FKS Stal Mielec (Polish pronunciation: [ˈstal ˈmjɛlɛt͡s]) is a Polish football club based in Mielec, Poland. The club was established on April 10, 1939. Historically, the club has enjoyed great successes within Poland's Ekstraklasa, winning the title twice (in 1973 and 1976) but had undergone significant management changes and financial difficulties within the past two decades, which forced the club from participation in the Poland's top league. After winning the third-tier II liga title in 2016, Stal Mielec was promoted to I liga. After finishing first in I liga in 2020, Stal Mielec was promoted to the Ekstraklasa for the first time since the 1995–96 season.

Stal Mielec
Full nameFKS Stal Mielec
Nickname(s)Biało-niebiescy (White-blues)
Founded10 April 1939; 85 years ago (1939-04-10)
GroundStadion Miejski w Mielcu
Solskiego 1 Street,
Mielec, Poland
Capacity7,000[1]
ChairmanJacek Klimek
ManagerKamil Kiereś[2]
LeagueEkstraklasa
2022–23Ekstraklasa, 11th of 18
WebsiteClub website
Current season
Old Ground: Stadion Miejski w Mielcu
Old Ground: Stadion Miejski w Mielcu

History edit

Naming history edit

  • 1939 – Klub Sportowy PZL Mielec
  • 1946 – Robotniczy Klub Sportowy PZL Zryw Mielec
  • 1948 – Związkowy Klub Sportowy Metalowców PZL Mielec
  • 1949 – Związkowy Klub Sportowy Stal Mielec
  • 1950 – Koło Sportowe Stal przy Wytwórni Sprzętu Komunikacyjnego Mielec
  • 1957 – Fabryczny Klub Sportowy Stal Mielec
  • 1977 – Fabryczny Klub Sportowy PZL Stal Mielec
  • 1995 – Autonomiczna Sekcja Piłki Nożnej FKS PZL Stal Mielec
  • 1997 – Mielecki Klub Piłkarski Stal Mielec
  • 1998 – Mielecki Klub Piłkarski Lobo Stal Mielec
  • 1999 – Mielecki Klub Piłkarski Stal Mielec
  • 2002 – Klub Sportowy Stal Mielec
  • 2003 – Klub Sportowy FKS Stal Mielec

1939–1945 - the beginning and interwar period edit

The football club was one of the first two (next to the volleyball club) at the PZL Mielec, established in 1939. The team was made up of players playing in other clubs in Mielec and employees of the PZL, an aerospace company. In the first match played, the team defeated the Gymnastic Society "Sokół" Mielec with 4–1 victory. Three more matches were played against Dzikovia Tarnobrzeg (2–1), Metal Tarnów (3–1) and a team made up of players from an ammunition factory in Nowa Dęba (6–1). The match against Okęcie Warszawa planned for September did not take place, because World War II started and any sports games were forbidden. However, the matches were played illegally in the meadows beyond the communal forest and in other towns (including Dębica, Kolbuszowa, Sandomierz). The only official match was played against a German military unit and ended with the score 1–2.

Achievements edit

Participation in European cups edit

  • Quarter-finalists of the UEFA Cup in the 1975–76 season.
  • First round participants of the UEFA Cup in the 1979–80 season.
  • First round participants of the UEFA Cup in the 1982–83 season.
  • First round participants of the European Champions Cup in the 1973–74 season.
  • First round participants of the European Champions Cup in the 1976–77 season.

Lower League Championships edit

Stadium edit

 
New Ground: Stadion Miejski w Mielcu

The construction of the club's current stadium, Stadion Miejski w Mielcu, was concluded in 1953. The stadium underwent a major renovation, completed in 2013. It maintains a seating capacity for 7,000 spectators. Before the 2013 renovation, it maintained seating capacity for 30,000 spectators, and hosted numerous European Champions Cup, UEFA Cup, and Poland national team matches, including FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship qualifiers.

