Red Star Platz
Kendlerstraße 38a
1160 Vienna
Austria
Ground Number: 1489
Friday 10th October 2025
Friday 10th October 2025
Red Star Penzing 3-0 Mauerwerk
Wiener Stadtliga
Wiener Stadtliga
RED STAR PENZING FC - A BRIEF HISTORY
Though the club was officially established in 1903, the inspiration for its name came at the end of the previous year. Metalworkers from Ottakring considered founding a team but didn't have a name for it. That Christmas, some of them were strolling along Vienna's Ringstrasse at night and spotted the brightly lit window of an American shipping company with the catchy name 'Red Star Line' on the Kärntner Ring, whose logo featured a gleaming red star. Thus, the club had found its name and its football crest. They joined the Austrian FA in 1904 and were placed in the 2nd Division. They won the title in 1908, but were denied promotion as they didn't have their own ground. They came close again in 1912 and won the 2nd Division A title in 1916, but were denied promotion due to the war. During the war years, they were known as SC Rotstern Wien because they were unable to use the English language in their name.
In 1926, they decided to abandon the professional game in favour of joining the Association of Amateur Football Clubs of Austria. became one of the leading clubs within the association. In their first year of existence, 1927, the Red Stars became VAFÖ champions of the 1st Division West and won several smaller cup competitions organised by the association. After winning their league title again in 1928, SC Red Star played against the VAFÖ champions of the 1st Division East, SC E-Werk Wien, for the Vienna VAFÖ championship title, winning the match 4-2. Also in 1928, the club merged with SC Sturm 1914 Vienna. A change of government to a fascist one led to the dissolution of the amateur game in 1934, and they were forced to rejoin the professional game. A short time later, however, the club was once again permitted to participate in the Austrian Football Association's championship. The club was relegated to the bottom division. The following years were marked by several club mergers, which helped SC Red Star to re-establish itself in the second tier. In 1940, the club was forced to rename itself SC Rot-Stern 03 by order of the National Socialist rulers, though again they reverted to their original name at the end of the war.
A nationwide league was established in Austria in 1949, which made life tougher for Red Star and other Vienna clubs. The 1950s saw the club bouncing between the State League B and the third-tier Vienna League. The 1960s saw them remain at the lower level. They moved to their current home ground in 1975, again amidst a series of mergers with other clubs. In 1982, the championship title in the now fifth-tier Vienna League led to promotion to the 1. Landesliga (tier 4). A year later, the 1. Landesliga was renamed the Vienna League. In 1985, SC Red Star/Auto finished second in the Vienna League and thus celebrated a return to the Regionalliga Ost, only lasting a single season at the higher level. In 1990, another Vienna League title was won, and the club was renamed SC Red Star-Heimlich. Another title in 1998 saw a partnership with SK Rapid Vienna and was renamed SK Rapid Wien Amateure/Red Star. This only lasted a year, with their Reserves and youth teams retaining their original name during this period.
MY VISIT
This visit had been seven months in the making and was mainly happening due to it being close to a potential second game at First Vienna. I had been gutted to miss out on a visit here in March due to the lack of card acceptance in Austrian football, at least at the lower levels. It was due to be game two of the day after a 12 PM game at the nearby Dinamo Helfort, and it looked like a great club with a decent range of merchandise. It was cash only, though, and so the fruitless search for an ATM began. 50 minutes, a couple of miles jogged and four out-of-service ATM's later, I was back at the ground I'd seen my first game at to see the closing stages of the first half. I headed to FCJ Alt-Ottakring after yet another fruitless search for a cash machine, and luckily, they took pity on me even though they didn't take cards. I didn't hold it against the club, though, as small clubs rely on gate money. I was armed with cash this time, though had I been Daniel Turner, I'd probably get free entry, a bag of free merch and a three-course meal, such is his innate ability to scrounge freebies whilst abroad.
Thursday night saw a couple of drinks and some planning, although I still hadn't finalised Sunday. The HNK Semafor app was super useful, but I wish you could sort by distance or time and filter out kids games. I didn't bother with the England v Wales game and went to bed early. It was a crap night's sleep, but I felt OK when I woke a couple of hours before my alarm and went back to sleep. I'd pre-booked and paid for a Taxi, otherwise I'd have walked it. I'd been over-cautious, and £12 got me to High Wycombe Parkway 25 minutes before the coach was due. I was also getting to the airport three hours early, as the coaches were hourly and had the one that got me to the airport 110 minutes before my flight, not shown up, my flight could be in peril. I was well ahead of time and could have left it later. Evidence Of Evil, John Mac in Zagreb and the first half of Question Time had kept me entertained on the pleasant journey. I found the one Wetherspoons that I needed, The Beehive, which was the one in the South Terminal before security. Rather than the chaos on the other side, it was an oasis of calm at this time in the morning and a lovely place for a pint of Stowford Press. Security was a breeze, and I went to Nando's for breakfast. I misread the menu and thought that Peri Mac and Cheese was a quid add-on on but it was a quid supplement. Definitely not worth the money but overall, £23 was OK for this: a Peri Burger, Fries and a Sxollie cider. Soft drinks were the order of the day after this, and there was plenty of room to spread out and rest. The gate was efficient, and the only thing I'd have liked was more charging points to top up my phone. The flight took off early, very decent considering the plane was packed. The journey really dragged, though, being cut off from the internet. It took nearly half an hour to get off the plane, due to a slow ground crew, but the upshot of being last off the plane and last on the cattle truck was that I was also first off.
Security was very quick and I headed straight to the train station and into Vienna. Mel's Diner was my first port of call and I had a Jameson Caskmates Burger, Chips, Onion Rings and two Delirium Red for under £20. It was fantastic and one of my favorite places in Vienna. I then headed to my room, stocking up at BILLA and getting some Austrian cider amongst other things. It was then across the road to my hotel, the Ibis Budget Wien St Markt. I had to wait another 15 minutes for my room to be ready, but I was glad to get up there to put stuff on charge. I also had a shower and watched some TV and YouTube before leaving at 5.10. I was still only on partial charge, but I needed to head out, so I took my power bank. I'd allowed 20 minutes delay for the 30-minute journey and was glad I did as the subway fannied about, stopping for longer than I'd have liked at some stations. I had a very good Lemonade Cocktail can on the way, which alleviated the stress. Google Maps tried to stitch me up but I knew the way by now. I was at the ground bang on kickoff, paying ten euros for entry and a pennant. I was surprised to bump into Pete Abbott from my groundhopping group. It is a very small world when it comes to groundhopping.
The hosts had not won in three games; last time out, they lost 4-1 at Dinamo Helfort, a few minutes walk down the road. Similarly, the visitors had not won in four games but had gained a 2-2 draw against Brigitenau in their last game. Red Star Penzing took the lead on 15 minutes, Maslaston heading home from a corner. They dominated, and Mauerwerk let the frustration get the better of them, for a home player ended up at my feet in the stand following a hefty tackle. Following half-time, Maslaston grabbed his second on 51 minutes, a great shot from the edge of the area into the top corner. Maslaston again. On 58 minutes, the ball was bundled home from a cross by Esleston, and it looked to be game, set and match. That it was, not that Mauerwerk offered much aside from the occasional chance on the break.
THE GROUND
RED STAR PLATZ is a nice venue, although spectator-wise, it is one-sided. This side has benches all along it, with a small cover in the centre. Food and drink is fairly basic, although I gather they do more for a Saturday game. The clubhouse is very nice with lots of club memorabilia on display. There is also an excellent range of merchandise. Public transport is very well linked and there is plenty of street parking.
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