Budapest Honvéd FC

Honvéd

Full name	Budapest Honvéd Football Club
Founded	3 August 1909 (1909-08-03)
Ground	Bozsik Stadion, Budapest
Ground Capacity	10,000
Chairman	George Hemingway
Manager	Csábi József
League	NB I
2013–14	9th
Home colours Away colours

Budapest Honvéd FC (Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈbudɒpɛʃt ˈhonveːd ɛf tseː] is a Hungarian sports club from Budapest best known for its football team. Honved means the Homeland Defence. Originally formed as Kispest AC, they became Kispest FC in 1926 before reverting to their original name in 1944. The team enjoyed a golden age during the 1950s when it was renamed Budapest Honvéd SE and became the Hungarian Army team. The club's top players from this era, Ferenc Puskás, Sándor Kocsis, József Bozsik and Zoltán Czibor, formed the nucleus of the legendary Hungarian team known as the Mighty Magyars and helped the club win the Hungarian League four times during the 1950s. During the 1980s and early 1990s the club enjoyed another successful period, winning a further eight Hungarian League titles. They also won league and cup doubles in 1985 and 1989. In 1991 the club was renamed Kispest Honvéd FC and adopted its current name in 2003.

When the club was originally formed in 1909 it also organised teams that competed in fencing, cycling, gymnastics, wrestling, athletics, boxing and tennis. Later the Honvéd family was extended to include a water polo team, now known as Groupama Honvéd, a 33-times basketball-champion team and a handball team that were European Champions in 1982.

History

Kispesti AC

The club was founded on 10 August 1908 as Kispesti Atlétikai Club – Athletic Club of Kispest by Dr. Bálint Varga, a teacher. However the club's earliest members could not agree on a club constitution until 3 August 1909 and this is generally recognised as the club's foundation date. When the club was originally formed, Kispest was still a village, distinct from the city of Budapest. During the first three decades of its existence, the club was little more than a village team and enjoyed only moderate success, winning a single Hungarian Cup in 1926. During the 1930s the team included Rezső Rozgonyi and Rezső Somlai who both represented Hungary at the 1934 World Cup and Ferenc Puskás I, the father of Ferenc Puskás, and later a coach at the club during the 1940s.

Budapesti Honvéd SE

In 1943 both Ferenc Puskás and József Bozsik made their debut for Kispest FC and between 1947 and 1948 the club was coached by the legendary Hungarian coach Béla Guttman. However the club's golden age really began in 1949 when it was taken over by the Hungarian Ministry of Defence and it became the Hungarian Army team. The man behind the take-over was Gusztáv Sebes, the coach of the national team. Sebes was inspired by the Austrian Wunderteam and the Italy team that won two World Cups in the 1930s. Both teams were predominantly drawn from one or at most two clubs and Sebes wanted a similar system in Hungary.

In January 1949 when Hungary became a communist state, the resulting nationalisation of football clubs gave Sebes the opportunity. The two biggest Hungarian clubs at the time were Ferencvárosi TC and MTK Hungária FC. However while the secret police, the ÁVH took over MTK, Ferencváros was considered unsuitable because of its right-wing and nationalist traditions. Sebes turned instead to Kispesti AC. The Kispest name was dropped as the village was absorbed into District XIX of Budapest and the club was renamed Budapesti Honvéd SE. The name derives from Honvédség, the name of the Hungarian Army, and the word honvéd, which literally means defender of the homeland is also used to refer to an army private.

The Mighty Magyars

Statue of Ferenc Puskás in Budapest inspired by a photograph taken in Madrid in which the legendary player was teaching an ad hoc course in keepie uppie to street children.

Ferenc Puskás scored 352 goals in 341 matches for Budapest Honvéd

Sándor Kocsis played for the club between 1950-57

The Kispest AC team already included Ferenc Puskás and József Bozsik but army conscription now enabled Honvéd to recruit Sándor Kocsis, Zoltán Czibor and László Budai from Ferencváros, Gyula Lóránt from Vasas SC and the goalkeeper Gyula Grosics. Sebes was effectively able to use Honvéd as a training camp for the national team. During the early 1950s these Honvéd players formed the backbone of the legendary Mighty Magyars, helping Hungary become Olympic Champions in 1952, Central European Champions in 1953, defeat England twice and reach the 1954 World Cup final.

