Lechia Gdansk
Encyclopedia
Lechia Gdańsk (ˈlɛxja ˈɡdaɲsk) is a Polish football
club based in Gdańsk
, Poland
. The club's name comes from Lechia
, a poetic name for Poland. The club was founded by people expelled from Lwów
, who were supporters of Lechia Lwów
. Founded in 1945, Lechia was a powerhouse in Polish football during the mid-1950s. Next decades were lean, the team returned to form in early the 1980s, winning a Cup of Poland, a Super Cup, and playing in the UEFA Cup Winners Cup, where it lost to Juventus Turin. In May 2008 the club was promoted again to the Polish top division.
named at the time "BOP Baltia Gdańsk". In 1946 the club name was changed to "Lechia". The first historic promotion to the Polish Ekstraklasa occurred in 1948.
After a season in the Polish Ekstraklasa, Lechia was relegated in 1949 to the Second Division. The club again changed its name to "Budowlani", advancing to the Polish Ekstraklasa in 1951 and being relegated again in 1953 for a season. In the 1956 season, Lechia finished 3rd in the Polish Ekstraklasa, which is the greatest achievement in the club's history so far. Lechia was relegated for the third time after the 1962-1963 season of the Polish Ekstraklasa, and then was relegatged from the Second Division in the 1966-1967 season. They returned to the Second Division in the 1972-1973 season, but was short lived as they were relegated after the 1981-1982 season.
In spite of that the 1980s have been regarded as the rebirth of the club. Lechia was promoted to the Polish 2nd Division in the 1982-1983 season. In 1983 the club achieved his biggest successes so far: first by winning the Polish Cup
with a 2-1 victory over Piast Gliwice
in the final and later by winning the Polish Supercup
. In 1984 Lechia finally managed to get promoted to Ekstraklasa after 21 years of absence. The club played in the top league 4 years but in 1988 suffered a decline in form which resulted in another relegation to second division. Lechia normally relegated from West (Zachodnia) Group of second division bu merged with Olimpia Poznań, was Ekstraklasa club, and became Lechia/Olimpia Gdańsk in 1995 summer. Lechia/Olimpia Gdańsk relegated to second division in 1995-96 season and third division in 1996-97 one. After relegation to second division Olimpia left from the merger in 1996 but Lechia kept Lechia/Olimpia name. After end of 1997-98 season Lechia merged with Polonia Gdańsk, was second division club, and became Lechia/Polonia Gdańsk in 1998 summer. Lechia/Polonia merger was broken up after relegation to third division. Lechia began from Gdansk 4 Group of Klasa A, which was sixth level of Polish league in 2001-2002. Lechia promoted to second division in 2005 after successive four promotions as champions: To Group Gdansk 2 of Klasa okręgowa in 2002, Pomerania (Pomorska) Group of fourth league in 2003, Second Group (Grupa II) of Third League in 2004. Lechia finished second division (now First League) as 10th in 2005-2006 season and 5th in 2006-2007 one.
At the end of the 2007/08 season Lechia managed to get promoted to extraklasa again as champions.
On 28 January 2009 the members of OSP Lechia Gdańsk signed a document that formed the new Lechia Gdańsk S.A.
. It is therefore not unusual to see anticommunist slogans or phrases like "we make history" on the stands. The leader of the movement, Lech Wałęsa
is a supporter of the club together with other prominent figures in polish politics such as Prime Minister Donald Tusk
.
The archrivals are Arka Gdynia
which come from the same region, the Tricity. Lechia's fans have an alliance with Śląsk Wrocław and Wisła Kraków fans.
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 Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
, 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's name comes from Lechia
Lechia
Lechia is the historical and/or alternative name of Poland., stemming from the word Lech . It is still present in several European languages and some languages of Central Asia and the Middle East:...
, a poetic name for Poland. The club was founded by people expelled from Lwów
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
, who were supporters of Lechia Lwów
Lechia Lwów
Lechia Lwów was the first Polish professional football club, founded on summer 1903 in Lwów....
. Founded in 1945, Lechia was a powerhouse in Polish football during the mid-1950s. Next decades were lean, the team returned to form in early the 1980s, winning a Cup of Poland, a Super Cup, and playing in the UEFA Cup Winners Cup, where it lost to Juventus Turin. In May 2008 the club was promoted again to the Polish top division.
Achievements
- Ekstraklasa:
- 3rd Place:: 1956Ekstraklasa 1956-League standings:-References:*...
- 3rd Place:: 1956
- 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...
:- Winner:(1): 1983
- Finalist:(1) 1955
- Semi-Finalist:(2) 2010, 2011
- 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...
:- Winner:(1): 1983
- UEFA Cup Winners Cup:
- 1st round: 1983-84
History
The club was founded in 1945 in GdańskGdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
named at the time "BOP Baltia Gdańsk". In 1946 the club name was changed to "Lechia". The first historic promotion to the Polish Ekstraklasa occurred in 1948.
- Debut Match in Ekstraklasa: March 20, 1949, Cracovia - Lechia Gdańsk 5:1
- 1st Win in Ekstraklasa: March 27, 1949, Lechia Gdańsk - 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...
5:3
After a season in the Polish Ekstraklasa, Lechia was relegated in 1949 to the Second Division. The club again changed its name to "Budowlani", advancing to the Polish Ekstraklasa in 1951 and being relegated again in 1953 for a season. In the 1956 season, Lechia finished 3rd in the Polish Ekstraklasa, which is the greatest achievement in the club's history so far. Lechia was relegated for the third time after the 1962-1963 season of the Polish Ekstraklasa, and then was relegatged from the Second Division in the 1966-1967 season. They returned to the Second Division in the 1972-1973 season, but was short lived as they were relegated after the 1981-1982 season.
