History of FC Basel (1965–2000) facts for kids
The history of FC Basel is all about the journey of this famous Swiss football club, from when it started in 1893 right up to today! This page tells you about the club's story from 1965 to 2000. It covers the time when Helmut Benthaus was in charge, the years the team spent in the second-tier league, and how they got a new stadium.
If you want to know more about other parts of FC Basel's history, you can check out these pages:
- History of FC Basel (1893–1918)
- History of FC Basel (1918–1939)
- History of FC Basel (1939–1965)
- History of FC Basel (2000–present)
Contents
The Benthaus Years: A Golden Era
Benthaus Arrives as Player-Manager (1965-1966)
In the 1965–66 season, a big change happened for FC Basel. Helmut Benthaus, a player-coach from 1. FC Köln, joined the team. He took over from Jiří Sobotka, who became the coach for the Swiss national team. Benthaus was very experienced. He had even won the 1963–64 Bundesliga as a player-manager with Köln.
Benthaus spent his first season watching and learning about the team. One of his biggest changes was making the club semi-professional. This meant players would train more like full-time athletes. Only a few players left or joined the team. Basel finished the 1965–66 Nationalliga A in sixth place. They won 10 games, drew 7, and lost 9.
In the Swiss Cup, Basel reached the semi-finals but lost to Servette. They also played in the 1965–66 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and the Cup of the Alps, but didn't have much success in those tournaments.
Winning the Double (1966-1967)
The next season, 1966–67, was amazing for FC Basel! Harry Thommen became the new club chairman. Benthaus continued as player-manager. Basel won their first-ever double, which means winning both the league championship and the cup in the same season.
In the league, Basel finished just one point ahead of FC Zürich. They won 16 of their 26 games, drawing 8 and losing only twice. They scored 60 goals and only let in 20. Roberto Frigerio was the top scorer with 16 goals. In one incredible game, Basel won 10–0 against FC Moutier, with Frigerio scoring four goals!
The Swiss Cup final was very dramatic. Basel played against Lausanne-Sports. The score was 1–1 when Basel got a penalty kick. Helmut Hauser scored, making it 2–1. The Lausanne players were so upset that they sat down on the pitch and refused to play! The referee had to stop the game, and Basel was awarded the cup with a 3–0 win. This was a famous moment in Swiss football history.
Basel also played in the 1966–67 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup but were knocked out in the first round.
European Challenges and Another League Title (1967-1970)
In the 1967–68 season, Basel, as defending champions, finished fifth in the league. They lost five of their last seven games, which cost them a higher spot. In the Swiss Cup, they were knocked out early by FC Zürich.
Basel played in the 1967–68 European Cup. They faced Hvidovre from Denmark. Basel lost both games and were eliminated.
The 1968–69 season saw Basel win their third league title! They finished one point ahead of Lausanne Sports. They won 13 games, drew 10, and lost only 3. In the Swiss Cup, they lost in the quarter-finals. They also played in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup but were beaten by Bologna. In the 1968 Cup of the Alps, Basel reached the final but lost to FC Schalke 04.
In the 1969–70 season, Basel won the league for the fourth time in their history. They had a strong second half of the season, winning 11 of their last 14 games. They finished one point ahead of Lausanne Sports. In the Swiss Cup, Basel reached the final but lost to FC Zürich after extra time.
Basel also played in the European Cup but were knocked out in the first round by Celtic from Scotland.
Close Calls and More Success (1970-1973)
The 1970–71 season was very close for Basel. They finished level on points with Grasshopper Club Zürich in the league. This meant they had to play a special play-off game to decide the champion. Grasshopper won the play-off 4–3 after extra time, so Basel missed out on the title.
In the Swiss Cup, Basel lost in the quarter-finals. In the 1970–71 European Cup, Basel beat Spartak Moscow on away goals in the first round. But they then faced Ajax, a very strong team, and lost both legs. Basel did win the 1970 Cup of the Alps, beating Fiorentina 3–2 in the final.