European Cup

Honvéd itself also benefited, winning the Hungarian League in 1949–50, 1950, 1952, 1954, and 1955. The club's reputation spread beyond Hungary and on 13 December 1954 they played Wolverhampton Wanderers, the reigning English League champions, in a prestige friendly. Honvéd were leading 2–0 at half-time, but eventually lost 3–2. They also played, and lost to, Red Star Belgrade (then 7th in the Yugoslav league). It was games like this that led to establishment of the European Cup in 1955.

In 1956 Honvéd qualified for the second European Cup competition and in the first round they were drawn against Athletic Bilbao. Honvéd lost the away leg 2–3, but before the home leg could be played, the Hungarian Revolution had collapsed back in Budapest and the Soviet Union had invaded. The players decided against going back to Hungary and arranged for the return game with Athletic to be played at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels. However early in the game the Honvéd goalkeeper was injured and, with no substitutes permitted, Zoltán Czibor had to go into goal. Despite drawing 3–3 they went out 6–5 on aggregate.

Honvéd World Tour

Elimination from the European Cup left Honvéd in limbo. The players, declining to return to Hungary, summoned their families from Budapest and, despite opposition from FIFA and the then Soviet-controlled Hungarian Football Federation, Béla Guttmann organised a fundraising tour of Italy, Portugal, and Spain. Among the most notable matches were a 5–5 draw with a Madrid XI and a 4–3 win over CF Barcelona. Honvéd declined a Mexican offer of political asylum and an invitation to join their national league^[1] and instead accepted an offer to play in a tournament in Brazil with CR Flamengo and Botafogo. By now FIFA had declared the team illegal and banned them from using the Honvéd name. After returning to Europe, the players parted ways. Some, including József Bozsik, László Budai, Gyula Lóránt and Gyula Grosics, returned to Hungary while others, including Zoltán Czibor, Sándor Kocsis and Ferenc Puskás, found new clubs in Western Europe. Czibor and Kocsis eventually signed for FC Barcelona while Puskás joined Real Madrid.

The Post-Revolution era

The defection of Zoltán Czibor, Sándor Kocsis and Ferenc Puskás severely weakened Honvéd and in 1957 they only avoided relegation after the Hungarian Football Federation decide to expand the first division. Despite the emergence of Lajos Tichy and Lajos Kocsis, the post-Revolution era was not kind to Honvéd. There only successes came in the Mitropa Cup in 1959, when they beat MTK Hungária FC in the final 6–5 on aggregate, and in 1964 when they won the Hungarian Cup.

The Second Golden Age

Lajos Détári became top-scorer three times

In 1980 with Lajos Tichy as coach and a squad that included Imre Garaba, Honvéd won their first Hungarian League title in twenty five years. During the 1980s and early 1990s players such as Kálmán Kovács, Lajos Détári, Béla Illés, Gábor Halmai and István Vincze helped Honvéd win another seven titles. They also won league and cup doubles in 1985 and 1989 and won the Hungarian Cup and in 1996.

Kispest Honvéd FC

Ferencváros legend Zoltán Varga managed Budapest Honvéd in 1997

In 1991 the club revived the Kispest name and became Kispest Honvéd FC. However the name change marked the beginning of a decline in the club's fortunes. In 2003 they were relegated, but they returned to the first division the following season. However, Kispest Honvéd Sports Circle Ltd, the company that owned the club, owed millions of Hungarian forints in taxes and in October 2004 went into liquidation. The company practised a policy that treated its players as self-employed contractors rather than employees and as result, significantly reduced the club's tax burden. However the tax authorities objected and were supported by the courts, leaving the club in arrears with no means of paying them. Rival directors argued over who owed how much tax and eventually the Hungarian League intervened. As a result a new club, Budapest Honvéd FC, was formed and allowed to take the place of Kispest Honvéd FC in the first division on the condition that the tax debt was paid off.

In August 2007 the fences in front of the stands were removed at the Bozsik Stadion^[2] signalling a new dawn for Hungarian football. Also in 2007, Mihály Tóth returned from Fredrikstad FK and signed a three-year contract with the club.^[3]

In the UEFA Cup 2007-08 season Honvéd faced with the Moldovan Nistru Otaci in the first round of the qualifiers.^[4] In the first leg Honvéd drew 1–1 away, and at home the result was the same. In the penalty-shootout Honvéd won 5–4.^[5] In the second round Honvéd played with the German Hamburger SV.^[6] In the first leg Honvéd drew 0–0, while away in the Imtech Arena, in Hamburg they were beaten by 4–0.

