GKS Katowice
Encyclopedia
GKS Katowice is a Polish football
club based in Katowice
, Poland
. The club currently plays in the Polish First League
.
a special organizational committee was called with the purpose of uniting all the clubs and sporting organizations of city into one large club which would encompass many disciplines. In mid-1963 Rapid Welnowiec and Orzeł Welnowiec merged, creating Rapid/Orzeł. In 1964 Rapid/Orzeł, Górnik Katowice, Koszutka Katowice, Katowicki Klub Łyżwiarski (Katowice Skating Club), Katowicki Klub Sportowy Górnik, Górniczy Klub Żeglarski Szkwał (a sailing club) amongst other clubs from Katowice merged creating GKS Katowice. Four years later on the 9 August 1968, Dąb Katowice also amalgamated with GKS Katowice. GKS Katowice made its debut in Polish football's top league (now call the Ekstraklasa) on 8 August 1965 when GKS Katowice took on local rivals Górnik Zabrze
.
GKS Katowice's debut season in the top flight was in the season of 1965–66. The new team quickly gained experience and ability. A bad patch for the club came in 1971, when Katowice was relegated to the 2nd Division. The club's problems were quickly overcome, and GKS returned to the topflight where they played with pride and passion. From 1982 the club consistently found itself up the top end of the ladder, as well as playing off in several Polish Cup
finals. In 1985 GKS Katowice played in its first Polish Cup final, but lost in a penalty shootout to Widzew Łódź. The following year GKS played off in a memorable final at Stadion Śląski against Górnik Zabrze; GKS triumphed 4-1. From that moment the city of Katowice
began to live and breathe football. The next year GKS finished third and the two following years they were runners-up. In 1989 GKS again came third, and in 1991 GKS were runners-up. From 1986 to 1995 to GKS Katowice were four times runners-up in the league, twice the winners of the Polish Supercup and three time Polish Cup winners.
The biggest moments for the club and fans were always when the team took part in European cups. The first time GKS faced European opposition was in 1970, in the now defunct Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
, GKS took on the might of Barcelona in a two-legged tie. Katowice didn't lose by much (2-4 on aggregate), the fans were proud of their club. The second time GKS took part in European football they showed more and played better football. In the first round of the 1986–1987 UEFA Cup Winners Cup GKS defeated Iceland's Fram Reykjavík but in the second round they lost to Switzerland's Sion
. For the next 10 years GKS Katowice took part in European football. Over the years fans of GKS got to witness their team take on the likes of Sportul Studentsc Bucharest, Rangers
, Club Brugge
, Galatasaray
, Benfica, Aris
, Girondins Bordeaux and twice Bayer Leverkusen
. GKS's record in European football stands at 10 wins, 7 draws, and 19 losses.
GKS Katowice again fell on hard times during the mining crisis. In 1999 the team was relegated from the Ekstraklasa, but was back in the topflight only a year later. Piotr Dziurowicz became president who, despite growing debts and financial troubles, kept the team in the top flight. In 2003 the team even managed to qualify for the UEFA Cup
by finishing third in the league under coach Jan Żurkow. This was hailed as one of the biggest surprises ever in the history of the Ekstraklasa. Despite the success, the debts under Piotr Dziurowicz began to grow to a significant sum.
From March 27, 2003 to June 11, 2004 the club played under the name of its main sponsor Dospel Katowice; this was not taken well by the fans of the club. GKS Katowice Sportowa Spółka Akcyjna finished its reins at the helm of the club in the summer of 2005 after the disastrous 2004–2005 season where GKS finished 14th (and last) in the Ekstraklasa and was relegated to the second Division. Then to make matters worse the team had to drop to the 4th Division due to legal and financial problems. After the drop to the 4th division a group of dedicated fans known as the "Stowarzyszenie Sympatyków Klubu GKS Katowice" (which loosely translates into Society of Well Wishers Club of GKS Katowice) took over the helm at the club. In June 2006 the club was promoted to the 3rd division, and in June 2007 the team again won promotion this time to the 2nd Division, which in 2008 was renamed the 1st Division (I Liga). The team continues to play in the 1st Division despite lack of sponsors and money.
