Trabzonspor are one of the most decorated clubs in Turkey. They have won seven Süper Lig titles and were the first non-Istanbul-based club to win the league.[2] They also have won nine Federation Cup (Turkish Cup) titles. The club won their first championship title in 1975–76, and won three championship titles in a row in the 1978–79, 1979–80 and 1980–81. They would add one more title in 1983-84 before embarking on a 38-year championship drought. This drought eventually came to an end after they secured the championship in 2021–22.
This period is remembered as the years Trabzonspor played in the Turkish Second Football League (currently called TFF First League). In 1967, the Trabzonspor Football Team was established under the roof of Trabzonspor and started competing in the Second League White Group during the 1967-68 football season.[4] Trabzonspor completed its first year in professional leagues in 6th place among 20 teams in this league, following Boluspor.
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In the following two years, Trabzonspor finished 4th in the league.
[6][7] In the 1970-71 season, Trabzonspor finished 8th.[8]
During the 1971-72 football season, Trabzonspor competed in the Red Group but missed promotion to the Turkish First Football League (currently called the Süper Lig) by two points.
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A year later, Trabzonspor experienced the same fate; despite having the same points as the leader (Kayserispor), it finished second due to goal difference and failed to achieve promotion to the Turkish First Football League.
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In the 1973-74 season, Trabzonspor won the Red Group by finishing six points ahead of its closest rival, Sakaryaspor. Although Trabzonspor lost the championship match against the winner of the other group (Zonguldakspor) in a penalty shootout, it finally earned promotion to the Turkish First Football League.
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During these years, players like Necmi Perekli, Şenol Güneş, and Cemil Usta, who would later become part of the championship-winning team, started to feature in the squad.
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Perekli became the league’s top scorer twice while playing for Trabzonspor.
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1974-1984 Era (Championship Period)
This period covers Trabzonspor’s phase after being promoted to the Turkish First Football League. Trabzonspor was promoted to the Turkish First Football League in 1974.[15] Its first season in this league was the 1974-75 season, during which Trabzonspor finished 9th with 30 points.[16] In addition, during the same year, Trabzonspor reached the final of the Turkish Cup but failed to win the trophy after defeating Beşiktaş 1-0 at home and losing 2-0 in Istanbul.[17]
The 1975-76 football season was the first time Trabzonspor won the Turkish First Football League championship.[18] During this season, Trabzonspor climbed to the top of the league after defeating Fenerbahçe 1-0 in Trabzon and maintained its lead until the end of the season. Under the leadership of Ahmet Suat Özyazıcı, the team secured the championship with 43 points, three points ahead of Fenerbahçe.
From its first championship in the 1975-76 season until the 1983-84 season, Trabzonspor won six league titles.[19] In this period, Trabzonspor missed out on the championship in the 1977-78[20] and 1981-82[21] seasons by one point and the 1982-83 season[22] by two points. Trabzonspor secured its sixth league title in the 1983-84 season, finishing five points ahead of Fenerbahçe.[23]
During the 1976-77 season, Necmi Perekli became the first player from Trabzonspor to become the league’s top scorer, scoring 18 goals.[24] During this era, Trabzonspor’s goalkeeper Şenol Güneş achieved an extraordinary feat by not conceding a goal for 1,110 minutes between 17 September 1978 and 18 February 1979. This record made him the longest unbeaten goalkeeper in Turkey’s leagues and the 15th longest in world football history.[25]
Additionally, during this period, Trabzonspor won 3 Turkish Cups, 6 Presidential Cups, 3 Prime Minister’s Cups, and the Cyprus Peace Cup.[26] Two of these championships came under the management of Özkan Sümer, while the other four were achieved under Ahmet Suat Özyazıcı.[27] Özyazıcı currently serves as Trabzonspor’s Football Advisor, while Sümer served as Trabzonspor’s president for a time but resigned in protest after an incident in a match against Fenerbahçe.[28]
1984-1996 Period
From 1984 to the 1994-95 season, Trabzonspor finished seasons in rankings ranging from third to seventh place.[29] Undergoing a new squad restructuring, Trabzonspor, during the tenure of head coach Georges Leekens in the 1992-93 season, fell 10 points behind the leader in the first ten weeks of the season. The team went six weeks without a win, experiencing one of the worst periods in its history.
However, players like Ünal Karaman (who later became captain of the national team) and Tolunay Kafkas were brought into the squad during this time. They became key players in Trabzonspor’s starting lineup as the team finished second in the league during the 1994-95 and 1995-96 seasons and re-entered the championship race.
During this period, Trabzonspor’s most notable achievements were the Turkish Cup titles won in 1992 and 1995, the Presidential Cup in 1995, and the Prime Minister’s Cup victories in 1985 and 1994.[30]
1995-96 Season and Its Effects
With the end of the 1993-94 season, Trabzonspor appointed its former captain Şenol Güneş, who had been managing İstanbulspor, as the head coach.[31] Alongside Hami Mandıralı, who is Trabzonspor’s all-time top scorer with 218 goals, and Ogün Temizkanoğlu, players like Shota Arveladze and Arçil Arveladze were added to the squad.[32] Shota made a significant impact by scoring numerous goals in his first year.
