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Górnik Zabrze
Górnik Zabrze crest.svg
Full name Górnik Zabrze Spółka Akcyjna
Nickname(s) Trójkolorowi (Tri-Colour),
Górnicy (The Miners)
Founded 14 December 1948; 75 years ago (1948-12-14)
Ground Arena Zabrze
Ground Capacity 24,563
President Dariusz Czernik
Head coach Bartosch Gaul
League Ekstraklasa
2021–22 8th of 18

Górnik Zabrze Spółka Akcyjna, commonly referred to as Górnik Zabrze S.A. or simply Górnik Zabrze (Polish pronunciation: [ˈɡurɲiɡ ˈzabʐɛ]), is a Polish football club from Zabrze. Górnik is one of the most successful Polish football clubs in history, winning the second-most Polish Championship titles together with Ruch Chorzów. The club was a dominant force in the 1960s and 1980s. Górnik holds the record for winning the most consecutive Polish Championship titles (5) and Polish Cup titles (5). In addition, the club was 1969–70 Cup Winners' Cup runners-up.

The club plays in a white or dark blue-red kit, and is based at the Arena Zabrze. Their main local rival is Ruch Chorzów.

History

First years

The club was founded in 1948 after several smaller sports associations – KS Zjednoczenie, KS Pogoń, KS Skra, and KS Concordia – were merged into a single organization, which took the name "Górnik", the Polish word for "Miner", reflecting the fact that Zabrze was an important coal-mining centre.

In 1950 Górnik joined the Opole Silesia regional league. In 1952 the club was promoted to the Polish Second Division. Their first game in the second tier was against Skra Częstochowa, and was witnessed by 20,000 fans, with Górnik winning 5–1. The whole season was very successful and Górnik finished second overall, behind Górnik Wałbrzych.

The club was promoted to the top division in 1955. In their first game in the top flight Górnik beat local rivals Ruch Chorzów 3–1, with 25,000 in attendance; the club finished the season in sixth place.

First successes

In 1957, just a year after promotion, Górnik won its first championship of Poland. The team, with star, Ernest Pohl, was third in 1958, to regain the crown in 1959 and 1961, together with such players as Stanisław Oślizło and Hubert Kostka. In 1961 Górnik for the first time appeared in European Cups, losing in the first round to Tottenham Hotspur.

Golden years

Ticket Manchester City - Górnik Zabrze
Ticket to a match against Manchester City in the 1970–71 European Cup Winners' Cup

The next championship, won in 1963, marked the beginning of an unusual streak of five consecutive titles (1963, 64, 65, 66 and 67), which is a Polish record.

Górnik's biggest success in European football took place in 1970 (even though in Poland the team was second, after Legia Warsaw). In the UEFA Cup Winners Cup, Gornik beat all their opponents – Olympiacos, Rangers, Levski Sofia and AS Roma, reaching the final, which took place in Vienna. There, Manchester City turned out to be the better team, winning 2–1. The following season Górnik would once again play Manchester City, with the 1970 final being repeated this time in the quarter-final.

Late 1970s and early 1980s

During the mid-1970s Górnik form deteriorated and in late spring of 1978, the team was relegated to the Second Division. However, it returned after one year and in games of 1979–80, Zabrze's side finished sixth. In 1984, after purchasing of a group of talented players (Ryszard Komornicki, Waldemar Matysik, Eugeniusz Cebrat, Andrzej Zgutczyński, Tadeusz Dolny, Andrzej Pałasz), Górnik finished fourth, which was a sign of better times.

Late 1980s until now

Between 1985 and 1988 Górnik again marked a magnificent streak, with four consecutive championships. Zabrze's side also played versus renowned European powerhouses, such as Bayern Munich, Anderlecht, Hamburger SV, Juventus and Real Madrid.

