Warta Poznań

The green colours of Warta displayed on Poznań's Town Hall honouring the club's 100th anniversary in 2012

On 15 June 1912, the Warta Poznań Sports Club (Klub Sportowy Warta Poznań) was established, which later became known as "the first lady of Wielkopolska". Its founders were young Poles who previously played in the German clubs in Poznań, including Marian Bey, Stefan Malinowski, Stefan Mórkowski, brothers Edmund and Franciszek Szyc and Ludwik Zysnarski. They were included in the first board of the club, whose first president - as the oldest member of the board - became Franciszek Szyc. His brother Edmund was appointed secretary, and Marian Bey was the team captain. At the founding meeting, white and green were chosen as statutory colours. In addition to football, Warta formed an athletics section in 1912 and then a tennis section in 1914.[5]

During German rule, matches involving Polish teams were forbidden, which prompted the decision to organize the first Wielkopolska football championship in 1913, in which three teams participated: Warta Poznań, Posnania and Ostrovia Ostrów Wielkopolski. Warta became the first champion. The results were as follows: Posnania - Warta 1–1, Warta - Ostrovia 3–2, Ostrovia - Warta 3–4, Warta - Posnania 2–2.[6]

The inaugural championship of the region resulted in a surge of football popularity in Poznań. New football teams emerged such as Trytonia[6] founded in Łazarz and a team called Sparta established in Jeżyce. In 1914, despite the start of hostilities related to the outbreak of World War I, efforts were made in Poznań to organize sports events, which was made more difficult by the martial law imposed by the Germans. In general, the regulations did not allow any kind of meeting or assembly to be held without official permits. Despite these difficulties, in 1914 the second Wielkopolska Championships were held, in which only two teams participated: Warta Poznań and KS Posnania. In this two-legged tie, Warta smoothly defeated Posnania 6–3[7] and 2–1.[8]

There is no reliable information about the 1915 Wielkopolska championship. But Warta also played various friendly matches against Polish and German teams during the war years, including Fever Kościan (1–3 and 5–5) and DSV Posen (2–2) in 1915, and Stella Gniezno (2–2) in 1916. Particularly noteworthy was the 4–0 victory against DSV Posen in 1916 - DSV (Deutscher Sport Verein) was a German football club considered the best football club in Poznań until then.[9] In 1917, Warta celebrated its 5th anniversary year by organising a tournament with the participation of the best football teams from Poznań.

Also in 1917, Franciszek Rotnicki became chairman of the club and, during his chairmanship (1917-1924), he laid the structural foundations for Warta's future successes. It was said at the time: "... A man of great authority, energetic and enterprising. It is he, together with a skilfully selected group of associates, who builds solid foundations for the future size of the club in this difficult period.".[10]

Warta Poznań football team in 1920, Edmund Szyc (football player wearing glasses), chairman Rotnicki standing (second from right)

World War I hostilities caused enormous losses. Out of 100 Warta club members in 1914, 45 fought in the war, and two founding members – Edmund Szyc and Stefan Malinowski – died in the war.[11] During the successful Greater Poland Uprising against German partitioning authorities, many footballers from Poznań volunteered for military service to fight for their country but the restoration of an independent Polish state after 123 years in 1918 also provided new opportunities, as Polish sports clubs were able to function without interference from foreign powers.

In 1919, pre-war sports structures were re-activated, and the first post-war Wielkopolska championship was held. Five teams entered the competition, including four teams from Poznań - Unia, Warta, Posnania, and Pogoń - as well as Ostrovia from Ostrów Wielkopolski. Warta won the championship, after beating Ostrovia 7–1, Unia 3–2, Posnania 7–0 and Pogoń 7–0. In the following year, the regional championship was abandoned because of the Polish-Soviet War.[12]

Friendly match against Cracovia in August 1924, Władysław Przybysz of Warta on the right

In 1921, the first Polish national football championship was successfully held (the championship was previously started and then abandoned in 1920 because of the Polish–Soviet War). It was run similar to a cup competition, according to the "spring-autumn" system, until 1927. In the spring, Warta participated in the Klasa A regional district championship (Warta became champion in 1921, 1922, 1923 and 1926, in 1924-1925 no champion was crowned), with football clubs from Wielkopolska such as Warta,[13] Pogoń and Stella Gniezno.[14] In the autumn, the winners from five regional districts played against each other at national level. Under the club chairmanship of Stanisław Broniarz (chairman 1924 to 1927, deputy chairman 1927 to 1929), Warta was a leading proponent and founding member of the Polish football league, which was launched in 1927.[15]

The interwar period was Warta's golden era and Warta was a leading football team in Poland. Between 1922 and 1928, Warta was always in the top three teams in the Polish football championship (there was no championship in 1924). Finally, with the Hungarian coach Béla Fűrst in charge, Warta won its first Polish football championship in 1929.[16] In that season, Warta won 15 out of 24 league matches, it lost fewest goals of all teams (33) and it had - jointly with Cracovia - the best goal difference (+25).[17]

The global economic crisis of 1929 negatively affected Polish sports clubs, including Warta. Despite these difficulties, throughout the 1930s, Warta was again in the top three football clubs in the top division on four occasions. In 1932, Kajetan Kryszkiewicz and Friedrich Scherfke were jointly the top goal scorers in the league, with 15 goals each. Other sports disciplines also fared well. In 1920, the Poznań municipal government handed over large sports grounds to Warta. Warta launched new sports sections, including field hockey (1923), boxing (1924), swimming (1928) and ice hockey (1930).[18] Warta's boxing team won the Polish championship 11 times and Warta's athletics team won the Polish championship five times.

