Śmigły Wilno

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Śmigły Wilno was a former Polish soccer team. Founded in 1933 in Wilno (now Vilnius, Lithuania). Śmigły's full name: Wojskowy Klub Sportowy “Śmigły” Wilno (Military Sports Club) reflects its character. The club enjoyed full support of Wilno’s military garrison of Polish Army, located in present day Šiaurės miestelis of Žirmūnai; in fact - it was created by a group of officers, passionate fans of soccer.

The name "Śmigły" (Agile) for the first time appeared in an interwar Polish sports weekly Raz, Dwa, Trzy, on April 8, 1933. On this day, the soccer team of Wilno beat a team from Siedlce 3-1. The club was the result of a union of a few Wilno’s soccer teams (such as Strzelec, Pogon, Lauda and Ognisko), none of which had previously achieved any successes. The officers, with Colonel Zygmunt Wenda as the first one who came up with this idea, realized that one big team, representing Wilno, would be the best solution and thus Śmigły was born. The name was a gesture towards Edward Śmigły-Rydz, commander-in-chief of Polish Army.

ŚMIGŁY YEAR BY YEAR - 1933-1939

PLAY-OFFS FINALS, 1933

First, in regional games, Śmigły beat the teams of 4 dyon samoch. panc. Brzesc nad Bugiem (3-1 and 3-2) and 76 p.p. Grodno (4-1 and 2-1). Then, in the semifinals, overcame Naprzod Lipiny (0-1, 1-0 and 4-2 in additional game, held in Warsaw. In the finals, however, Polonia Warszawa proved to be too strong. Śmigły lost both games (0-2 and 1-3) and failed to promote to the Polish Soccer League.

PLAY-OFFS FINALS, 1934

In 1934, after beating WKS Grodno (12-0 and 6-0) and WKS Brzesc nad Bugiem (3-1 and 6-0), Śmigły reached the final group of the play-offs, winner of which was promoted to the Polish Soccer League. Unfortunately, this attempt was unsuccessful - in the 3-team group Śmigły was the last, behind Slask Swietochlowice (which was promoted) and Naprzod Lipiny.

ŚMIGŁY IN 1935

After winning regional games (against Warmia Grajewo and Kotwica Pinsk), Śmigły, on its way to play-offs finals, faced Czarni Lwów. Wilno’s side did not meanage to overcome this team (0-2 and 0-0).

PLAY-OFFS IN 1936

This time, after beating WKS Grodno and WKS Hallerczyk Rowne, Śmigły reached the play-offs. There, however, waited two reputed teams, impossible to beat by an ambitious team from Wilno. Śmigły was 3rd, before Brygada Czestochowa, but after AKS Chorzów and Cracovia Kraków (both AKS and Cracovia were promoted to the Polish Soccer League and in 1937 these teams dominated the season - Cracovia became champion, AKS was second). Śmigły's scores were: against Cracovia 0-0 and 0-5, against AKS 1-6 and 3-5 and against Brygada 0-2 and 1-0.

1937 - PROMOTION

In regional games, Śmigły beat WKS Grodno (5-4 and 5-1) and Ruch Brzesc nad Bugiem (6-0 and 2-1). Then, in the play-offs, Wilno’s side placed on the second position, after Polonia Warszawa, but before both Brygada Czestochowa and Unia Lublin . On its way to promotion, Śmigły's scores were: with Polonia 0-1 and 1-6, with Brygada 5-1 and 1-3 and with Unia 1-0 and 8-1. It was a notable success,for the first time in the history of northeastern Poland, a team from there won promotion to the 10-team, elite League. Also, last but not least, Śmigły is the only non-Lwow team from former Kresy Wschodnie (Polish Eastern Borderlands) that ever appeared in the League. All other Kresy's teams were from Lwow.

1938 - ŚMIGŁY'S LONE SEASON IN POLISH SOCCER LEAGUE

Unfortunately, Śmigły's adventure with the League lasted for one season only. Wilno’s team won 5 games, with only 1 draw and 12 loses. Goals - 29-50. Worth mentioning are Śmigły's 3-2 away victory with 1938’s vice-champion, Warta Poznań and home’s 3-1 victory over 1937’s vicechampion, AKS Chorzow.

Śmigły's first game in the League took place on April 10, 1938, in Chorzow, against then-best team in Poland - Ruch Chorzów. Wilno's side, after ambitious performance, lost 2-5. A historic first home game was held on April 24, against another great side - Pogoń Lwów. Unfortunately, 8,000 fans did not help Śmigły - their favorites lost 0-1. Then, on May 1, the biggest success of Śmigły occurred. To Wilno, to the stadium located at Werkowska street, came AKS Chorzów. This time, Smigly won 3-1. On July 3, 1938, another sensation took place- this time in Poznań. Even though Śmigły, after beating Wisła Kraków 1-0 and ŁKS Łódź 4-0, was appreciated as a team, nobody was expecting Wilno's side to win 3-2 against Warta. On September 4, Śmigły's last victory in the League took place, 4-1 against Warszawianka Warszawa. Then, Wilno's favorites lost 5 games in a row (including 1-7 against AKS Chorzow) and they were relegated.

1939 - UNFINISHED PLAY-OFFS

After relegation, both players and officials had one aim - to get back to the League. In the regional games, Śmigły proved its quality, winning all 4 games against WKS Grodno (5-0 and 9-0) and KPW Ognisko Pinsk (6-0 and 7-0). Then, in the play-offs, it faced Slask Swietochlowice, Junak Drohobycz and Legia Poznań (out of these 4 teams, 3 were supposed to promote). Unfortunately, by September 1, 1939, only 2 rounds took place. Śmigły, on August 13, 1939 lost at Swietochlowice 1-2 and then, at home beat Legia 5-1 (on August 20, 1939). It was the last game of this club in the history of Polish soccer. Chronicles inform us of dates of next play-offs games (like on September 10, away at Drohobycz).

On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland. On September 17, the Soviet Union did the same. The history of Polish soccer in Wilno came to an end.