| Full name | KKS Lech Poznań | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Kolejorz (The Railwayman) | |||
| Founded | 19 March 1922 (as KS Lutnia Dębiec) |
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| Ground | Stadion Miejski, Poznań, Poland (Capacity: 43,000 [1]) |
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| Chairman | Andrzej Kadziński | |||
| Coach | José Mari Bakero | |||
| League | Ekstraklasa | |||
| 2010–11 | 5th | |||
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Lech Poznań (Polish pronunciation: [ˈlɛx ˈpɔznaɲ]) is a Polish football club based in Poznań, Poland. The club is named after Lech, the legendary founder of Polish nation.
The club was established in 1922 as Lutnia Dębiec, later changing its name several times. From 1933 until 1994, the club was closely linked to Polish State Railways (PKP). As a result, its popular nickname is Kolejorz, which means The Railwayman in local slang. The club's debut in the Polish top division took place in the year 1948. The brightest era of Lech were the early 1980s and early 1990s. Lech has won the Polish league a total of six times, most recently in 2010. Lech is the most popular football club in the Greater Poland region.
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As of 16 December 2010, Lech Poznań had played a total of 62 games in the European Cups during the years 1978–2010. Among the most memorable games in the club's history were the clashes against FC Barcelona in the 1988/1989 season of Cup Winners' Cup second round. After both matches ended with 1–1 draw, Lech Poznań lost the penalty shoot-out with 4–5. FC Barcelona won the Cup Winners' Cup that season.
During the 1983/1984 European Cup season, Lech earned a 2–0 win at home against Spanish champions Athletic Bilbao. During the 1990/1991 season, Lech eliminated the Greek champion Panathinaikos in the first round, with a 5–1 score on aggregate. In the next tie Lech was knocked out by Olympique de Marseille but won the first leg 3–2 at home.
During the UEFA Cup 2008–09 season, Lech made it to the group stage of the competition after knocking out higher seeded teams of Grasshopper-Club Zürich (notching its greatest margin of victory with a 6–0 win at home) and FK Austria Wien (scoring the decisive goal in the last minute of extra-time). In the group stage, Lech finished third-placed ahead of AS Nancy and Feyenoord to secure a place in the Third Round, where it was knocked out by the Italian side Udinese Calcio.
Their home ground Stadion Miejski (Poznań)Stadion Miejski has been totally rebuilt, completion in September 2010, for the Euro 2012 Championships during which it is expected to host 3 games in Group C.
Kolejorz wrote another glorious chapter in club's history during its Europa League 2010-11 campaign. After being knocked out by Sparta Praha in Champions League qualification, they made it to the group stage of Europa League. This time the Polish underdog had to face the big names: Juventus and Manchester City. In Turin a hat-trick by Artjoms Rudnevs earned them a surprising 3-3 draw. After deafeating the English side at home 3-1, Lech made it to the top of the group. The game against Juve , was played in very bad, snowy conditions and ended in a 1-1 draw. This was enough to put Lech Poznań in to the knockout phase of the Europa League.
As of February 25, 2011:
| Competition | App | Games | Won | Drawn | Lost | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champions League | 6 | 20 | 8 | 1 | 11 | 23 | 34 |
| Cup Winners' Cup | 2 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 7 |
| Europa League | 7 | 36 | 13 | 9 | 14 | 54 | 49 |
| Overall | 15 | 64 | 25 | 12 | 27 | 87 | 90 |
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Lech Poznań is considered to have the strongest fan support in Poland due to club's highest average attendance in Ekstraklasa and the atmosphere during the games.
For over a decade Lech supporters have a fellowship with fans from Arka Gdynia and Cracovia (the popular watchword: 'Miłość, Wiara, Walka – Lech Cracovia Arka' i.e. 'Love, Faith, Fight – Lech, Cracovia, Arka'). Close friendship links Lech fans also with KSZO Ostrowiec supporters (since 1992).
Relations with local rival Warta Poznań are neutral as the clubs have almost always played in different leagues.
The fans' goal celebration—involving the turning of their backs to the pitch, joining arms and jumping up and down in unison—originated in 1961. In Poland (and to many fans across Europe), it is not called "The Poznan" it is known as a "Grecque" and is performed by many sets of fans.
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