Earlier in the series we profiled Hertha Berlin and now we turn our attention to their neighbours from the east of the city, Union Berlin.
In their current guise, ‘The Iron Ones’ were formed in 1966 but, as they were based in the eastern part of Berlin, they only joined the Bundesliga league structure in 1990. Since then they’ve mostly played their football in the Bundesliga 2 and the 3.Liga and prior to 2019, their greatest success came in 2001, when they reached the DfB Pokal final as a third-tier outfit, losing 2-0 to Schalke 04 in the final.
This is a club where the fans are everything. They volunteered to help rebuild the stadium’s crumbling terraces in 2008, ensuring that they didn’t have their professional licence revoked. Others united behind the ‘Bleed for Union’ campaign, putting the money they received for giving blood towards a fund that helped the club stave off bankruptcy.
Their immense loyalty was rewarded with success in the 2018/19 season, when they made good on a 17-game unbeaten run to start the season, finishing third overall and defeating VfB Stuttgart in the play-off to secure a first-ever promotion to the top-flight.
Second clubs in cities always find a place in the heart of the romantic football fan, and with the tide of history on your side, they’re the perfect candidate for a new save. Click here to read our Byline article for everything you need to do before you get to work at the Stadion An der Alten Förtserei (bit of a mouthful, sorry).