▁tier ▁of ▁the ▁northern ▁German ▁league ▁system . ▁ ▁Prom otion ▁to ▁the ▁Ober liga ▁however , ▁became ▁hard ▁to ▁archive ▁for ▁the ▁Bre men ▁champion ▁which ▁only ▁succeeded ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 1 . ▁This ▁resulted ▁however ▁in ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁back - to - back ▁champion ships , ▁an ▁odd ity ▁for ▁le agues ▁at ▁this ▁level ▁in ▁Germany ▁where ▁direct ▁promotion ▁is ▁the ▁standard . ▁ ▁After ▁its ▁second ▁season , ▁the ▁four ▁clubs ▁from ▁Lower ▁Sax ony ▁left ▁the ▁league ▁to ▁re join ▁their ▁state ' s ▁league ▁system . ▁To ▁this ▁day , ▁the ▁Bre men ▁league ▁system ▁however ▁continues ▁to ▁host ▁a ▁few ▁clubs ▁from ▁the ▁neighbor ing ▁state , ▁usually ▁clubs ▁based ▁right ▁at ▁the ▁border ▁of ▁Bre men . ▁ ▁The ▁league ▁was ▁expanded ▁to ▁four teen ▁clubs ▁in ▁its ▁third ▁season , ▁compens ating ▁for ▁the ▁lost ▁clubs ▁from ▁Lower ▁Sax ony ▁by ▁prom oting ▁more ▁local ▁clubs . ▁For ▁the ▁coming ▁seasons , ▁the ▁league ▁stuck ▁mostly ▁with ▁a ▁strength ▁of ▁fifteen ▁clubs . ▁▁ 1 9 6 3 - 1 9 7 4 ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 3 , ▁with ▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁the ▁Bundes liga , ▁the ▁dis band ing ▁of ▁the ▁Ober liga ▁Nord ▁and ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁the ▁Region all iga ▁Nord , ▁the ▁league ▁fell ▁to ▁tier ▁three , ▁but ▁remained ▁un changed ▁otherwise , ▁with ▁fifteen ▁clubs ▁as ▁its ▁strength . ▁The ▁champion ▁of ▁Bre men ▁continued ▁to ▁have