Editing 1. FSV Mainz 05 (section)

===Early years===
A failed attempt to start a football club in the city in 1903 was followed up two years later by the successful creation of '''1. Mainzer Fussballclub Hassia 1905'''. After a number of years of play in the Süddeutschen Fußballverband (South German Football League), the club merged with FC Hermannia 07&nbsp;– the former football side of Mainzer TV 1817&nbsp;– to form '''1. Mainzer Fussballverein Hassia 05''', which dropped "Hassia" from its name in August 1912. Another merger after [[World War I]], in 1919, with Sportverein 1908 Mainz, resulted in the formation of '''1. Mainzer Fußball- und Sportverein 05'''. ''Die Nullfünfer'' ("05") was a solid club that earned several regional league championships in the period between the wars and qualified for the opening round of the national championships in 1921, after winning the [[Kreisliga Hessen]].<ref name="Anfang"/>