The 1971–72 season brought Basel their fifth championship title! They were amazing, staying undefeated in the league for the first 24 games. They won 18 of their 26 games, drawing 7 and losing only once. They finished four points ahead of FC Zürich. Ottmar Hitzfeld was their top scorer with 16 league goals.
In the Swiss Cup, Basel reached the final but lost 1–0 to FC Zürich in extra time. Basel also played in the first-ever 1971–72 UEFA Cup (now called the UEFA Europa League). They were drawn against Real Madrid but lost both games 2–1.
The 1972–73 season was Benthaus' eighth as manager. Basel won the league again, their sixth title! They finished four points ahead of Grasshopper Club Zürich. Ottmar Hitzfeld was the league's joint top scorer with 18 goals.
Basel reached the Swiss Cup final again but lost to FC Zürich after extra time. However, they won the first-ever 1972 Swiss League Cup, beating FC Winterthur 4–1 in the final. Hitzfeld scored a hat-trick in that final! In the 1972–73 European Cup, Basel were knocked out in the first round by Újpesti Dózsa.
Later Benthaus Years and Cup Success (1973-1977)
In the 1973–74 season, Basel finished fifth in the league. Their star striker, Ottmar Hitzfeld, scored 19 goals. They were knocked out of the Swiss Cup in the quarter-finals. In the 1973–74 European Cup, Basel had an exciting run, beating Fram 11–2 on aggregate and Club Brugge 7–6 on aggregate. They reached the quarter-finals but lost to Celtic after extra time.
The 1974–75 season saw Basel win the Swiss Cup for the fifth time! They beat FC Winterthur 2–1 in the final, with Walter Balmer scoring the winning goal in extra time. In the league, Basel finished fourth. Match attendance started to drop during this period.
In the 1975–76 season, Basel finished third in the league, behind champions FC Zürich and Servette. As cup winners, they played in the 1975–76 European Cup Winners' Cup but were knocked out by Atlético Madrid in the first round.
The 1976–77 season was another league championship for Basel, their seventh! The league format changed, with a championship group. Basel finished level on points with Servette, so they played a play-off game in Bern. Basel won 2–1 in front of 55,000 fans, securing the title. In the Swiss Cup and Swiss League Cup, they were knocked out early. In the 1976–77 UEFA Cup, Basel reached the second round but lost to Athletic Bilbao.
Benthaus' Final Years in Charge (1977-1982)
In the 1977–78 season, Basel finished third in the league. They reached the semi-finals of the Swiss Cup and Swiss League Cup but were knocked out of both. As champions, they played in the 1977–78 European Cup but lost in the first round to FC Wacker Innsbruck.
The 1978–79 season was less successful in the league, with Basel finishing sixth in the championship group. They reached the final of the Swiss League Cup but lost to Servette on penalties. In the Swiss Cup, they were knocked out in the third round. In the 1978–79 UEFA Cup, they lost to VfB Stuttgart.
The 1979–80 season brought Basel their eighth league title, and the seventh under Helmut Benthaus! After two less successful seasons, Basel started as outsiders but surprised everyone. They won the championship with 33 points, two points ahead of Grasshopper Club Zürich. They scored an impressive 91 goals in 32 league games. In both the Swiss Cup and Swiss League Cup, they were knocked out early by Young Boys. This allowed them to focus their energy on the league.
In the 1980–81 season, Basel finished sixth in the league. They reached the quarter-finals of the Swiss Cup but lost to FC Zürich. As champions, they played in the 1980–81 European Cup. They had a great run, beating Club Brugge in the first round. In the second round, they beat Red Star Belgrade 1–0 at home but lost 0–2 away, so they were eliminated.
The 1981–82 season was Benthaus' seventeenth and final season as manager. Basel finished eighth in the league. They had a good run in the Swiss Cup, reaching the final but losing 1–0 to Sion. They also won the Cup of the Alps, beating Sochaux on penalties in the final.