Paweł Brożek Grzegorz Fonfara
Jan Furtok
Janusz Jojko
Marek Koniarek Mirosław Kubisztal Piotr Polczak
Mirosław Sznaucner
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
club based in Katowice
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. The club currently plays in the Polish First League
Polish First League
I Liga is the second level of the Polish association football league, below the Ekstraklasa and above the II Liga. Run by the Polish Football Association since its inception in 1948, all teams from 2002 onwards must have professional status and a licence, issued by the Association...
.
History
In 1963 in KatowiceKatowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
a special organizational committee was called with the purpose of uniting all the clubs and sporting organizations of city into one large club which would encompass many disciplines. In mid-1963 Rapid Welnowiec and Orzeł Welnowiec merged, creating Rapid/Orzeł. In 1964 Rapid/Orzeł, Górnik Katowice, Koszutka Katowice, Katowicki Klub Łyżwiarski (Katowice Skating Club), Katowicki Klub Sportowy Górnik, Górniczy Klub Żeglarski Szkwał (a sailing club) amongst other clubs from Katowice merged creating GKS Katowice. Four years later on the 9 August 1968, Dąb Katowice also amalgamated with GKS Katowice. GKS Katowice made its debut in Polish football's top league (now call the Ekstraklasa) on 8 August 1965 when GKS Katowice took on local rivals Górnik Zabrze
Górnik Zabrze
Górnik Zabrze is a Polish football club from Zabrze. The club has won numerous championships, and was a dominant force in the 1960s and 1980s. For now Górnik has the most titles in Poland. The club plays in white or dark blue - red kit, and is based at the Ernest Pohl Stadium...
.
GKS Katowice's debut season in the top flight was in the season of 1965–66. The new team quickly gained experience and ability. A bad patch for the club came in 1971, when Katowice was relegated to the 2nd Division. The club's problems were quickly overcome, and GKS returned to the topflight where they played with pride and passion. From 1982 the club consistently found itself up the top end of the ladder, as well as playing off in several Polish Cup
Polish Cup
The Polish Cup in football or officially Remes Puchar Polski, is an elimination tournament for Polish football clubs, held continuously from 1950, and is the second most important national title in Polish football after the Ekstraklasa title...
finals. In 1985 GKS Katowice played in its first Polish Cup final, but lost in a penalty shootout to Widzew Łódź. The following year GKS played off in a memorable final at Stadion Śląski against Górnik Zabrze; GKS triumphed 4-1. From that moment the city of Katowice
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
began to live and breathe football. The next year GKS finished third and the two following years they were runners-up. In 1989 GKS again came third, and in 1991 GKS were runners-up. From 1986 to 1995 to GKS Katowice were four times runners-up in the league, twice the winners of the Polish Supercup and three time Polish Cup winners.
The biggest moments for the club and fans were always when the team took part in European cups. The first time GKS faced European opposition was in 1970, in the now defunct Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
The Inter-Cities Fairs Cup was a European football competition played between 1955 and 1971. The competition was the idea of Swiss pools supremo Ernst Thommen, Ottorino Barassi from Italy, and the English Football Association general secretary Stanley Rous, all of whom later became senior officials...
, GKS took on the might of Barcelona in a two-legged tie. Katowice didn't lose by much (2-4 on aggregate), the fans were proud of their club. The second time GKS took part in European football they showed more and played better football. In the first round of the 1986–1987 UEFA Cup Winners Cup GKS defeated Iceland's Fram Reykjavík but in the second round they lost to Switzerland's Sion
FC Sion
FC Sion is a Swiss football team from the city of Sion. The club was founded in 1909, and play their home games at the Stade Tourbillon. They have won the Swiss Super League twice, and the Swiss Cup in each of their twelve appearances in the final, the most recent being in 2011.The first team also...
