13 Facts About Sturm Graz

Sportklub Sturm Graz is an Austrian association football club, based in Graz, Styria, playing in the Austrian Football Bundesliga.

SK Sturm Graz was founded in 1909 as a workers team, as opposed to its neighbours Grazer AK, founded in 1902.

Sturm Graz played in the opening round of the 1940 Tschammerpokal, predecessor to the modern-day DFB-Pokal.

In 1949, Sturm Graz entered the Austrian national league as the first non-Vienna-based team.

In 1994, the Bosnian Ivica Osim took control of the up-to-now unsuccessful Sturm Graz; this proved to be a crucial turning-point in the club's history.

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In 1998, Sturm Graz won its first Austrian Bundesliga title, pulling away from the field early on and winning the title with seven games in hand.

Sturm Graz set two records during this season; they remained unbeaten in their first 12 matches, and then for another 19 matches later in the season.

Year 1999 saw Sturm Graz retain the title, securing the treble as they did so, in addition to appearing in the qualification for the UEFA Champions League.

Sensationally, Sturm Graz won its Champions League Group D, reaching the second round for the first time.

Sturm Graz presided over a gradual introduction of young talent, securing the team's place in the top flight in both 2004 and 2005, finishing in seventh position.

Since 2005, Sturm Graz has been facing financial problems and, on 1 September 2006, a petition of bankruptcy was filed by the tax authorities.

Luckily, Sturm Graz managed to fourth in the final league table, albeit with the lowest number of points ever sufficed for fourth place.

Sturm Graz fans have a very strong friendship with fans of German 2.