NK Vinogradar
| Full name | NK Vinogradar Mladina |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1973 |
| Ground | Stadion Mladina |
| Capacity | 2,000 |
| Chairman | Ivan Rubinić |
| Manager | Roy Ferenčina |
| League | Treća HNL West |
| 2015–16 | Treća HNL West, 2nd |
NK Vinogradar is a Croatian football club based in the village of Mladina, part of the town of Jastrebarsko.
During the 1960s, people in Jastrebarsko and surrounding villages began to play football more seriously and to form the first football clubs. At the beginning of the 1970s, neighborhoods of Jastrebarsko as well the nearby villages began to play football tournaments. After one such tournament the idea was born of establishing NK Vinogradar ("FC Winegrower"). The idea was started by Mladen Božičević, and supported by Francis Fabijanić and Željko Jambrović. The first meeting was held in the spring of 1973 in the premises of the fire brigade in Zdihovo, a village near Jastrebarsko.
In the early 2000s, Ivan Rubinić, owner of DIR (successful carpentry company), financed the club's rise from the county league to the Croatian second division where they played an important role between 2007 and 2013. In six seasons in the second division, the club only finished below mid-table once.
In June 2013, the club assembly decided to withdrew from Croatian second division due to increased financial requirements and the probable withdrawal of main club sponsor DIR. As a result, the club were relegated to the Croatian Fifth Division.
However, the club achieved back-to-back promotions and for the 2015–16 season find themselves again in the Treća HNL.
Vinogradar have reached the quarterfinals of the Croatian Football Cup three times, losing at that stage every time.
The club made the 2005–06 Croatian Football Cup quarterfinals as a third division side, losing 10–1 to NK Rijeka on aggregate.
Vinogradar also reached the quarterfinals of the 2011–12 Croatian Football Cup before losing to HNK Cibalia 3–2 on aggregate.
Most impressively, Vinogradar reached the quarter-finals of the 2014–15 Croatian Football Cup as a fourth division side, beating two higher-placed teams in the process, NK Međimurje from Čakovec and top flight side NK Slaven Belupo. The club then played Hajduk Split in the quarterfinals but lost 6–0 on aggregate. The season before, 2013–14, Vinogradar also played Hajduk Split in the second round of the cup, losing 1–3, but only after extra time.
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