1.
Opole
–
Opole is a city located in southern Poland on the Oder River. With a population of approximately 127,792, it is the capital of the Opole Voivodeship and, with it long history dating back to the 9th century, Opole is considered to be one of the oldest towns in Poland. The origins of the first settlement are connected with the town being granted Magdeburg Rights in 1217 by Casimir I of Opole, the rapid development of the town was also caused by the establishment of a seat of regency in Opole in 1816. During its existence Opole belonged to Poland, Bohemia, Prussia, prior to World War II it was located in eastern Germany and was one of the largest centres of Polish minority in the entire country. In 1945, according to Yalta and Potsdam Agreements, the region was assigned to Poland, many German Upper Silesians and Poles of German ancestry still live in the Opole region, in the city itself, however, ethnic Germans make up less than 3% of the population. It was also the capital of the region of Upper Silesia. The National Festival of Polish Song has been held annually since 1963 and each year new regular events, fairs, shows. Opole is sometimes referred to as Polish Venice, because of its picturesque Old Town and several canals, the name Opole likely originated from the medieval Slavic term for a group of settlements. Opoles history begins in the 8th century, at this time, according to the archeological excavations, the first Slavic settlement was founded on the Ostrówek - the northern part of the Pasieka Island in the middle of the Oder river. In the early 10th century it developed one of the main gróds of the Slavic Opolanie. At the end of the century Silesia became part of Poland and was ruled by the Piast dynasty, from the 11th-12th centuries it was also a castellany. After the death of Duke Władysław II the Exile, Silesia was divided in 1163 between two Piast lines- the Wrocławska line in Lower Silesia and the Opolsko-Raciborska of Upper Silesia. Opole would become a duchy in 1172 and would share much in common with the Duchy of Racibórz, in 1281 Upper Silesia was divided further between the heirs of the dukes. The Duchy of Opole was temporarily reestablished in 1290, in the early 13th century, Duke Casimir I of Opole decided to move the settlement from the Pasieka Island into the right shore of the Oder river. All of the inhabitants had to be moved in order to place for the castle that was eventually built in the place of the old city. Former inhabitants of Ostrówek together with German merchants that immigrated here from the West, Opole received German town law in 1254, which was expanded with Neumarkt law in 1327. Opole developed during the rule of duke Bolko I of Opole, in this time the castle was finally completed and new buildings, including the city walls and the Holy Cross Church, were constructed. Along with most of Silesia, in 1327 the Duchy of Opole came under the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Bohemia, in 1521 the Duchy of Racibórz was inherited by the Duchy of Opole, by then also known by its German equivalent - Oppeln
2.
Poland
–
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe, situated between the Baltic Sea in the north and two mountain ranges in the south. Bordered by Germany to the west, the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south, Ukraine and Belarus to the east, the total area of Poland is 312,679 square kilometres, making it the 69th largest country in the world and the 9th largest in Europe. With a population of over 38.5 million people, Poland is the 34th most populous country in the world, the 8th most populous country in Europe, Poland is a unitary state divided into 16 administrative subdivisions, and its capital and largest city is Warsaw. Other metropolises include Kraków, Wrocław, Poznań, Gdańsk and Szczecin, the establishment of a Polish state can be traced back to 966, when Mieszko I, ruler of a territory roughly coextensive with that of present-day Poland, converted to Christianity. The Kingdom of Poland was founded in 1025, and in 1569 it cemented a political association with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania by signing the Union of Lublin. This union formed the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, one of the largest and most populous countries of 16th and 17th century Europe, Poland regained its independence in 1918 at the end of World War I, reconstituting much of its historical territory as the Second Polish Republic. In September 1939, World War II started with the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany, followed thereafter by invasion by the Soviet Union. More than six million Polish citizens died in the war, after the war, Polands borders were shifted westwards under the terms of the Potsdam Conference. With the backing of the Soviet Union, a communist puppet government was formed, and after a referendum in 1946. During the Revolutions of 1989 Polands Communist government was overthrown and Poland adopted a new constitution establishing itself as a democracy, informally called the Third Polish Republic. Since the early 1990s, when the transition to a primarily market-based economy began, Poland has achieved a high ranking on the Human Development Index. Poland is a country, which was categorised by the World Bank as having a high-income economy. Furthermore, it is visited by approximately 16 million tourists every year, Poland is the eighth largest economy in the European Union and was the 6th fastest growing economy on the continent between 2010 and 2015. According to the Global Peace Index for 2014, Poland is ranked 19th in the list of the safest countries in the world to live in. The origin of the name Poland derives from a West Slavic tribe of Polans that inhabited the Warta River basin of the historic Greater Poland region in the 8th century, the origin of the name Polanie itself derives from the western Slavic word pole. In some foreign languages such as Hungarian, Lithuanian, Persian and Turkish the exonym for Poland is Lechites, historians have postulated that throughout Late Antiquity, many distinct ethnic groups populated the regions of what is now Poland. The most famous archaeological find from the prehistory and protohistory of Poland is the Biskupin fortified settlement, dating from the Lusatian culture of the early Iron Age, the Slavic groups who would form Poland migrated to these areas in the second half of the 5th century AD. With the Baptism of Poland the Polish rulers accepted Christianity and the authority of the Roman Church
3.
