Frank Pagelsdorf: the Hanover-born coach steered Union for two years. He was hired for 1992/93, when the later “Unpromotables” still played in the NOFV-Oberliga Mitte. To the fans, the dream of the second Bundesliga seemed much closer with him in charge.
At the end of the season Union thought they had made it when they beat Bischofswerda 1–0 in the decisive playoff match. Fifteen thousand spectators witnessed the long-awaited sporting promotion – which never became reality because of the guarantee scandal. Union had to stay in the third tier and were denied the licence again in the following season.
Pagelsdorf did what he could, won the all-Berlin cup and reached the German amateur championship, but none of that could hide the catastrophic financial condition of the club. He would have loved to fulfil his promise and take Union up. The bank guarantee got in the way.