. For the next 10 years GKS Katowice took part in European football. Over the years fans of GKS got to witness their team take on the likes of Sportul Studentsc Bucharest, Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
, Club Brugge
Club Brugge
Club Brugge Koninklijke Voetbalvereniging is a football club from Bruges in Belgium. It was founded in 1891 and is one of the top clubs in Belgium. Its home ground is the Jan Breydel Stadium, which has a capacity of 29,472....
, Galatasaray
Galatasaray
Galatasaray Spor Kulübü is a Turkish sports club based in Istanbul, most notable for its football section, also known as Galatasaray S.K.. It also fields teams in Athletics, Basketball, Wheelchair basketball, Volleyball, Water polo, Swimming, Rowing, Sailing, Judo, Bridge, Equestrian, Handball,...
, Benfica, Aris
Aris
-Given name:* Aris Alexandrou, a Greek writer* Aris Christofellis, a Greek male soprano* Aris Gavelas, a Greek sprinter* Aris Jaffar, a Malaysian polymath genius mastermind* Aris Konstantinidis, a Greek architect* Aris Maliagros, a Greek actor...
, Girondins Bordeaux and twice Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer 04 Leverkusen is a German football club based in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia. It is the most well-known department of TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen, a sports club whose members also participate in athletics, gymnastics, basketball and other sports.-Origins and early years:On 27 November...
. GKS's record in European football stands at 10 wins, 7 draws, and 19 losses.
GKS Katowice again fell on hard times during the mining crisis. In 1999 the team was relegated from the Ekstraklasa, but was back in the topflight only a year later. Piotr Dziurowicz became president who, despite growing debts and financial troubles, kept the team in the top flight. In 2003 the team even managed to qualify for the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
by finishing third in the league under coach Jan Żurkow. This was hailed as one of the biggest surprises ever in the history of the Ekstraklasa. Despite the success, the debts under Piotr Dziurowicz began to grow to a significant sum.
From March 27, 2003 to June 11, 2004 the club played under the name of its main sponsor Dospel Katowice; this was not taken well by the fans of the club. GKS Katowice Sportowa Spółka Akcyjna finished its reins at the helm of the club in the summer of 2005 after the disastrous 2004–2005 season where GKS finished 14th (and last) in the Ekstraklasa and was relegated to the second Division. Then to make matters worse the team had to drop to the 4th Division due to legal and financial problems. After the drop to the 4th division a group of dedicated fans known as the "Stowarzyszenie Sympatyków Klubu GKS Katowice" (which loosely translates into Society of Well Wishers Club of GKS Katowice) took over the helm at the club. In June 2006 the club was promoted to the 3rd division, and in June 2007 the team again won promotion this time to the 2nd Division, which in 2008 was renamed the 1st Division (I Liga). The team continues to play in the 1st Division despite lack of sponsors and money.
Major achievements
- Polish CupPolish CupThe Polish Cup in football or officially Remes Puchar Polski, is an elimination tournament for Polish football clubs, held continuously from 1950, and is the second most important national title in Polish football after the Ekstraklasa title...
titles (3): 1986, 1991, 1993 - Polish SupercupPolish SuperCupThe Polish SuperCup in football is an annually held match between the champion of the Ekstraklasa and the Polish Cup winner. To this date the Polish SuperCup has been played out 21 times with the Polish Cup winner taking the trophy 13 times, while the Ekstraklasa champions had won the trophy 8 times...
