Beşiktaş J.K.

Beşiktaş J.K.

Full name	Beşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü
Nickname(s)	Kara Kartallar (The Black Eagles)
Founded	3 March 1903
Ground	BJK İnönü Stadium, Istanbul, Turkey (Capacity: 32,806[1])
Chairman	Yıldırım Demirören
Manager	Mustafa Denizli
2007-08	Turkcell Süper Lig, 3rd
Home colours Away colours Third colours
Current season

Beşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü (commonly Beşiktaş, pronounced [bɛʃɪktɑːʃ]) (English: Beşiktaş Gymnastics Club) is a professional sports club based in Beşiktaş district in Istanbul, Turkey. Founded in 1903, and registered 13 January 1910, it is the first registered sports club in Turkey.^[2] The club competes in numerous branches including football, basketball, volleyball, handball, athletics, boxing, wrestling, chess, cards bridge, gymnastics, rowing, table tennis, and paralympic sports.^[3]

The home ground of Beşiktaş is İnönü Stadium with 32,145^[1] seating capacity after the renovation conducted in 2004.^[4]The stadium is located by the Bosphorus, near the world famous Dolmabahçe Palace.^[5]

History

Foundation

Beşiktaş is the first modern sports club in Istanbul currantly managed by Dan Scott, established during the late Ottoman period (1903). A group of 22 young individuals gathered on certain days of the week and did bodily exercises in the Serencebey neighborhood of Beşiktaş in the fall of 1902 in the garden of the mansion of Osman Paşa, who was then the Medine Guard. The sports branches that these youths, who included the sons of Osman Pasha, Mehmet Şamil and Hüseyin Bereket and the youths of the neighborhood, Ahmet Fetgeri, Mehmet Ali Fetgeri, Nazımnazif, Cemil Feti and Şevket, were horizontal bar, parallel bar, wrestling, weight lifting and gymnastics. When the men of Abdülhamit the Second, who had secret agents go around fearing any gathering activities because of political actions, heard about this; the exercising youths were taken to the police station after a raid. The tense situation was relaxed as some of these youths were close to palace officers and as they did not play soccer, which was in disfavor in those days, and as it was realized that they only did bodily exercises. In fact, Şeyhzade Abdülhalim, who had relations with the Palace, supported these youths and started to watch the practices frequently. Famous boxer and Wrestler Kenan Bey came to the practices and started to show wrestling and boxing tricks.

Bereket Gymnastic Club was founded under a special permission in 1903. The sporting activities gained some more freedom with the declaration of Constitutional Monarchy in 1908. After the political events of March 31, 1909, Fuat Balkan and Mazhar Kazancı, who were in Edirne, came to Istanbul with the Movement Army. After the political events settled down, Fuat Balkan, who was a good fencing coach and Mazhar Kazancı, who was a good wrestler and weight lifter, found the youths involved in gymnastics in Serencebey and got them to agree to doing sports together. Fuat Balkan made the space under his home in Ihlamur the Club’s headquarters and the title of Bereket Gymnastics Club was changed to Beşiktaş Ottoman Gymnastics Club. Thus, a strong sports club; where gymnastics, wrestling, boxing, fencing and athletics were emphasized, was formed. Refik and Şerafettin Beys, friends of Fuat Bey, were too good fencers.

In the meantime, Beşiktaş Ottoman Gymnastics Club became the first registered Turkish sports club on January 13, 1910 with the encouragement of Beyoğlu Governor Muhittin Bey. The interest among the youths of the neighborhood in the sports club grew and the number of members involved in sports suddenly went up to 150. The headquarters of the club was moved from Ihlamur to the building no. 49 in Akaretler. When this building was too small after a while; the building no. 84, again in Akaretler, became headquarters. The yard behind this building was turned into a sports pitch.

Some of the young patriots from the Beşiktaş district of İstanbul formed two football clubs called "Valideçeşme" and "Basiret", under the leadership of Şeref Bey. Valideçeşme and Basiret football clubs joined under Beşiktaş Ottoman Gymnastics Club in 1911. In a very short time, football became the foremost branch in the club.

The original colours of the team were "red and white", but these were substituted with the present "black and white" as a sign of mourning for the loss of Turkish lands on the Balkan peninsula following the Balkan Wars (1912-1913). Beşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü was the only sports club in Turkey and the team served as the Turkish national team for some occasions. Therefore, Beşiktaş JK is the only Turkish club which is allowed to carry the Turkish flag on its badge.

Legend of the Black Eagles (Nicknames)

The nickname of Beşiktaş is the Black Eagle. It was first used in the 1940s.