Ernest Pohl Stadium - Zabrze 2
Arena Zabrze

In 1994 Górnik competed again for the title and with players as Jerzy Brzęczek, Grzegorz Mielcarski, Tomasz Wałdoch, hopes were high. Before the last round of the league the standings at the top were: Legia 47 points and Górnik 45 points. Since the two teams were to face each other in Warsaw, Górnik still had a chance to win the title. However the game ended in a 1–1 tie which gave Legia the crown. Before Legia scored the goal which gave her the title (the score 0–1 would mean the title for Górnik), the referee of the match – Mr Redzinski – sent off one by one 3 players from Górnik's squad, and Górnik had to finished match with only 8 players against 11 players of Legia. It was the last match in Mr Redzinski's career.

In the same year, Górnik played its last so far game in European Cups, losing to Admira Wacker Vienna.

In the spring of 2007 Górnik got a new sponsor – German insurance company Allianz. However, after finishing 16th in the Ekstraklasa in 2008–09, the club was relegated to the Polish First League, the second level of Polish football, during the 2009–10 season. In June 2010, the club earned promotion back to the Ekstraklasa for the 2010–11 season. Since then, Górnik has promoted a number of players to the Poland national team and transferred several players to stronger leagues, including Arkadiusz Milik, Łukasz Skorupski, Szymon Żurkowski and Paweł Bochniewicz.

Honours

Historia występow Górnika Zabrze w najwyższej klasie rozgrywkowej w Polsce
History of Górnik Zabrze classifications in the Ekstraklasa
  • Ekstraklasa
    • Champions (14): 1957, 1959, 1961, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88
    • Runners-up (4): 1962, 1968–69, 1973–74, 1990–91
  • Polish Cup
    • Winners (6): 1964–65, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1971–72
    • Runners-up (7): 1955–56, 1956–57, 1961–62, 1965–66, 1985–86, 1991–92, 2000–01
  • Polish SuperCup
    • Winners: 1988
  • European Cup
    • Quarter-Final: 1967–68
  • UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
    • Runners-up: 1969–70
  • Youth Teams:
    • Polish U-19 Champion: 1967, 1989
    • Polish U-19 Runner Up: 1985, 2001, 2011
    • Polish U-19 Bronze Medal: 2015
    • Polish U-17 Champion: 1992, 1996
    • Polish U-17 Runner Up: 2014

Górnik in Europe

Season Competition Round Club Score
1961–62 European Cup Q England Tottenham Hotspur 4–2, 1–8
1963–64 European Cup Q Austria Austria Wien 1–0, 0–1, 2–1
1R Czechoslovakia Dukla Prague 2–0, 1–4
1964–65 European Cup Q Czechoslovakia Dukla Prague 1–4, 3–0, 0–0
1965–66 European Cup Q Austria LASK Linz 3–1, 2–1
1R Czechoslovakia Sparta Prague 0–3, 1–0
1966–67 European Cup 1R East Germany Vorwärts Berlin 2–1, 1–2, 3–1
2R Bulgaria CSKA Sofia 0–4, 3–0
1967–68 European Cup 1R Sweden Djurgårdens IF 3–0, 1–0
2R Soviet Union Dynamo Kyiv 2–1, 1–1
1/4F England Manchester United 0–2, 1–0
1968–69 European Cup Winners' Cup 1R Soviet Union Dynamo Moscow withdrawal
1969–70 European Cup Winners' Cup 1R Greece Olympiacos 2–2, 5–0
2R Scotland Rangers 3–1, 3–1
1/4F Bulgaria Levski-Spartak 2–3, 2–1
1/2F Italy Roma 1–1, 2–2, 1–1
F England Manchester City 1–2
1970–71 European Cup Winners' Cup 1R Denmark Aalborg BK 1–0, 8–1
2R Turkey Göztepe 1–0, 3–0
1/4F England Manchester City 2–0, 0–2, 1–3
1971–72 European Cup 1R France Marseille 1–2, 1–1
1972–73 European Cup 1R Malta Sliema Wanderers 5–0, 5–0
2R Soviet Union Dynamo Kyiv 0–2, 2–1
1974–75 UEFA Cup 1R Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Partizan 2–2, 0–3
1977–78 UEFA Cup 1R Finland Haka 5–3, 0–0
2R England Aston Villa 0–2, 1–1
1985–86 European Cup 1R Germany Bayern Munich 1–2, 1–4
1986–87 European Cup 1R Belgium Anderlecht 0–2, 1–1
1987–88 European Cup 1R Greece Olympiacos 1–1, 2–1
2R Scotland Rangers 1–3, 1–1
1988–89 European Cup 1R Luxembourg Jeunesse Esch 3–0, 4–1
2R Spain Real Madrid 0–1, 2–3
1989–90 UEFA Cup 1R Italy Juventus 0–1, 2–4
1991–92 UEFA Cup 1R Germany Hamburger SV 1–1, 0–3
1994–95 UEFA Cup Q Republic of Ireland Shamrock Rovers 7–0, 1–0
1R Austria Admira Wacker Mödling 2–5, 1–1
1995 Intertoto Cup GR Denmark AGF 1–4
Switzerland Basel 1–2
England Sheffield Wednesday 2–3
Germany Karlsruher SC 1–6
2018–19 UEFA Europa League 1Q Moldova Zaria Bălți 1–0, 1–1
2Q Slovakia Trenčín 0–1, 1−4