Kit (association football)
–
In association football, kit is the standard equipment and attire worn by players. The sports Laws of the Game specify the minimum kit which a player must use, footballers generally wear identifying numbers on the backs of their shirts. Professional clubs also usually display players surnames or nicknames on their shirts, Football kit has evolved significantly since the early days of the sport when players typically wore thick cotton shirts, knickerbockers and heavy rigid leather boots. The Laws of the Game set out the equipment which must be worn by all players in Law 4. Five separate items are specified, shirt, shorts, socks, footwear, goalkeepers are allowed to wear tracksuit bottoms instead of shorts. While most players wear studded football boots, the Laws do not specify that these are required, shirts must have sleeves, and goalkeepers must wear shirts which are easily distinguishable from all other players and the match officials. Thermal undershorts may be worn, but must be the colour as the shorts themselves. Shin pads must be covered entirely by the stockings, be made of rubber, plastic or a similar material, and provide a reasonable degree of protection. The only other restriction on equipment defined in the Laws of the Game is the requirement that a player must not use equipment or wear anything that is dangerous to himself or another player. In the event of a match between teams who would wear identical or similar colours the away team must change to a different colour. The England national team plays in red shirts even when it is not required. Many professional clubs also have a kit, ostensibly to be used if both their first-choice and away colours are deemed too similar to those of an opponent. Most professional clubs have retained the basic colour scheme for several decades. Teams representing countries in international competition generally wear national colours in common with other sporting teams of the same nation, shirts are normally made of a polyester mesh, which does not trap the sweat and body heat in the same way as a shirt made of a natural fibre. Depending on local rules, there may be restrictions on how large these logos may be or on what logos may be displayed, competitions such as the Premier League may also require players to wear patches on their sleeves depicting the logo of the competition. The captain of team is usually required to wear an elasticated armband around the left sleeve to identify him as the captain to the referee. Most current players wear specialist football boots, which can be either of leather or a synthetic material. Modern boots are cut slightly below the ankles, as opposed to the high-ankled boots used in former times, studs may be either moulded directly to the sole or be detachable, normally by means of a screw thread
4.
Away colours
–
Away colours are a choice of coloured clothing used in team sports. They are required to be worn by one team during a game between teams that would wear the same colours as each other, or similar colours. This change prevents confusion for officials, players, and spectators, in most sports it is the visiting team that must change – second-choice kits are commonly known as away kits or change kits in British English, and road uniforms in American English. Some sports leagues mandate that teams must always wear an alternative kit. In some sports, conventionally the home team has changed its kit, in most cases, a team wears its away kit only when its primary kit would clash with the colours of the home team. However, sometimes teams wear away colours by choice, occasionally even in a home game, at some clubs, the away kit has become more popular than the home version. Replica home and away kits are available for fans to buy. Some teams also have produced third-choice kits, or even old-fashioned throwback uniforms, in American sports, road teams usually wear a change uniform regardless of a potential colour clash. Further, almost all road uniforms are white in American football, in the National Basketball Association, home uniforms are white or yellow, and visiting teams wear a darker colour. In the United States, color vs. color games are a rarity, most teams choose to wear their color jerseys at home, with the road team changing to white in most cases. White road uniforms gained prominence with the rise of television in the 1950s, a white vs. color game was easier to follow in black-and-white. According to Phil Hecken, until the mid 1950′s, not only was color versus color common in the NFL, even long after the advent of color television, the use of white jerseys has remained in almost every game. The NFLs current rules require that a home jerseys must be either white or official team color throughout the season. If a team insists on wearing its home uniforms on the road, the road team might instead wear a third jersey, such as the Seattle Seahawks Wolf Grey alternate. According to the Gridiron Uniform Database, the Cleveland Browns wore white for home game of the 1955 season. The only times they wore brown was for games at Philadelphia and the New York Giants, in 1964 the Baltimore Colts, Browns, Vikings and Rams wore white regularly for their home games according to Tim Brulias research. The St. Louis Cardinals wore white for several of their home games, until 1964 Dallas had worn blue at home, but it was not an official rule that teams should wear their colored jerseys at home. The use of white jerseys was instigated by general manager Tex Schramm, the Cowboys still wear white at home today
5.
