200
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg H. Neumann Basel
15 October 1939Pre-season FC Olten Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg 2–3 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Basel Kleinholz, Olten
Kiefer Soccerball shade.svg45' (1:3)
Vogel Soccerball shade.svg86' (pen. 2:3)
Summary Soccerball shade.svg26' (0:1) Ibach
Soccerball shade.svg35' (0:2) Ibach
Soccerball shade.svg(0:3) Ibach
Attendance: 700
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Grütter Olten
22 October 1939Pre-season Aarau Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg 2–3 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Basel Stadion Brügglifeld, Aarau
Berner Soccerball shade.svg(1:2)
Wüest Soccerball shade.svg(2:3)
Summary Soccerball shade.svg26' (0:1) Ibach
Soccerball shade.svg36' (0:2) Bosshard
Soccerball shade.svg(1:3) Brinks
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Siegrist Olten

Winter break and mid-season

28 January 1940Winter break Basel Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg 4–6 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Military Rifle Corps. Landhof, Basel
Soccerball shade.svgSoccerball shade.svgSoccerball shade.svgSoccerball shade.svg Summary Soccerball shade.svgSoccerball shade.svgSoccerball shade.svgSoccerball shade.svgSoccerball shade.svgSoccerball shade.svgAttendance: 400
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Kettler Basel
23 March 1940Mid-season Basel Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg 5–2 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Basel Military Team Landhof, Basel
Ibach Soccerball shade.svg(3x)
Mathys Soccerball shade.svg(1x)
Schmidlin (I) Soccerball shade.svg(1x)
Summary Soccerball shade.svg(2x) HellsternAttendance: 500
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Häring Basel
24 March 1940Mid-season Blue Stars Zürich Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg 2–5 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Basel Letzigrund, Zürich
15:00Kuster Soccerball shade.svg15' (1:0)
Meister Soccerball shade.svg(2:0)
Summary Soccerball shade.svg(1:1) Mathys
Soccerball shade.svg(2:2) Mathys
Soccerball shade.svg(2:3) Ibach
Soccerball shade.svg(2:4) Ibach
Soccerball shade.svg(2:5) Wenk
Attendance: 400
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Huber Zürich
6 April 1940Mid-season Basel Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg 7–1 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Fighter Pilot Corps. Landhof, Basel
16:00Soccerball shade.svgSoccerball shade.svgSoccerball shade.svgSoccerball shade.svgSoccerball shade.svgSoccerball shade.svgSoccerball shade.svg Summary Soccerball shade.svgAttendance: 200
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg

