Korona Kielce
Encyclopedia
Korona Kielce, kɔˈrɔna ˈkʲɛltsɛ, (Korona - Crown - symbol of club and city, Kielce
Kielce
Kielce ) is a city in central Poland with 204,891 inhabitants . It is also the capital city of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship since 1999, previously in Kielce Voivodeship...

- name of city where club is based) is a Polish football club, currently playing in the Ekstraklasa. In the years 2002-2008 Club belonged to Polish holding company
Holding company
A holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...

 Kolporter Holding
Kolporter Holding
Kolporter Holding is a Polish holding company. It was built in the 1990s by Krzysztof Klicki and has its headquarters in Kielce. It has made the Top 500 Polish Companies rankings in Polityka and Rzeczpospolita several times....

 and achieved its greatest success - in 2005, winning promotion to the first division (Ekstraklasa). Since then Korona spent 5 seasons in polish soccer top level. In 2006/2007 season Korona played in the final of the 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...

. As a result of alleged corruption after 2007/2008 season Club was relegated to I liga. Nowadays Korona after one-year banishment returned to Ekstraklasa.

History

The club was founded in 1973 after the union of two clubs from Kielce
Kielce
Kielce ) is a city in central Poland with 204,891 inhabitants . It is also the capital city of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship since 1999, previously in Kielce Voivodeship...

 - Iskra Kielce and SHL. The new club got its first promotion to the Polish 2nd league in 1975. Unfortunately, the team did not play very well and was soon relegated. The next promotion was in 1982. Korona played in the 2nd league until 1990 when it was once again relegated. 1996 brought several changes. Nida Gips from Gacki became the new sponsor and the club's name changed to Miejski Klub Sportowy Sekcja Futbolowa Korona. During the 1998/1999 season Korona again played in the 2nd league but dropped down at the end of the season. In 2000 Korona merged with another club from Kielce
Kielce
Kielce ) is a city in central Poland with 204,891 inhabitants . It is also the capital city of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship since 1999, previously in Kielce Voivodeship...

 - Błękitni Kielce and was renamed to Kielecki Klub Piłkarski Korona.

In 2002 the golden era for Korona had begun. Kolporter became the new sponsor, Krzysztof Klicki
Krzysztof Klicki
Krzysztof Klicki is the President of Kolporter Holding S.A. He owns 100 percent shares of Kolporter's shares, the largest private distributor of the press ....

 the new chairman, and the club's name changed to Kielecki Klub Piłkarski Kolporter Korona. In 2003 the team was again renamed, this time to Sportowa Spólka Akcyjna Kolporter Korona. The goal was simple - to be the best Polish football team. The dream started to become reality in 2005 when Korona won the 2nd league and for the first time in the club's history was promoted to the Polish premier league.

Korona's first match in the Ekstraklasa was against Cracovia Krakow
Cracovia Kraków
Cracovia is a professional multisports club based in Kraków, Poland. Cracovia is the oldest Polish football club still in existence , and has continually participated in competition since its founding on 13 June 1906...

 and the final score was 0-0. Korona ended the 2005-06 season
Ekstraklasa 2005-06
The 2005-06 Ekstraklasa season started on 24 July 2005 and ended 13 May 2006. Legia Warsaw were crowned champions after ending Wisła Kraków's 3 season winning streak...

 fifth in the league table. Prior to the 2006/2007 season, at a meeting with supporters, the chairman announced that club would revert back to its historical coat of arms. Korona's second season in the Ekstraklasa started off strongly with an away win against Arka Gdynia
Arka Gdynia
Morski Związkowy Klub Sportowy Arka Gdynia is a Polish professional football club, based in Gdynia, Poland, that plays in the Polish 1 Liga. The club was founded as Klub Sportowy Gdynia in 1929. Its activities were interrupted between 1939–1945 due to the German occupation of Poland...

 (3-0). 20 September 2006 was a significant one in Korona's history. After an away victory against Odra Wodzisław Śląski, the club climbed to the top of the league table for the first time in its history although it ended the 2006-07
Ekstraklasa 2006-07
The 2006-07 Ekstraklasa season started on 28 July 2006 and finished on 26 May 2007. Zagłębie Lubin were crowned champions with 62 points.For the second time league was sponsored by cell phone operator Orange and official name for championship was Orange Ekstraklasa 2006/2007.-Corruption:On 12 April...

 season in 7th place. Its third and final season in the top division was 2007-08
Ekstraklasa 2007-08
The 2007–08 Ekstraklasa started in July 2007 and ended in mid-May 2008. It was run by the Polish Football Association.The Polish Champion will qualify for the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round. The runner-up and winner of the Polish Cup will qualify for the UEFA Cup first...