In the Intertoto Cup 2008 Honvéd played with the Kazakh Zhetysu and won both legs. The final result was 2–1 away, while at home Honvéd won 4–2. In the second round Honvéd played with the Czech Teplice and won 3–1 away, while lost 2–0 at home. As a consequence, Honvéd won on away goals. In the third round the team played with the Austrian Sturm Graz. The first leg finished goalless in Graz, Austria. Both teams made a stand against racism and discrimination.^[7] The second match was won by Sturm, therefore Honvéd was eliminated from the Intertoto Cup.

In the 2008-09 Magyar Kupa season Honvéd played in the final against Győri ETO FC. In the first leg Honvéd won 1–0 in Győr, while the second leg finished goalless which resulted the triumph of the team on 1–0 aggregate.^[8] As a consequence the team could play in the Europa League.

In the 2009-10 Europa League season Honvéd entered the third round. Honvéd played with the Turkish Fenerbahce. The first match was won by Fenerbahce by 5–1,^[9] while at home the result was 1–1.^[10] The team was eliminated on 6–2 aggregate.

2010s

Although Honved finished fourth in the 2011–12 season of the Hungarian League, they could participate in the UEFA Europa League 2012–13 season because Győr were banned from any European competitions.^[11] Honved faced with bronze medal winner of the Albanian First Division Flamurtari Vlorë in the first round of the Europa League. The first leg was won by Honved 1–0 away.^[12] Honved won the second leg as well by beating the Albanian club by 2–0 at home.^[13] In the second round they will face Russian Premier League club Anzhi Makhachkala which is full of star players such as Roberto Carlos or Samuel Eto'o. The first leg of the match was played near the Russian capital, Moscow in Ramenskoye in the stadium of FC Saturn Moscow since the UEFA did not approve to play the match in Dagestan. Anzhi won the match by 1–0.^[14]

Honours

• Hungarian League: 13
  • 1949–50, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1979–80, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1992-93
• Hungarian Cup: 7
  • 1925-26, 1964, 1984–85, 1988–89, 1995–96, 2006–07, 2008–09
• Mitropa Cup: 1
  • 1959
• Trofeo Ciudad de Vigo: 1
  • 1974

Youth teams

• Puskás Cup:
  • Winners (4): 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015

Players

Current squad

As of 13 February, 2015.

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

No. Position Player 3 DF Kristi Marku 5 DF Aleksandar Ignjatović 7 FW Lucas Ontivero (on loan from Galatasaray) 8 DF George Ikenne 9 FW Ayub Daud 11 FW David Izazola (on loan from UNAM) 13 FW Bratislav Punoševac 15 DF Josip Projic 17 FW Dániel Prosser 18 GK András Horváth 19 DF Josip Elez (on loan from Lazio) 20 MF Aníbal Godoy 21 DF Endre Botka 25 MF Dániel Gazdag 26 MF Patrik Hidi

No. Position Player 30 MF Bálint Vécsei 32 DF Richárd Czár 34 DF Jean-Pierre Morgan 36 DF Botond Baráth 39 FW Francis Koné 44 MF Jesús Meza 49 FW Jhon Palacios 57 MF Filip Holender 66 DF Jevrem Kosnić (on loan from Palermo) 71 GK Szabolcs Kemenes 77 MF Gergő Nagy 88 DF Marko Vidović 94 FW Sebestyén Ihrig-Farkas 99 FW Souleymane Youla

Out on loan

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

No. Position Player 7 FW Richárd Vernes (at Central Coast Mariners) 16 FW Krisztián Nagy (at Kazincbarcikai SC) FW Gergely Délczeg (at Zalaegerszegi TE) DF Raffaele Alcibiade (at Haladás)

No. Position Player FW Gergely Bobál (at Gyirmót) DF János Fejes (at Gyirmót) DF Dávid Bobál (at Soproni) MF Valér Kapacina (at Soproni)

Retired numbers

10 – Ferenc Puskás, Forward (1939–56). Number retired in July 2000.

Notable former players

Had senior international cap(s) for their respective countries. Players whose name is listed in bold represented their countries while playing for Budapest Honvéd FC.

