Čelik Zenica
Full nameNogometni klub Čelik Zenica
Nickname(s)Crno-crveni (The Black-Reds)
Starac (The Old Man)
Founded16 June 1945 (1945-06-16)
GroundBilino Polje Stadium, Zenica
Capacity15,293
ChairmanDenis Mušović
ManagerDario Damjanović
LeagueFirst League of FBiH
2022–23Second League of FBiH, 1st (promoted)
WebsiteClub website

Nogometni klub Čelik Zenica (English: Football Club Čelik Zenica) is a professional football club based in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The name Čelik means Steel in Bosnian and it symbolizes the strength and power of the club in an industrial city well-known for steel production. Throughout its history, the club has been known for the excellent support of its fans at its Bilino Polje Stadium which hosts the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team.

NK Čelik is one of the most prominent and successful football teams in Bosnia and Herzegovina being one of only two Bosnian clubs to win the national championship three times in a row – from 1994 to 1997. The club also won two national cups in a row – from 1995 to 1996. During the time of the former Yugoslavia, Čelik had played 17 seasons in the Yugoslav First League. Čelik won the Mitropa Cup two times, and was joint winner of the UEFA Intertoto Cup once.

In addition, Čelik is the only fan-owned football club in Bosnia and Herzegovina where club members democratically elect its leadership.[1]

Today, Čelik is active in the First League of FBiH, having previously played in the Bosnian Premier League before getting relegated in the 2019–20 season.[2] In order to stabilise the club due to financial difficulties, its General Assembly voted to continue competing in the fourth tier-League of Zenica-Doboj Canton on 13 July 2020.[3]

History

The club had been founded on 16 June 1945 by a group of World War II veterans. The name of the club had been proposed by one of the founders, Zdenko Mazanek, to symbolize the strength of the club and its link to the workers of the city's metallurgic industry.[4]

Club culture

Over the years, the club developed a strong identification with its hometown, Zenica, becoming one of its symbols. The club has produced many important international players including Elvir Bolić, Mirsad Hibić and Mladen Krstajić.

Grounds

Čelik plays their home games at the Bilino Polje stadium which is also the biggest stadium in the city. Over the years the club had changed four different stadiums settling at their current ground in 1972.

Bilino Polje Stadium

During the first few years of the club's existence, following World War II, Čelik's stadium was located roughly on the place of the current Bilino Polje stadium, close to the Bosna river. The ground was covered in clay, as was the practice of lower-level football grounds at the time. The stadium itself had one wooden stand which was built over time and the club often played in front of full capacity.

However, due to the increased popularity of the club and the need for a better surface, during the early 1950s the club moved to the nearby Stadion Blatuša which was located in the Blatuša neighborhood of Zenica. It was there that Čelik started its first run of successes when they had reached promotion to the Yugoslav First League in 1966 and won the Mitropa Cup in 1971 (the final was played on neutral ground in Gorizia, Italy[5]).

Shortly after the first Mitropa Cup victory, plans were made for a new, modern stadium, built in place of Čelik's first stadium. The construction took 8 months to complete and it was officially opened on 4 October 1972 for the second leg of the 1972 Mitropa Cup final against Fiorentina which Čelik won 1–0 to claim their second title in a row. The attendance record of 35,000 still stands today due to the introduction of seats on the stadium over the years. The stadium went through a number of renovations and reconstructions, the most recent being in 2012.

From July to August 2012, the stadium went through another renovation process where the pitch had been changed and under-soil heating installed beneath. During the reconstruction, Čelik played two Bosnian Premier League matches as well as one Bosnian Cup match on the Stadion Kamberovića Polje, winning all of them. In the second part of the same season, the club played one more game there which ended in a draw.

The youth squads of Čelik usually play their games at the smaller stadium Kamberovića Polje.

Supporters

Čelik's main supporter group Robijaši in a game against Željezničar on 10 August 2019.

The ultras supporter group of Čelik, established in 1988 in Zenica, is called Robijaši (The Convicts in English) because Zenica is famous for its prison. Widely known for their fanatic support, they have been fighting to preserve the club and support it through difficult financial times.[6]