titles (2): 1991, 1995
GKS in Europe
| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970/71 | Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Inter-Cities Fairs Cup The Inter-Cities Fairs Cup was a European football competition played between 1955 and 1971. The competition was the idea of Swiss pools supremo Ernst Thommen, Ottorino Barassi from Italy, and the English Football Association general secretary Stanley Rous, all of whom later became senior officials... |
1R |  |
FC Barcelona FC Barcelona Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.... |
0-1, 2-3 |
| 1986/87 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1986-87 The season 1986-87 of the European Cup Winners' Cup was won by Ajax Amsterdam in the final against 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig. It was their only title in the competition, and was added to a hat-trick of European Cup wins from 1971 to 1973... |
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup UEFA Cup Winners' Cup The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but... |
1R |  |
Fram Reykjavik | 3-0, 1-0 |
| 2R |  |
FC Sion FC Sion FC Sion is a Swiss football team from the city of Sion. The club was founded in 1909, and play their home games at the Stade Tourbillon. They have won the Swiss Super League twice, and the Swiss Cup in each of their twelve appearances in the final, the most recent being in 2011.The first team also... |
2-2, 0-3 | ||
| 1987/88 UEFA Cup 1987-88 The UEFA Cup 1987-88 was won by Bayer Leverkusen on penalty kicks over Espanyol.It was the third season of English clubs being barred from this and indeed all European competitions as the sequel of the Heysel disaster of May 1985... |
UEFA Cup UEFA Cup The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League... |
1R |  |
Sportul Studenţesc Sportul Studentesc Sportul Studenţesc is a Romanian football club that was established in 1916 . The Bucharest club has won the Balkans Cup once and its best result in the Romanian league is a 2nd place in 1986... |
0-1, 1-2 |
| 1988/89 UEFA Cup 1988-89 The UEFA Cup 1988-89 was won by Napoli over Stuttgart.It was the fourth season for which English clubs were banned from European competitions as a result of the Heysel disaster in May 1985... |
UEFA Cup UEFA Cup The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League... |
1R |  |
Rangers FC | 0-1, 2-4 |
| 1989/90 UEFA Cup 1989-90 The UEFA Cup 1989-90 was won by Juventus on aggregate over Fiorentina. This was the first final between two Italian sides in the UEFA competitions history and the third between two clubs of the same country.... |
UEFA Cup UEFA Cup The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League... |
1R |  |
RoPS RoPS Rovaniemen Palloseura is a Finnish football club, founded in 1950 and based in the town of Rovaniemi. In 2009 RoPS played in the Finnish Premier Division but got relegated to Ykkönen after being the lowest-placed team in the end of the season... |
1-1, 0-1 |
| 1990/91 UEFA Cup 1990-91 The UEFA Cup 1990–91 was won by Internazionale on aggregate over Roma. This tournament also marked the return of English clubs after a five-year ban resulting from the Heysel Stadium Disaster in 1985... |
UEFA Cup UEFA Cup The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League... |
1R | |
Turun Palloseura Turun Palloseura Turun Palloseura, TPS for short and nicknamed Tepsi, is a Finnish football club based in Turku. The club was founded in 1922. TPS currently play in the Veikkausliiga, the highest level of Finnish football. They play their home matches at the 9,372 seater Veritas Stadion, Turku.-History:FC TPS Turku... |
3-0, 1-0 |
| 2R |  |
Bayer 04 Leverkusen | 1-2, 0-4 | ||
| 1991/92 | UEFA Cup Winners' Cup UEFA Cup Winners' Cup The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but... |
1R | |
Motherwell FC | 2-0, 1-3 |
| 2R |  |
Club Brugge Club Brugge Club Brugge Koninklijke Voetbalvereniging is a football club from Bruges in Belgium. It was founded in 1891 and is one of the top clubs in Belgium. Its home ground is the Jan Breydel Stadium, which has a capacity of 29,472.... |
0-1, 0-3 | ||
| 1992/93 UEFA Cup 1992-93 The UEFA Cup 1992–93 was won by Juventus, who beat Borussia Dortmund 6–1 in the final aggregate over, a record score for a UEFA Cup final. It was the third victory in the competition for the Italian team .... |
UEFA Cup UEFA Cup The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League... |
1R |  |