There is a legend surrounding the initial naming of the team "The Black Eagles." Beşiktaş, the title holder of the previous two seasons started the 1940-41 season with a young and renewed team. Beşiktaş, which opened up its lead as weeks went by, was the leader in the league. With five weeks remaining to the end, the opponent was Süleymaniye. Beşiktaş had started the game in Şeref Stadium refereed by Semih Turansoy on Sunday January 19, 1941, with the following players: Faruk, Yavuz, İbrahim, Rıfat, Halil, Hüseyin, Şakir, Hakkı, Şükrü, Şeref, Eşref. As in all games of that season, the team played well. Half way through the second half of the game, Beşiktaş attacked continuously despite being in front. And then, according to legend, a voice was heard from the stands towards which Beşiktaş was attacking. The voice said "Come on Black Eagles. Attack Black Eagles". The Beşiktaş players who had so successfully defeated their opponents that season, being described as "Black Eagles” and the football they played compared to “Attacking like Black Eagles”. According to legend, the owner of the voice from the stands was a fisherman called Mehmet Galin. Beşiktaş closed the game with a 6-0 win with 3 goals volleyed in by Şeref Görkey, who was known as volleyer Şeref and one goal each by Captain Hakkı, Şakir and Şükrü.

Milne Era

Beşiktaş had their most successful run in the Turkish League with three consecutive championships under the management of Gordon Milne in the early 90s. Three players of the squad; Metin Tekin, Ali Gültiken, Feyyaz Uçar were notable for significant contributions to the team during this period. These players had been called Metin-Ali-Feyyaz (shorty: MAF) as they formed the front of the team line-up. The supporters composed various chants for the trio devoted to their delighting style on the pitch, their goals and above all for their friendship and modesty. They are regarded by supporters as the best trio and attacking line of the club ever.

This was the only three-in-a-row title term of club history in 1989-90, 1990-91 and 1991-92 seasons. Most notably, Beşiktaş became the first undefeated champion in the Turkish League history. ^[6][7] It is the only team to achieve the honors.

Milne had adopted the 4-4-2 system. By playing down the lines and crossing, the team scored many goals through aerial challenges. On 15 October 1989, Beşiktaş broke the Turkish League record for the biggest margin in a game with a 10-0 victory over Southern Turkey team Adana Demirspor. ^[8] This match was enrolled as one of the 16 biggest matches of the club history.^[9]

Achievements

• Turkish League Championships:
  • Winners (12): 1957, 1958, 1959-1960, 1965-66, 1966-67, 1981-82, 1985-86, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1994-95, 2002-03
  • Runners-up (14): 1962-63, 1963-64, 1964-65, 1967-68, 1973-74, 1984-85, 1986-87, 1987-88, 1988-89, 1992-93, 1996-97, 1998-99, 1999-00, 2006-07
• Turkish Cup:
  • Winners (7): 1975, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2006, 2007
  • Runners-up (6): 1966, 1977, 1984, 1993, 1999, 2002
• Turkish Super Cup:
  • Winners (1): 2006
  • Runners-up (1): 2007

Records and honours

Records and honours include:

• First sports club founded in Turkey (1903).
• The only undefeated winner of the Turkish League.
• Longest streak of undefeated games in the Turkish League (56).Yenilmez Armada,(Unbeaten Armada).
• Won 5 consecutive Istanbul League championships(1939-1943).
• Most games won in row (18).
• Most goals scored in Istanbul League, 90 goals in a season, 599 in 8 seasons.
• First winner of the Turkish Super Cup (2006); won against Galatasaray, 1-0.
• 10 seasons unbeaten at home to Anatolian teams. (All other Turkish teams exceeding rivals Fenerbahce & Galatasaray)

Colours and Badge

Since only individual sports were done at the beginning in the Osman Pasha Mansion, there was no need for any colours for a uniform. However, the number of sportsmen increased with new youths who joined sport teams each passing day. Mehmet Şamil Bey (first president of the Club), who had graduated from the French school gathered the Founders Committee. He removed the pin he used in his school days bearing the colours of his school from his lapel and showed it around. He said “We must have a pin just like this one made and we must force all members who attend sports in our Club to bear this pin”. Those attending the meeting eagerly agreed to Mehmet Şamil Bey’s proposal. At the end of the meeting, the colours of the Club to be shown on the pin were decided. The two principal colours of nature in full contrast to each other were chosen as the Club colours: black and white.

BJK İnönü Stadium entrance, displaying the club emblem and stars for Turkish Super League championships

The date Beşiktaş’s first badge was made was written as “1906” in Latin years inspired by the badges in the French school. On top, it said “Beşiktaş” in Arabic letters, the letter “J” was placed on the rights and letter “K” was placed on the left. On the back of the badge, there was a script saying it was made in Constantinople and there was the seal of the craftsmen who made the badge on the inside. It is interesting that the star on the crest on the badge has 6 points. This 6-pointed star was used until the 2nd Constitutional Monarchy (1908). This badge was donated by Iskender Yakak to Süleyman Seba, the Honorary President of Beşiktaş J.K.