Individual Player Awards edit

Ekstraklasa Top Goalscorer

  • 1973 - Grzegorz Lato - 13 goals
  • 1975 - Grzegorz Lato - 19 goals
  • 1995 - Bogusław Cygan - 16 goals

Award given by Piłka Nożna:

  • Player of the Year
  • Newcomer of the Year
    • 1975 - Zbigniew Hnatio
    • 1978 - Włodzimierz Ciołek

Award given by Przegląd Sportowy

  • Polish Athlete of the Year
    • 1974 - 4th place - Grzegorz Lato
    • 1977 - 5th place - Grzegorz Lato

Award given by Sport

  • Player of the Year
    • 1974 - Grzegorz Lato
    • 1976 - Henryk Kasperczak
    • 1977 - Grzegorz Lato

Award given by Tempo

  • Goalkeeper of the Year
    • 1979 - Zygmunt Kukla

Reserves edit

Stal Mielec II
LeagueRegional league, gr. Dębica
2022–23IV liga Subcarpathia, 16th of 18 (relegated) [3]
WebsiteClub website

The club operates a reserve team which currently plays in the Dębica group of the regional league, the sixth tier of the league pyramid. During the 2020–21 season, a third team participated in the regional league, as well as the Subcarpathian RzeszówDębica Polish Cup edition.[4][5]

Current squad edit

As of 24 February 2024[6]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   POL Mateusz Kochalski
3 DF   NED Bert Esselink
4 DF   POL Kamil Pajnowski
5 DF   ROU Marco Ehmann
6 DF   BRA Leândro
7 MF   POL Łukasz Gerstenstein (on loan from Śląsk Wrocław)
8 MF   JPN Koki Hinokio
10 MF   POL Maciej Domański
11 MF   POL Krzysztof Wołkowicz
12 GK   POL Mateusz Dudek
13 GK   POL Konrad Jałocha
16 MF   MLT Matthew Guillaumier
17 FW   BLR Ilya Shkurin (on loan from CSKA Moscow)
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 MF   POL Piotr Wlazło
21 DF   POL Mateusz Matras
22 MF   POR Rafael Santos
23 DF   POL Krystian Getinger (captain)
25 MF   POL Łukasz Wolsztyński
27 DF   LVA Alvis Jaunzems
29 MF   POL Jakub Rozwadowski (on loan from Raków Częstochowa)
31 MF   ROU Ion Gheorghe (on loan from Sepsi)
36 MF   POL Szymon Gierlach
37 MF   POL Mateusz Stępień
42 FW   FIN Kai Meriluoto (on loan from HJK)
55 DF   POL Maksymilian Pingot (on loan from Lech Poznań)
86 MF   POL Igor Strzałek (on loan from Legia Warsaw)

Out on loan edit

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
14 MF   POL Przemysław Maj (at Czarni Połaniec until 30 June 2024)
30 MF   POL Konrad Guca (at Czarni Połaniec until 30 June 2024)
No. Pos. Nation Player
96 MF   POL Krystian Kardyś (at Czarni Połaniec until 30 June 2024)
MF   POL David Poreba (at Chicago Fire FC II until 31 December 2024)

Notable players edit

Managers edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Stadion Stali Mielec at stalmielec.com
  2. ^ "Kamil Kiereś trenerem Stali Mielec". www.90minut.pl.
  3. ^ "IV liga 2022/2023, grupa: podkarpacka". www.90minut.pl.
  4. ^ "Skarb - Stal III Mielec". www.90minut.pl.
  5. ^ "Puchar Polski 2020/2021, grupa: Podkarpacki ZPN - Rzeszów-Dębica". www.90minut.pl.
  6. ^ "Stal Mielec squad". Stal Mielec. 29 January 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "Historia". 29 January 2014.

External links edit

50°17′55″N 21°26′9″E / 50.29861°N 21.43583°E / 50.29861; 21.43583