Match against Ruch Hajduki Wielkie in 1937, Wilimowski on the ball, Kajetan Kryszkiewicz and Edmund Twórz of Warta defending

Warta Poznań encouraged innovations in sports in the inter-war period. In 1929, the victorious Warta match against the Dutch champions Philips Eindhoven (today's PSV Eindhoven) was the first football match broadcast on Polish radio (Warta won 5–2).[19] In September 1933, the Warta match against Legia Poznań was the first football match in Poland to be played using artificial lighting.[20]

Polish teams did not yet participate in annual European football club competitions, but the Warta team travelled abroad on many occasions to play friendly games and to take part in football tournaments. Every year, various football teams from Germany, Hungary and elsewhere travelled to Poznań to play Warta. In September 1934, for example, FC Milan (today's AC Milan) travelled to Poznań to play against Warta (Warta lost 1–3).[21]

At the start of World War II in 1939, the football season was interrupted and was never completed. The club was forced to suspend its operations. Poles were not permitted to participate in organised sports events during the German occupation, but some Warta football players clandestinely took part in an unofficial Poznań football championship in 1940 and 1941, with games played on football pitches on the outskirts of town.[22][23]

During the war, the German occupiers destroyed many documents and club mementos. Some former Warta sportsmen and board members were murdered in German concentration camps. For example, former Warta footballers Marian Einbacher and Adam Knioła were murdered in the Auschwitz concentration camp,[24] while former Warta club chairman Stanisław Broniarz was murdered in the Gross-Rosen concentration camp.[25]

A Communist Party harvest festival in the Edmund Szyc stadium in 1974

A formal general meeting was held on 18 March 1945 and the club's operations were revived.[26] Already in the first post-war season of the Polish football league in 1946, Warta finished the season in second place, losing in the final against Polonia Warsaw (for two years after the war, the Polish championship was contested like a cup competition).[27]

A year later in 1947, Warta played outstanding football under the direction of the Hungarian coach Károly Fogl. In the semi-final of the Polish championship competition, Warta won against AKS Chorzów 4–1 and 2–0. In the final, Warta beat Wisła Kraków 2–0 away in Kraków. Interest in the final match in Poznań was enormous and the stadium attendance was higher than nominal capacity (over 20 000 spectators). The exciting match finished with Warta's victory 5–2 and Warta won its second – and so far, last – championship title in its history.[28]

However, the Stalinism era ended the series of Warta's successes, as regional Communist leadership favoured the local rival Lech Poznań. In 1949, Warta was de facto forced to change its name to Związkowiec Poznań, which resulted in the disappearance of the historical name Warta.[29] In 1950, Warta was forced to merge with the sports club HCP, which belonged to the Hipolit Cegielski Poznań works – a leading industrial company in Poznań. The HCP team played under the name Stal and the merged club used the name.[30] In the same year, Warta's football team was relegated from the top division. From 1951 to 1956, the club played under the name Stal Poznań.

On 29 December 1956, a general meeting of the club decided to return to the old name Warta. The Hipolit Cegielski Poznań works continued to sponsor the club. Their involvement did not return Warta to its former glory, but it significantly helped to develop the club's logistical base. Warta received funds to re-develop its sports facilities and was able to use the Edmund Szyc Stadium (then called ''22 July Stadium") with a capacity of 60,000.

During the post-war period, the Warta football team never returned to the top flight. However, Warta celebrated successes in other sports – most notably, in field hockey and tennis. In field hockey, Warta won the Polish championship 12 times between 1963 and 1980 and they were runners-up nine times between 1957 and 1981. Warta participated in the EuroHockey Club Champions Cup (Europe's premier field hockey club competition) six times between 1969 and 1977, coming fifth in Europe in the 1969 EuroHockey Club Champions Cup.

In the Polish tennis league, Warta's tennis team became Polish champions in 1965 and 1970 and were runners-up in 1961, 1964, 1966 and 1969. Warta's tennis section was particularly known for the individual achievements of Wiesław Gąsiorek, who was Polish men's singles champion 12 times between 1959 and 1970.

In 1989, at the end of the Communist period, Warta and Hipolit Cegielski Poznań works parted ways. After some negotiations, the Edmund Szyc Stadium and the sports grounds were transferred to the club.

Alain Ngamayama - former Warta captain and club hero who was with Warta since its youth team

At the beginning of the 1990s, Warta returned to the top tier of the Polish football league system after 43 years for two seasons 1993/94 and 1994/95.

