The names in the new divisions are misleading: it looks like the North Second Bundesliga was stronger, for there were more familiar names than in the South league. Familiar names, yes, but those were weak clubs back in the 1970s. Thoroughly reflected in the final tables, where the second placed clubs were not familiar clubs at all: Bayer Uerdingen in the North, and FK Pirmasens in the South. They played the play-off for the third club promoted to Bundesliga. The opening match ended 4-4, but the second leg in Uerdingen was no contest – Bayer won 6-0 and went to the Bundesliga. 
It should be noted that Uerdingen were the first ‘aspirins’ to play in the Bundesliga – although Bayer Leverkusen is more famous today, it was the ‘smaller’ factory club to get the giant enterprise to the Bundesliga. Fate is tricky, though… Leverkusen brought fame to the pill-makers and eventually Bayer abandoned Uerdingen – today the club has different name, no more ‘aspirins’.
As for the losers, nobody knew FK Pirmasens at the time and nobody knows them now: the first Second Bundesliga was the highest point of FK Pirmasens existence – soon they sunk down and never resurfaced again.
Surely not that good, but the thrill of football – obscure FK Pirmasens almost ended in the Bundesliga!
It should be noted that Uerdingen were the first ‘aspirins’ to play in the Bundesliga – although Bayer Leverkusen is more famous today, it was the ‘smaller’ factory club to get the giant enterprise to the Bundesliga. Fate is tricky, though… Leverkusen brought fame to the pill-makers and eventually Bayer abandoned Uerdingen – today the club has different name, no more ‘aspirins’.
As for the losers, nobody knew FK Pirmasens at the time and nobody knows them now: the first Second Bundesliga was the highest point of FK Pirmasens existence – soon they sunk down and never resurfaced again.
Surely not that good, but the thrill of football – obscure FK Pirmasens almost ended in the Bundesliga!