1. Liga Group 3

League matches

3 December 1939Round 1 Basel 5–0 Solothurn Landhof, Basel
14:30 Ibach Soccerball shade.svg(1:0)
Suter Soccerball shade.svg(2:0)
Brinks Soccerball shade.svg(2x)
Hufschmid Soccerball shade.svg(pen. 1x)
Summary Attendance: 1,800
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Raimondi Bern
10 December 1939Round 2 Aarau 2–4 Basel Stadion Brügglifeld, Aarau
Eichenberger Soccerball shade.svg(1:2)
Wüest Soccerball shade.svg
Summary Soccerball shade.svg10' (pen. 0:1) Ibach
Soccerball shade.svg(0:2) Suter
Soccerball shade.svg(1:3) Ibach
Soccerball shade.svg(1:4) Bosshard
Red card.svg 65' Ibach
Attendance: 500
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Iseli Biel/Bienne
17 December 1939Round 3 Concordia Basel 1–6 Basel Landhof, Basel
Soccerball shade.svg(o.g.) Summary Soccerball shade.svg(3x) Ibach
Soccerball shade.svg(2x) Brinks
Soccerball shade.svg(o.g.)
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Gerber Bern
2 February 1940Round 4 FC Birsfelden 0–1 Basel Sportplatz, Birsfelden
14:30 Summary Soccerball shade.svg35' (0:1) Mathys Attendance: 600
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Müry Basel
8 February 1940Round 5 Basel 3–2 Concordia Basel Landhof, Basel
10:15 Ibach Soccerball shade.svg(1:0)
Soccerball shade.svg(2:0)
Soccerball shade.svg(3:0)
Summary Soccerball shade.svg(3:1) Otter
Soccerball shade.svg(3:2) Imhof
Attendance: 500
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Hans Vogt Schweizerhalle
10 March 1940Round 6 Basel 4–1 FC Birsfelden Landhof, Basel
13:40 Ibach Soccerball shade.svg(2x)
Mathys Soccerball shade.svg(1x)
Wenk Soccerball shade.svg(1x)
Summary Soccerball shade.svg(1x) DussyAttendance: 1,000
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Marti Bern
31 March 1940Round 7 Basel 1–0 Aarau Landhof, Basel
15:00 Ibach Soccerball shade.svg(1:0) Summary Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Pusterla (Oerlikon)
3 April 1940Round 8 Solothurn 5–2 Basel Stadion FC Solothurn, Solothurn
Soccerball shade.svg
Soccerball shade.svg
Soccerball shade.svg
Soccerball shade.svg
Soccerball shade.svg
Summary Soccerball shade.svg(1x) Ibach
Soccerball shade.svg(1x) Mathys
Attendance: 400
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg
14 April 1940Round 9 Aarau 3–3 Basel Stadion Brügglifeld, Aarau
Soccerball shade.svg(o.g. 1:0)
Stirnemann Soccerball shade.svg(2:2)
Eichenberger Soccerball shade.svg(3:3)
Summary Soccerball shade.svg(1:1) Schmidlin (I)
Soccerball shade.svg(1:2) Karl Doppler
Soccerball shade.svg(2:3) Hermann Suter
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Huber Zürich
28 April 1940Round 10 Basel 2–0 FC Birsfelden Landhof, Basel
14:00 Schmidlin (I) Soccerball shade.svg(1:0)
Ibach Soccerball shade.svg(2:0)
Summary Attendance: 1,800
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Hans Vogt Schweizerhalle
16 June 1940Round 11 Concordia Basel 1–1 Basel Landhof, Basel
17:00Leutwyler Soccerball shade.svg60' (1:0) Summary Soccerball shade.svg75' (1:1) Karl Doppler Attendance: 300
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Raimondi Bern
23 June 1940Round 12 Basel 6–1 Solothurn Landhof, Basel
15:00 Wenk Soccerball shade.svg(3x)
Jaeck Soccerball shade.svg(1x)
Schmidlin (I) Soccerball shade.svg(1x)
Mathys Soccerball shade.svg(1x)
Summary Soccerball shade.svg(1x) SteinerAttendance: 500
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Müry Basel

League table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 Basel 129213816+2220Advance to play-off
2 Aarau [6] 127143726+1115
3 Concordia Basel 12417263269
4 Solothurn 124082535108
5 FC Birsfelden 124081431178
Source: RSSSF
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference within the league, but decider play-off for qualifiers.

Championship play-offs

The winners of the groups 1 and 2 played the first semi-final in a two-legged tie. Fribourg won and advanced to the final. The three other group winners played a three team round-robin for the second finalist.

Semi-final

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts BRÜ BAS BEL
1 Brühl 211053+23 2–2
2 Basel 211063+33 4–1
3 Bellinzona 20022750 1–3
Source: RSSSF
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head 3) Decider.
7 July 1940Semi-final Brühl 2–2 Basel Krontal, St. Gallen
Dübendorfer Soccerball shade.svg(1:1)
Spengler Soccerball shade.svg73' (2:2)
Summary Soccerball shade.svg(0:1) Ibach
Soccerball shade.svg40' (1:2) Lanz
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Pusterla (Oerlikon)
21 July 1940Semi-final Basel 4–1 Bellinzona Landhof, Basel
15:00 Ibach Soccerball shade.svg(3x)
Jaeck Soccerball shade.svg(1x)
Summary Soccerball shade.svg(1x) ChiesiAttendance: 1,500
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Studer Bern

Due to the equality between the two top placed teams a play-off decider was required.

