Bozsik Stadion

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Bozsik József Stadion is a multi-use stadium in Budapest, Hungary. It is currently used for football matches and is the home stadium of Budapest Honvéd FC. The stadium has a capacity of 10.000 (6.000 seats).

[edit] History

Not far from the present day stadium, at the site of the present cemetery, was built the first own football ground of the club. The supporters gave an estate for KAC at the end of Sárkány (Dragon) Street. A fundraising was initiated among the local craftsmen and tradesmen and it was Ferenc Polacsek (hotel owner) and Ferenc Herbacsek (wood trader) who gave major financial contributions to build the sports complex. The inauguration of the Sárkány Street complex was in 1913, hence the name Dragon's Cave - given later by the visiting teams.

On 18 November 1926, Kispest city voted to give 500 million to modernize the Sárkány Street football ground. In the year 1935, the wooden stands and the buildings burned down. The chairman, József Molnár, saved the club from a crisis and in the same year he built bigger and more modern stands instead. The new Kispest AC sports complex was inaugurated on 2 January 1938. The new arena is situated at the terminal of tram no. 42 and it had a capacity of 8.000 (5.000 seats and 3.000 stands). By then, a warm bath was also available, which was a great achievement those days.

12 February 1939, a new chapter begins in the life of Kispest - a modern football ground was inaugurated with a capacity of 15.000. The pitch was already covered by grass.

In 1945, right after the war, the people of Kispest started reconstruction works: restored the grass, mended the concrete roofs of the stadium. They built a training ground on the area reaching as far as the cemetery.

In 1955, the complex was rebuilt and extended; the team even had to play all of its matches away.

20 May 1967, the lights were inaugurated with a friendly match against Szombathelyi Haladás. The stadium had a capacity of 25.000 by then. The team could use a training ground with grass and one with clay.

It was the Kispest stadium first to get its name after a football player in Hungary. Who else would have deserved it better than József Bozsik, a true star of Kispest with 101 caps in the national team? 1 October 1986, a spectacular show preceded the Bp. Honvéd-Bröndby European Cup match to inaugurate Bozsik Stadium. Before the kick off, Lajos Tichy said a few words on behalf of the players, and Chairman Sándor Kiss also held a speech. The show ended with fireworks. The only regret was that the game did not end quite as well as the 15.000 supporters were hoping: 2-2 at the final result, which meant elimination after losing at the first leg in Denmark. The stadium was given new, stronger lights for this occasion and the grass was also replaced with a new one. Furthermore, a heating system was installed under the pitch. The field was made longer and wider. A 20-rooms hotel was also built inside the stadium with a restaurant for 200.

It was 1990, when significant reconstructions were made for the last time. The lockers, bathrooms were renewed. The old gym-hall was turned into a VIP club.