Polonia Bytom
Encyclopedia
Polonia Bytom is a Polish
football club founded on 4 January 1920 in the Upper Silesia
n city of Bytom
, during the hectic months of the Silesian Uprisings
. In late 1922 however, as a result of the Upper Silesia plebiscite
, Bytom became part of Germany
and the club ceased to exist.
In May 1945, numerous players and officials of one of the most famous Polish clubs, Pogoń Lwów
arrived in Bytom and decided to revive Polonia. On 17 May 1945 the team played its first game in over two decades, defeating Warta Poznań
3-2.
Polonia is considered the continuation of Pogon Lwow, its logo is in fact very similar to the logo of Lwów's most famous Polish team as well as their colours, red-blue.
Polonia Bytom's most famous player is goalkeeper Edward Szymkowiak
. Its stadium is named after him and has a capacity of 5,500 spectators.
Polonia has won the Polish championship twice, in 1954 and 1962. In 1952, 1958, 1959 and 1961 Bytom was the vice-champion of Poland. In June 2007 Polonia Bytom, after many years, returned to the Polish Ekstraklasa. However, in 2011, the club was relegated to the I liga after finishing bottom of the table with just six wins all season.
First League: 1950, 1956, 1976-1977, 1980-1986, 1987-2001, 2005-2007, 2011-
Second League: 2001-2005
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...
football club founded on 4 January 1920 in the Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, the Duchy of Bohemia, the Piast Kingdom of Poland, again of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as of...
n city of Bytom
Bytom
Bytom is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The central-western district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Bytom is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Bytomka river .The city belongs to the Silesian Voivodeship since...
, during the hectic months of the Silesian Uprisings
Silesian Uprisings
The Silesian Uprisings were a series of three armed uprisings of the Poles and Polish Silesians of Upper Silesia, from 1919–1921, against German rule; the resistance hoped to break away from Germany in order to join the Second Polish Republic, which had been established in the wake of World War I...
. In late 1922 however, as a result of the Upper Silesia plebiscite
Upper Silesia plebiscite
The Upper Silesia plebiscite was a border referendum mandated by the Versailles Treaty and carried out in March 1921 to determine a section of the border between Weimar Germany and Poland. The region was ethnically mixed, chiefly among Germans, Poles and Silesians. According to prewar statistics,...
, Bytom became part of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and the club ceased to exist.
In May 1945, numerous players and officials of one of the most famous Polish clubs, Pogoń Lwów
Pogon Lwów
LKS Pogoń Lwów is a former Polish professional sports club which was located in Lwów , and existed from 1904 until the outbreak of World War II in 1939. It was the second oldest Polish football club behind other teams from Lwów - Czarni and Lechia...
arrived in Bytom and decided to revive Polonia. On 17 May 1945 the team played its first game in over two decades, defeating Warta Poznań
Warta Poznan
Warta Poznań is a football club based in Poznań, Poland. Founded in 1912, the club are two-time winners of the Polish Football Championship, in 1929 and 1947, but currently reside in the Polish First League. The name means the Guard in Polish and also a name of river Warta on which Poznań is...
3-2.
Polonia is considered the continuation of Pogon Lwow, its logo is in fact very similar to the logo of Lwów's most famous Polish team as well as their colours, red-blue.
Polonia Bytom's most famous player is goalkeeper Edward Szymkowiak
Edward Szymkowiak
Edward Józef Szymkowiak was a Polish footballer - one of the best Polish goalkeepers in history.He played for such a clubs like Ruch Chorzów and Legia Warszawa, but most of his career he spent in Polonia Bytom. He is one of the legend of that club. The stadium of Polonia Bytom is called by his name...
. Its stadium is named after him and has a capacity of 5,500 spectators.
Polonia has won the Polish championship twice, in 1954 and 1962. In 1952, 1958, 1959 and 1961 Bytom was the vice-champion of Poland. In June 2007 Polonia Bytom, after many years, returned to the Polish Ekstraklasa. However, in 2011, the club was relegated to the I liga after finishing bottom of the table with just six wins all season.
Domestic
- Ekstraklasa
- Winners (2): 1954, 1962
- Runner-up (4): 1952, 1958, 1959, 1961
- 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...
- Runner-up (3): 1964, 1973, 1977
Continental
- UEFA Intertoto CupUEFA Intertoto CupThe UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued...
- Winners (1): 1965
- Runner-up (1): 1964
- International Soccer League (1960–1965)
- Winners (1): 1965
League Participations
Ekstraklasa: 1948-1949 (2 seasons), 1951-1955 (5 seasons), 1957-1976 (20 seasons), 1977-1980, 1986-1987, 2007-2011First League: 1950, 1956, 1976-1977, 1980-1986, 1987-2001, 2005-2007, 2011-
Second League: 2001-2005
Current squad
Notable players
| Zygmunt Anczok Zygmunt Anczok Zygmunt Józef Anczok is a former Polish footballer who played as a left-sided defender, who was an Olympic champion for Poland in the 1972 Summer Olympics.... Jan Liberda Jan Liberda Jan Konrad Liberda is a retired Polish football forward. Liberda played mostly for one team, Polonia Bytom, where he remained since 1949, until in 1969. He ended his career in 1971 at AZ. He twice was the topscorer of the Ekstraklasa, in 1959 with 21 goals, and in 1962 with 16 goals. Also, in... Edward Szymkowiak Edward Szymkowiak Edward Józef Szymkowiak was a Polish footballer - one of the best Polish goalkeepers in history.He played for such a clubs like Ruch Chorzów and Legia Warszawa, but most of his career he spent in Polonia Bytom. He is one of the legend of that club. The stadium of Polonia Bytom is called by his name... Kazimierz Trampisz Kazimierz Trampisz Kazimierz Trampisz was a Polish footballer played most of the time in Polonia Bytom during golden era of this club. Trampisz played 10 times in Poland national football team scoring three goals... |
Polonia in Europe
| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958/59 European Cup 1958-59 The 1958–59 European Cup was the fourth season of the European Cup, Europe's premier club football tournament. The competition was won by Real Madrid for the fourth time in a row, who beat Stade Reims 2–0 in the final at Neckarstadion, Stuttgart, on 3 June 1959... |
European Cup | Q |  |
MTK Budapest | 0-3, 0-3 |
| 1962/63 European Cup 1962-63 The 1962–63 season of the European Cup – a football tournament for clubs in Europe – was won by Milan for the first time, in a final match against defending champions Benfica, who were appearing in a third consecutive final.-Preliminary round:... |
European Cup | Q | Panathinaikos FC Panathinaikos FC Panathinaikos Football Club is a Greek professional football club based in Athens. Founded in 1908, they play in the Super League Greece and are one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Greek football history. They have won 20 Greek Championships and 17 Greek Cups.Panathinaikos is the most... |
2-1, 4-1 | |
| 1R |  |
Galatasaray S.K. 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.... |
1-4, 1-0 | ||
- Intertoto Cup 1964-65Intertoto Cup 1964-65The 1964–65 Intertoto Cup was won by Polonia Bytom, losing finalists the previous season, who defeated Lokomotive Leipzig in the final - believed to be the first held over two legs in the tournament's history. A total of 44 clubs participated, down four on the previous season, and clubs from...
Winner