28 July 1940Replay Basel 2–0 Brühl Landhof, Basel
16:00 Suter Soccerball shade.svg(1:0)
Schmidlin (I) Soccerball shade.svg(2:0)
Summary Attendance: 2,500
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg A. Sandoz Lausanne

Championship final

4 August 19401st Leg Fribourg 4–0 Basel Stade Universitaire, Freiburg
Dietrich Soccerball shade.svg50' (1:0)
Dietrich Soccerball shade.svg(2:0)
Thomet Soccerball shade.svg(3:0)
Cotting Soccerball shade.svg(4:0)
Summary Attendance: 700
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Meyer Lausanne
11 August 19402nd leg Basel 4–2 Fribourg Landhof, Basel
16:00 Ibach Soccerball shade.svg6' (1:0)
Schmidlin (I) Soccerball shade.svg(2:0)
Wenk Soccerball shade.svg(3:0)
Ibach Soccerball shade.svg(4:0)
Summary Soccerball shade.svg(4:1) Dietrich
Soccerball shade.svg(4:2) Paroz
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Jaggi Bern

Due to the egality (one win each) a play-off decider was required.

18 August 1940Replay Fribourg 1–2 Basel Neufeld, Bern
Mauroux Soccerball shade.svg13' (1:0) Summary Soccerball shade.svg(1:1) Suter
Soccerball shade.svg(1:2) Ibach
Attendance: 1,000
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Gerber Bern

Basel won the 1. Liga championship title, but as explained there was no promotion. [2]

Swiss Cup

26 November 1939Round 2 SC Zofingen 1–6 Basel Zofingen
Soccerball shade.svg Summary Soccerball shade.svgSoccerball shade.svgSoccerball shade.svgSoccerball shade.svgSoccerball shade.svgSoccerball shade.svgAttendance: 650
24 December 1939Round 3 SC Schöftland 1–4 Basel Schöftland
Soccerball shade.svg(pen. 1:3) Summary Soccerball shade.svg(0:1)
Soccerball shade.svg(0:2)
Soccerball shade.svg(0:3)
Soccerball shade.svg(1:4)
Attendance: 600
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg E. Heiniger Bern
7 January 1940Round 4 Basel 2–4 Aarau Landhof, Basel
14:30 Ibach Soccerball shade.svg(pen.)
Soccerball shade.svg(o.g.)
Summary Soccerball shade.svg(1x) Wüest
Soccerball shade.svg(1x) Fischer
Soccerball shade.svg(2x) Beiner
Attendance: 1,000
Referee: Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Hofer Moutier

See also

References

  1. Koller, Christian (2009). "Vierzigerjahre (1940 bis 1949): Die Kriegsmeisterschaften" [Forties (1940 to 1949): The War Championships](PDF) (in Swiss High German). Zurich Open Repository and Archive. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
  2. 1 2 Erste Liga (SFV) (2022). "Statistik der Ersten Liga über Aufstieg und Abstieg ab Saison 1931/32 bis 2022" [First League statistics on promotion and relegation from the 1931/32 season to 2022](PDF). PDF page 2 (in German). Erste Liga, Abteilung des SFV. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
  3. Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv”. "Bilanz Saison 1939/40". Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv”. Retrieved 2019-11-16.
  4. Erik Garin. "Switzerland league tables 1939/40". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 2019-11-16.
  5. Erik Garin. "Switzerland 1939/40". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 2019-11-16.
  6. Beck, Stephan (2023). "Schweizer Meisterschaft 1939/40 FCA Rangliste" [Swiss Championship 1939/40 FCA Ranking] (in Swiss High German). arowa.ch. Retrieved 2024-11-16.

Sources