Odra Opole

Beginnings

The history of Odra Opole began on 16 June 1945, when in the Opole Town Hall, a group of sports officials gathered to form a new Polish sports organisation. Under first chairman, lawyer Leonard Olejnik, Odra organised first post-WWII sports competition in the city: street running (July 1945). In 1948, Odra merged with Lwowianka Opole and Chrobry Groszowice, and in 1948–1958, the club was called Budowlani Opole. By 1950, Budowlani had several departments, including football, track and field, tennis, boxing, ice hockey and volleyball. In 1951, managed by Mieczysław Bieniek, Budowlani won promotion to the second tier of Polish football system. In 1952, the team achieved promotion to the Ekstraklasa, after the playoffs with Włókniarz Kraków (3–2, 1–1). The team from Opole debuted in the Polish top league on 15 March 1953, losing 1–2 at home to Gwardia Warsaw (the lone goal for Budowlani was scored by Augustyn Poćwa). After only one year, Budowlani were relegated back to the second division. In 1955, Budowlani, with its top scorer Engelbert Jarek (who had been purchased from Polonia Nysa), returned to the Ekstraklasa. In the same year, Opole's favourites reached the semi-final of the Polish Cup, losing 0–2 to Lechia Gdańsk. Budowlani, whose name was in 1958 changed back to Odra, remained in the Polish top class until 1958. After relegation, Odra quickly returned to Ekstraklasa, and in the early 1960s, it was among the best football teams of the nation.

…

Domestic

Ekstraklasa Third place: 1963–64 Polish Cup Third place: 1961–62 Semi-finalists: 1954–55, 1961–62, 1966–67, 1980–81, 2000–01 Polish League Cup Winners: 1977 Youth teams Polish U-19 Championship Champions: 1972 Runners-up: 1968, 1976, 1981 Third place: 1984

International participations

1961–62 Intertoto Cup: Group stage: Slovan Bratislava 1–1, 1–8, Wiener AC 1–4, 2–0, Vorwärts Berlin 1–2, 2–1 1963–64 Intertoto Cup: Group stage: Hajduk Split 0–1, 1–0, FSV Zwickau 1–0, 1–1, HC Kladno 1–1, 4–0. 1/8 final: Norrköping 3–2, 2–0 Quarter-final: Slovan Bratislava 0–0, 1–1 Semi-final: Polonia Bytom 1–2, 0–0 1964–65 Intertoto Cup: Group stage: Spartak Pleven 1–0, 1–1, Tatran Prešov 1–1, 1–2, FC Karl-Marx-Stadt 1–2, 2–0 1968 Intertoto Cup: Group stage: Jednota Trencin 0–0, 2–0, 1. FC Magdeburg 2–0, 1–0, Hvidovre IF 1–2, 2–0 1968 Intertoto Cup: Group stage: FC La Chaux-de-Fonds 2–3, 3–0, SK Beveren-Waas 0–0, 2–0, Boldklubben 1913 2–0, 2–1 1972 Intertoto Cup: Group stage: Boldklubben Frem 1–2, 4–0, Rot-Weiß Oberhausen 0–1, 4–3, SK Voest Linz 2–0, 0–2 1977–78 UEFA Cup: 1. FC Magdeburg 1–2, 1–1