History of NK Čelik Zenica
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Nogometni klub Čelik Zenica (Lang-en: Football Club Čelik Zenica) is a professional football club from Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The club was founded on June 16, 1945, with the initiative of a group of veterans of the Second World War. NK Čelik Zenica was founded as a symbol of the strength of the club and its connection with the workers of city's metallurgical industry. Čelik played first official competition in the 1946-47 season in the Republic League of SR Bosnia and Herzegovina where Čelik finished fourth.[1] The greatest successes were made in seventies. Čelik played a total of 17 seasons in the highest rank of Yugoslavia.
Čelik achieved greatest successes in the seventies of the 20th century. They won the Mitropa Cup twice in a row, with the victories over SV Austria Salzburg (1970-71) and AFC Fiorentina (1971-72). They were runners-up twice in the mentioned competition in the seasons 1972-73 and 1979-80. Of the other strides in Europe, it is worth mentioning winning Group 10 in the 1975 UEFA Intertoto Cup.
Since the independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina, NK Čelik has consistently played in the highest league, winning the league three times in a row (1994-95, 1995-96 and 1996-97) and the national cup twice in a row (1994-95 and 1995-96), until the 2019-20 season when it is relegated, and by the decision of the club assembly, the competition continues in the lowest tier - the League of Zenica-Doboj Canton.[2] In addition, Čelik achieved third place in the 2007-08 season and was runner-up twice in the Cup of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In recent history, Čelik has played in the UEFA Intertoto Cup twice. In 2001, Čelik eliminated Denizlispor from Türkiye with a total score of 6-3 in the first round of the competition. In the first game of the second round, Čelik recorded a victory - 1-0 over KAA Gent, but lost in the second leg 2-0 and ended their campaign. 2008 presents Čelik's last appearance in Europe, again in the UEFA Intertoto Cup, where after a total score of 4-4, because of the away goal rule, Čelik was eliminated by Montenegrin side Grbalj. Čelik currently competes in the First League of FBiH after winning the Cantonal league in the 2020-21 and Second League FBiH - Center in 2022-23 season, respectively. With the victory over the team Klis Buturović Polje in the play-off for the First League of FBiH, with a total score of 4-1,[3] Čelik earned the right to participate in the First League of FBiH in the 2023-24 season.
Early years and beginnings[edit]
NK Čelik was founded in 1945 in liberated Zenica by a group of war veterans. The group of veterans consisted of: Juro Primorac, Ilija Marković, Slavko Trbojević, Zdenko Mazanek, Rašo Bačevina, Milivoje Čelić and Mehmed Haramandić. Zdenek Mazanek was given the honor of giving the club in newly liberated Zenica the name that symbolizes the city of steel and metallurgical industry.
First players to play under the flag of newly founded club were: Ivica Andrić, Hazim Pojskić, Jure Primorac, Alija Penjić, Slavo Trbojević, Nazif Soldin, Mujo Mujkić, Slavko Mihačević, Alija Smajlović, Vinko Leki, Ismet Mecan, Hodža Imamović, Vlado Radeta, Nane Nakonesni, Rutko Knez, Osman Smriko, Mile Bakotić, Franc Pavlić, Ahmet Milović, Husnija Sinanović, Anto Džanesić, Salih Pojskić.
Shortly after Čelik was founded, Čelik played first matched. And while the team was still having fresh start in world of football by playing friendly matches with teams mostly from the surrounding area, eliminatory matches to enter the First Republic League of Socialistic Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina came. This league included the following clubs: Velež (Mostar), Borac (Banja Luka), Jedinstvo (Bihać), Proleter (Teslić), Sloboda (Tuzla), Bratstvo (Travnik), Udarnik and Sloboda (Sarajevo) and of course Čelik (Zenica).
In the 1946-47 football season, Čelik players started more than successfully. In the first five rounds, they won the most points and took the top position in the table. After that, it came to a drop in form and they gradually fell in the table, so that in the end they took a solid fourth place, while the championship title went to Velež from Mostar. The second was Sarajevo's Torpedo, which was created by the fusion of Udarnik and Sloboda Sarajevo.
In season 1947-48. the Republic League was abolished, and the competition was organized in five Sub-Federal Leagues. In the Second group of the Sub-federal league Sarajevo, then FK Čelik (the name NK Čelik will be assigned a little later) has convincingly won first place and gained the right to compete in the newly established Republic League. It's interesting that Čelik was in the meantime playing for entry into the Second League with the champions of the other sub-associations. In addition to Čelik, Milicioner, Velež, 1. Maj, Radnik and Borac participated in the "filtering". It was a competition carried out according to the double cup system, and Čelik was already eliminated at the start by the team 1. Maj.
In season 1948-49, the Republican League was renewed and included 12 teams, the best clubs from Socialistic Republic of BiH. In that season, FK Čelik achieved fifth place, which allowed Čelik to play for the Third Federal League against Radnik from Bijeljina and Borac from Banja Luka. Playing on a very difficult and muddy field at the "Sesti April" stadium in Sarajevo, they won the same number of points as the first-placed Borac, but due to a worse goal difference, Borac achieved promotion to Third League.
In the 1949/50 season, Čelik's team did not yet have enough experience for greater achievements. Thus, they finished as fourth placed team in the league.
References[edit]
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20170915204705/http://www.exyufudbal.in.rs/tabele/9-sezone-tabele-sfrj/7-1946-1947#republikanska-liga-nr-bosna-i-hercegovina
- ↑ E.M. (13 July 2020). "Čelik takmičenje nastavlja u Kantonalnoj ligi, izabrana i nova uprava kluba" (in Bosnian). Klix.ba. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
- ↑ https://sportsport.ba/fudbal/baraz-za-prvu-ligu-fbih-celik-klis-utakmica/452565, (in Bosnian). sportsport.ba. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
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