1. FC Köln

From Freepedia

1. FC Köln

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Full name

1. FC Köln

Nickname(s)

Die Geißböcke
(The Billy Goats)

Founded

1948

Ground

RheinEnergieStadion,
Cologne

Capacity

50,997

Chairman

Wolfgang Overath

Manager

Uwe Rapolder

League

Bundesliga

2004-05

Second Bundesliga, 1st

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Home colours

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Away colours

1. FC Köln is the pre-eminent football club in Cologne, Germany. The club was formed in 1948. It was a founding member of the West German Bundesliga and won the championship in its inaugural season of 1963/1964. In all, 1. FC Köln has won the domestic championship three times and the German Cup four times, including the double in the 1977/1978 season.

In the early years of the Bundesliga, Cologne (called "Der FC" by its fans) was the most successful club in West Germany in terms of total points won; however, since the early 1980s the club has suffered a decline in achievement and in 1999 it was relegated for the first time. In recent years, it has been flitting between the top and second divisions. Its most recent move between the two divisions was promotion to the First Bundesliga at the end of the 2004/05 season as Second Bundesliga champions, immediately after having been relegated.

The club's most famous tie came in 1965 in the quarter-finals of the European Cup, where they met England's Liverpool F.C. After two 0-0 draws, a third match was played which also ended in a 2-2 stalemate. As the penalty shootout was yet to be instigated as a means of deciding a tie, Köln went out of the competition on the toss of a coin.

Similar to many German professional football clubs, 1. FC Köln also incorporates teams playing other sports, in their case specifically handball, table tennis and gymnastics.