Full name | Antalyaspor Kulübü |
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Nickname(s) | Akrepler (Scorpions) |
Founded | 2 July 1966 |
Ground | Antalya Arena |
Capacity | 32,539 |
President | Ali Şafak Öztürk |
Manager | Rıza Çalımbay |
League | Süper Lig |
2015–16 | 9th |
Website | Club home page |
Antalyaspor is a Turkish professional football club located in the city of Antalya. The club colours are red and white and they play their home matches at Antalya Arena. Domestically, the club has won the First League twice, in 1982 and 1986. They also finished as runners-up for the Turkish Cup in 2000.
Antalyaspor were established in 1966 after three local teams united to establish a club for the coastal city of Antalya. These teams were; Yenikapı SuSpor, İlk Işıkspor and Ferrokromspor. The club competed in the lower divisions of the Turkish football league system before earning promotion to the Süper Lig in 1982–83. Their first stint of top-flight football lasted two years, as they were relegated back to the TFF First League at the end of the 1984–85 season. They were promoted the next season, but were relegated just as fast. They competed in the TFF First League until the end of the 1993–94 season, when they beat İstanbulspor 3–2 after extra time in the final of the promotion playoffs. Their longest stint of top-flight football lasted until 2001–02. In that time span, the club competed continentally in the UEFA Intertoto Cup twice and the UEFA Cup once. They reached the finals of the Turkish Cup in 2000, but lost 5–3 after extra time to Galatasaray. Antalyaspor competed in the UEFA Cup the following season, defeating Werder Bremen 2–0 after home, before losing 6–0 in the second leg. The club was relegated at the end of the 2001–02 season, finishing one point below the relegation zone. The club earned promotion back to the Süper Lig after placing second in the 2005–06 1.Lig. On 3 December 2006, Pavol Straka scored the club's 500th goal in top-flight football. The following year they were relegated back to the TFF First League, but earned promotion again the next season. They finished ninth at the end of the 2009–10 season.