, placing 6th but being relegated as a result of alleged corruption. In August 2008 Klicki sold the club to the city of Kielce
Kielce
Kielce ) is a city in central Poland with 204,891 inhabitants . It is also the capital city of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship since 1999, previously in Kielce Voivodeship...

 for a nominal fee.

On 14 July 2009, Korona Kielce was promoted to the Ekstraklasa.

Stadium

In response to Korona's successes and the club owner, Krzysztof Klicki
Krzysztof Klicki
Krzysztof Klicki is the President of Kolporter Holding S.A. He owns 100 percent shares of Kolporter's shares, the largest private distributor of the press ....

's, affirmation that the club would play in the premier league and battle for European cups, Kielce municipal authorities approved the construction of a new stadium. Unfortunately, the stadium turned out to be much too small. Because of this the club played its first round in the highest division at its old stadium (currently used by reserves and youth teams) to permit further work on the new facility.

Only eighteen months after the start of the building project, the keys of the new stadium were officially handed to the club. The first premier league match was played on 1 April 2006 against Zagłębie Lubin.

The Korona stadium, although it stands on the same site as an earlier stadium, is an entirely new facility, built according to UEFA recommendations and modern design ideas. In this way it differs from most other football stadiums in Poland which were built during the communist era or earlier and only slightly modernized to meet basic UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....

 standards.

Kielce
Kielce
Kielce ) is a city in central Poland with 204,891 inhabitants . It is also the capital city of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship since 1999, previously in Kielce Voivodeship...

 stadium can seat 15,550 fans, however, due to Polish regulations, which require a buffer zone between local fans and the visitors section, league matches can only accommodate 13,823 Korona fans and 777 visiting fans. However, on one occasion the stadium was full to capacity during a league match. This occurred during the 2006/2007 season when fans of visiting club Legia Warszawa
Legia Warszawa
Legia Warszawa is a professional football club based in Warsaw, Poland. It was founded in March 1916 in the area of Maniewicze in Volhynia as the football club of the Polish Legions...

 were prohibited from entering due to the vast number of their 'red brigade' supporters who made the trip down to watch their club in Kielce
Kielce
Kielce ) is a city in central Poland with 204,891 inhabitants . It is also the capital city of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship since 1999, previously in Kielce Voivodeship...

.

Pitch dimensions are 105 x 68 m, and the entire surface is heated. Automatic sprinklers water the pitch in between match days. Kielce
Kielce
Kielce ) is a city in central Poland with 204,891 inhabitants . It is also the capital city of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship since 1999, previously in Kielce Voivodeship...

 stadium has a complete system of monitoring, which could serve as a model for other Polish stadiums. Korona's stadium is also considered by the Polish Football Association
Polish Football Association
The Polish Football Association is the governing body of football in Poland. It organizes the Polish football leagues , the Polish Cup, the Polish SuperCup, the Polish League Cup, and the Polish national football team...

 for international games.

Since 2006, when the club moved to the most modern stadium in Poland, it often had among the best attendance statistics in the Polish league, although these numbers have declined since the club's relegation at the end of the 2007/08 season.

Club crest

A new club crest was introduced in 2002, featuring a redesigned coat of arms. However, many fans were disappointed by the removal of the beloved black crown from the emblem.

Before season 2006/2007 in a team meeting with supporters the chairmans announced that the club returns to the historical coat of arms. Thanks to the fans and good will of the chairman Korona again has the crown in her coat of arms.

Supporters

Supporters of Korona are some of the most enthusiastic in the Ekstraklasa and have received many awards for their artistic match 'frames'. In the spring round of 2006/2007, Korona Kielce fans were awarded 5 times in 8 matches for their superb 'frames'.

Korona supporters' tireless cheering for their team often helps their team to victories. The most faithful fans are seated in the "Młyn" - "the Mill" - which contains 500 - 2,000 people.

