FC Winterthur

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Winterthur
Club crest
Full name Fussballclub Winterthur
Nickname(s) FCW
Founded 1896
Ground Schützenwiese, Winterthur
Ground Capacity 8,550
Chairman Hannes W Keller
League Challenge League
2014–15 4th
Website Club home page

FC Winterthur is a Swiss football club based in Winterthur, Canton of Zürich. They play in the Swiss Challenge League, the second highest tier of Swiss football. They play at the Schützenwiese Stadium.

History

The club was founded in 1896 and enjoyed their best success in the early part of the 20th century winning the Swiss Super League three times (in 1906, 1908 and 1917).

They famously lost to West Auckland F.C., an English amateur team in what is thought to be the first international football club competition, the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy.

The club have also reached the final of the Swiss League Cup twice (in 1972 and 1973) but lost on both occasions. They also reached the final of the Swiss Cup in 1968 and 1975 but also lost on both occasions.

In 2005–06 season the club finished 14th place in the Challenge League but, whilst performing poorly in the league, they made it to the semi finals of the Swiss Cup by defeating Grasshoppers, Lucerne and Servette. The club lost to the eventual winners Sion at home.

Current squad

As of 8 July, 2015.

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

No. Position Player
1 Switzerland GK Matthias Minder
4 Bosnia and Herzegovina DF Sead Hajrović
5 Switzerland DF Guillaume Katz
6 Switzerland MF Michel Avanzini
7 Turkey MF Tunahan Cicek
8 Switzerland MF Claudio Holenstein (on loan from Luzern)
9 Cameroon FW Patrick Bengondo
11 Portugal FW João Paiva
13 Switzerland MF Gianluca D'Angelo
14 Switzerland DF Patrik Schuler
15 Switzerland DF Dennis Iapichino
16 Switzerland FW Christian Fassnacht
17 Austria DF Marco Köfler
No. Position Player
18 Switzerland GK Yannick Bünzli
19 Switzerland MF Musa Araz (on loan from Basel)
20 Switzerland MF Sandro Foschini
21 Switzerland MF Marco Mangold
22 Switzerland MF Stefano Milani
23 Switzerland DF Jan Elvedi
24 Kosovo FW Genc Krasniqi
26 Switzerland GK David Von Ballmoos (on loan from Young Boys)
27 Switzerland DF Tobias Schättin
28 Switzerland DF Tiziano Lanza
29 Switzerland MF Ramon Cecchini (on loan from Vaduz)
30 Switzerland MF Marco Trachsel

Stadium

The club play at Stadion Schützenwiese which is a short walk from the centre of Winterthur. It has been their home since 1900. The first grandstand was built in 1922. This was replaced in 1957 using sponsorship money.

In the 1980s the ownership was transferred to Winterthur council as the club faced financial problems. The council are responsible for any maintenance and upkeep.

At one time the stadium capacity was as high as 14,987 but as of 2009 it is 8,550. The stadium consists of around 1,000 seats and the rest is standing area. For a while there has been dialogue between the club and Winterthur council to expand and upgrade the stadium in order for the club to realise their ambitions of playing in the top flight. Currently the stadium is not of high enough safety to stage Super League matches.

The more hardcore supporters of the club stand at one end, which is known as the Bierkurve. They also have a small stand for younger supporters known as the Syrupkurve. Away supporters are housed at the opposite end of the stadium to the Bierkurve.

Honours

Swiss Super League

Former coaches

See also

External links