FSV annual review 2024 part 3: Start of the season and club anniversary

A successful year for FSV Frankfurt is drawing to a close and it’s time to take stock.

In June, FSV Frankfurt signed new players and extended their contracts. The following July was exemplary for FSV’s new strategy. But first things first. First, Joachim Nink joined the FFH Football School team in the goalkeeping department. The former goalkeeper, who was a player at Darmstadt 98 and a coach at SV Wehen Wiesbaden, is now set to strengthen the team and open up new branches and opportunities.

Bornheim’s preparation included a 2:3 draw at SC Fortuna Köln and a 1:0 home win against Darmstadt 98, so the preparation gave rise to hope and also some room for interpretation. Things were more interesting off the pitch: The transfer phase in July brought Ben-Luca Fisher from Frankfurt Eintracht U23, with outstanding regional league experience at just 21 years of age, Niklas Linke as an exciting man in goal from promoted Eintracht Trier, Tim Latteier from Spvgg Bayreuth with experience in the third and even second Bundesliga and Gwang-In Lee from the second team from St. Pauli.

The new signings from this summer had an average age of 23.5 years and this is only half of the transfer strategy. Young talents from the club’s own youth academy were also given their first professional contracts this summer. On July 16, George Iorga signed his first professional contract and shortly afterwards, on July 18, Elias Breir moved from the U19s to the first team.

However, there was still a drop of bitterness for the Görner team, as Onur Ünlücifci, one of the key players of the previous season, left the club. After 57 competitive matches, 15 goals and twelve assists, the winger left FSV Frankfurt. However, not for a higher-class club, which the former Bornheim player was certainly hoping for, but for the other side of the Main, for the Kickers from Offenbach. His departure was followed by that of Malik McLemore, whose contract was terminated by mutual agreement.

In July and August, FSV strengthened itself with new and old partners. Dr. Batterie remained co-sponsor, Emil Frey Hessengarage became mobility partner, Coca-Cola and Becks became beverage partners of the traditional Frankfurt club. The Black & Blue’s first game of the season also took place in July, but it ended in a 1:1 draw without much success. This was followed by a 5-0 defeat against rivals Offenbach, in a game that could definitely have ended differently had FSV made the most of one or two scoring opportunities in the first half.

August brought celebrations on and off the pitch to mark the club’s 125th anniversary. Although FSV lost the anniversary match against Eintracht Frankfurt 2:5, the impression remained that the two clubs were united in a friendly rivalry. The soccer club also celebrated its big anniversary with old friends in the Kaisersaal in Frankfurt’s Römer. Nevertheless, there was still some sad news to mourn: in August, the death of Ronny Borchers, who himself was active as a player and coach at FSV Frankfurt and passed away at the age of 67 after a short and serious illness.

Towards the end of August, Bornheim responded to Malik Memisevic’s injury by signing ex-NLZ player Filip Pandza from Hanau 93, who had scored 23 goals in 30 games for Hanau in the previous Hessenliga season.

However, FSV quickly recovered from the loss against Offenbach and began their unbeaten run with a 3-0 away win against SC Freiburg’s second team, followed by two narrow victories against SGV Freiberg and Hoffenheim II and a 1-1 draw against Bahlinger SC. FSV thus established itself in the top half of the table and things were to get even better in the following September. The Bornheim side won three out of four league games, including a party crasher in Stuttgart to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Kickers. The results of these two very successful months were reflected in the table. Second place in the table, level on points with the Kickers from Offenbach, with only the poorer goal difference separating Bornheim from the lead in the table, but FSV’s run of success was not to end with the strong months of August and September.

But there was no standstill off the pitch either. On September 24, over 200 members gathered at the PSD Bank Arena for an extraordinary general meeting. With 121 votes in favor and 44 against, it was decided that a group made up of various representatives of the club’s structures should review the 2017 articles of association and draw up proposals for amendments by spring 2025.

In the next part, you will find out how the successful streak was continued and how the year developed towards the end.