Association football
–
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball. It is played by 250 million players in over 200 countries and dependencies making it the worlds most popular sport, the game is played on a rectangular field with a goal at each end. The object of the game is to score by getting the ball into the opposing goal, players are not allowed to touch the ball with their hands or arms while it is in play, unless they are goalkeepers. Other players mainly use their feet to strike or pass the ball, the team that scores the most goals by the end of the match wins. If the score is level at the end of the game, the Laws of the Game were originally codified in England by The Football Association in 1863. Association football is governed internationally by the International Federation of Association Football, the first written reference to the inflated ball used in the game was in the mid-14th century, Þe heued fro þe body went, Als it were a foteballe. The Online Etymology Dictionary states that the word soccer was split off in 1863, according to Partha Mazumdar, the term soccer originated in England, first appearing in the 1880s as an Oxford -er abbreviation of the word association. Within the English-speaking world, association football is now usually called football in the United Kingdom and mainly soccer in Canada and the United States. People in Australia, Ireland, South Africa and New Zealand use either or both terms, although national associations in Australia and New Zealand now primarily use football for the formal name. According to FIFA, the Chinese competitive game cuju is the earliest form of football for which there is scientific evidence, cuju players could use any part of the body apart from hands and the intent was kicking a ball through an opening into a net. It was remarkably similar to football, though similarities to rugby occurred. During the Han Dynasty, cuju games were standardised and rules were established, phaininda and episkyros were Greek ball games. An image of an episkyros player depicted in low relief on a vase at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens appears on the UEFA European Championship Cup, athenaeus, writing in 228 AD, referenced the Roman ball game harpastum. Phaininda, episkyros and harpastum were played involving hands and violence and they all appear to have resembled rugby football, wrestling and volleyball more than what is recognizable as modern football. As with pre-codified mob football, the antecedent of all football codes. Non-competitive games included kemari in Japan, chuk-guk in Korea and woggabaliri in Australia, Association football in itself does not have a classical history. Notwithstanding any similarities to other games played around the world FIFA have recognised that no historical connection exists with any game played in antiquity outside Europe. The modern rules of football are based on the mid-19th century efforts to standardise the widely varying forms of football played in the public schools of England
6.
