Full name | Fudbalski Klub Željezničar |
---|---|
Nickname(s) |
Željo Plavi (The Blues) |
Founded | 19 September 1921 |
Ground | Grbavica Stadium |
Capacity | 17,000 |
Chairman | Vedran Vukotić |
Manager | Slavko Petrović |
League | Premier League |
2016–17 | 2nd |
Website | Club home page |
Sport clubs of SD Željezničar | ||
---|---|---|
Football | Basketball (Men's) | Basketball (Women's) |
Handball | Skiing | Shooting |
Judo | Chess | Volleyball |
Table Tennis | Weightlifting | Mountaineering |
Fudbalski klub Željezničar (English: Football Club Željezničar) is the biggest and most successful Bosnian professional football club, based in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The name Željezničar means "railway worker", given because it was established by a group of railway workers. In Bosnia, the club is traditionally known for producing talented players, rather than signing them. The club usually relies on selling its most talented players at the end of each season to survive financially.
During the time of the former Yugoslavia, FK Željezničar were national champions once in the 1971–72 season, qualifying the club for the European Cup during the 1972–73 season where they were eliminated in the first round. The club has also finished as runners-up once in the league, as well as playing in a 1980–81 Yugoslav Cup final. In Europe, the club is most famous for reaching both the UEFA Cup semi-finals during the 1984–85 season and the quarter-finals during the 1971–72 season.
The club is the first Bosnian team to reach the UEFA Cup semifinals and one of the few teams ever to do so from Yugoslavia. Željezničar is the most successful football team in present-day Bosnia, having won 6 Bosnian championships, 5 Bosnian Cups and 3 Bosnian Supercups. The club has never qualified for UEFA Champions League (post European Cup) as best club could reach was 2002–03 Champions League third qualifying round, losing to Newcastle United 0–5 on aggregate. Their Local town rival is FK Sarajevo, who competes with them in the Sarajevo derby. Zeljeznicar has historically dominated the derby