Full name FC Bayern München II President Karl Hopfner | Ground Capacity 21,272 2015–16 6th Manager Heiko Vogel Location Munich, Germany Founded 1900 | |
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Nickname(s) '"Bayern Amateure" (Bayern Non-Professionals), "Kleine Bayern (Little Bayern) | ||
Bayern Munich II (Bayern Munich Amateure until 2005) are the reserve team of German association football club Bayern Munich. In 2010–11 they played in the 3. Liga, having qualified for its inaugural season in 2008, and have consistently played at the third level of German football (the highest permissible level for reserve teams) — they played in the Regionalliga Süd from its formation in 1994 to 2008, when it was usurped by the 3. Liga. They have generally achieved at least mid-table finishes at this level, and won the Regionalliga Süd title in 2004. In 2010–11 Bayern II finished last in the 3. Liga and was thus Relegated to the Regionalliga.
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Overview
The team is intended to be the final step between Bayern's youth setup and the first team, and is usually made up of promising youngsters between the age of 18 and 23, with a few veteran players drafted in to provide experience.
Bayern II has made several appearances in the DFB-Pokal, even facing the senior Bayern side in a fourth round tie in 1977 losing 5–3. Their last appearance in the Cup was the 2004–05 season, when they reached the quarter final, but since 2008, reserve teams are no longer permitted to play in the cup. In 1983 and 1987, Bayern II advanced to the national amateur cup final where they lost 0–2 to FC Homburg and 1–4 to MSV Duisburg respectively.
History
The team's first appearance in the top-league of Bavarian football, the southern group of the Amateurliga Bayern, came in 1956, when it won the Tier-four 2nd Amateurliga Oberbayern A and advanced to the next level through the promotion round. After finishing its first season in this league in mid-table, it ended 1957–58 as runners-up, two points behind local rival FC Wacker München. It repeated this achievement in 1960–61, this time coming second to TSV 1860 Munich II. Both reserve sides then descended in the league table and, in 1963, when the German football league system was severely altered, they both missed the cut-off for the new single-tier Amateurliga Bayern. Bayern Amateure had to finish seventh to qualify but came only 14th and found itself grouped in the new tier-four Landesliga Bayern-Süd.
It took the team four seasons in this league to work its way back up, improving year by year and, in 1966–67, it finished first and earned promotion back to the Bayernliga. Bayern started well in the league, coming fourth in the first year, but then declined and was relegated again in 1971. It only took two seasons this time for the team to return to the third division and another league win in 1973 moved the team back up.
For the next 21 season, the team was to be a member of the Bayernliga without interruption. However, in all the 21 seasons there, the team could never win the league either, being ineligible for promotion from there to professional football anyway.
The team had few bad seasons in this time, coming relatively close to relegation only once, in 1982. It managed three runners-up finishes in the league, in 1983, 1984 and 1987 and generally existed as an upper-table side.
In 1994, with the introduction of the new tier-three Regionalliga Süd, the team qualified comfortably. It was to be a long-term member of this league, too, belonging to it until 2008, when the 3. Liga was formed. After mostly finishing in mid-table in the league, Bayern earned its first league title in over 30 years when it won the Regionalliga in 2004. Being already a member of the highest league in which reserve teams are permitted, the side could not take up promotion to the 2nd Bundesliga and had to stay at this level. In 2005, all reserve sides of clubs in the first and second Bundesliga changed their name from Amateure to II, meaning FC Bayern Munich Amateure became FC Bayern Munich II.
In 2008, the team earned promotion to the new 3. Liga, finishing eighth when a top-ten finish was needed. The club played at this level for three seasons before suffering relegation to the Regionalliga in 2010–11. It was the first time since 1973 that the team would not play in the third division and also meant the end of Hermann Gerland as the teams coach.
After coming second in the inaugural Regionalliga Bayern season in 2012–13 the team won the league the following year. This entitled the club to enter the promotion round to the 3. Liga. They lost in two games against Regionalliga West champions Fortuna Köln to determine one of the three Promoted teams to the third division.
Stadium
Bayern II play at the Grünwalder Stadion, which was the first team's venue until the opening of the Olympiastadion in 1972. During the 2012–13 season Bayern II moved to Sportpark Heimstetten, the home stadium of SV Heimstetten, caused by renovation of the Grünwalder Stadion.
Current squad
As of 5 July 2016Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Recent managers
Recent managers of the club:
Honours
The club's honours:
Recent record
The recent season-by-season performance of the club:
DNQ = Bayern II did not qualify for the cup in that season;
— = Since 2008–09 season reserve teams of professional clubs are no longer allowed to compete in the cup