Best results in European competitions

Season Achievement Notes
European Cup / UEFA Champions League
1968 Quarter-Final lost to England Manchester United 0–2 in Manchester, 1–0 in Chorzów
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
1970 Final lost to England Manchester City 1–2 in Vienna
1971 Quarter-Final lost to England Manchester City 2–0 in Chorzów, 0–2 in Manchester, 1–3 in Copenhagen

Current squad

No. Position Player
1 Poland GK Daniel Bielica
3 Finland DF Richard Jensen
4 Poland DF Aleksander Paluszek
5 Poland DF Kryspin Szcześniak (on loan from Pogoń Szczecin)
7 Spain MF Dani Pacheco
8 Slovenia MF Blaž Vrhovec
10 Germany FW Lukas Podolski
11 Poland MF Mateusz Cholewiak
13 Sweden DF Emil Bergström
15 Poland MF Norbert Wojtuszek
16 Poland DF Paweł Olkowski
17 Switzerland MF Robin Kamber
20 Poland FW Szymon Włodarczyk
No. Position Player
21 Poland FW Piotr Krawczyk
23 Cameroon MF Jean Jules
24 Poland MF Krzysztof Kolanko
25 Germany DF Jonatan Kotzke
26 Poland DF Rafał Janicki
28 Poland FW Jan Ciućka
31 Poland GK Paweł Sokół
32 Germany GK Kevin Broll
33 Japan MF Kanji Okunuki (on loan from Omiya Ardija)
64 Slovenia DF Erik Janža (captain)
71 Slovenia FW Amadej Maroša
77 Poland DF Jakub Szymański
96 Poland DF Robert Dadok

Out on loan

No. Position Player
29 Poland MF Adrian Dziedzic (at Garbarnia Kraków until 30 June 2023)
Poland GK Jakub Grzesiak (at Stomil Olsztyn until 30 June 2023)
Poland GK Bartosz Neugebauer (at Chojniczanka Chojnice until 30 June 2023)
No. Position Player
Poland DF Krzysztof Wingralek (at Znicz Pruszków until 30 June 2023)
Poland MF Mateusz Ziółkowski (at Zagłębie Sosnowiec until 30 June 2023)

