The years that followed saw Austria eliminate a number of elite European clubs including Inter Milan and Barcelona from various competitions, as the likes of Herbert Prohaska (97 goals in 453 appearances), Toni Polster (119 goals in 146 games) and Walter Schachner (72 goals in 101 matches) lit up the continental stage. To prove it wasn’t a one-off, the Violets went on another memorable European run the following season and were only denied a place in the European Cup final by Swedes Malmo in the last four. But after eliminating Cardiff City, Lokomotiva Kosice, Hajduk Split and Dynamo Moscow to reach the Cup Winners’ Cup final, they were beaten 4-0 by Belgian giants Anderlecht. Walter’s contributions laid the foundation for an era of unprecedented domestic success for the Violets, who won a staggering 16 league titles and 12 cups between 19.Īustria’s success was not limited to the domestic stage, however, and in 1978 they became the first Austrian club to reach a European final. He also entered into a sponsorship agreement with the Schwechater brewery, which made Austria the first club in European football to have a shirt sponsor. But it was not until later that decade, when Josef “Joschi” Walter was appointed as vice-president, that a period of sustained success began.Ī forward thinker with a footballing background, Walter eased the club’s considerable financial woes by reducing the squad size and prioritising young players. Wartime brought about numerous challenges – the ban on Jewish involvement in sporting activity and the temporary suspension of the club chief among them – but Austria were quick to find their feet again once the conflict drew to a close and won their first league title for two and a half decades in 1949, with additional championships following in 19. They then won the tournament again in 1936, beating Sparta Prague 1-0 over two legs to cement their place as one of Europe’s best sides of the interwar years. A further cup triumph in 1933 saw the Violets qualify for the Mitropa Cup later that year – a prestigious continental competition contested by clubs from Central Europe – which they won thanks to a thrilling 4-3 aggregate victory over Ambrosiana Inter in the final. With legendary coach Hugo Meisl at the helm and the great Matthias Sindelar (nicknamed ‘The Paper Man’) pulling the strings, Austria Vienna won two league titles and three more cups in the 1920s. Wiener Amateur Sportverein, as they were known back then, had several near misses – the 1918 cup final, which they reached, was not completed due to heavy rainfall, and they then lost the 1919/20 title to Rapid on goal ratio – before claiming their first silverware in the 1921 Austrian cup. As well as winning two Mitropa Cups – the forerunner to the European Cup – in the 1930s, the Violets have won more league titles in the Bundesliga era (14) and ÖFB-Cups (27) than any other club, became the first Austrian side to reach a European final in 1978, and were the last team aside from Red Bull Salzburg to win the league in 2012/13.Īustria Vienna was officially founded on 15 March 1911, after an internal dispute at Vienna Cricket and Football Club prompted several officials and almost the entire first team to break away and form a new club. Austria Vienna are among the most successful and tradition-steeped clubs in the country, and along with city rivals Rapid are one of only two clubs that have never been relegated from the top flight.
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