New Managers and Challenges (1982-1986)
Changes in Leadership (1982-1985)
After Helmut Benthaus left to manage VfB Stuttgart, Rainer Ohlhauser became the new first-team manager for the 1982–83 season. Many players left, and new ones joined. Basel finished eleventh in the league. They were knocked out of the Swiss Cup in the third round.
For the 1983–84 season, Ernst August Künnecke took over as manager. Basel finished ninth in the league. They were knocked out of the Swiss Cup in the second round.
In the 1984–85 season, Künnecke was still in charge. Despite good results in friendly matches against big clubs like Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, Basel had a poor start to the league season. After a series of defeats and draws, Künnecke was fired in November. Emil Müller took over as caretaker coach and helped the team avoid relegation. Basel finished eighth in the league. They were knocked out of the Swiss Cup in the third round.
Benthaus Returns (1985-1986)
For the 1985–86 season, Helmut Benthaus returned as manager after winning the Bundesliga with VfB Stuttgart. Many players left, and new ones, like Gerhard Strack and Marco Schällibaum, joined. Basel finished tenth in the league.
They had a strong run in the Swiss Cup, reaching the semi-finals. In a dramatic game against Servette, Basel came back from 3–0 down with a hat-trick from Gerhard Strack to force extra time. However, they lost after a penalty goal against them.
Financial Troubles and Relegation (1986-1988)
Fighting to Stay Up (1986-1987)
Peter Max Sutter became the new chairman. Helmut Benthaus was still the manager. Basel had a mediocre season in 1986–87. They finished twelfth in the league, which meant they had to play in a promotion/relegation play-off. They managed to save their spot in the top league by beating FC Bulle and then FC Wettingen in the play-offs.
In the Swiss Cup, Basel were knocked out in the round of 16 by a lower-tier team, Kriens.
Relegation to Nationalliga B (1987-1988)
Charles Röthlisberger became the new chairman. After the previous season's struggles, Helmut Benthaus retired as head coach. Urs Siegenthaler was appointed as the new coach, and he had to build a new team because many players left. The club was also facing serious financial problems, so there wasn't much money for new players.
The 1987–88 season was very tough. The league format changed again, with fewer teams. Basel started terribly, losing their first five games, including a shocking 1–9 defeat to Xamax. This is still Basel's biggest league defeat ever. The team never recovered and ended up in the relegation group. Despite a good start in that group, they couldn't keep up and finished fifth, which meant they were relegated to the Nationalliga B (the second tier). This was the first time Basel had been in the second tier since the 1945–46 season.
In the Swiss Cup, Basel were knocked out in the first round by local rivals Old Boys.
Years in the Second Tier (1988-1994)
Struggling for Promotion (1988-1992)
Being in the second tier was a big challenge. For the 1988–89 season, Urs Siegenthaler was still the coach. Many players left due to relegation, but the club signed 12 new players, hoping for an immediate return to the top league. Basel won their group in the qualifying phase but struggled in the promotion group and missed out on promotion.
In the Swiss Cup, Basel reached the quarter-finals but lost to FC Aarau.
In the 1989–90 season, Urs Siegenthaler was replaced by Ernst August Künnecke as coach. Basel again qualified for the promotion stage but finished third, missing promotion once more. In the Swiss Cup, they reached the quarter-finals but lost to Grasshopper Club Zürich.
The 1990–91 season was Basel's third in the second tier. Künnecke was still the coach. They again qualified for the promotion group but finished fourth and missed promotion. In the Swiss Cup, they suffered an embarrassing 4–0 defeat to lower-tier club FC Pratteln in the second round.
For the 1991–92 season, Basel finished top of their qualifying group in the Nationalliga B. However, in the promotion-relegation phase, they had a bad start. Coach Ernst August Künnecke was released, and former players Karl Odermatt and Bruno Rahmen took over temporarily. Despite better results, they couldn't close the gap and missed promotion again, finishing fourth. In the Swiss Cup, Basel reached the quarter-finals but lost to FC Lugano.
