Bundesliga club-by-club historical guide: SC Tasmania 1900 Berlin
SC Tasmania 1900 Berlin made history in their single Bundesliga season, albeit for all the wrong reasons as they remain the worst team to have ever competed in the top-flight.
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SC Tasmania 1900 Berlin
Years in Bundesliga: 1 (1965/66)
Most appearances: Hans-Günter Becker (33)
Most goals: Wulf-Ingo Usbeck (four)
Youngest player: Volker Becker (19 years, 19 days)
Tasmania from the district of Neukölln were the second of so far five Berlin clubs to play in the Bundesliga, but they go down in history as the worst team ever to feature in the top flight (not just among capital clubs). They hold the season record for fewest goals scored (15), most conceded (108), worst goal difference (-93), fewest wins (two, jointly held with Wuppertal), most defeats (28), longest winless run (31 games), heaviest home defeat (9-0 vs. Meiderich) and more. They also remain the only team to have never won an away game in the Bundesliga.
Tasmania had previously been among Berlin’s top teams, but were frankly ill-equipped for Bundesliga life. After Hertha had their licence revoked for breaking salary rules, the DFB wanted a West Berlin club in the Bundesliga for political reasons. This wasn’t without opposition, and the mayhem of summer 1965 led to the league’s expansion to 18 teams. And after Tennis Borussia missed out in the play-off rounds and Spandau declined promotion, Tasmania – who had come third in the Berlin Regionalliga – were given a Bundesliga berth for 1965/66 on 23 July.
Their first game was on 14 August, with players being recalled from holidays via radio messages and the club trying to piece together a competitive squad. Many players had to quit their day jobs for what was meant to be a professional league. They did in fact win their debut fixture, beating Karlsruhe 2-0 in front of 81,500 at the Olympiastadion. But that was followed by the 31-game winless run, and attendances also fell away rapidly to below 10,000.
They remained competitive in the Regionalliga after relegation, always being in the top five before declaring bankruptcy in 1973, becoming the first former Bundesliga club to go out of existence.
