Havelse

In 1912, a group of young men gathered in the small village of Havelse. They had a dream. A dream of football. They pooled their resources. A grand total of 7.50 Reichsmarks. Enough to buy their first football, a Pelikan brand. And so, FC Pelikan-Havelse, the precursor to TSV Havelse, was born. TSV Havelse is more than just a football club. It’s a testament to the enduring spirit of this community. World War I disrupted life in Havelse, and the club became inactive. But the passion for football didn’t die. In 1929, Turnverein Havelse, a gymnastics club, formed. Four years later, the Pelikans returned as the club’s football division. The club eventually became TSV Havelse sometime in the 1930s. TSV Havelse spent most of its history as a local team. Their moment of glory arrived in the 1990-91 season. They reached the 2. Bundesliga. Guiding them was Volker Finke, a former player who later became a renowned coach for SC Freiburg. TSV Havelse has also had its David versus Goliath moments in the DFB-Pokal. They defeated 1. FC Nürnberg, a top-tier team, in both 1991 and 2012. These victories propelled them to the third and second rounds of the competition. Since 2010, TSV Havelse has competed in the Regionalliga Nord. They secured second place in 2013. In the shortened 2020-21 season, they finished third and qualified for the promotion play-offs. A 2-0 aggregate victory against 1. FC Schweinfurt earned them promotion to the 3. Liga. Their time in the 3. Liga was short-lived. They were relegated the following season. Their home ground is the Wilhelm-Langrehr-Stadion. It’s a historic venue, originally built in 1933. However, it didn’t meet the 3. Liga requirements. So, for the 2021-22 season, they played their home matches at the HDI-Arena in Hanover. TSV Havelse’s journey reflects the heart of German football. It demonstrates the passion and dedication found at every level of the game. From a small village with a 7.50 Reichsmark football to the national stage, TSV Havelse has left its mark.