Ekstraklasa
–
The Ekstraklasa is the top Polish professional league for mens association football clubs. Contested by 16 clubs, operating a system of promotion and relegation with the I liga, seasons starts in July, and ends in May or June the following year. Teams play a total of 37 games each, totalling 296 matches in the season, games are played on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. The winner of the Ekstraklasa qualifies for the Polish SuperCup, the Ekstraklasa is now operated by the Ekstraklasa SA. The first games of the freshly created league took place on 3 April 1927, a total of 80 clubs have played in the top division of Polish football since the founding of the league, of which 16 clubs have won the title. The current champions are Legia Warsaw, who won their eleventh title in 2015–16, 4-5 December 1926 in Warsaw, representatives from several Polish clubs met each other. The purpose of meeting was to discuss about possibility of creating a league. It is unknown who came up with the idea of a league, a country wide league was thought to be a much more practical solution than hitherto practiced two-stage system of regional games, followed by a national game. To dismay of clubs officials, PZPN did not like the idea of a league, however, it turned out that virtually all but one of the Polish clubs supported the idea. The decision to create it was regardless of what PZPNs representatives thought of it. The creation of the League was announced on 1 March 1927, the only opponent of the Leagues formation was Cracovia – a very influential and strong organization in Polish football of the 1920s. Cracovias boycott was because its chairman, Dr. Edward Cetnarowski, Cetnarowski was a personality known not only in Poland, but also in other countries. It was due to his efforts that in September 1923 his club, Cracovia, the Kraków sides results were a 1–1 tie with FC Barcelona and a 0–1 loss to Real Madrid. In October, also thanks to Cetnarowski, FC Sevilla came to Kraków, games of the first Championships started on 3 April 1927. All major teams took part in it and this is the list of the teams, In this first season of the League, fight for Championship was decided between two powerful teams – Wisła Kraków and 1. FC Katowice. This rivalry was treated seriously, not only by the two sides involved, but also by the whole nation. 1. FC was regarded as the supported by German minority, while Wisła, at the end of this historic season. Some time in the fall of 1927 in Katowice, a game between 1. FC and Wisła took place
7.
Gwardia Warszawa
–
Gwardia Warszawa is a Polish sports club based in Warsaw. The club was founded in 1948 and it participated in the Polish 1st League between 1953–1960, 1962–1966, 1967–1968, 1969–1975, 1978–1979 and 1981–1983. The biggest success was finishing 2nd at Polish Championship in the 1957 season, note, Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality, official Website Football in Poland List of football teams Champions Cup/League UEFA Cup
8.
Lechia Gdansk
–
Lechia Gdańsk is a Polish football club based in Gdańsk. The clubs name comes from Lechia, a name for Poland. The club was founded by people expelled from Lwów, who were supporters of the oldest Polish football team Lechia Lwów, founded in 1945, Lechia was a powerhouse in Polish football during the mid-1950s. Next decades were lean, the returned to form in the early 1980s, winning a Cup of Poland, a Super Cup, and playing in the UEFA Cup Winners Cup. In May 2008 the club was promoted again to the Polish top division, the club was founded in 1945 in Gdańsk named at the time BOP Baltia Gdańsk. In 1946 the club name was changed to Lechia, the first historic promotion to the Polish Ekstraklasa occurred in 1948. The club again changed its name to Budowlani, advancing to the Polish Ekstraklasa in 1951, in the 1956 season, Lechia finished 3rd in the Polish Ekstraklasa, which is the greatest achievement in the clubs history so far. Lechia was relegated for the time after the 1962–63 season of the Polish Ekstraklasa. They returned to the Second Division in the 1972–73 season, but was lived as they were relegated after the 1981–82 season. In spite of that the 1980s have been regarded as the rebirth of the club, Lechia was promoted to the Polish 2nd Division in the 1982–83 season. In 1983 the club achieved his biggest successes so far, first by winning the Polish Cup with a 2–1 victory over Piast Gliwice in the final, in 1984 Lechia finally managed to get promoted to Ekstraklasa after 21 years of absence. The club played in the top league 4 years but in 1988 suffered a decline in form resulted in another relegation to second division. Lechia normally relegated from West Group of second division bu merged with Olimpia Poznań, was Ekstraklasa club, Lechia/Olimpia Gdańsk relegated to second division in 1995–96 season and third division in 1996–97 one. After relegation to second division Olimpia left from the merger in 1996, after end of 1997–98 season Lechia merged with Polonia Gdańsk, was second division club, and became Lechia/Polonia Gdańsk in 1998 summer. Lechia/Polonia merger was broken up after relegation to third division, Lechia began from Gdansk 4 Group of Klasa A, which was sixth level of Polish league in 2001–02. Lechia finished second division as 10th in 2005–06 season and 5th in 2006–07 one, at the end of the 2007–08 season Lechia managed to get promoted to extraklasa again as champions. On 28 January 2009 the members of OSP Lechia Gdańsk signed a document that formed the new Lechia Gdańsk S. A and it is therefore not unusual to see anticommunist slogans or phrases like we make history on the stands. They have a friendship with Śląsk Wrocław and formally Wisła Kraków fans and their biggest rival is Arka Gdynia, and the games between the two are known as the Tricity Derby as are games with the other local rival Bałtyk Gdynia
9.
