TSV 1860 Munich

For a place as rich in footballing history as Munich, it's a little too obvious which club is the city's biggest star. Even though they were founded 40 years before Bayern, TSV 1860 Munich (TSV 1860 München) have been in the shadow of their city rival for quite a long time. Still, not all is doom and gloom for the club's fans; with one Bundesliga title and two German Cups, 1860 München have had their own moments of glory.

History

While TSV have been around since 1860 (hence the name), the football department of the club dates back only to 1899. The club's first major success came under the Third Reich regime, when they won the Gauliga Bayern on two occasions (1941, 1943). In 1942, TSV claimed its first German Cup by defeating Schalke 04 2-0 in the final.

The post-war period was not as kind to TSV. Their division, the Oberliga Süd, was extremely competitive, with VfB Stuttgart, 1. FC Nürnberg and Eintracht Frankfurt all vying for the top spot. TSV had to settle for mid-table finishes for the majority of the league's lifespan, but did manage to improve just in time to win their division, thus getting an invitation for the new Bundesliga competition in 1963.

The 60s were an especially fruitful period for the club. After winning another German Cup in 1964, TSV left their mark in Europe by getting to the Cup Winners' Cup final in 1965, where they were eventually defeated by West Ham United 2-0. They made up to their fans by winning their first and only Bundesliga title in 1966, while finishing as runners-up to Eintracht Braunschweig the following year.

These heady times were followed by a period of major decline, as the club spent most of the next three decades in the lower divisions of German football. They finally earned promotion to the Bundesliga in 1994, but a fourth place finish in 2000 was the best result they would muster before getting relegated again in 2004. Since leaving their old stadium in 2006, TSV have been groundsharing at the Allianz Arena with Bayern, much to the dismay of both clubs' fans.

By Martin Wahl

References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TSV_1860_M%C3%BCnchen
http://www.muenchen.de/int/en/culture-leisure/sport-fitness/tsv1860munich.html
https://www.theguardian.com/football/englische-woche/2015/jun/10/1860-munich-bayern-bundesliga-germany-football