Sportfreunde Lotte
Wikipedia - Sportfreunde Lotte
VfL Sportfreunde Lotte is a German association football club from Lotte, North Rhine-Westphalia. The football team is part of a sports club with approximately 1400 members and departments for handball, walking, gymnastics, and swimming, as well as other activities.
History
The association was established as the gymnastics club Turnverein Lotte in 1929. After World War II the club was re-established as VfL Sportfreunde Lotte on 9 February 1946 and was built around football and handball departments.
Lotte reached the Verbandsliga Westfalen (V) in 1996 and after a title there in 2004 were promoted to the Oberliga Westfalen (IV), later Regionalliga West. They won that league in 2012–13 but lost the promotion play-off to RB Leipzig. In 2013–14, the club finished in second place. They won the Regionalliga West once more in 2015–16 and, after defeating Waldhof Mannheim in the play-off, earned promotion to the 3. Liga for the first time. On 18 May 2019, they were relegated back to the Regionalliga.
Sportfreunde plays their home matches in the Frimo Stadion (formerly the Sportpark am Lotter Kreuz) which holds 10,059 spectators.
The team's colors are typically black and white, and they play their home matches at the Stadion am Lotter Kreuz, which has a capacity of around 10,000 spectators. The club is recognized for its commitment to developing local talent and fostering a strong community spirit. Over the years, Sportfreunde Lotte has achieved notable successes in regional competitions and has made appearances in the DFB-Pokal, Germany's prestigious national cup tournament, where they have faced off against top-tier teams.
Sportfreunde Lotte embodies the spirit of grassroots football, emphasizing teamwork, dedication, and a love for the game. The club continues to strive for success while maintaining its strong ties to the local community and its supporters.