The 100th Season and Finally Promotion (1992-1994)
The 1992–93 season was FC Basel's 100th anniversary! Friedel Rausch was appointed as the new trainer. Basel finished second in their qualifying group and again reached the promotion stage. However, they finished fourth in the promotion group and missed promotion yet again. In the Swiss Cup, they reached the quarter-finals but lost to Xamax.
Finally, in the 1993–94 season, Basel achieved their goal: promotion back to the top flight! Claude Andrey was the new trainer. Basel started a bit slowly but then found their rhythm, winning eight of their next nine games. They finished second in their qualifying group.
In the promotion stage, Basel played very well, especially in the last eight matches, where they remained undefeated. They finished first in their group, level on points with FC St. Gallen and Xamax, and earned their promotion!
In the Swiss Cup, Basel had a fantastic run, beating several top-tier teams. They reached the semi-finals but lost a dramatic penalty shootout to FC Schaffhausen.
Back in the Top League (1994-2000)
Re-establishing in Nationalliga A (1994-1997)
After promotion, the main goal for the 1994–95 season was to stay in the top league. Claude Andrey continued as trainer. Basel had a very bad start, losing four of their first six games. They were at the bottom of the table for a while. However, they improved in the second half of the qualifying phase and finished seventh.
A young player named Hakan Yakin signed his first professional contract in January 1995. He scored his first league goal for Basel just 18 seconds after coming on as a substitute in his debut game!
Basel qualified for the Championship Round. They started well with three wins but then had some heavy defeats. They finished seventh in the league, which qualified them for the new Intertoto Cup. In the Swiss Cup, they reached the round of 16 but lost to FC Luzern.
The 1995–96 season saw the introduction of three points for a win in Swiss football. Basel had a mixed season. Coach Claude Andrey was replaced by Karl Engel during the season. Basel qualified for the championship round and finished sixth, again qualifying for the 1996 UEFA Intertoto Cup. In the Swiss Cup, they reached the quarter-finals but lost to Xamax. In the Intertoto Cup, they won two games but were knocked out.
In the 1996–97 season, Karl Engel was replaced by Heinz Hermann, who was then replaced by Salvatore Andracchio. Basel struggled in the league, finishing last in the championship round. In the Swiss Cup, they were knocked out in the round of 16. In the 1996 UEFA Intertoto Cup, they finished second in their group but didn't advance.
New Stadium and New Hopes (1997-2000)
For the 1997–98 season, Jörg Berger was appointed as the new trainer, but he was sacked in October and replaced by Guy Mathez in January 1998. Many new experienced players joined, including Oliver Kreuzer from Bayern Munich. Young talents like Alexander Frei also came through. Basel had a very poor start to the season, losing six games in a row. They ended up in the relegation group. A dramatic finish with three straight victories saved them from relegation. In the Swiss Cup, they reached the round of 16 but lost to Xamax.
The 1998–99 season was a big one because the old St. Jakob Stadium was demolished to build the new St. Jakob-Park. Basel played their home games at the Stadion Schützenmatte from March 1999. Guy Mathez was the trainer but was replaced by Marco Schällibaum in May 1999. Basel finished sixth in the qualification stage and fifth in the championship group. In the Swiss Cup, they were knocked out early after losing a penalty shootout.
The 1999–2000 season marked the start of a new era with Christian Gross as the new trainer. He brought in many new players, including Murat Yakin and Pascal Zuberbühler. Basel's goal was to reach the championship stage and finish in the top three. They had a good qualifying round, finishing second. In the championship round, they finished third, which qualified them for the 2000–01 UEFA Cup.
In the Swiss Cup, Basel reached the quarter-finals but lost to Lausanne-Sport. They also played in the 1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup, winning two rounds before being knocked out by Hamburger SV on away goals.
