NK Osijek - History

History

NK Osijek's early roots are found in club called NK Udarnik that was formed in 1945 under FPR Yugoslavia's new communist authorities on the ashes of dissolved HŠK Slavija. Slavija was founded in 1916 and competed in the Nacionalna liga of Kingdom of Yugoslavia (country's top division) occasionaly, from 1923 until 1940.

In 1946 NK Udarnik and another local club NK Jedinstvo merged to form a new entity – NK Slavonija. The following year, NK Slavonija merged with NK Bratstvo, again creating a new club called NK Proleter. This took place on February 2, 1947, a date that present day NK Osijek considers to be its birthday. Club colors were red and blue, which in the 1970s changed to white and blue. For the first time in the First Division, the club entered the 1953. after unsuccessful attempts 1950. and 1952. It is a historical match was against Borac from Banja Luka. Group was also to ascertain from Ljubljana) 2 August 1953rd when Franjo Rupnik with 5 goals brought the victory of 5–0, in front of 10,000 spectators. After three seasons in the highest rank, Osijek turns in the season when the club was fined and three match teaching. The club has played at the former playground "Kraj Drave", and since the late 1950s to the present, Osijek matches will be played at the stadium in the Gradskom vrtu.On September 1, 1962 NK Proleter joined with the Boxing and Athletic club Mladost and formed a multi-sport Sportsko društvo Slavonija (Slavonija Sporting Society). The football club thus again started competing under the name NK Slavonija.

The club, up to the 1980s, was the second division with a permanent attempt to enter the top-league (especially 1970., 1971. And 1973.) That had been hindered in many ways. It is particularly interesting to take part in qualifying for the major league in 1973 when Osijek after the expulsion Pristina played with Zagreb. In 2nd leg in Zagreb, Osijek lost on penalties in front of a record 64,000 attendance. Finally, 1977. the club enters the elite class, where with the exception of one season, remained until the collapse of Yugoslavia. The biggest successes were the sixth place of 1984 and the Cup semifinals.

In 1992 with start of new Prva HNL, in his first season, playing all the games out of the Gradski vrt, Osijek ends up being the third. In the next two seasons, leads to weaker results, but in the season, Prva HNL Season 1994–95. and 1994–95. Lead by scoring the first league Robert Spehar, Osijek first won in the history of performance in Europe. After relegation from the Slovan from Bratislava, waiting for two seasons until a new statement. Then again Osijek was the third in the Prva HNL next season, and unfortunately dropped from the Anderlecht in the UEFA Cup. It was 3–1 in Osijek and 0:2 in Brussels. That season, led by Jurica Vranjes, win the first trophy Croatian Cup. It was a shocking game, Cibalia led to 93 minute when Mitu equalizer, in extra time Lasic scored a golden goal to bring Cup in Osijek. Prva HNL 1999-00. and 1999-00. Osijek drops out of UEFA Cup smoothly from West Ham and 0:3 and 1:3, and again won the third place in the league.

Prva HNL 2000–01. and 2000–01. Comes to the renaissance: the first victory against the Dinamo Zagreb in Maksimir in the following nine years, and the passage of the Cup UEFA against the Danish Brøndby (2:1 for Osijek in the Copenhagen and in Osijek 0:0), and two wins aganist Rapid Wien (2:1 in Osijek 2–0 in Wien) and staggering against the Slavia Prague (after winning 2–0 in Osijek 1:5 defeat in Prague). Osijek in year 2000 ended as autumn Croatian champion, but after a poor game in the spring completed the championship in third place. The club's most famous former player is Davor Šuker, who went on to be the most successful Croatian striker and Golden Boot winner at World Cup 1998.