A transfer artist with glittering presidents: Jürgen Jughard, elected in 1980 and armed with every power imaginable, almost drove the club into bankruptcy before his mysterious death in 1982. Jughard loved staging himself. Even in Oberliga days he invited all the league’s club presidents to carnival sessions at his own expense. When Mainz won the German amateur championship in June 1982, the celebration in the city park restaurant went well beyond the local holy trinity of sausage, roll and wine.
Yet by August 1982 it was all over. Jughard lost his job at Deutsche Anlagen-Leasing, and three days later died in a road accident near Koblenz. Without their patron, Mainz suddenly stood on the brink.
Later investigations showed that Jughard had showered the club and its players with gifts and cash in the millions, financed through embezzlement at his employer. Creditors and the tax authorities came knocking, and at times Mainz could scarcely pay the wages of their Oberliga players.