European cup history

Season	Competition	Round	Country	Club	Home	Away	Aggregate
1956–57	European Cup	1. Round		Athletic Bilbao	3–3	2–3	5–6
1964–65	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup	1. Round		Lausanne Sports	1–0	0–2	1–2
1965–66	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup	1. Round		Reipas Lahti	6–0	10–2	16–2
		2. Round		Dukla Prague	1–2	3–2	4–4(a)
		Quarter-finals		Liverpool FC	0–0	0–2	0–2
1970–71	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup	1. Round		Aberdeen FC	1–3	3–1	4–4(aet)
		2. Round		Manchester City	0–1	0–2	0–3
1972–73	UEFA Cup	1. Round		Partick Thistle FC	1–0	3–0	4–0
		2. Round		PFC Beroe Stara Zagora	1–0	0–3	1–3
1973–74	UEFA Cup	1. Round		FC Košice	5–2	0–1	5–3
		2. Round		PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv	3–2	4–3	7–5
		3. Round		Ruch Chorzów	2–0	0–5	2–5
1975–76	UEFA Cup	1. Round		FC Bohemians Praha	1–1	2–1	3–2
		2. Round		Dynamo Dresden	2–2	0–1	2–3
1976–77	UEFA Cup	1. Round		Internazionale FC	1–1	1–0	2–1
		2. Round		FC Shakhtar Donetsk	2–3	0–3	2–6
1978–79	UEFA Cup	1. Round		Adanaspor	6–0	2–2	8–2
		2. Round		FC Politehnica Timişoara	4–0	0–2	4–2
		3. Round		Ajax Amsterdam	4–1	0–2	4–3
		Quarter-finals		MSV Duisburg	2–3	2–1	4–4(a)
1980–81	European Cup	Preliminary Round		Valletta FC	8–0	3–0	11–0
		1. Round		Sporting CP	1–0	2–0	3–0
		2. Round		Real Madrid CF	0–2	0–1	0–3
1983	UEFA Intertoto Cup	Group 5		FK Sloboda Tuzla	2–2	0–1
		Group 5		FK Inter Bratislava	3–1	1–1
		Group 5		FC Tirol Innsbruck	3–1	1–2
1983–84	UEFA Cup	1. Round		Larisa FC	3–0	0–2	3–2(aet)
		2. Round		Hajduk Split	3–2	0–3	3–5
1984–85	European Cup	1. Round		Grasshopper FC	2–1	1–3	3–4
1985–86	European Cup	1. Round		Shamrock Rovers	2–0	3–1	5–1
		2. Round		FC Steaua Bucureşti	1–0	1–4	2–4
1986–87	European Cup	1. Round		Brøndby IF	2–2	1–4	3–6
1987–88	UEFA Cup	1. Round		KSC Lokeren	1–0	0–0	1–0
		2. Round		Desportivo de Chaves	3–1	2–1	5–2
		3. Round		Panathinaikos	5–2	1–5	6–7
1988–89	European Cup	1. Round		Celtic	1–0	0–4	1–4
1989–90	European Cup	1. Round		FK Vojvodina	1–0	1–2	2–2(a)
		2. Round		S.L. Benfica	0–2	0–7	0–9
1991–92	European Cup	1. Round		Dundalk FC	1–1	2–0	3–1
		2. Round		UC Sampdoria	2–1	1–3	3–4
1993–94	UEFA Champions League	1. Round		Manchester United	2–3	1–2	3–5
1994–95	UEFA Cup	Preliminary Round		Zimbru Chisinau	4–1	1–0	5–1
		1. Round		FC Twente	1–3	4–1	5–4
		2. Round		Bayer Leverkusen	0–2	0–5	0–7
1996–97	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup	Qualyfing Round		FK Sloga Jugomagnat	1–0	1–0	2–0
		1. Round		Nimes Olympique	1–2	1–3	2–5
2002	UEFA Intertoto Cup	1. Round		FK Žalgiris Vilnius	0–1	0–0	0–1
2004–05	UEFA Cup	1. Qualifying Round		FC MIKA	1–1	1–0	2–1
		2. Qualifying Round		Amica Wronki	1–0	0–1	1–1(p)
2007–08	UEFA Cup	1. Qualifying Round		FC Nistru Otaci	1–1	1–1	2–2(p5–4)
		2. Qualifying Round		Hamburger SV	0–0	0–4	0–4
2008	UEFA Intertoto Cup	1. Round		FC Zhetysu	4–2	2–1	6–3
		2. Round		FK Teplice	0–2	3–1	3–3(a)
		3. Round		SK Sturm Graz	1–2	0–0	1–2
2009–10	UEFA Europa League	3. Qualifying Round		Fenerbahçe SK	1–1	1–5	2–6
2012–13	UEFA Europa League	1. Qualifying Round		Flamurtari Vlorë	2–0	1–0	3–0
		2. Qualifying Round		Anzhi Makhachkala	0–4	0–1	0–5
2013–14	UEFA Europa League	1. Qualifying Round		FK Čelik Nikšić	9–0	4–1	13–1
		2. Qualifying Round		Vojvodina	1–3	0–2	1–5

