Rot Weiss Ahlen

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Rot Weiss Ahlen
Rot Weiss Ahlen.svg
Full nameRot Weiss Ahlen e. V.
Founded1996
Ground Wersestadion, Ahlen
Capacity12,500
ChairmanDirk Neuhaus
Manager Björn Joppe
League Oberliga Westfalen (V)
2023–24 Regionalliga West, 18th (relegated)
Website www.rwahlen.de

Rot Weiss Ahlen is a German football club based in Ahlen, North Rhine-Westphalia. Until 2006 the club was known as LR Ahlen for its major sponsor, but underwent a name change when the sponsor withdrew its support after the team was relegated to the Regionalliga (III) in that year.

Contents

History

The club has its roots in the local sides of the early 1900s formed by coalminers who played pickup games after work. In 1917, Freie Sportclub Union (FSCU) Ahlen was founded and became one of the region's best known teams, playing in the second-tier leagues of the time. The rise of the Third Reich saw the club disbanded as over three-quarters of its members were foreigners making the side politically unpalatable to the regime. A new club, Tus Germania Ahlen, was formed in 1933. This side merged with the strong local club Wacker Ahlen to create the town's largest sports association.

Historical chart of Rot Weiss Ahlen league performance RW Ahlen Performance Chart.png
Historical chart of Rot Weiss Ahlen league performance

After World War II attempts to rebuild local teams failed until members of eight pre-war clubs came together to form Turn- und Sport Ahlen in 1948. The new side went on to many decades of routine play in the local upper leagues. In 1991, TuS were faced with a financial crisis and demotion to lower level play. A local benefactor, Helmut Spikker, helped bail the team out through the support provided by his firm, cosmetics manufacturer LR International.

Now on a firm footing, TuS Ahlen enjoyed an impressive run of success through the early 90s beginning with a Bezirksliga Westfalen (VII) title in 1992 and promotion to the Landesliga Westfalen (VI). In each of the following three seasons TuS earned another championship and promotion; out of the Landesliga, through the Verbandsliga Westfalen-Nordost (V) and Oberliga Westfalen (IV), leading to the Regionalliga West/Südwest (III).

Leichtathletik Rasensport Ahlen was formed on 1 June 1996 when TuS Ahlen merged with Blau-Weiß Ahlen to begin play in the Regionalliga West/Südwest in 1996–97. The club's rise was stalled and they made a bid to again move up by signing a number of players with Bundesliga experience for 1998–99. However, they could only manage a sixth-place finish and subsequently unloaded their expensive talent. Living more within their means, the side earned promotion with a second-place result in 1999–2000 and a 2–1 victory over 1. FC Union Berlin in the playoff round to advance to the 2. Bundesliga. Ahlen's best result came in their debut in the second tier when they ended sixth. The team slipped to become a lower-tier side and lingered for another five seasons before a 17th-place result led to their demotion in 2006.

After being relegated LR Ahlen lost the support of its major sponsor and underwent a name change to become Rot Weiss Ahlen on 31 May 2006. Chairman Spikker also left the club at the end of August with his successor being vice-president Heinz-Jürgen Gosda. The team returned to 2. Bundesliga play after finishing as champions of the Regionalliga Nord in 2007–08. With the end of the 2009–10 season, Ahlen was relegated to the 3. Liga, and the following year to the fifth NRW-Liga despite a 17th-place finish outside the drop down zone because of insolvency.

In 2020 the club finished second in the Oberliga Westfalen to win promotion to the Regionalliga West.

Recent seasons

YearDivisionPosition
1999–2000 Regionalliga West/Südwest (III)2nd (promoted)
2000–01 2. Bundesliga (II)6th
2001–022. Bundesliga8th
2002–032. Bundesliga12th
2003–042. Bundesliga12th
2004–052. Bundesliga13th
2005–062. Bundesliga17th (relegated)
2006–07 Regionalliga Nord (III)13th
2007–08Regionalliga Nord1st (promoted)
2008–092. Bundesliga (II)10th
2009–102. Bundesliga18th (relegated)
2010–11 3. Liga 20th (original 17th;relegated due to insolvency)
2011–12 NRW-Liga (V)17th
2012–13 Oberliga Westfalen 9th
2013–14Oberliga Westfalen9th
2014–15Oberliga Westfalen2nd (promoted)
2015–16 Regionalliga West (IV)13th
2016–17Regionalliga West15th (relegated)
2017–18 Oberliga Westfalen (V)14th
2018–19Oberliga Westfalen9th
2019–20Oberliga Westfalen2nd (promoted)
2020–21 Regionalliga West (IV)18th
2021–22 Regionalliga West (IV)10th
2022–23 Regionalliga West (IV)16th

Honours

The club's honours:

Current squad

As of 22 August, 2024 [1]

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
1 GK Flag of Germany.svg  GER Luis Ackermann
2 DF Flag of Germany.svg  GER Tim Breuer
4 DF Flag of Germany.svg  GER Patrick Polk
5 DF Flag of Germany.svg  GER Denzel Tawiah
6 MF Flag of Germany.svg  GER Fabian Holthaus
7 FW Flag of Germany.svg  GER Emro Curic
8 MF Flag of Germany.svg  GER Tobias Herring
9 FW Flag of Turkey.svg  TUR Bahattin Köse
10 FW Flag of Germany.svg  GER Hakan Sezer
11 DF Flag of Germany.svg  GER Emmanuel De Lemos
12 GK Flag of Germany.svg  GER Lukas Krekeler
No.Pos.NationPlayer
14 DF Flag of Brazil.svg  BRA Bruno Soares
15 DF Flag of Germany.svg  GER Mika Kruphölter
16 DF Flag of Germany.svg  GER Edon Rizaj
17 MF Flag of Germany.svg  GER Enes Sali
19 MF Flag of Germany.svg  GER Mike Pihl
21 MF Flag of Germany.svg  GER Noyan Bayaki
22 DF Flag of Germany.svg  GER Kilian Hornbruch
23 MF Flag of Germany.svg  GER Murat Keskinkilic
26 MF Flag of Germany.svg  GER Luka Tankulic
27 FW Flag of Germany.svg  GER Davin Wöstmann
28 MF Flag of the United Arab Republic (1958-1971), Flag of Syria (1980-2024).svg  SYR Can Moustfa

Former managers

References

  1. "Kader". rwahlen.de. Retrieved 24 August 2023.