Galatasaray SK Galatasaray S.K. (football team) Galatasaray Anonim Şirketi is a Turkish football club, part of the Galatasaray S.K. multi-sport club of Istanbul. Galatasaray is a major sports club in Turkey, holding 17 Turkish Super League titles and the highest number of Turkish Cups.... |
0-0, 1-2 |
| 1993/94 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1993-94 The season 1993-94 of the European Cup Winners' Cup was won by Arsenal in the final against defending champions Parma FC.- Qualifying round :-First leg:-----------------------------------------Second leg:... |
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup UEFA Cup Winners' Cup The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but... |
1R |  |
SL Benfica SL Benfica Sport Lisboa e Benfica , commonly known as simply Benfica or occasionally as Benfica Lisbon, is a Portuguese multi-sports club based in Lisbon. Although they successfully compete in a number of different sports, Benfica is mostly known for its association football team... |
0-1, 1-1 |
| 1994/95 | UEFA Cup UEFA Cup The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League... |
Q |  |
Inter Cardiff F.C. | 2-0, 6-0 |
| 1R |  |
Aris Thessaloniki Aris Thessaloniki F.C. Aris Football Club , also known as God of war and the Yellows, is a Greek football club based in the city of Thessaloniki, Macedonia. Formed in 1914, the club was a founding member of Macedonian Football Clubs Association as well as the Hellenic Football Federation, they currently compete in... |
1-0, 0-1 | ||
| 2R |  |
Girondins de Bordeaux | 1-0, 1-1 | ||
| 3R | |
Bayer 04 Leverkusen | 1-4, 0-4 | ||
| 1995/96 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1995-96 The season 1995-96 of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was won by Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in the final against Austrian entrants SK Rapid Wien in Brussels on 8 May 1996.-Qualifying round:-First leg:... |
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup UEFA Cup Winners' Cup The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but... |
Q |  |
Ararat Yerevan | 2-0, 0-2 |
| 2003/04 | UEFA Cup UEFA Cup The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League... |
Q |  |
Cementarnica 55 Skopje | 0-0, 1-1 |
Current team
(on loan from Zagłębie Lubin)Notable players
Gija GuruliGija Guruli
Gija Guruli is a former Georgian professional football player.He is the father of Alexander Guruli.He made his debut on 22 February 1994. against Israel.-External links:...
Paweł Brożek Grzegorz Fonfara
Grzegorz Fonfara
Grzegorz Fonfara is a Polish footballer playing currently for GKS Bełchatów.-References:...
Jan Furtok
Jan Furtok
Jan Furtok is a retired Polish football player.He played for a few clubs, including GKS Katowice, Hamburger SV and Eintracht Frankfurt ....
Janusz Jojko
Janusz Jojko
Janusz Jojko is a retired Polish professional footballer who played for Ruch Chorzów, GKS Katowice and KSZO Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski in the Polish Ekstraklasa.-Club career:...
Marek Koniarek Mirosław Kubisztal Piotr Polczak
Piotr Polczak
Piotr Polczak is a Polish footballer who plays as a centre-back for FC Terek Grozny.-Club:In February 2011, he joined Russian club FC Terek Grozny on three and a half year contract.-National team:...
Mirosław Sznaucner
See also
- Football in PolandFootball in PolandFootball is the most popular sport in Poland. Over 400,000 Poles play football regularly, with millions more playing occasionally. The first professional clubs were founded in the early 1900s, and the Polish national football team played its first international match in 1921.There are hundreds of...
- List of football teams
- Champions' Cup/LeagueUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
- UEFA CupUEFA CupThe UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
- Ruch ChorzówRuch ChorzówRuch Chorzów is a Polish association football club based in Chorzów, Upper Silesia. It is one of the most successful football teams in Poland: 14 time national champion, and 3 time winner of the Polish Cup. Currently the team plays in the top Polish league, the Ekstraklasa. Their stadium capacity...
(rivalry) - Górnik ZabrzeGórnik ZabrzeGórnik Zabrze is a Polish football club from Zabrze. The club has won numerous championships, and was a dominant force in the 1960s and 1980s. For now Górnik has the most titles in Poland. The club plays in white or dark blue - red kit, and is based at the Ernest Pohl Stadium...
(rivalry/frienldy) - Banik Ostrava (friendly)