Dyskobolia Grodzisk Wielkopolski

Football club infobox
clubname = Dyskobolia Grodzisk Wielkopolski


fullname = Dyskobolia Grodzisk Wielkopolski SSA
nickname = Dyskobole (Discobolus)
founded = 1922
ground = Stadion Dyskobolia,
Grodzisk Wielkopolski
capacity = 7,000
chairman = Ryszard Kaczmarek
manager = Andrzej Janeczek
league = IV Liga
season = 2007/2008
position = Orange Ekstraklasa, 3rd
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leftarm1=286f6b|body1=286f6b|rightarm1=286f6b|shorts1=ffffff|socks1=ffffff
pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=_blackstripes|pattern_ra2=
leftarm2=286f6b|body2=286f6b|rightarm2=286f6b|shorts2=286f6b|socks2=308080

Dyskobolia Grodzisk Wielkopolski, IPA2|dɨskɔˈbɔʎa ˈgrɔdʑisk vʲɛlkɔˈpɔlski, is a Polish football club based in Grodzisk Wielkopolski, Poland.

History

Dyskobolia Grodzisk Wielkopolski was founded on April 30 1922.

After several decades in lower league football, the club was taken over in the mid-1990s by Zbigniew Drzymała, president of the Inter Groclin Auto company, and enjoyed an instant string of promotions culminating in the promotion to top level football in 1997.

Not having its own youth backbone, the club was dependent on players predominantly over 30 years of age, mostly with former league experience. After performing reasonably in the autumn period of the 1997/98 season, they experienced a sudden drop in form, which resulted in relegation. However within a year Dyskobolia was in the top flight again. Although now having many younger and more success-hungry players in the squad, the club performed disastrously in the autumn of 1999, garnering just five points from fifteen games. An unexpected (and some say suspicious) form increase in the spring resulted in eight victories in a row, which was more than enough to fight off relegation.

The club has been in the top flight ever since, enjoying second place honors on two occasions (2003 and 2005). The first runner-up title made them eligible to play in the UEFA Cup, in which they eliminated Hertha BSC and Manchester City (with three goals in four games) before falling to Girondins Bordeaux. Their second UEFA cup run was less successful, resulting in a first round exit against RC Lens.

Merger with Polonia Warsaw

In July 2008 Dyskobolia announced its intention to merge with Polonia Warszawa [cite web |url=http://www.90minut.pl/news.php?id=745960 |title=Polonia coraz bliżej fuzji z Dyskobolią |accessdate=2008-07-02 |work=90minut.pl ] after the expected merger with Śląsk Wrocław [cite web |url=http://www.uefa.com/footballeurope/news/kind=2/newsid=666954.html?cid=rssfeed&att=index |title=Wroclaw move ends Groclin fairytale |accessdate=2008-03-04 |work=UEFA.com ] fell through. Polonia replaced Dyskobolia in the Ekstraklasa while the new Dyskobolia team joined the Polish IV Liga.

Colours

The club colours are green and white.

Achievements

* Orange Ekstraklasa (First league):
** Runners-up (2): 2003, 2005

* Polish Cup:
** Winner (2): 2005, 2007

* Ekstraklasa Cup:
**Winner (1): 2007, 2008

Notable players

* Mariusz Lewandowski, defender, capped for the Polish national football team
* Sebastian Mila, midfield, capped for the Polish national football team
* Radosław Sobolewski, midfield, capped for the Polish national football team
* Piotr Świerczewski, midfield, capped for the Polish national football team
* Grzegorz Rasiak, striker, capped for the Polish national football team
* Ivica Križanac, defender, capped for the Croatia national football team

Dyskobolia in Europe

See also

* Football in Poland
* List of football teams

References

External links

* http://www.dyskobolia.org/