Tunbridge Wells dream of trip to Germany

With the World Cup just around the corner and everyone dreaming of glory, officials of Kent League club Tunbridge Wells are toying with an idea of travelling to Germany to play a pre-season match against their twin town, writes Stephen McCartney.

Wiesbaden is Tunbridge Wells’ twin town and is close to Frankfurt and officials of the Kent Senior Trophy finalists are hoping to raise enough sponsorship to turn the idea into reality.

“This could become an annual fixture alternating between England and Germany,” said club spokesman Simon Harris.

“I am sure that club members and players would be able to put up opponents to keep costs down.”

So what could Martin Farnie’s side expect against their proposed new opponents?

“Wiesbaden SV are not as many levels down the German pyramid as Tunbridge Wells are in the English equivalent,” said Harris.

“However, the German system is highly regionalised and it sees that there are 14 leagues above the once again highly regionalised league that Wiesbaden play in (Landesliga). I imagine it would be a viable fixture.”

In Germany, however, there are only two fully professional, national leagues - the Bundsliga and it’s second division.

These each have 18 teams, with 3-up, 3-down between the top and second tiers, and 4 teams are relegated from the two Bundesliga each year.

Below the second division you have the Regionalliga Nord and Sud (which still include some part-time sides) and these sit a atop the ten Oberligen, which are arranged roughly according to the boundaries of the federal states that make up the reunited Germany

Below the Oberliga, you have the Landeslia, Verbandsliga, Bezirksliga and Kreisliga, with fluid promotion and relegation between all levels, normally governed by complicated play-off systems between the top clubs in various leagues.

Tunbridge Wells Football Club wrote themselves into the record books last season, following their FA Cup preliminary round replay against Littlehampton Town on 31^st August 2005.

After the game finished 2-2 after extra time at Culverden Stadium, Tunbridge Wells came through 16-15 on penalties, with 40 taken during the penalty shoot out in what was the most thrilling game Tunbridge Wells based www.kentishfootball.co.uk covered last season.