Artur Wozniak
–
Artur Jan Woźniak, was a Polish football forward, twice top scorer of the Polish First Division. For most of his career, Woźniak was loyal to Wisła Kraków, where he played in the years 1931 -1947, scoring 102 goals in 140 games, in 1933 and 1937, Woźniak was top scorer of the Ekstraklasa, with 18 and 12 goals. During World War II, he was captured by the Nazi German occupiers, after the war, Woźniak remained in Wisła until 1947, then moving to the Recovered Territories, to the newly created club Orzeł Ząbkowice. Then, he became a coach, working with a number of Polish teams, such as ŁKS Łódź, Garbarnia Kraków, Lech Poznań, Zawisza Bydgoszcz, Ruch Chorzów, Zagłębie Sosnowiec, Śląsk Wrocław and Wisła Kraków. In the mid-1930s, he capped five times for Poland, without scoring a goal
10.
UEFA Intertoto Cup
–
The competition was discontinued after the 2008 tournament. Teams who originally would have entered the Intertoto Cup now directly enter the qualifying stages of the UEFA Europa League from this point, the tournament was founded in 1961–62, but was only taken over by UEFA in 1995. Any club who wished to participate had to apply for entry, the cup billed itself as providing both an opportunity for clubs who otherwise would not get the chance to enter the UEFA Cup and as an opportunity for sports lotteries to continue during the summer. This reflects its background, which was as a tournament solely for football pools, in 1995, the tournament came under official UEFA sanctioning and UEFA Cup qualification places were granted. Initially, two were provided, this was increased to three after one year, but in 2006, it was increased to the final total of 11. The Intertoto Cup was the idea of Malmö FF chairman Eric Persson, thommen, and the Austrian coach Karl Rappan, who coached the Swiss national team at the 1938 FIFA World Cup and at the 1954 World Cup. The Cup for the Cupless was also promoted by the Swiss newspaper Sport. It derived its name from Toto, the German term for football pool, thommen, who had set up football betting pools in Switzerland in 1932, had a major interest in having purposeful matches played in the summer break. UEFA were initially disinclined to support the tournament, finding its betting background distasteful, nevertheless they permitted the new tournament, clubs which qualified for one of the official continental competitions, such as the European Champions Cups and Cup Winners Cup, were not allowed to participate. The first tournament was held in 1961 as the International Football Cup, initially the Cup had a group stage, which led to knock-out matches culminating in a final. By 1967, it had become difficult to organize the games, and so the knock-out rounds, instead, group winners received prizes of CHF10, 000-15,000. By 1995, UEFA had reconsidered its opinion, took control of the tournament. Initially, two winners were given a place in the UEFA Cup, the success of one of the first winners, Bordeaux, in reaching the final of the 1995–96 UEFA Cup encouraged UEFA to add a third UEFA Cup place in 1996. Many clubs disliked the competition and saw it as disruptive in the preparation for the new season, as a consequence, they did not nominate themselves for participation even if entitled. Following the threat of bans of English teams from all UEFA competitions, in following years, UEFA made it possible for nations to forfeit Intertoto places. Other clubs have built upon their success in the UI Cup, furthermore, UEFA rejected this assertion that the tournament is disruptive. In December 2007, following the election of new UEFA president Michel Platini and this was a part of a range of changes that were to be made to the UEFA Cup/Champions League System. Instead of teams qualifying for the Intertoto Cup, they now qualify directly for the qualifying stages of the UEFA Europa League
11.
Antoni Piechniczek
–
Antoni Piechniczek is a retired Polish football player and a football manager. Since 2007 he is a Polish senator, as a player he played for clubs such as Naprzód Lipiny, Legia Warszawa, Ruch Chorzów and LB Châteauroux. He played also three matches for Polish national team, as a football coach he has led teams such as Ruch Chorzów, Górnik Zabrze, Al Rayyan or Espérance Tunis. He is well known for coaching Polish national football team and he coached Poland in 1981-1986 and in 1996-1997. He coached Poland at 1982 FIFA World Cup, where Poland won the bronze medal and he coached also Tunisia and United Arab Emirates. In 2002 local election he was elected to the Silesian Regional Assembly II Term and was one of the three Vice-Chairpersons of the assembly, in 2006 he was re-elected, but his term was ended after one year. In 2007 Piechniczek was elected to the Senate of the Republic of Poland, Poland national football team Football in Poland
12.