Honours

Domestic

League

Cups

European

Recent seasons

As of match played 11 June 2023.
Season League Cup Europe
Division P W D L F A Pts Pos
1994–95 First League
Zenica Group		330013391stWinners
First League
Final Play-off		33007391st
1995–96 First League3021546523681stWinners
1996–97 First League3017765723581stSF
1997–98 First League
Bosniaks First League		3016864830532nd1/8
First League
Play-off		20022706th
1998–99 First League30133144747429th1/8
1999–2000 First League3013894536559th1/8
Current format of Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina
2000–01 Premier League422110117540734thQF
2001–02 Premier League30127113930436thSFUEFA Intertoto Cup – R2
2002–03 Premier League381610126133585th1/16
2003–04 Premier League309101142433712th1/8
2004–05 Premier League301321529374113th1/8
2005–06 Premier League301051533453514th1/16
2006–07 Premier League301231529353914thSF
2007–08 Premier League30164103832523rd1/8
2008–09 Premier League301251329324110th1/16UEFA Intertoto Cup – R1
2009–10 Premier League301051033365013th1/8
2010–11 Premier League301171230304010thRunners-up
2011–12 Premier League30810123139349thQF
2012–13 Premier League3014974430514thQF
2013–14 Premier League30101373532437thRunners-up
2014–15 Premier League30101193435667th1/8
2015–16 Premier League30121083528466th1/8
2016–17 Premier League328111328393510th1/16
2017–18 Premier League32842030612811th1/8
2018–19 Premier League331110123049437th1/16
2019–20[nb 1] Premier League22551217331711th ↓1/16
2020–21 League of Zenica-Doboj Canton[nb 2]181620655501st ↑
2021–22 Second League of FBiH - Center3021637921663rd
2022–23 Second League of FBiH - Center3026319212811st ↑1/8

European record

CompetitionPWDLGFGAGD
UEFA Intertoto Cup 6402119+2
Total 6 4 0 2 11 9 +2

P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goals difference. Defunct competitions indicated in italics.

List of matches

Season Competition Round Opponent Home Away Agg.
2001 UEFA Intertoto Cup 1R Turkey Denizlispor 1–0 5–3 6–3
2R Belgium Gent 1–0 0–2 1–2
2008 UEFA Intertoto Cup 1R Montenegro Grbalj 3–2 1–2 4–4 (a)

Players

Current squad

As of 6 May 2023[7]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Emel Mlaćo
2 DF Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Haris Šehić
3 DF Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Davud Arnautović
4 DF Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Amar Muslić
5 MF Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Harun Vardo
6 MF Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Mahir Mehić
7 MF Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Filip Arežina
8 FW Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Ali Međuseljac
9 DF Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Aladin Isaković (Captain)
10 FW Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Fenan Salčinović
11 FW Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Emir Karalić
No. Pos. Nation Player
15 FW Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Tarik Zukić
16 MF Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Selim Žuna
17 MF Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Mahir Karić
18 FW Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Besim Kolić
20 DF Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Mirsad Sijerkić
21 MF Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Eldar Sivac
23 GK Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Adi Durmo
26 DF Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Aner Mujić
31 MF Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Edin Durmiš
99 DF Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Dženan Smajić

Players with multiple nationalities

  • Bosnia and Herzegovina Croatia Dženan Smajić

Club officials

Position Staff
Head coach Bosnia and Herzegovina Dario Damjanović
Goalkeeping coach Vacant
Physiotherapist Bosnia and Herzegovina Albin Mašić

Last updated: 29 November 2023
Source: NK Čelik Zenica at sportsport.ba

Other information

Chairman of the board Bosnia and Herzegovina Denis Mušović
Head coach Bosnia and Herzegovina Dario Damjanović

Source: NK Čelik Zenica at sportsport.ba

Notable managers

Dates Name Honours
1970–1971 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Dušan Varagić 1970–71 Mitropa Cup
1971–1972 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Midhat Mujkić 1971–72 Mitropa Cup
1974–1975 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Marcel Žigante 1975 Intertoto Cup (Joint Winner)
1992–1996 Bosnia and Herzegovina Nermin Hadžiahmetović 1994–95 Bosnian Championship
1994–95 Bosnian Cup
1995–96 Bosnian Championship
1995–96 Bosnian Cup
1996–1997 Bosnia and Herzegovina Kemal Hafizović 1996–97 Bosnian Championship

Notes

  1. ↑ 2019–20 Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Bosnia and Herzegovina; season curtailed and final standings (including Sarajevo as champions) declared by a points-per-game ratio on 1 June 2020.[2]
  2. ↑ Čelik were initially relegated to the Prva Liga FBiH, but were then excluded from the league on 13 July 2020.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Usvojen novi statut NK Čelik na principu "jedan član-jedan glas"". www.aa.com.tr. Archived from the original on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  2. 1 2 F.Z. (1 June 2020). "Zvanično! Sarajevo prvak BiH drugu godinu zaredom, Čelik i Zvijezda ispadaju" (in Bosnian). Klix.ba. Archived from the original on 3 June 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  3. 1 2 E.M. (13 July 2020). "Čelik takmičenje nastavlja u Kantonalnoj ligi, izabrana i nova uprava kluba" (in Bosnian). Klix.ba. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  4. ↑ "Historija". Archived from the original on 1 February 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  5. ↑ "Mitropa Cup 1970/71". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 29 November 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  6. ↑ "Fans of Celik protest against club leadership". Archived from the original on 25 July 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  7. ↑ "Igrači" [Players] (in Bosnian). NK Čelik Zenica. Archived from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
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