A profile of one of the Turkish Süper Lig’s most decorated teams, The Trabzonspor Football Club!

Welcome to The Sporting Blog football club overview series. In this series, we will review different Football clubs of the world and give you an in-depth history of who they are and how they have made a name for themselves.

In today’s edition, we are talking about Trabzonspor Football Club, one of the 4 Major names in Turkish Football.

The Club’s History

Trabzonspor Kulübü (commonly referred to as Trabzonspor Football Club) is the fourth biggest & and well-renowned football club in Turkey.

This club is located in Trabzon. Though Trabzonspor cannot match themselves to the Süper Lig’s “Big Three” in terms of titles won, but their accomplishments, mostly in the era of the 1970s & 1980s have attained everyone's admiration in the football circles inside Turkey.

Plus, Trabzonspor has earned tremendous worldwide fame due to some of their famous victories in the UEFA Champions League; creating a signboard with a warning for some of the prominent European sides that it's not just Galatasaray S.K, Fenerbahçe S.K, and Beşiktaş J.K they need to respect and admire when they visit Turkey, they also have to feel the presence of “The Red Sea Storm”.

Interestingly, the foundation of Trabzonspor Kulübü has been just like a roller coaster ride. This club was founded twice and gone through many renovation scenarios, within just a 15 month period. In mid-June 1966, three of the most elite clubs of that time in Trabzon, the İdmangücü, Karadenizgücü, and Martıspor, merged under one flag to set the foundation of one club, the Trabzonspor Kulübü (or the Trabzonspor Club).

The alliance of these clubs was still sketchy, as the most influential football club in the town, İdmanocağı, had withdrawn its supplication to join in. A year later, everything changed. Trabzonspor, as they had been there for only a period of one season, was demolished and established again, on August 2, 1967, but this time with all of the city's chief football clubs on the same paper.

After playing for years in Turkey's second division league, Trabzonspor Kulübü ultimately got the freedom to rival in the top flight in 1974, in the Süper Lig. Since then they have never been relegated from the league.

Ali Osman Ulusoy was the first president of the club. While Hayri Gür was the first-ever manager of the club.

Trabzonspor’s Stadium - Şenol Güneş Stadium

The Estadio Şenol Güneş or ‘Medical Park Stadium’

Trabzonspor Kulübü play at the Şenol Güneş Stadium, officially known as Medical Park Stadium which replaced the Hüseyin Avni Aker Stadium as their home ground during the 2016-17 season. Their new stadium is named after Şenol Güneş; the most decorated and iconic player in Trabzonspor's history as well as in the whole Turkish football chronicle.

Şenol Güneş Stadium opened on December 18, 2016. The total construction cost of the stadium was estimated at around $28,181,000 (USD). Furthermore, the ground surface is overlaid by Hybrid grass. Most importantly, the Trabzonspor vs Fenerbahçe derby match on January 28, 2018, witnessed the record attendance at 38,477 fans who came to support their teams in this stadium.

The Journey Towards Titles

After securing 2nd spot in the 1977-78 season (but winning the both Turkish Cup and Turkish Super Cup again), Trabzonspor Kulübü persisted in entering an even more majestic episode in their history, by taking the Turkish Süper Lig titles to home not once or twice, but three times in a row.

The club's sixth Turkish Süper Lig success in the 1983-84 season (possessing the second place in 1981-82 and 1982-83 seasons), coupled with yet another Turkish Cup triumph, gained them the undisputed title of the most prominent and eminent team in the country from the mid-70s to mid-80s, an immense venture in a country like Turkey whose football picture had been ruled until then (and has been controlled ever since) by Istanbul's big-three top football clubs, and we all know who they are!

After crowning the 1983-84 season's title, the most reliable run Trabzonspor ever got in accomplishing the Süper Lig again was in the 2010-11 season, when, tragically, they were dropped to second place in the points table, though they ended the season with 82 points, equivalent to Fenerbahçe S.K. But the title was decided on the fact that Fenerbahçe S.K had beaten Trabzonspor Kulübü 2-0 at home, and lost 3-2 in Trabzonspor's home ground. The goal difference chose Fenerbahçe S.K and they won the title, which, amusingly, Trabzonspor declares to have succeeded themselves, including it in their club's trophy cabinet someone can notice when hitting their official club website.

Collectively, the Black Sea Storm has 6 Süper Lig titles, 9 Turkish Cups, 9 Turkish Super Cups, 7 President's Cups, and the 5 Prime Minister's Cups under their belt, which is indeed one of the decorated and prestigious trophy cabinets in Turkish football arenas.

At the international level, the Trabzonspor Kulübü have never been able to advance far enough in the UEFA Championships, but some victories (sometimes combined with qualifying encounters) are affectionately recalled to Trabzon, and fill the premises with pride.

