Günter Pröpper

Günter Pröpper (born 8 December 1941) is a German retired professional footballer who played as a forward. Born in Dorsten, Pröpper started his career in amateur football before joining VfL Osnabrück in 1964. He spent three seasons with the club, moving on to Rot-Weiss Essen in 1967. Two years later he joined Wuppertaler SV, where he played for the remainder of his career.

A prolific goalscorer, Pröpper set the German record for most goals in a season in 1971–72, scoring 52 goals in 34 league games. By the end of his career, he had scored 258 goals, the joint-eighth highest total in German football history.

Career Pröpper was born on 8 December 1941 in Dorsten, a town in the North Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany. He began his career playing amateur football in his home town for BVH Dorsten, a team which two of his brothers, Heinz and Erich, also played for, and helped the club achieve promotion to the Verbandsliga, the highest level of amateur football at the time. After an impressive first season in the Verbandsliga, with the club finishing in fifth place, a number of players had attracted the attention of bigger clubs, and in 1964, Pröpper joined Regionalliga side VfL Osnabrück. He subsequently joined Rot-Weiss Essen in 1967.

After a good first season with Essen, Pröpper was dropped to the bench during the following season by new coach Kuno Klötzer.

Personal life Pröpper was born as one of eight children. His father died during the Second World War when Pröpper was still very young. At the age of 14, he began an apprenticeship as a miner, and later trained to become a welder. Pröpper's son, Carsten, and his nephews, Michael and Thomas, are also former footballers.