Notable former players

  • Poland Ernest Pohl
  • Poland Włodzimierz Lubański
  • Poland Jerzy Gorgoń
  • Poland Stanisław Oślizło
  • Poland Hubert Kostka
  • Poland Jan Urban
  • Poland Ryszard Cyroń
  • Poland Tomasz Hajto
  • Poland Robert Warzycha
  • Poland Piotr Jegor
  • Poland Andrzej Szarmach
  • Poland Zygfryd Szołtysik
  • Poland Ryszard Komornicki
  • Poland Kamil Kosowski
  • Poland Marcin Kuźba
  • Poland Jerzy Brzęczek
  • Poland Michał Pazdan
  • Poland Arkadiusz Milik
  • Poland Tomasz Wałdoch
  • Poland Józef Wandzik
  • Poland Dariusz Koseła
  • Poland Andrzej Niedzielan
  • Poland Ryszard Staniek
  • Poland Ryszard Kraus
  • Poland Andrzej Zgutczyński
  • Poland Marek Bęben
  • Poland Tomasz Zahorski
  • Poland Marek Szemoński
  • Guinea José Kanté
  • Latvia Māris Smirnovs
  • Zimbabwe Dickson Choto
  • Zimbabwe Shingayi Kaondera
  • North Macedonia Aco Stojkov
  • Burkina Faso Prejuce Nakoulma
  • Bulgaria Dimitar Makriev
  • Germany Michał Bemben
  • Estonia Sergei Mošnikov
  • Croatia Ivica Križanac
  • Slovakia Erik Jirka
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina Boris Pandža
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina Ensar Arifović
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina Vladimir Sladojević
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina Armin Ćerimagić
  • Poland Marek Koźmiński
  • Spain Igor Angulo
  • Greece Giorgos Giakoumakis

Managers

  • Poland Ginter Pawelczyk (1948–49)
  • Poland Teodor Meiser (1949)
  • Poland Karol Luks (1949–50)
  • Poland Gerard Wodarz (1950–54)
  • Poland Augustyn Dziwisz (1954–56)
  • Poland Paweł Mościński (1956)
  • Poland Hubert Skolik (1957)
  • Hungary Zoltán Opata (1957–58)
  • Poland Hubert Skolik (1958–59)
  • Hungary Janos Steiner (1959)
  • Poland Feliks Karolek (1960)
  • Czechoslovakia Vilém Lugr (1960)
  • Poland A. Dziwisz (1 July 1960–30 June 62)
  • Poland Feliks Karolek (1962)
  • Poland Ewald Cebula (1962–63)
  • Poland Feliks Karolek (1963)
  • Poland Hubert Skolik (1963)
  • Poland Feliks Karolek (1964)
  • Poland Hubert Skolik (1964)
  • Hungary Ferenc Farsang (1964–65)
  • Poland W. Giergiel (1 July 1965–30 June 66)
  • Hungary Géza Kalocsay (1 July 1966–30 June 69)
  • Poland Michał Matyas (1969–70)
  • Hungary Ferenc Szusza (1970–71)
  • Poland A. Brzeżańczyk (1 July 1971–30 April 72)
  • Poland Jan Kowalski (1972)
  • Hungary Gyula Szücs (1972)
  • Poland Jan Kowalski (1972–73)
  • Poland Teodor Wieczorek (1973–75)
  • Poland Andrzej Gajewski (1975–76)
  • Poland Józef Trepka (1976)
  • Poland Hubert Kostka (30 May 1976–5 Dec 77)
  • Poland W. Jan Żmuda (13 Dec 1977–24 May 80)
  • Poland Zdzisław Podedworny (1980–83)
  • Poland Hubert Kostka (1 Dec 1983–30 May 86)
  • Poland L. Ćmikiewicz (1 June 1986–14 Oct 86)
  • Poland A. Piechniczek (15 Oct 1986–30 June 87)
  • Poland M. Bochynek (1 July 1987–30 June 89)
  • Poland Zdzisław Podedworny (1989)
  • Poland Jan Kisiel (1989–90)
  • Poland Jan Kowalski (1990–92)
  • Poland Janusz Kowalik (1992)
  • Poland Alojzy Łysk (1992–93)
  • Poland Henryk Apostel (1 July 1993–31 Dec 93)
  • Poland Hubert Kostka (1 Jan 1994–22 May 94)
  • Poland E. Lorens (23 May 1994–2 June 95)
  • Poland Stanisław Oślizło (1995)