In spite of that the 1980s have been regarded as the rebirth of the club. Lechia was promoted to the Polish 2nd Division in the 1982-1983 season. In 1983 the club achieved his biggest successes so far: first by winning 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...
with a 2-1 victory over Piast Gliwice
Piast Gliwice
Gliwicki Klub Sportowy Piast Gliwice is a Polish football club based in Gliwice, Poland. Founded in June 1945 by the Poles who had been forced to leave their homeland in present-day Western Ukraine, Piast's football team played as many as 32 seasons in the Polish Second Division, before finally...
in the final and later by winning the Polish Supercup
Polish SuperCup
The 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...
. In 1984 Lechia finally managed to get promoted to Ekstraklasa after 21 years of absence. The club played in the top league 4 years but in 1988 suffered a decline in form which resulted in another relegation to second division. Lechia normally relegated from West (Zachodnia) Group of second division bu merged with Olimpia Poznań, was Ekstraklasa club, and became Lechia/Olimpia Gdańsk in 1995 summer. Lechia/Olimpia Gdańsk relegated to second division in 1995-96 season and third division in 1996-97 one. After relegation to second division Olimpia left from the merger in 1996 but Lechia kept Lechia/Olimpia name. After end of 1997-98 season Lechia merged with Polonia Gdańsk, was second division club, and became Lechia/Polonia Gdańsk in 1998 summer. Lechia/Polonia merger was broken up after relegation to third division. Lechia began from Gdansk 4 Group of Klasa A, which was sixth level of Polish league in 2001-2002. Lechia promoted to second division in 2005 after successive four promotions as champions: To Group Gdansk 2 of Klasa okręgowa in 2002, Pomerania (Pomorska) Group of fourth league in 2003, Second Group (Grupa II) of Third League in 2004. Lechia finished second division (now First League) as 10th in 2005-2006 season and 5th in 2006-2007 one.
At the end of the 2007/08 season Lechia managed to get promoted to extraklasa again as champions.
On 28 January 2009 the members of OSP Lechia Gdańsk signed a document that formed the new Lechia Gdańsk S.A.
Historic Club Names
- 1945: Baltia Gdańsk
- 1946: Klub Sportowy Lechia Gdańsk
- 1950: Budowlani Gdańsk
- 1955: Budowlany Klub Sportowy Lechia Gdańsk
- 1992: FC Lechia (S.A.)
- 1995: Lechia/Olimpia Gdańsk
- 1996: Klub Sportowy Lechia Gdańsk
- 1998: Lechia/Polonia Gdańsk
- 2001: Ośrodek Szkolenia Piłkarskiego Lechia Gdańsk
- 2009: Lechia Gdańsk (S.A.)
Managers
| Ryszard Koncewicz Ryszard Koncewicz Ryszard Tadeusz Koncewicz was a Polish soccer player as well as a coach. In the interbellum period, Koncewicz played without notable successes for Lechia Lwów... /  Vaclav Kriżek (1949)
|
Janusz Kupcewicz Janusz Bogdan Kupcewicz is a retired Polish football player.He played for clubs such as Stomil Olsztyn, Arka Gdynia, Lech Poznań, AS Saint-Etienne, Larissa, Lechia Gdańsk and Adanaspor... (1995) Hubert Kostka Hubert Kostka Hubert Jerzy Kostka is a retired Polish soccer goalkeeper, who represented both Górnik Zabrze, and the Polish National Team. Kostka participated in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, where Poland won gold medal... (1995-96) |
Stanisław Stachura (1996) Józef Gładysz (1996-97)
 Stanisław Stachura (1998-99) Jerzy Jastrzębowski (1999-00)Tomasz Kafarski Tomasz Kafarski is a Polish football manager and former footballer. Since 2009 he has managed Lechia Gdańsk.-External links:*... (2007) Dariusz Kubicki Dariusz Kubicki Dariusz Jan Kubicki is a former Polish football player and the current manager of Dolcan Ząbki.-Playing career:... (2007-08) Jacek Zieliński (2008-09) Tomasz Kafarski Tomasz Kafarski Tomasz Kafarski is a Polish football manager and former footballer. Since 2009 he has managed Lechia Gdańsk.-External links:*... (2009-?) |
The Fans
In the 1980s many of the club's fans were active in the Solidarity movement which was fighting the communist regime in PolandPoland
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...
. It is therefore not unusual to see anticommunist slogans or phrases like "we make history" on the stands. The leader of the movement, Lech Wałęsa
Lech Wałęsa
Lech Wałęsa is a Polish politician, trade-union organizer, and human-rights activist. A charismatic leader, he co-founded Solidarity , the Soviet bloc's first independent trade union, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983, and served as President of Poland between 1990 and 95.Wałęsa was an electrician...
is a supporter of the club together with other prominent figures in polish politics such as Prime Minister Donald Tusk
Donald Tusk
Donald Franciszek Tusk is a Polish politician who has been Prime Minister of Poland since 2007. He was a co-founder and is chairman of the Civic Platform party....
.
The archrivals are 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...
which come from the same region, the Tricity. Lechia's fans have an alliance with Śląsk Wrocław and Wisła Kraków fans.
Current squad
Out on loan
Lechia in Europe
| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983/84 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1983-84 The season 1983-84 of the European Cup Winners' Cup was won by Juventus F.C. in a final against FC Porto. The next year, the club went on to complete a full complement of European trophies with the European Cup.-Preliminary round:-First 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... |
1R |  |
Juventus | 0-7, 2-3 |
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...
External links
- Official website (in Polish)
- Fan's website
- Fan's website (in Polish)