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2008–09 3. Liga

3. Liga
Season 2008–09
Champions 1. FC Union Berlin
Promoted 1. FC Union Berlin
Fortuna Düsseldorf
SC Paderborn 07 (via playoff)
Relegated VfR Aalen
Stuttgarter Kickers
Kickers Emden (due to licensing issues)
Matches played 380
Goals scored 956 (2.52 per match)
Top goalscorer Anton Fink (21)
Biggest home win Paderborn 6–0 Burghausen
Biggest away win Jena 0–6 Stuttgart II
Highest scoring Br'schweig 5–5 Düsseldorf

The 2008–09 3. Liga was the inaugural season for the newly formed tier III of the German football league system. The inaugural game was played on 25 July 2008 between FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt and Dynamo Dresden, ending with a 1–0 win for Dresden. The last games were played on 23 May 2009. 1. FC Union Berlin were the inaugural champions, securing first place on 10 May 2009. Runners-up Fortuna Düsseldorf were also promoted. Third-placed team SC Paderborn 07 played a relegation/promotion play-off against the 16th-placed team from 2. Bundesliga, VfL Osnabrück, winning both games and earning promotion. Kickers Emden, VfR Aalen, and Stuttgarter Kickers were relegated to the Regionalliga.

The following teams were relegated to 3. Liga from 2007–08 2. Bundesliga:

The following teams qualified through Regionalliga North:

The following teams qualified through Regionalliga South:

Source: www.kicker.de (German)
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
Bayern Munich II, Stuttgart II and Werder Bremen II are not available for promotion.
*Kickers Emden retracted their application for a 3. Liga license for the 2009–10 season and were automatically relegated. SV Wacker Burghausen took their spot.
**Stuttgarter Kickers received a three-point deduction due to failed debt repayments to the German Football Association.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.


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