Top Five Trabzonspor Players

Hami Mandıralı – Striker/Attacking Midfielder:

Comparatively little-known outside Turkey, Hami Mandıralı represented Trabzonspor Kulübü from 1984 to 1998, also contributed to Schalke 04 in the 1998-99 season, but returned to Turkey for three more years and played there.

Mandıralı may not have made our list of the best Turkish footballers of all-time, but he is regarded as one of the greatest players in Trabzonspor's history.

He played Trabzonspor's colours as a forward, second striker, and attacking midfielder. He had started in more than 500 Trabzonspor official games and tallied more than 250 goals, a record that seems almost impossible to ever be broken.

Mandıralı also managed the Trabzonspor side a couple of times in 2014 and 2016 respectively. Without a doubt, he was a shining star in Trabzonspor's history.

Şenol Güneş – Goalkeeper:

Şenol Güneş is one of the Turkish football greats. Şenol was considered the best man ever in Turkish football history between the sticks due to his aerial reflexes and brave diving ability.

He represented Trabzonspor Kulübü from 1972 to 1987, playing more than 420 games. He has immensely contributed to his boyhood club, Trabzonspor Kulübü, in winning all their 6 Süper Lig titles. He has also coached many football teams. His most notable managerial accomplishment to date includes managing the Turkish national team to third place in the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea & Japan.

İbrahim Yattara – Winger/Attacking Midfielder:

İbrahim Yattara is another big name in Trabzonspor history. The Guinea international represented Trabzonspor in almost 200 matches from 2003 to 2011. He was famous for his pace, athleticism, and creativeness on the field. Top Spanish coach Luis Aragones once declared that Yattara's playing style is similar to Ronaldinho Gaucho, the Brazilian legend.

Burak Yılmaz – Striker:

This Turkish super striker is the most compact, strong, and versatile striker Trabzonspor ever had. Yilmaz played for the Red Sea Storms from 2010 to 2012 where he banged the ball in the net 55 times in just 77 appearances. He also had spent some years at Galatasaray S.K and Bejing Guoan, before signing a new contract with Trabzonspor for the 2017-18 season. Collectively, he managed to score 83 goals for Trabzonspor in 108 appearances. His shooting prowess and finishing ability has been just sumptuous!

Fatih Tekke – Striker:

Tekke played for the Trabzonspor for four extremely successful seasons and is one of the most transcendent strikers in Süper Lig's history. A stylish, energetic, disciplined, and versatile player who earned fame in Turkish football in a very short period. He came into prominence from the Turkish youth teams. Tekke has represented Trabzonspor from 2002 to 2006 and has 77 goals in 118 club appearances.

Besides his marvellous playing style, he has also coached many Turkish clubs and is considered one of the best coaches in Turkey.

The Best Coach in the Club’s History

Ahmet Suat Özyazıcı:

The greatest coach in team history is Ahmet Suat Özyazıcı, a truly competitive and masterclass manager. He is renowned for his excellent leadership, management, tactics, and loyalty. Özyazıcı managed the Trabzonspor side continuously from 1973 to 1988 and also in 1999. In these charismatic years, he helped the club in winning 4 Turkish Süper Lig titles, 3 Turkish Cups, 5 Turkish Super Cups, 5 President's Cups, and the 2 Prime Minister's Cups. This surely was the most flamboyant era of Trabzonspor under a veretran like Özyazıcı.

Bitter Rivalry with Fenerbache

Trabzonspor Vs Fenerbache - A fierce rivalry

Fenerbahce S.K has a strong and fierce rivalry with Trabzonspor. And it's not a big surprise that there's a bitter football rivalry between the Yellow Canaries from Istanbul and the Black Sea Storm from Trabzon.

As Trabzonspor Kulübü is the only football club outside Istanbul ever to win the Turkish Süper Lig title. Trabzonspor Kulübü ruled Turkish football for almost a decade, acquiring six league titles, while Fenerbahçe S.K won two and Besiktas J.K only one. In those days Fenerbahce S.K was the only side that could question and challenge Trabzonspor Kulübü for the championship. A rivalry deepened, a bitter one!

The Greatest Moment in Club’s History:

The greatest moment in team history came in the form of an away win at a high contested 2011-12 UEFA Champions League game. Şenol Güneş's side first baffled and then shocked the 2010 champions, FC Internazionale Milano, as the Czech international Ondřej Čelůstka struck to bind a famous win on the club's debut.

Trabzonspor is well remembered for one of their most magnificent results as they defeated the 2010 European title holders, FC Internazionale Milano, in their maiden group contest.

Ondřej Čelůstka, a summertime signing from SK Slavia Praha, scored in the 14th minute as the Turkish dark horses doomed Gian Piero Gasperini's team to their third consecutive setback of his tenure.

Following the second half, the Italian club had their chances, but it was Trabzonspor who won the day and Şenol Güneş's lads held on to claim a famous victory.