BKS Stal Bielsko-Biala
–
BKS Stal Bielsko-Biała is a Polish sports club, with two departments, the mens football team and the womens volleyball team. The club is based in Bielsko-Biała, the football team plays in the Polish lower divisions, whereas the volleyball team is one of the top sides in the country. BKS Stal Bielsko-Biala was founded in 1922 in Biala Krakowska, the town which in 1951 merged with Bielsko, the formation of BKS was connected with the rebirth of the Second Polish Republic, both Biala, and neighbouring Bielsko were the towns with large German communities. Local Poles wanted to create their own organization, as a counterbalance to the already existing German ones. BKS was based on the Sports Association Szczerbiec, formed in 1913, the hues of BKS were based on the colours of the city of Biala, red and green, in 1949 yellow was added. From the very beginning, the officials of BKS were determined to form a football team, apart from footballers, BKS had the departments of table tennis and gymnastics. In 1927, a stadium was built in Biala, to commemorate this occasion, an international football tournament took place, with teams from Czechoslovakia and Weimar Germany. In the interwar Poland, the team of BKS Bielsko played in local A Class. BKS failed to win promotion to the top level of local football, in May 1945, following World War Two, during which ethnic Poles were forbidden to officially play football games, BKS was recreated. In the early 1950s, BKS Stal, as it was called since 1949, gained a wealthy sponsor, apart from Befama, other local factories also supported the club. In 1957, the stadium of BKS was renovated, and to mark the event, until 1973, BKS Stal remained in the regional leagues, either 4th or 3rd level. In 1973, its team won promotion to the Second Division. With a new, extremely wealthy sponsor, Stal had a new manager, Antoni Piechniczek, in its first season, Stal was close to the promotion to the Ekstraklasa, finishing the year in the second spot, only behind GKS Tychy. In 1974, very talented goalkeeper Jozef Mlynarczyk joined BKS, to remain there until 1977, Stal remained in the Second Division for 5 years, to be relegated in mid-1978. In 1981 Stal returned to the Second Division, and after one year, it was close to the promotion to the Ekstraklasa, finishing the 1981/82 season as the second team. In 1980, Stal’s U-19 team was Polish runner up, losing 0-2 to Polonia Bydgoszcz in the game of the U-19 championship. After the relegation of 1983, Stal so far has not returned to the Second Division and it was close in 1984,1985 and 1987. In 1989, Stal was relegated to the level, to return to the third level after one year
13.
Wojciech Tyc
–
Wojciech Tyc is a former Polish football player. Dictionnaire des footballeurs étrangers du championnat professionnel français
14.
Janusz Kupcewicz
–
Janusz Bogdan Kupcewicz is a retired Polish football player. He played for such as Stomil Olsztyn, Arka Gdynia, Lech Poznań, AS Saint-Etienne, Larissa, Lechia Gdańsk. He also was loaned to Zonguldakspor in 1986–87 season and he played for Polish national team, for which he played 19 matches and scored 5 goals. He was a participant at the 1978 FIFA World Cup and 1982 FIFA World Cup, where Poland won the third place
15.
