Grazer A.K. facts for kids
| Full name | Grazer Athletiksport-Klub |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1902 |
| Ground | UPC-Arena Graz- Liebenau |
| Capacity | 15,450 |
| Chairman | Benedikt Bittmann |
| Manager | Ales Ceh |
Grazer AK (also known as GAK) is a football club from Austria. It was started way back in 1902. The team plays its home games at the UPC-Arena in Graz.
Contents
The Story of GAK
The Grazer AK club was founded by a group of students. A medical student named Georg August Wagner from Prague led the way. Because of this, the first football game in Austria using the official rules happened in Graz.
1902 was the official start for the Grazer Athletik-Sport-Club. The team quickly became strong in its region. They won the Styrian Championship in 1922 and 1924. They also won it many times between 1926 and 1933. GAK was even the Austrian Amateur Champion in 1929, 1932, and 1933.
A famous player from GAK was Rudi Hiden. He later became the goalkeeper for the amazing "Austrian Wunderteam." Football matches stopped in 1944 because of the Second World War.
GAK's Return and Success
The club started playing again in 1946. By 1951, they reached the highest football league in Austria. They finished in 6th place, which was the best for a team not from Vienna. GAK stayed in the top league for many years.
They reached the cup final in 1962 and 1968 but finished as runners-up. In 1974, the league changed, and GAK had to move down to the second division. But they quickly came back up just one year later.
In 1981, GAK won their first big title as a professional team. They won the Austrian Cup! This was also the first time a team from Styria won this cup. They won the cup again in 2000, 2002, and 2004. The year 2004 was extra special because GAK became the Champions of Austria!
Challenges and Comeback
In 2007, the club faced big money problems. They had to move down to the third league. Then, they had more financial trouble and had to start all over again. They began from the very lowest league after being re-established. Despite these tough times, the club has been working hard to climb back up the leagues.
Club Honours
GAK has won many important titles throughout its history:
- Austrian Champion: 2004
- Austrian Cup: 1981, 2000, 2002, 2004
- Austrian Second League Champion: 1975, 1993, 1995
- Austrian Champion (amateurs): 1929, 1932, 1933
- Styrian Champion: 1922, 1924, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933
Derby Statistics vs. SK Sturm Graz
GAK has a big rivalry with another team from Graz, SK Sturm Graz. Their games are called "derbies." Here are their results in the first Austrian League (as of August 23, 2005):
- GAK Won: 46 games
- Drawn (tied): 42 games
- GAK Lost: 42 games
(Goals scored by GAK: 174, Goals scored against GAK: 168)
Weblinks
