2001–02 FC Aarau season

The 2001–02 season was FC Aarau's 99th season in their existence, since their foundation in 1902. It was their twentieth season in the top flight of Swiss football, following their promotion at the end of 1980–81 season. FCA played their home games in the Stadion Brügglifeld and the stadium is located on the southern outskirts of Aarau, in the territory of the neighboring municipality of Suhr. The stadium is about one and a half kilometers from Aarau city center and the railway station. == Overview == The local businessman and architect Ernst Lämmli had been the club's president and patron, but at the club's AGM he stepped down. He was appointed by the members as honorary president. The club then had a triumvirate leadership, the co-chairmanship consisted of Peter Kappeler, Christian Stärkle and Daniel Probst. Kappeler was owner of a fiduciary firm in Aarau and served fifteen years as the club’s head of finance, as well as being member of the club's executive management. Following his time as co-chairman, he served as the club’s president starting in May 2001, but sadly he passed away during the following year. Stärkle was an attorney and auditor based in Aarau, he became involved in the club’s leadership during this turbulent period. Probst was local entrepreneur and loyal supporter and member of FCA, he completed the three-person leadership team. Together, they stabilised the club during an extremely critical phase — both financially and in terms of its sporting performance — in which the club had to be saved from bankruptcy, partly through the sale of transfer rights. At the end of this season, at the next AGM in May 2002, all three stood down and Michael Hunziker was elected as new president. Shortly before the start of the previous season FCA had signed Rolf Fringer as new head-coach. Fringer had previously achieved the championsip with the club during the 1992–93 season and had been head-coach of the Swiss national football team during 1996 and 1997. Although the FCA first team had missed the championship group last season, they achieved their minimal aim, which was to remain in the top-tier. Therefore the club prolonged Fringer's contract and he continued as head-coach into the current season. There was a large number of modifications to the squad, a total of 19 players left the club, either during the previous season or in the off-season. The FCA first team competed in this season's domestic first-tier 2001–02 Nationalliga A with the clear intention of reaching the championship group and to attempt to qualify for the European competitions. To achieve the first aim, they would have to finish the qualifying stage under the top eight teams, which had failed during the previous seasons. The team also competed in the 2001–02 Swiss Cup. The FCA team had not qualified for the UEFA European competitions and they did not enter the Intertoto Cup. == Players == The following is the list of the FCA first team squad this season. It also includes players that were in the squad the day the domestic league season started, on 15 July 2000, but subsequently left the club after that date. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Players who left the squad The following is the list of the FCA first team players that left the squad during the previous season or in the off-season, before the new domestic season began. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. == Results == Legend Win Draw Loss Postponed === Nationalliga A === ==== Qualification round ==== The Qualification Round to the League season 2001–02 was contested by twelve teams. The first eight teams of the regular season (or Qualification phase) were then to compete in the Championship Playoff Round. The teams in ninth to twelfth position completed with the top four teams of the Nationalliga B in a Nationalliga A/B Playoff round. The first stage of the NLA began on Wednesday 4 July 2001 with the first two games and om Saturday 7 July with the rest. The first stage was completed on Sunday 9 December. ==== League table qualification ==== ==== Promotion/relegation round ==== The teams in ninth to twelfth position in the NLA qualfication round competed with the top four teams of the NLB in a promotion/relegation group to decide which four teams would play top-tier next season. This stage round began on 24 February 2002 and was completed on 8 May. ==== Final table ==== Lausanne-Sport did not obtain a top-level license for the 2002/03 season, neither did Lugano and Sion (who had played in the championship group). These three clubs were relegated on the green table to the NLB and their NLA places were filled by Aarau, Delémont and Luzern. === Swiss Cup === This season's Swiss Cup was the 77th season of Switzerland's cup competition held annually by the Swiss Football Association (SFV-ASF). The competition began on 10 August with the first games of Round 1 and ended on 12 May 2002 with the Final held at St. Jakob-Park, Basel. The cup winners were qualified for the first round of the UEFA Cup. The twelve first-tier clubs from the 2001–02 Nationalliga A had been granted byes for the first four rounds and they joined the competition in the fifth round. Here they were seeded and cound not be drawn against each other. The draw respected regionalities, when possible, and the lower classed team was granted home advantage. Basel won the cup and this was their sixth cup title to this date. Five days earlier the team had also become league champions and this was the second time in the club's history that they had secured the double. Since Basel won the championship and qualified for the 2002–03 UEFA Champions League, Grasshoppers qualified for the first round of the UEFA Cup. === Friendly matches === Before and during the season, FCA also played various Exhibition games, here are a few examples. == References == == Sources == Switzerland 2001–02 at RSSSF FCA squad 2001–02 at arowa.ch