Arka Gdynia
–
Morski Związkowy Klub Sportowy Arka Gdynia is a Polish professional football club, based in Gdynia, Poland, that plays in the Polish Ekstraklasa. The club was founded as Klub Sportowy Gdynia in 1929 and its activities were interrupted between 1939–1945 due to the German occupation of Poland. The history of Arka dates back to 1929, when a group of workers of the Port of Gdynia founded Sports Club Gdynia, in 1932, a new stadium of KS was opened at Polanka Redlowska. This location was used by the club until 2000, in 1934, Sports Club Kotwica was registered. In 1949, Fishermen Sports Club MIR was formed, Three years later, its name was changed into Klub Sportowy Kolejarz-Arka Gdynia. In 1953, the team for the first time won promotion to the level of Polish football. In 1959, Arka’s U-19 became Polish runner-up, and in 1960, after a game vs. Hutnik Krakow. In 1964, Arka merged with Doker Gdynia, to form Maritime United Sports Club Gdynia, in 1972, its name was changed into Arka. Two years later Arka won promotion to the Ekstraklasa, relegated after one year, Arka returned to the top level in 1976. In 1979 Arka, managed by Czesław Boguszewicz, became the first team from Polish Baltic Sea coast to win the Polish Cup, in the final game, which took place in Lublin, Arka beat 2-1 Wisla Krakow. In its UEFA Cup Winners Cup debut, Arka lost to Bulgarian side PFC Beroe Stara Zagora, in 1982, Arka was relegated from the top level, to return there in 2005. In the 1982 World Cup in Spain, Arka’s Janusz Kupcewicz was among top players of Polish national team, in the 1980s and 1990s, Arka played either in the third or second division, with a number of promotions and relegations. In 2001, after six years in the level, Arka again won promotion to the second division, and in 2005. In 2011, the City of Gdynia completes the construction of a new stadium, on February 19,2011, in a friendly game to commemorate the opening of the stadium Arka ties 1-1 with Beroe Stara Zagora. Arka is one of the most supported clubs in Poland, drawing in support from mostly across Pomerania, the fans have an alliance with fans of Cracovia Kraków and Lech Poznań, and the three are known as the The Great Triad. Fans of Lechia Gdańsk, Śląsk Wrocław and Wisła Kraków also share a friendship called The Three Kings of Great Cities, the friendship with Polonia Bytom fans dates back to 1974, and is one of the longest friendships in supporter history which has survived to date. The greatest rivalry is with their neighbours Lechia Gdańsk, with whom they contest the Tricity Derby, note, Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality, note, Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules
16.
Widzew Lodz
–
RTS Widzew Łódź is a Polish football club based in Łódź. The club was founded in 1910 and initially called TMRF Widzew and its official colors are red and white, hence their nicknames Czerwona Armia and Czerwono-biało-czerwoni. The club was founded on 5 November 1910 as Towarzystwo Miłośników Rozwoju Fizycznego Widzew in Widzew, in 1922 the club transformed into Robotnicze Towarzystwo Sportowe Widzew. Widzew has won four Polish league championships and the 1985 Polish Cup and they have appeared in 117 matches in European Cups, of which they won 42. Widzew knocked European giants Manchester United out of the 1980-81 UEFA Cup although their biggest achievement was reaching the semi-final of the 1982–83 European Cup, in the beginning of season 2007/2008 Widzew was bought by one of the most wealthy man in Poland - Sylwester Cacek. In January 2008, while playing in the Second League, the Polish Football Association ruled that Widzew Łódź should be relegated due to their involvement in a corruption scandal. However, Widzew became champion that year, and were allowed to stay in the second division, despite the deduction of six points as a penalty, Widzew managed to become champions once again, and were finally promoted to the Ekstraklasa. In total, Widzew played 35 seasons at the highest level before being relegated in the 2013-2014 season, due to financial problems, Widzew finished last at the end of the 2014–15 I Liga season. Subsequently, the club ruled by Sylwester Cacek went bankrupt, note, Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality, the clubs home stadium was the Stadion Widzewa, also called Stadion im. Ludwika Sobolewskiego, which opened in 1930, the stadium, which was owned by the city of Łódź, had a capacity of 10,500 seats. In early 2015, it was demolished to make way for a new stadium with 18,000 seats and it was intended the new stadium will be completed by November 2016. In the 2014-2015 season, its last season as a professional club, after bankruptcy and relegation to 4th division a rebuilt team plays its domestic games in Łódź on UKS SMS Łódź stadium, during the construction of a new Stadion Widzewa stadium. Widzew has one of the largest fan-bases in Poland with fan-clubs all around the country, widzews biggest rival is ŁKS Łódź, with who they contest the Łódź Derby. Legia Warsaw are also big rivals, with whom they contest the Derby of Poland, Widzew fans maintain friendly relations with fans of Ruch Chorzów, Elana Toruń, Wisła Kraków and PFC CSKA Moscow. TMRF Widzew is a team created by the active supporters of Widzew in 2014. Only Widzew supporters can be admitted to the squad, Football in Poland List of football teams Champions Cup/League UEFA Cup Official website Widzew Łódź at 90minut. pl
Poland