After relegation in 1995, Warta mostly played in the third tier of the league system over the next decade. The Edmund Szyc Stadium fell into disrepair by 1998. Warta subsequently played its football matches in the Warta Poznań Stadium - former training ground of the Edmund Szyc stadium, nicknamed Ogródek (Little Garden).

In the 2007–08 season, Warta returned to the second tier of the Polish football league system.

Warta team before a home game against GKS Katowice in the 2010–11 season

In January 2011, former model and new owner Izabella Łukomska-Pyżalska became chairwoman. Debts of the ailing club were repaid and the budget was increased.[31] Warta started to play its games in the Municipal Stadium in Poznań. However, Warta remained in the second tier. After relegation in 2013 and because of club debts, Warta landed in the fourth tier of the league system where it spent two seasons 2014/2015 and 2015/16.

In 2016, Warta was promoted to II liga (the third tier of the league system).

In 2018, Warta was able to advance to I liga (the second tier) again. 

However, by the autumn of 2018, the club's finances were in serious trouble. The situation was so desperate that the football team captain Bartosz Kieliba said: "Several months of player wages are in arrears, there is no certainty whether we will ever play another game, which does not help our work in training or our stance in matches".

In August 2018, businessman Bartłomiej Farjaszewski bought the football section of Warta (under the name: Warta Poznań SA) and repaid the club's debts.[32] Following the legal separation in 2018, there are now two organisations: Warta Poznań SA focuses on all football teams, whereas KS Warta Poznań continues as a multi-sports club (which includes fencing, field hockey and swimming sections, among others).

In June 2019, Piotr Tworek replaced Petr Němec as football coach. In 2020, with experienced players such as Bartosz Kieliba and Łukasz Trałka, Warta surprisingly finished the 2019–20 I liga season in third place. After winning the promotion playoffs, Warta returned to the Polish Ekstraklasa after being absent for 25 years.

Stadion Dyskobolii Grodzisk Wielkopolski during the league match between Warta Poznań and Piast Gliwice in September 2020

At the start of the 2020–21 season, many football pundits predicted Warta's relegation. Defying all expectations, with new players such as striker Mateusz Kuzimski (summer 2020 signing) and winger Makana Baku (on loan from January 2021), Warta finished fifth in the league, missing out on qualification to the Europa Conference League by just one point. This represented Warta football team's best result since winning the football championship in 1947.[33]

Following Warta's poor start to the 2021-22 season (17th place in the league with only eight points in thirteen league games), Dawid Szulczek replaced Piotr Tworek as football coach in November 2021.[34] Under Szulczek, Warta finished 11th in the league in the 2021–22 season and 8th in the 2022–23 season.

As the Warta Poznań Municipal Stadium (Ogródek) does not conform to Ekstraklasa licensing requirements, the senior Warta football team plays its home games in the Stadion Dyskobolii Grodzisk Wielkopolski. Warta Poznań also has youth teams (both boys and girls) in different age groups in the Central Junior League, a women's football team and an amputee football team. The club is well-known for initiatives to protect the natural environment and its support for social inclusion, and has plans for an eco-friendly new stadium in future.[35]

• Polish Football Championship/Ekstraklasa:
  • 1st place (2): 1929, 1947
  • 2nd place (5): 1922, 1925, 1928, 1938, 1946
  • 3rd place (7): 1921, 1923, 1926, 1927, 1932, 1935, 1936
• Polish Football Championship (Prussia):
  • 1st place (2): 1913, 1914
  • 2st place: 1919
• Youth Teams:
  • Polish U19 Championship runner-up: 1936, 1975

• Amp Futbol Ekstraklasa (Polish amputee football championship):
  • 3rd place (1): 2023
• Marcin Oleksy: 2022 FIFA Puskás Award

• Polish men's championship:
  • 1st place (12): 1963, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1980
  • 2nd place (10): 1938, 1957, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1981
  • 3rd place (8): 1952, 1953, 1954, 1956, 1958, 1982, 2011, 2019
• Polish indoor men's championship:
  • 1st place (9): 1964, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1982
  • 2nd place (3): 1974, 1977, 1978
  • 3rd place (5): 1962, 1963, 1965, 1968, 1985

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

No. Pos. Nation Player 12 GK  POL Mateusz Kustosz (at Unia Swarzędz until 30 June 2024) 17 MF  POL Szymon Sarbinowski (at Flota Świnoujście until 30 June 2024) 19 FW  POL Jakub Sangowski (at Olimpia Elbląg until 30 June 2024) 35 DF  POL Filip Jakubowski (at Podhale Nowy Targ until 30 June 2024)

No. Pos. Nation Player 37 MF  POL Mikołaj Stangel (at Polonia Środa Wielkopolska until 30 June 2024) — GK  POL Leo Przybylak (at Olimpia Zambrów until 30 June 2024) — MF  POL Mikołaj Rakowski (at Kotwica Kołobrzeg until 30 June 2024) — MF  POL Miłosz Wodecki (at Polonia Środa Wielkopolska until 30 June 2024)