Managerial history

^[15]

Years Name Nationality 1935–37 Béla Stalmach 1937–42 Ferenc Puskás I 1942–43 Pál Titkos 1944 István Szokodi 1945–47 Ferenc Puskás I 1947–48 Béla Guttmann 1948–51 Ferenc Puskás I 1952–56 Jenő Kalmár 1957 Gábor Kiss 1957–60 Károly Sós 1960–62 György Babolcsay 1 July 1962 – 30 June 1963 Gyula Lóránt 1963 Nándor Bányai 1963–66 Mihály Kispéter 1966–67 József Bozsik 1967 György Babolcsay 1968–71 Kálmán Preiner 1971 György Babolcsay 1971–73 József Mészáros 1973–74 Lajos Faragó 1974–76 Károly Lakat

Years Name Nationality 1 July 1976 – 30 June 1982 Lajos Tichy 1 July 1982 – 30 June 1986 Imre Komora 1 July 1986 – 31 Dec 1986 István Vági 1987 Imre Komora 1987–88 Bertalan Bicskei 1989 József Both 1990 Sándor Haász 1 July 1990 – 30 June 1992 György Mezey 1992 József Verebes 1992 Lajos Szurgent 1992–30 June 1994 Martti Kuusela 1 Jul 1994–94 Dimitri Davidović 1995 Mihály Kozma 1995–96 Péter Török 1996–97 Bertalan Bicskei 1997 Zoltán Varga 1 July 1997 – 30 June 1998 Imre Komora 1 July 1998 – 30 June 1999 György Gálhidi 1999 Imre Komora 1999–00 Soós Reszeli 2000–01 Barnabás Tornyi

Years Name Nationality 2001 Lajos Szurgent Sept 10, 2001–15 Dec 2001 Róbert Glázer 1 Jan 2002 – 30 June 2002 Lajos Détári 2002 József Fitos 27 Aug 2002 – 8 Nov 2002 Ioan Pătrașcu 8 Nov 2002 – 6 Jan 2003 Lajos Szurgent 2003 Tibor Őze 13 April 2003 – 30 June 2003 József Duró 1 July 2003 – 17 Aug 2004 György Gálhidi 18 Aug 2004 – 29 Dec 2004 György Bognár 6 Jan 2005 – 14 April 2005 Lajos Szurgent 14 April 2005 – 22 June 2005 Károly Gergely 1 July 2005 – 19 Oct 2006 Aldo Dolcetti 1 July 2006 – 20 May 2008 Attila Supka 2008–09 Gábor Pölöskei 25 Feb 2009 – 23 Oct 2009 Tibor Sisa 28 Oct 2009 – 13 Nov 2010 Massimo Morales 17 Nov 2010 – 31 Dec 2010 László Szalai (interim) 1 Jan 2011 – 30 May 2012 Attila Supka 1 June 2012 – 28 April 2014 Marco Rossi 13 June 2014 – 6 October 2014 Pietro Vierchowod

Trivia

• The British pop group Half Man Half Biscuit have a song entitled 'I Was A Teenage Armchair Honved Fan'.
• Although Ferenc Puskás was a player of Budapest Honvéd, the Ferenc Puskás Football Academy was founded in Felcsút by Videoton FC.
• The youth football competition Puskás Cup was named after Ferenc Puskás, however, the cup is organised by the Ferenc Puskás Football Academy.

Sources

• Behind The Curtain – Travels in Eastern European Football: Jonathan Wilson (2006)^[16]
• 50 Years of the European Cup and Champions League: Keir Radnedge (2005)^[17]

See also

• Budapest derby

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Budapest Honvéd FC.

• Official website
• Puskás on Puskás Rogan Taylor and Klara Jamrich (1998)
• Mitropa Cup 1959