FC Winterthur

FC Winterthur
Full name	Fussballclub Winterthur
Nickname(s)	FCW
Founded	1896; 125 years ago
Ground	Schützenwiese, Winterthur
Capacity	8,550 (1,900 seated)
Chairman	Mike Keller
Manager	Ralf Loose
League	Challenge League
2020–21	6th
Website	Club website
Home colours	Away colours

FC Winterthur is a Swiss football club based in Winterthur, Canton of Zürich. They play in the Swiss Challenge League, the second tier of Swiss football, and appeared regularly in the Nationalliga A during the 20th century. Their home is the Stadion Schützenwiese.

History[]

Chart of FC Winterthur table positions in the Swiss football league system

The club was founded in 1896 by students of the local school of engineering and following a fusion with two local teams, it was called Vereinigte Fussballclubs Winterthur between 1929 and 1946.^[1] They enjoyed their best success in the early part of the 20th century winning the Swiss Championship three times (in 1906, 1908 and 1917), before consecutive relegations in 1931 and 1934. They played in the lower leagues until regaining promotion to the Nationalliga B in 1950. They have since stayed in the second division for most of their history, except for several appearances in the Nationalliga A, from where they were most recently relegated in 1978 following a promotion ten years prior.^[1] Notable managers from this period include Gabet Chapuisat, Wolfgang Frank, René Hüssy, Timo Konietzka, and Willy Sommer

They famously lost to West Auckland F.C., an English amateur team in what is thought to be the first international football club competition, the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy. The club have also reached the final of the Swiss League Cup in 1972 and 1973 and Swiss Cup in 1968 and 1975, however lost on every occasion.

In 2005–06 season the club finished 14th place in the Challenge League. Despite performing poorly in the league, they made it to the semi finals of the Swiss Cup by defeating Grasshoppers, Lucerne and Servette, before losing to eventual winners Sion at home.

Players[]

Current squad[]

As of 25 September 2021^[2]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	SUI	Raphael Spiegel
3	DF	SUI	Tobias Schättin
4	DF	GER	Gabriel Isik
5	DF	SUI	Roy Gelmi
6	DF	SUI	Marin Cavar
7	MF	KVX	Gezim Pepsi
8	MF	SRB	Samir Ramizi
9	FW	SUI	Roman Buess
10	MF	SUI	Roberto Alves
14	MF	SUI	Thibault Corbaz
15	DF	SUI	Michael Gonçalves
16	MF	SUI	Remo Arnold
17	FW	SUI	Samuel Ballet (on loan from Young Boys)
18	GK	SUI	Gianluca Tolino
19	DF	SUI	Adrian Gantenbein


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
20	DF	GER	Florian Baak
21	MF	SUI	Kevin Costinha
22	DF	SUI	Yannick Pauli
23	DF	SUI	Granit Lekaj
24	MF	SUI	Sayfallah Ltaief
26	MF	SUI	Silvan Kriz
27	FW	SUI	Dimitri Volkart
28	DF	CIV	Souleymane Diaby
29	FW	SUI	Neftali Manzambi
32	MF	SUI	Sandro Di Nucci
33	DF	SUI	Noah Lovisa
34	DF	SUI	Pascal Hammer
35	MF	SUI	Arlind Dakaj
36	GK	SUI	Jozef Pukaj

Former players[]

Stadium[]

The club play at Stadion Schützenwiese, a short walk from the centre of Winterthur, having done so since their inception in 1896. The first grandstand was built in 1922, and then replaced in 1957 using sponsorship money.

In the 1980s the ownership was transferred to Winterthur council as the club faced financial problems. The council are responsible for any maintenance and upkeep.

While once boasting a capacity of 14,987 before 2009, the stadium now holds 8,550 seats, 1,900 of which are seated. The more hardcore supporters of the club stand at one end, which is known as the Bierkurve. They also have a small stand for younger supporters known as the Sirupkurve. Away supporters are housed at the opposite end of the stadium to the Bierkurve.