Fun Facts — Gladbach
October 31, 1969: Borussia first became Bundesliga leaders on October 31, 1969.
Records and Firsts
October 31, 1969: Borussia first became Bundesliga leaders
October 31, 1969: Borussia first became Bundesliga leaders on October 31, 1969.
on October 31, 1969. On Reformation Day, the Foals beat Alemannia Aachen 5:1 and took over first place from Bayern Munich on matchday eleven.
The cult venue: Gladbach’s cult venue, the Bökelberg,
The cult venue: Gladbach’s cult venue, the Bökelberg, was turned back into a football stadium by the British occupiers after the war.
was turned back into a football stadium by the British occupiers after the war. Before that it had briefly served as a tank workshop and had been heavily damaged in the Second World War. The club bought the site in 1914, when it was still known as “dä Kull” because it had previously been a gravel pit.
From December 2005 onward the stadium was demolished. The first attempt to blow up the main stand in March 2006 failed. Today a housing estate stands on the site, but the contours of the old terraces remain visible and a memorial has stood there since December 2019.
A “bank robber” named Helmut Grashoff: In 1962
A “bank robber” named Helmut Grashoff: In 1962 Borussia hired Fritz Langner as coach.
Borussia hired Fritz Langner as coach. The new leadership sold national player Albert Brülls to Modena for a record fee of 250,000 marks, using the money to stabilize the club. Helmut Grashoff later joked that when he took possession of the money in Italian lire, carried in a suitcase, he was afraid of being mistaken for a bank robber.
Langner invested wisely in new players and rebuilt the team. In the same year the club’s A-youth side, featuring later stars Jupp Heynckes and Herbert Laumen, won the West German championship. You ain’t seen nothing yet.
The biggest Bundesliga win: Gladbach’s biggest Bundesliga vi...
The biggest Bundesliga win: Gladbach’s biggest Bundesliga victory was the 12:0 over Borussia Dortmund on the final day of 1977/78 — a useless triumph, because 1.
The biggest Bundesliga win: Gladbach’s biggest Bundesliga victory was the 12:0 over Borussia Dortmund on the final day of 1977/78 — a useless triumph, because 1. FC Köln under Hennes Weisweiler still won the title on goal difference. It was one of four double-digit Gladbach wins in the Bundesliga, including 11:0 over Schalke and 10:0 over Eintracht Braunschweig.
Another record in Gladbach vs Dortmund: In the
Another record in Gladbach vs Dortmund: In the promotion season of 1965/66, five penalties were awarded in one game.
promotion season of 1965/66, five penalties were awarded in one game. Dortmund won 5:4 at the Bökelberg because Gladbach’s Egon Milder hit the bar with the third Gladbach penalty and the final spot kick of the match.
World Cup winner 1954: Before the Bundesliga era,
World Cup winner 1954: Before the Bundesliga era, Gladbach briefly had a world champion in their ranks.
Gladbach briefly had a world champion in their ranks. Goalkeeper Toni Turek, one of the heroes of 1954, saw out his career in Gladbach in 1956 and 1957 and still played four matches for the club.
Curiosities
The Leverkusen hoodoo: Against nearby Bayer Leverkusen, BMG
The Leverkusen hoodoo: Against nearby Bayer Leverkusen, BMG endured a special negative streak — 22 Bundesliga matches without a win between 1989 and 2004, including 16 draws.
endured a special negative streak — 22 Bundesliga matches without a win between 1989 and 2004, including 16 draws. As of December 2019, no other Bundesliga pairing had produced such a long winless run for one side.
Most double-digit wins: As of December 2019, Borussia
Most double-digit wins: As of December 2019, Borussia Mönchengladbach remained the Bundesliga club with the most double-digit victories.
Mönchengladbach remained the Bundesliga club with the most double-digit victories. Of the six league matches in Bundesliga history in which one side scored ten or more, Gladbach accounted for four.
A helping hand from the opposition: On December
A helping hand from the opposition: On December 12, 2009, Borussia were involved in another record, albeit as silent spectators.
12, 2009, Borussia were involved in another record, albeit as silent spectators. Hannover 96 scored three own goals in a 5:3 Gladbach home win — still unique in Bundesliga history.
A one-off cup success: The DFB Cup win
A one-off cup success: The DFB Cup win of 1960 remains special even alongside the later cup wins of 1973 and 1995, because six days after the final, t...
of 1960 remains special even alongside the later cup wins of 1973 and 1995, because six days after the final, the city itself officially changed its name from München-Gladbach to Mönchengladbach.