  • Poland Adam Michalski (1995–96)
  • Poland Jan Kowalski (1996)
  • Poland Jan Żurek (11 Aug 1996–11 Sept 96)
  • Poland Piotr Kocąb (1996)
  • Poland Henryk Apostel (1 Jan 1997–10 Nov 97)
  • Poland Jan Kowalski (1997)
  • Poland Jan Żurek (1 Dec 1997–15 March 00)
  • Poland J. Dankowski (int.) (16 Mar 2000–19 Mar 00)
  • Poland M. Bochynek (20 March 2000–9 April 00)
  • Poland M. Broniszewski (10 April 2000–16 Sept 00)
  • Poland J. Dankowski (17 Sept 2000–7 May 01)
  • Poland M. Piotrowicz (2001)
  • Poland W. Fornalik (10 May 2001–31 Oct 01)
  • Poland M. Piotrowicz (2 Nov 2001–31 Dec 01)
  • Poland W. Fornalik (12 Jan 2002–4 April 04)
  • Czech Republic Verner Lička (5 April 2004–13 Dec 04)
  • Poland Edward Lorens (13 Dec 2004–3 Feb 05)
  • Poland M. Wleciałowski (7 Feb 2005–31 Oct 05)
  • Poland Marek Motyka (4 Nov 2005–13 Jan 06)
  • Poland R. Komornicki (13 Jan 2006–19 April 06)
  • Poland P. Cecherz (int.) (19 April 2006–26 April 06)
  • Poland Marek Motyka (26 April 2006–12 Dec 06)
  • Poland Zdzisław Podedworny (2006–07)
  • Poland M. Motyka (13 March 2007–20 May 07)
  • Poland Marek Kostrzewa (2007)
  • Poland Marek Piotrowicz (2007)
  • Poland R. Wieczorek (1 July 2007–10 Sept 08)
  • Poland M. Bochynek (int.) (2 Sept 2008–16 Sept 08)
  • Poland H. Kasperczak (16 Sept 2008–3 June 09)
  • Poland R. Komornicki (18 June 2009–15 Dec 09)
  • Poland Adam Nawałka (1 Jan 2010–31 Oct 13)
  • Poland B. Zając (int.) (1 Nov 2013–10 Nov 13)
  • Poland R. Wieczorek (12 Nov 2013–9 March 14)
  • Poland R. Warzycha (12 March 2014–30 June 14)
  • Poland J. Dankowski (1 July 2014–30 June 15)
  • Poland R. Warzycha (1 July 2015–13 Aug 15)
  • Poland L. Ojrzyński (13 Aug 2015–3 March 16)
  • Poland J. Żurek (3 March 2016–2 June 16)
  • Poland M. Brosz (3 June 2016–27 May 21)
  • Poland J. Urban (27 May 2021 – 15 June 2022)
  • Germany B. Gaul (23 June 2022–present)

Supporters and rivalries

92.Wielkie Derby Śląska
Górnik Zabrze supporters during the Great Silesian Derby

Górnik Zabrze is believed to have one of the largest and most loyal fanbases in Poland, especially in the Upper Silesian metropolitan area. In the 2016–17 season, Górnik Zabrze drew the highest average home attendance (10,636) of all second level Polish football clubs. They also drew the highest attendance in their league (20,987). After their comeback to the top flight in 2017, Górnik drew the highest average home attendance in Polish football, surpassing current top teams Lech Poznań and Legia Warsaw, with most league games being sold-out.

Górnik holds a long-standing rivalry with Upper Silesian side Ruch Chorzów, known as the Great Silesian Derby. Other main rivals are Piast Gliwice, Polonia Bytom, Legia Warsaw and Zagłębie Sosnowiec.

Torcida Zabrze is named after the ultras of Torcida Split, with whom they have friendly relations; together they are called United Torcida. The have also friendly relations with fans of ROW Rybnik, Wisłoka Dębica, and GKS Katowice; the latter in past used to be a rival. Fans of Concordia Knurów, Naprzód Rydłutowy, Slavia Ruda Śląska and Czarni Pyskowice are also Górnik fan-clubs.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Górnik Zabrze para niños

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