Victoria Jaworzno

GKS Victoria Jaworzno is a Polish football and boxing club based in Jaworzno, Poland.[1] It is the oldest Polish miner's football club.

GKS Victoria Jaworzno
Full nameGórniczy Klub Sportowy Victoria Jaworzno
Nickname(s)Vica
Founded1918 (re-founded 2014)
Dissolved2011–2014
GroundStadion Miejski "Victoria" (Municipal Stadium "Victoria")
ChairmanAntoni Kajzer
LeagueKlasa B, Group I – Chrzanów (VIII division)

History and etymology

The club's origins date back to 1914, however it was an unofficial gathering more so than a functioning sports club. After Poland re-gained independence in 1918, among the people returning from the front-lines of World War I was a man named Emil Dawidowicz. Emil with the help of his two friends, Rudolf Hot, a plumber from Moravian Ostrava, and Rudolf Gloser, a baker from Bielsko founded TSV Jaworzno (Towarzystwo Sportowe Victoria Jaworzno). They chose the name Victoria after the then popular Czech klub Viktoria Žižkov. 1918 is the club's official founding date as that is when the club charter, rules and regulations were established.

In 1974 the club changed its name to GKS Jaworzno, in reference to its mining community (GKS stands for Górniczy Klub Sportowy, which means "Mining Sport Club") after a merger with Górnik Jaworzno and Azotania Jaworzno. The merger was a flop and in 1981 the historical name "Victoria" was re-incorporated once again.[2]

The club has spent the majority of its history between the third and fifth tiers of Polish football.

In 2011, the club ceased to exist,[3] due to ongoing financial troubles.[4] The club's ground was demolished and listed for redevelopment.[5]

In June 2014, the club was re-founded and fielded a senior football team in the lowest division for the 2014/2015 season.[6] The new Victoria has no legal ties to the previous association and was re-activated due to a handful of loyal supporters.[7] On 23 August 2014 the club played its first league match since its rebirth away against Lew Olszyny.

Fans

The fan movement started in 1982/83, one of the first. The fans were unique in the fact that as well as following the football team, they also attended the team's boxing matches. In the 80's and 90's the fan group Desperados strongly identified with the skinhead movement and extreme right-wing ideology.[8]

The club's biggest rival are fellow locals Szczakowianka Jaworzno. They have good relations with fans of Fablok Chrzanów since 1995 and handball fans of MTS Chrzanów.[9]

The fans still remain loyal to the colours despite the club's disappearance, and there were frequent talks of re-establishment of the club.[10][11] Those talks proved worthwhile as the fans played a crucial role in the club's rebirth, and the fans made up a majority of the squad for the inaugural 2014/15 season.

References
  1. Maciej Kusina (27 July 1974). "Skarb – Victoria Jaworzno". 90minut.pl. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  2. "ocalic od zapomnienia victoria jaworzno". Slask.sport.pl. 14 January 2014. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  3. "Trwa procedura likwidacji Górniczego Klubu Sportowego Victoria Jaworzno". victoria.jaworzno.pl. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  4. "Victoria Jaworzno wycofana z ligi. "Miasto pokazało gdzie nas ma" – sport śląski, piłka nożna, siatkówka, hokej, żużel". Sportslaski.pl. 12 March 2011. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  5. : Redaktor (21 March 2002). "Stadion Victorii Jaworzno przechodzi do historii [zdjęcia]jaworznianin.pl". jaworznianin.pl. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  6. "Victoria Jaworzno znów działa! Klub ma zagrać w chrzanowskiej B-klasie – Jaworzno – Naszemiasto.pl". Jaworzno.naszemiasto.pl. 12 August 2014. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  7. "Reaktywował się klub Jana Urbana! – Niższe ligi". Katowickisport.pl. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  8. To My Kibice magazine nr2(149), February 2014, Supporter magazine pp.40–45
  9. To My Kibice magazine nr2(149), February 2014, pp.40–45, Supporter magazine
  10. "Victoria Jaworzno – NaszeMiasto.pl". Jaworzno.naszemiasto.pl. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  11. "kibice chca reaktywowac victorie jaworzno". Slask.sport.pl. 26 March 2014. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  • (in Polish) – Official Club page
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