Better without Jünter: Only after Günter Netzer left
Better without Jünter: Only after Günter Netzer left for Real Madrid in 1973 did the most successful phase of Gladbach’s late-1970s history really begin.
for Real Madrid in 1973 did the most successful phase of Gladbach’s late-1970s history really begin. With Weisweiler and then Udo Lattek, the Foals won three straight titles and two UEFA Cups.
Goal of the Year: In 1971, the Dane
Goal of the Year: In 1971, the Dane Ulrik le Fevre scored what would become Germany’s first ARD Sportschau Goal of the Year — a volley against Schalke after a little bit of juggling.
Ulrik le Fevre scored what would become Germany’s first ARD Sportschau Goal of the Year — a volley against Schalke after a little bit of juggling. Le Fevre called it the finest goal of his career.
Anecdotes and Quirks
Goal jubilees: In a home match against Mainz,
Goal jubilees: In a home match against Mainz, Marco Reus scored the club’s 2,500th Bundesliga goal.
Marco Reus scored the club’s 2,500th Bundesliga goal. Earlier milestone scorers for BMG had included Jupp Heynckes, Carsten Nielsen, Uwe Rahn and Martin Dahlin.
The Spain connection: Günter Netzer was the first
The Spain connection: Günter Netzer was the first Gladbach star to move to Spain, Marc-André ter Stegen the latest.
Gladbach star to move to Spain, Marc-André ter Stegen the latest. Netzer, Uli Stielike and Henning Jensen all moved to Real Madrid; Rainer Bonhof went to Valencia, and Allan Simonsen to Barcelona. None of the stars of Gladbach’s golden age went to Italy.
821 Bundesliga matches: Jupp Heynckes totaled 821 Bundesliga
821 Bundesliga matches: Jupp Heynckes totaled 821 Bundesliga matches as player and coach for Borussia Mönchengladbach and Bayern Munich combined.
matches as player and coach for Borussia Mönchengladbach and Bayern Munich combined. He never played for Bayern, but coached both clubs for well over 200 league matches each and won four titles with Bayern plus the 2013 treble.
Berti the prophet: After winning the UEFA Cup
Berti the prophet: After winning the UEFA Cup in 1979, Berti Vogts warned his teammates: “Take a good look at this trophy.
in 1979, Berti Vogts warned his teammates: “Take a good look at this trophy. It will be the last one we bring back to Mönchengladbach for years.” He was right. The next silverware did not come until 1995, and no European trophy ever came again.
Two everlasting records: Borussia Mönchengladbach were West ...
Two everlasting records: Borussia Mönchengladbach were West Germany’s first representatives in the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1960 and the first team in Bund...
Two everlasting records: Borussia Mönchengladbach were West Germany’s first representatives in the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1960 and the first team in Bundesliga history to defend a league title, in 1971.
Gladbach vs Bayern Munich
Gladbach vs Bayern Munich...
From Jersey to Trophy
Gladbach and Bayern rose together to the Bundesliga
Gladbach and Bayern rose together to the Bundesliga in 1965 and first split paths only after Gladbach’s first relegation in 1999.
in 1965 and first split paths only after Gladbach’s first relegation in 1999. No current Bundesliga side have historically given Bayern a tougher home away day than Mönchengladbach. Bayern have lost more away matches there than at any other club, have conceded more Bundesliga goals to Gladbach than to any other opponent, and as of December 2019 had suffered 21 defeats in Mönchengladbach. There have been wild opening phases, title-deciding games, drunken Bayern defeats after European finals, Lewandowski’s one genuinely awkward opponent, and a long list of players who wore both shirts.
For Gladbach fans, these Bayern matches have long carried almost derby-level intensity.
Gladbach vs 1. FC Köln
Gladbach vs 1.
The Rhineland derby against 1. FC Köln has
The Rhineland derby against 1.
produced spectacular scorelines, famous goals and a steadily growing bitterness. Günter Netzer’s self-substitution goal in the 1973 DFB Cup final remains the most famous derby strike. Hans Schäfer is still the top scorer in the fixture, but Jupp Heynckes, Günter Netzer and Uwe Rahn are Gladbach’s standout derby finishers.
Hennes Weisweiler sat on the bench in 41 of these derbies — first for Köln, then for Gladbach — and his personal rivalry with Franz Kremer did much to sharpen the fixture into what it became.