FC Winterthur

FC Winterthur

Full name	Fussballclub Winterthur
Nickname(s)	FCW
Founded	1896 (1896)
Ground	Schützenwiese, Winterthur
Capacity	8,550 (1,900 seated)
Chairman	Mike Keller
Manager	Alexander Frei
League	Swiss Super League
2021–22	Swiss Challenge League, 1st of 10 (promoted)
Website	Club website
Home colours Away colours

FC Winterthur is a Swiss football club based in Winterthur, Canton of Zürich. They play in the Swiss Challenge League, the second tier of Swiss football, and appeared regularly in the Nationalliga A during the 20th century. Their home is the Stadion Schützenwiese.

History

Chart of FC Winterthur table positions in the Swiss football league system

The club was founded in 1896 by students of the local school of engineering and following a fusion with two local teams, it was called Vereinigte Fussballclubs Winterthur between 1929 and 1946. They enjoyed their best success in the early part of the 20th century winning the Swiss Championship three times (in 1906, 1908 and 1917), before consecutive relegations in 1931 and 1934. They played in the lower leagues until regaining promotion to the Nationalliga B in 1950. They have since stayed in the second division for most of their history, except for several appearances in the Nationalliga A, from where they were most recently relegated in 1978 following a promotion ten years prior. Notable managers from this period include Gabet Chapuisat, Wolfgang Frank, René Hüssy, Timo Konietzka, and Willy Sommer

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 in 1972 and 1973 and Swiss Cup in 1968 and 1975, however lost on every occasion.

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

In the 2021-22 season, Winterthur were able to achieve a last round championship victory in the Swiss Challenge League, to gain their first promotion to the Swiss Super League. I twill be the the first time since 1982 that the team played in the top Swiss football league. It is their fourth victory in the second Swiss football league.

Players

Current squad

As of 11 February 2022

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

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	SUI	Raphael Spiegel
3	DF	SUI	Tobias Schättin
4	DF	GER	Gabriel Isik
5	DF	SUI	Roy Gelmi
6	DF	SUI	Marin Cavar
7	MF	KOS	Gezim Pepsi
8	MF	SRB	Samir Ramizi
9	FW	SUI	Roman Buess
10	MF	SUI	Roberto Alves
11	MF	KOS	Eris Abedini
14	MF	SUI	Thibault Corbaz
15	DF	SUI	Michael Gonçalves
16	MF	SUI	Remo Arnold
17	FW	SUI	Samuel Ballet (on loan from Young Boys)
18	GK	SUI	Gianluca Tolino
19	DF	SUI	Adrian Gantenbein

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
20	DF	GER	Florian Baak
21	MF	SUI	Kevin Costinha
22	FW	SUI	Tician Tushi (on loan from Basel)
23	DF	SUI	Granit Lekaj
24	MF	SUI	Sayfallah Ltaief
25	FW	SUI	Carmine Chiappetta (on loan from Basel)
26	MF	SUI	Silvan Kriz
27	FW	SUI	Dimitri Volkart
28	DF	CIV	Souleymane Diaby
29	FW	SUI	Neftali Manzambi
30	FW	KOS	Shkelqim Demhasaj (on loan from Grasshopper)
32	MF	SUI	Sandro Di Nucci
33	DF	SUI	Noah Lovisa
34	DF	SUI	Pascal Hammer
35	MF	SUI	Arlind Dakaj
36	GK	SUI	Jozef Pukaj

Former players

See also: Category:FC Winterthur players

Stadium

Main article: Stadion Schützenwiese

The club play at Stadion Schützenwiese, a short walk from the centre of Winterthur, having done so since their inception in 1896. The first grandstand was built in 1922, and then 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.

While once boasting a capacity of 14,987 before 2009, the stadium now holds 8,550 seats, 1,900 of which are seated. 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 Sirupkurve. Away supporters are housed at the opposite end of the stadium to the Bierkurve.

Honours

• Swiss Super League

Winners (3): 1905-06, 1907-08, 1916-17

• Swiss Challenge League

Winners (4): 1965-66, 1967-68, 1981-82, 2021-22

Former coaches

• Martin Rueda (2000–2001)
• Walter Grüter (2001)
• Urs Schönenberger (2001–2002)
• Ivan Koritschan (2002–2003)
• Hans-Joachim Weller (2003)
• Gianni Dellacasa (2003–2004)
• Mathias Walther (2004–2009)
• Boro Kuzmanović (2009–2014)
• Jürgen Seeberger (2014–2015)

See also

• Category:FC Winterthur players

External links

• Official website (in German)
• "Bierkurve Winterthur" supporters club (in German)
• "Laufpass" – Fanzine (in German)
• Soccerway.com profile
• Football.ch profile (in German, French, and Italian)