 They re-claimed the name "VfL Halle" the following year and continued to play well, advancing through the Verbandsliga Sachsen-Anhalt (V) and NOFV-Oberliga Süd (IV) on their way to a breakthrough into the Regionalliga Nordost (III) in 1999.While the footballers put forward a decent effort it was not enough to stay up in the Regionalliga as the league went through restructuring.The following season the club was forced out of the Oberliga (IV) in spite of a sixth-place finish because of financial difficulties.