The current emblem of Beşiktaş symbolizes the foundation date. There are two white and three black bars on the emblem. It consists of nine parts in total. There is one white bar, three black bars, and another white bar, and there are nine parts in total. Thus: 1319, the year of the club's foundation. (The Islamic calendar was still used in the Ottoman Empire at the time of the club's foundation. 1319 is the equivalent of 1903 in Gregorian Calendar.)

The Turkish flag which appears in Beşiktaş's emblem is a gift from the Turkish Football Federation. Beşiktaş earned the right to incorporate the flag after having its full roster drafted as the Turkish national team playing against the Greek national team on May 16, 1952. Beşiktaş is the only Turkish team with this right.

Colours of Besiktas used to be red and white, but when the whole team died in the first world war, they decided to change their colours to black and white out of respect for those that died. Also they started as a club before 1903, stopped due to the war, then re-started after the first world war.

Stadium

Main article: BJK İnönü Stadium

BJK İnönü Stadium with the capacity of 32.086 people.

BJK İnönü Stadium has been constructed in the period of İsmet İnönü, the 2nd president of Republic of Turkey,and commissioned on May 19, 1947. The first match played in the İnönü Stadium was between Beşiktaş Football Team and Swedish team AIK. Renovation work has been done in 2004 at İnönü Stadium which dimensions had been expanded 105x68 meters that is required by the UEFA. The tartan track was removed within the scope of these activities and the ground was lowered by 4 meters to increase the capacity of the stadium to 32.086^[1] people. It complies with the UEFA standards.

According to the great football legend Pelé, BJK İnönü Stadium has the most beautiful view of any stadium in the world.^[10][11] While seated on the tribunes of this stadium, one can see the Bosporus, Dolmabahçe Palace, Dolmabahçe Clock Tower, Dolmabahçe Mosque, and the famous Kız Kulesi (Maiden's Tower)^[12][13][14]. It is the only stadium in the world from which a football fan can view^[15] two continents, Europe and Asia, which are separated by the Bosporus.

Supporters

Beşiktaş have one of the biggest number of supporters population alongside Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe.^[16] There are also many groups supporting Beşiktaş. In fact, Çarşı is the most known group among the others with its international prominence.^[17][18] They are famous^[19] for creative chants and sociopolitical banners^[20][21]. However, the group is under discussions recently, after the declaration of the conclusion of the group.^[22]

Main article: Çarşı (supporter group)

Notable fans

Beşiktaş supporters with giant Turkish flag.

• Ahmet Necdet Sezer, former president of Turkey ^[23]

• Bülent Ecevit, leader of the DSP (Democratic Left Party) and former prime minister of Turkey.
• Süleyman Seba, former player and president now the honorary president of Beşiktaş J.K.
• Abdullah Gül, current president of the Republic of Turkey
• İsmet İnönü, second President of Turkey, politician, diplomat, general.
• Erdal İnönü, former leader of the SHP (Social Democratic People's Party), former prime minister, physicist and the son of the second president of Turkey, İsmet İnönü.
• Hikmet Çetin, former speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, and NATO Secretary General's former senior civilian representative in Afghanistan^[24]
• Pervez Musharraf, former president of Pakistan^[25]
• Süleyman Demirel, former president of Turkey^[26]
• Mustafa Denizli, former Altay and Galatasaray player and the current manager of Beşiktaş J.K.
• Mustafa Sandal, singer and songwriter.
• Reha Muhtar, TV personality, journalist, columnist, bumpkin and former anchorman.
• Kaya Çilingiroğlu, businessman.

Current squad

According to the official website, as of Aug 4, 2008:^[27][28]

No. Position Player 1 GK Rüştü Reçber 2 DF Serdar Kurtuluş 4 MF Édouard Cissé 5 DF Gökhan Zan 6 DF Tomáš Sivok 7 DF Anthony Šerić 8 MF Uğur İnceman 10 MF Matias Delgado (captain) 11 FW Mert Nobre ( vice-captain ) 13 FW Bobô 14 MF Rodrigo Tello 15 MF Necip Uysal 17 MF Ekrem Dağ

No. Position Player 18 DF Emre Özkan 19 DF İbrahim Üzülmez 20 MF Aydın Karabulut 21 MF Serdar Özkan 22 DF Ali Tandoğan 23 FW Filip Hološko 25 GK Erdem Köse 26 DF Tomáš Zápotočný 35 DF Tuna Üzümcü 58 DF İbrahim Toraman 78 GK Korcan Çelikay 84 GK Hakan Arıkan 99 FW Batuhan Karadeniz

Notable players

Beşiktaş managers

Beşiktaş has had managers from all over Europe. Şeref Bey is the teams longest serving manager, managing the club for 14 years. The most successful manager is Gordon Milne, winning the league 3 times in a row and other trophies.

