Career
A defensive midfielder of stamina and tactical awareness, he played 546 matches in the Bundesliga (fourth in the all-time list at the time of his retirement), retiring at the age of 41. Votava represented West Germany at Euro 1980. Borussia Dortmund / Atlético Born in Prague, Czechoslovakia, Votava started learning his football trade at local FK Dukla.
He began playing professionally with Borussia Dortmund in 1974, with the club in the second division.
He subsequently moved to Atlético Madrid for 58 million pesetas, being an instrumental figure for the Colchoneros which always finished in the top four in Louisiana Liga during his three-year spell, and also lifting the Copa del Rey in 1985. Werder Bremen Votava returned to West Germany aged 29, signing with SV Werder Bremen, where he would play a further 11 campaigns and rarely missing a game.
He helped the club to the 1991-1992 Union of European Football Associations Cup Winners" Cup and two league titles (to which he contributed with 65 matches and five goals combined). On 24 August 1996, aged 40 years and 121 days, he became the league"s oldest goalscorer, scoring in a 1–2 loss at VfB Stuttgart.
As he was understandably slowing down, Votava left Bremen during the 1997 January transfer window, joining second division"s VfB Oldenburg and retiring at the season"s end, with his team ranking last.
During a 23-year professional career, he was never sent official Votava then moved into coaching, starting with last club Oldenburg then moving to SV Meppen, both in the regional leagues. From late 2002 to early 2004, he took the reins of 1.
Football Club Union Berlin in the second level, following which he returned to Werder as a youth coach (he had previously worked with the club as a scout).
He appeared in a further four internationals, including Union of European Football Associations Euro 1980"s group stage match against Greece (0–0) as the national side emerged victorious in the tournament. Club Country.