On 14 June 2006, the Stowarzyszenie Kibiców Korony Kielce "Złocisto-Krwiści" (Korona Kielce Supporters Association "Golden-Bloody") was officially registered at a Kielce
Kielce
Kielce ) is a city in central Poland with 204,891 inhabitants . It is also the capital city of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship since 1999, previously in Kielce Voivodeship...

 court. Official appointing of Korona Kielce fans had become a fact. This association brings together representatives of various Korona supporters groups.

The association is a partner for the Club and many institutions, which it wants to cooperate with. The fans are invaluable in the creation of memorable football events, and the association has an important role in increasing fan input on football life in Korona. The most important role of the association however is to improve the quality of support.

The association also organizes special trains and coaches for fans for away matches. It also organizes events promoting the Club such as "Golden-bloody stadium in Kielce
Kielce
Kielce ) is a city in central Poland with 204,891 inhabitants . It is also the capital city of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship since 1999, previously in Kielce Voivodeship...

", "Small toy - children's benefit" (fans donated toys to an orphanage), "Action Banner" (a lot of flags and banners were sewed). In short, the association has introduced a new supporting style at Korona matches which will attract even more fans to the stadium on Ściegiennego street.

Korona Kielce fans have a friendship with fans of Stal Mielec
Stal Mielec
Stal Mielec is a Polish football club based in Mielec, Poland. The club was established on April 10, 1939. The construction of the club's current stadium, Stadion Stali Mielec at Solskiego 1, was concluded in 1953. Currently the stadium is undergoing a major renovation...

 and Sandecja Nowy Sącz
Sandecja Nowy Sacz
Sandecja Nowy Sącz is a Polish association football club formed in 1910, its first chairman was Józef Damse. Up to 1997 Sandecja stadium's name was XXV years of PRL. In 1998 it was renamed in honor of Father Władysław Augustynek...

.

Current squad

Out on loan

Notable players

Andrius Skerla
Andrius Skerla
Andrius Skerla is a Lithuanian professional football defender playing for Polish Ekstraklasa club Jagiellonia Białystok.-Career:...

 Paweł Golański Arkadiusz Kaliszan
Arkadiusz Kaliszan
Arkadiusz Kaliszan is a retired Polish professional footballer who played for Hutnik Kraków and Polonia Warsaw in the Polish Ekstraklasa.Kaliszan made one appearance for the Poland national football team.-External links:...

 Jacek Kiełb Wojciech Kowalewski
Wojciech Kowalewski
Wojciech Kowalewski , is a Polish football goalkeeper who played for Anorthosis Famagusta in the Cypriot First Division.-Club career:Kowalewski made his top-flight debut with Wigry Suwałki during the 1996–97 season, but it was not until 2001–02, after a loan spell with second division side...

 Marcin Kuś
Marcin Kus
Marcin Kuś is a Polish professional footballer who plays for İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyespor in the Turkish Süper Lig.-Current club:...

 Andrzej Niedzielan
Andrzej Niedzielan
Andrzej Niedzielan is a Polish footballer who plays as a striker for Cracovia.-Early career:He began his career began in 1997, when he joined Promień Żary. Then he played for Zagłębie Lubin, where he did not impress...

 Grzegorz Piechna
Grzegorz Piechna
Grzegorz Piechna is a Polish footballer of Ceramika Opoczno . Grzegorz was born on September 18, 1976 in Opoczno . His nickname is Kiełbasa , because before he started his career he worked for a butchery....

 Piotr Świerczewski
Piotr Swierczewski
Piotr Jarosław Świerczewski is a retired Polish football player.-Club:During his 20-year professional career, he played for clubs such as Lech Poznań, GKS Katowice, AS Saint-Étienne , SC Bastia , Gamba Osaka , Olympique Marseille , Birmingham City F.C...

 Łukasz Załuska

Biggest achievements

  • Ekstraklasa (First division):
    • 5th place (1): 2006
  • 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...

    :
    • Finalist (1): 2007
    • Semi-finalist (1): 2006
  • Polish League Cup
    Ekstraklasa Cup
    The Ekstraklasa Cup was an elimination tournament for Polish football clubs who play in the Polish 1st Division Ekstraklasa. The first ever Ekstraklasa Cup was held in 1952 in which Wawel Kraków came out victorious over Cracovia Kraków with the final score being 5-1. Two tournements were also held...

    :
    • Quarterfinal (1): 2007

See also

  • Football in Poland
    Football in Poland
    Football 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...

  • 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...

  • Poland national football team
    Poland national football team
    The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...

  • List of football teams

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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