RTP Unia Racibórz

Unia Racibórz was founded on 27 April 1946 as a men's team. Its initial name was Klub Sportowy Plania Racibórz. The club has undergone several name changes. From June 1949 to November 1949 it was named ZKS Chemik Racibórz, then it was called ZKS Unia Racibórz (until 18 March 1957), and KS Unia Racibórz up to the 1997–98 season before adopting the current name RTP Unia Racibórz.[1] Until 2001, the year the women started training, the club had only a men's football team. The women's team was registered for league play in the 2002–03 season.

In January 2008, after discrepancies over the use of finances, the men's section split from RTP Unia and took the name KP Unia Racibórz.[2] Thus RTP Unia Racibórz became exclusively a women's football club.

Men's team of Unia Racibórz won in 1957 regional competition of Opole Silesia, and qualified for the Second Division playoffs. After beating Victoria Częstochowa, Wawel Wirek and Lublinianka, Unia won promotion to the 1958 Second Division, which at that time was the second level of Polish football system, consisting of 24 teams, divided into two groups, North and South. In its first Second Division season, Unia was 4th in Group South, behind Górnik Radlin, Szombierki Bytom and Stal Mielec. Unia was twice U-19 Champion of Poland, in 1954 and 1956. Based on this very talented generation of young players, in 1959 Unia was very close to the promotion to the Ekstraklasa, finishing the season in the 2nd spot of Group South of the Second Division, one point behind Zagłębie Sosnowiec.

In 1960, Unia was moved to Group North of the Second Division, finishing the season in the third spot, behind Lech Poznań and Zawisza Bydgoszcz. For the 1961 season, one group of the Second Division was formed, with 18 teams. Unia finished in the 5th position, with Gwardia Warszawa as the champion of the Polish second level. In 1962, after another change, Unia was 4th in Group A of the Second Division. Finally, in 1963, Unia won promotion to the elite Ekstraklasa, finishing as the second team of the national Second Division, four points behind Szombierki Bytom, and one point above Raków Częstochowa.

Unia spent only two seasons in the Ekstraklasa. In 1963/64, it was ranked 8th out of 14 teams and in 1964/65 it was the last team of the league, with only 14 points and a goal difference of 32–75. After relegation, Unia was third in the 1965/66 season of the Second Division, behind Cracovia and Pogoń Szczecin. In 1966/67, it was the fourth team of the Second Division, and in 1967/68, fifth. In 1968/69 Unia again was the fourth team of the Second Division, and in 1969/70, seventh. Finally, in 1970/71, Unia was relegated to the third level, never to return.

The men's team of KP Unia Racibórz currently plays in the Silesian group of the IV liga, the 5th level of the Polish association football system.

The men's football team of Unia Racibórz were also the U-19 Champion of Poland twice (1954 and 1956).

In 2006-07 the club gained promotion into Ekstraliga, Poland's first league for women. In their first season in the Ekstraliga the took 3rd place, but only one year later the team won the championship and ended the dominance of KS AZS Wrocław, who had won the title the last eight times. Unia was able to defend the title in 2009–10.

In the 2009-10 Champions League, the started in the round of 32 but lost to SV Neulengbach. Later that season Unia won their first national cup after beating Pogoń Women Szczecin7-1 in the final. The following season, Unia again lost the round of 32 champions league legs, this time to Brøndby. In 2012–13, Unia lost to VfL Wolfsburg and was eliminated by Konak Belediyespor a year later, at the round of 32 stage yet again.

After the 2012/13 season the main sponsor left and many players left for new clubs. Several of those were Polish national team players.[3] Unia eventually withdrew from the Extraleague after the first half of the 2013/14 season because of financial problems.[4][5] They stood at second place that time of being withdrawn. The club was disbanded and thus did not join lower-tier competitions.

• 5 Polish championships: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
• 3 Polish cup-winner: 2010, 2011, 2012
• 3 Polish indoor championships: 2008, 2009, 2011

As of 11 August 2012, according to UEFA's website.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 2 DF Natasza Górnicka 4 MF Hanna Konsek 7 FW Dżesika Jaszek 8 MF Natalia Chudzik 9 FW Agata Tarczyńska 10 FW Anna Żelazko 11 DF Donata Leśnik 12 GK Marlena Janeczek 13 MF Karolina Wieczorek 17 GK Dorota Wilk

No. Position Player 18 DF Marta Mika 19 MF Katarina Ištóková 20 DF Aleksandra Sosnowska 21 DF Alicja Pawlak 22 MF Katarzyna Krupa 27 MF Patrycja Pożerska 29 MF Dominika Sýkorová 66 FW Patrycja Wiśniewska 57 MF Ivana Bojdová

Former internationals

• Leonarda Balog
• Iva Landeka

References

1. http://www.90minut.pl/skarb.php?id_klub=402
2. http://www.fansoccer.de/ffausland/interviews/trawinski/trawinski2009.htm
3. http://www.dziennikwschodni.pl/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140312/PILKA07/140319879 Archived 14 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine
4. "Unia withdraw from league" (in Polish). pzpn.pl. 10 March 2014. Archived from the original on 4 April 2014. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
5. http://sport.nowiny.pl/97558-mistrzowska-unia-raciborz-znika-z-mapy-polski.html
6. "Unia Raciborz seasons". 90minut.pl. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
7. http://www.90minut.pl/skarb.php?id_klub=5954&id_sezon=67

External links

• Official Website
• Club at UEFA.com