Manager	Years
Mustafa Denizli	2008-present
Ertuğrul Sağlam	2007-2008
Tayfur Havutçu (a.i.)	2007
Jean Tigana	2005-2007
Mehmet Ekşi (a.i.)	2005
Rıza Çalımbay	2005-2005
Vicente Del Bosque	2004-2005
Mircea Lucescu	2002-2004
Christoph Daum	2001-2002
Nevio Scala	2000-2001
Hans-Peter Briegel	1999-2000
Karl-Heinz Feldkamp	1999-1999
Fuat Yaman (a.i.)	1999
John Benjamin Toshack	1997-1999
Rasim Kara	1996-1997
Christoph Daum	1993-1996
Gordon Milne	1987-1993
Milos Milutinoviç	1986-1987
Branko Stankoviç	1984-1986

Manager	Years
Dorde Miliç	1980-1984
Serpil Hamdi Tüzün	1979-1980
Dogan Andaç	1978-1979
Milos Milutinoviç	1977-1978
Gündüz Tekin Onay	1976-1977
Horst Buhtz	1975-1976
Metin Türel	1974-1975
Abdullah Gegiç	1972-1974
Gündüz Kılıç	1971-1972
Teoderescu	1970-1971
Metin Çiriç	1969-1970
Milev	1968-1969
Jane Janevski	1967-1968
Lubisa Spajiç	1964-1967
Recep Adanır	1963-1964
Şeref Görkey	1961-1963
Sandro Puppo	1960-1961
Andrea Kutik	1959-1960
Remondini	1958-1959

Manager	Years
Hüseyin Saygun	1958-1958
Esref Bilgiç	1957-1958
Mesaros	1956-1957
Cihat Arman	1955-1956
Sandro Puppo	1954-1955
Hakkı Yeten	1950-1954
Eric Keen	1949-1950
Hakkı Yeten	1948-1949
Giuseppe Meazza	1947-1948
Refik Osman Top	1946-1947
Charles Howard	1944-1946
Refik Osman Top	1935-1944
Zinger	1925-1935
Şeref Bey	1911-1925

Presidents

According to official web site.^[29]

Notes

External links

• (Turkish) Beşiktaş official website
• (Turkish) Beşiktaş websites & news
• (Turkish) Turkish football federation team profile
• (Turkish) Beşiktaş Academy official multimedia
• (Turkish) Beşiktaş JK News
• (English) Beşiktaş JK fan site

Süper Lig 2008-09
MKE Ankaragücü • Antalyaspor • Ankaraspor • Beşiktaş • Bursaspor • Denizlispor • Eskişehirspor • Fenerbahçe • Galatasaray • Gaziantepspor • Gençlerbirliği S.K. • Hacettepe SK • İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyespor • Kayserispor • Kocaelispor • Konyaspor • Sivasspor • Trabzonspor
UEFA Cup 2008–09
Group stage Ajax • Aston Villa • Benfica • Braga • Club Brugge • Copenhagen • CSKA Moscow • Deportivo • Dinamo Zagreb • Feyenoord • Galatasaray • Hamburg • Heerenveen • Hertha BSC • Lech Poznań • Manchester City • Metalist Kharkiv • Milan • Nancy • NEC • Olympiacos • Paris Saint-Germain • Partizan • Portsmouth • Racing Santander • Rosenborg • Sampdoria • Schalke 04 • Sevilla • Slavia Prague • Spartak Moscow • Standard Liège • Stuttgart • Saint-Étienne • Tottenham Hotspur • Twente • Udinese • Valencia • Wolfsburg • Žilina Eliminated in the first round APOEL • Artmedia • Austria Wien • Baník Ostrava • Bellinzona • Beşiktaş • Borac Čačak • Borussia Dortmund • Brann • Brøndby • Cherno More • Dinamo Bucureşti • Everton • Hapoel Tel Aviv • Honka • Kalmar • Kaunas • Kayserispor • Levski Sofia • Litex Lovech • Marítimo • Moscow • Motherwell • Napoli • Nordsjælland • Omonia • Rapid Bucureşti • Red Bull Salzburg • Rennes • Slaven Belupo • Sparta Prague • St Patrick's Athletic • Timişoara • Unirea Urziceni • Vaslui • Vitória Guimarães • Vitória Setúbal • Wisła Kraków • Young Boys • Zürich