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KKS 1925 Kalisz

KKS 1925 Kalisz
Full nameKaliski Klub Sportowy
1925 Kalisz
Nickname(s)Cebulorz (The Onions)
Founded1925; 99 years ago (1925)
1992; 32 years ago (1992) (first reformation)
2005; 19 years ago (2005) (second reformation)
GroundStadion Miejski
Capacity8,166
ChairmanMarcin Szymczyk
ManagerMarcin Woźniak
LeagueII liga
2023–24II liga, 3rd of 18
Websitehttps://kkskalisz.com.pl

Kaliski Klub Sportowy 1925 Kalisz, often shortened to just KKS Kalisz, historically in the past named KKS Włókniarz 1925 Kalisz and Włókniarz Kalisz, is a Polish football club based in Kalisz, Poland. The men's senior team is currently playing in the II liga. The club also runs women's football and swimming sections.

History

The club has had a long but turbulent history, majority of it spent in amateur or semi-professional divisions. the original club was founded in 1925 as Kaliski Klub Sportowy Kalisz.

In December 1948, a merger of 7 local clubs from the local textile industry created a new club, which was eventually renamed in February 1950 as Włókienniczy Związkowy Klub Sportowy Włókniarz Kalisz.

However, a dire financial situation caused the club to be liquidated on the 6 March 1992, and many sections of the club ceased to exist. The football section of the club was reformed under the name Wistil in 1991, shortly before its official disbandment, and quickly returned to the name KKS Kalisz after disbandment of the original club.

With lack of on-field successes and failure to climb the league pyramid, the club withdrew half through the III liga in the 2002–03 season, officially disbanding in March 2003. The club reformed under the name KKS Prosna Kalisz but failed to field a senior team. The fans and management of the club decided to re-establish the club from scratch in 2006, starting from the bottom of the football pyramid, the 8th tier (klasa B), and earned promotion in their first season. In that decision, they also decided to establish a women's football team.[1][2][3][4]

They reached the Polish Cup semi-finals in 2023, eliminating Ekstraklasa teams such as Widzew Łódź, Górnik Zabrze and Śląsk Wrocław, before losing to Legia Warsaw.[5] In the 2023–24 season, KKS 1925 failed to secure promotion to the I liga despite finishing in a commendable third place, as they lost 1–2 to Stal Stalowa Wola in the play-off final.[6]

Past seasons

Season League Place W D L GF GA Pts Polish Cup
2006–07 Klasa B (VIII) 2 22 1 2 92 26 67 Did not qualify
2007–08 Klasa A (VII) 1 16 6 4 75 27 54 Did not qualify
2008–09 Liga okręgowa (VI) 3 21 3 6 74 27 66 Did not qualify
2009–10 Liga okręgowa (VI) 8 14 3 13 47 42 45 Did not qualify
2010–11 Liga okręgowa (VI) 2 19 5 6 54 33 62 Did not qualify
2011–12 Liga okręgowa (VI) 1 23 6 1 83 22 75 Did not qualify
2012–13 IV liga (V) 7 13 9 8 47 33 48 Did not qualify
2013–14 IV liga (V) 6 13 6 11 47 31 45 Did not qualify
2014–15 IV liga (V) 1 22 5 3 72 26 71 Did not qualify
2015–16 III liga (IV) 8 13 6 11 41 41 45 Preliminary round
2016–17 III liga (IV) 8 16 6 12 44 44 54 Round of 32
2017–18 III liga (IV) 5 19 6 9 52 33 63 Did not qualify
2018–19 III liga (IV) 2 21 6 7 70 37 69 Did not qualify
2019–20 III liga (IV) 1 14 3 1 41 12 45 Did not qualify
2020–21[7] II liga (III) 5 17 6 13 51 40 57 Round of 64
2021–22[8] II liga (III) 13 13 3 18 43 48 42 Round of 32
2022–23 II liga (III) 7 15 9 10 63 45 54 Semifinal
2023–24 II liga (III) 3 15 10 9 48 32 55 Round of 64
Green marks a season followed by promotion

Supporters and rivalries

The club has a relatively large fan-base considering its lack of on-field achievements and lowly league position throughout its history. The ultras number from 150–1000 for matches depending on the rival. The fans have however place a strong emphasis of the hooligan element of support.

The fan movement started in the 90's as a local Widzew Łódź fan-club. They established friendly relations with Ceramika Opoczno in 1995, which lasted until 2000. Also in 1995 the fans established friendly relations with Chrobry Głogów. However, during a match between Chrobry Głogów and Górnik Wałbrzych, huge fight erupted between Widzew and KKS fans, which resulted in KKS no longer being a Widzew fan-club. The friendship with Chrobry lasted until 2007. In the past there were friendly contacts with Pogoń Zduńska Wola and Warta Sieradz fans.[9] Currently the fans have friendly contacts with Widzew Łódź (now as a separate entity not a fan-club),[10] Elana Toruń,[11] and Italian fans of Como.[12][13]

The club has two large rivals: Górnik Konin[14] and Ostrovia Ostrów Wielkopolski. Both rivals sympathise with regional powerhouse Lech Poznań, KKS being one of the very few lower league teams in Greater Poland not to do so. Fans frequently shout Autonomia Kaliska! ("Kaliszan Autonomy!"), referring for autonomy from the Greater Poland region. In turn, their rivals respond with Wielkopolska bez Kalisza! ("Greater Poland without Kalisz!"). As a result of this KKS have rivalries with many other teams in the region who also sympathise with Lech, such as Kania Gostyń, Astra Krotoszyn, Jarota Jarocin, Pogoń Nowe Skalmierzyce, Polonia Kępno and Victoria Września. With regards to Lech itself, due to large discrepancy in divisions it has extended to only the reserve team and an off-field rivalry with the local Lech fan-club.[15] They also have a strong rivalry with the other Poznań club Warta Poznań.[16]

Players

Current squad

As of 5 September 2024

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Poland POL Maciej Krakowiak
3 DF Poland POL Mateusz Gawlik
5 DF Poland POL Jakub Staszak
6 MF Poland POL Adrian Cierpka
7 MF Poland POL Piotr Kusiński
8 MF Poland POL Mateusz Andruszko (on loan from Raków Częstochowa II)
10 MF Spain ESP Néstor Gordillo
11 FW Poland POL Kacper Skibicki (on loan from GKS Tychy)
12 GK Poland POL Maksymilian Ciołek
14 DF Poland POL Bartosz Gęsior
15 MF Poland POL Wiktor Staszak
16 MF Poland POL Bartłomiej Putno
17 MF Poland POL Paweł Mocny
19 FW Poland POL Mikołaj Chaciński
No. Pos. Nation Player
20 MF Poland POL Kacper Janiak
21 FW Poland POL Marcel Szymański (on loan from Arka Gdynia)
22 MF Poland POL Wojciech Maroszek
23 DF Poland POL Maciej Białczyk
24 DF Poland POL Jakub Głaz
35 DF Poland POL Bartosz Kieliba (captain)
42 DF Poland POL Wiktor Smoliński
55 DF Poland POL Marcel Owczarek
70 DF Poland POL Adam Dębiński
71 MF Poland POL Kamil Koczy
77 FW Poland POL Krzysztof Toporkiewicz
GK Poland POL Marcel Janiak (on loan from SMS Konin)
GK Poland POL Wiktor Sobieraj

Out on loan

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
13 GK Poland POL Michał Stefaniak (at LKS Gołuchów until 30 June 2025)
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 MF Poland POL Wojciech Karasiewicz (at Warta Gorzów Wielkopolski until 30 June 2025)

Notable former players

Players who have played in the Ekstraklasa

See also

References