Trabzonspor lost the championship to Beşiktaş in the 1994-95 season but managed to win both the Turkish Cup and the Presidential Cup.[33] In the 1995-96 season, where Shota became the league’s top scorer,[34] Trabzonspor missed the championship once again. On 5 May 1996, in a match held at Hüseyin Avni Aker Stadium, Trabzonspor took a 1-0 lead but lost 2-1 to Fenerbahçe after goals from Oğuz Çetin in the 55th minute and Aykut Kocaman in the 82nd minute.Yıldırım, Enis, Milliyet Newspaper, ‘‘We Didn’t Deserve This,’’ p. 28, published: 1996-5-6 This loss is considered a significant trauma in Trabzonspor’s history. Following the match, a fan in Görele, Giresun, deeply saddened by the loss, committed suicide, leaving a note that read: “Wrap me in a Trabzonspor flag when I am buried. No one is responsible for my death. If I were to be reborn, I would want to be born as a Trabzonspor fan again.
Despite failing to win the championship, Trabzonspor managed to secure the Prime Minister’s Cup at the end of the season. However, the effects of the missed championship lingered into the next season. After an away match against Kocaelispor, fans were involved in a fatal car accident on their way back. At the funeral of the victims, players faced significant backlash, and captain Ogün Temizkanoğlu was attacked by fans.
By the early 2000s, the team underwent significant changes. Players like Abdullah Ercan, Ogün Temizkanoğlu, and Tolunay Kafkas were let go, and expensive signings like Rune Lange were made. However, players such as Rune Lange, Kevin David Campbell, and Jean-Jacques Missé-Missé failed to deliver successful performances for Trabzonspor. In some cases, such as with Rune Lange, disputes arose, leading to cases being taken to FIFA.[35]
2000s
The early 2000s were one of the most unsuccessful periods in Trabzonspor’s history. In the 2001-2002 season, the team finished 14th in the league, marking the worst season in its history.[36] Additionally, this season went down in history as the one where Trabzonspor conceded the most goals and suffered the most defeats.
Following this season, the then-president Özkan Sümer decided to restructure the team by appointing Samet Aybaba as the head coach.[37] This restructuring included bringing in foreign players such as Ibrahim Yattara, who became the club’s top assist provider and the foreign player with the longest tenure, and Michael Petković, as well as homegrown talents like Gökdeniz Karadeniz and Fatih Tekke. This foundation led Trabzonspor to win the Turkish Cup in the 2002-03[38] and 2003-04 seasons[39] and contend for the championship in the 2003-04[40] and 2004-05[41] seasons, finishing second behind Fenerbahçe in both seasons.
After Trabzonspor lost a match to Fenerbahçe in Istanbul in 2004, Trabzonspor fans accused referee Cem Papila of making incorrect decisions that cost the team the championship.[42] Fans organized a protest in Trabzon attended by 40,000 people, calling for the resignation of the Federation and the Central Referee Board. Following the backlash, Cem Papila announced his retirement from refereeing.
Under the presidency of Nuri Albayrak, Trabzonspor sought success by signing high-profile foreign players like Marcelinho[43] and Kiki Musampa.[44] However, these players struggled to adapt to the team.
In 2008, Sadri Şener was elected as president.[45] Following this, a large part of the squad was replaced, with Ersun Yanal being appointed as head coach and 25 new players being transferred.[46] With these transfers, Trabzonspor competed for the championship until the final weeks of the 2008-09 season, ultimately finishing third.[47]
2010s
The Trabzonspor management appointed Hugo Broos as head coach for the following season, but his contract was terminated after poor results.[48]Şenol Güneş was then hired as his replacement. With Güneş at the helm, the team achieved positive results. In the 2009-10 season, Trabzonspor won both the Turkish Super Cup and the Turkish Cup.[49] Trabzonspor finished the first half of the 2010-11 season as league leaders.[50] However, despite finishing the season with 82 points, Trabzonspor lost the title to Fenerbahçe on goal difference. That season, following the match-fixing case involving Fenerbahçe on 3 July 2011, Trabzonspor requested that the championship trophy be awarded to them. During the same period, UEFA banned Fenerbahçe from European competitions for two years. Trabzonspor decided to take the matter to CAS and FIFA. While this process was ongoing, Trabzonspor lost several key players and entered the 2011-12 season with a significantly different squad, finishing in third place.
In the 2012-13 season, Sadri Şener was succeeded by İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu as club president. After losing 3-1 to Elazığspor in the 19th week of the season, Şenol Güneş, who had been managing the team since 2009, resigned, and Tolunay Kafkas was appointed as interim head coach until the end of the season. The team performed poorly compared to the previous season, finishing ninth in the league, but qualified for the UEFA Europa League by reaching the Turkish Cup final, where they lost 1-0 to Fenerbahçe.
In the 2013-14 season, Trabzonspor signed players such as Florent Malouda and Jose Bosingwa and appointed Mustafa Reşit Akçay as head coach. Despite struggling in the league, Trabzonspor successfully qualified for the UEFA Europa League group stage by defeating Derry City, Dinamo Minsk, and Kukesi in the qualifying rounds. In the group stage, they were drawn with Lazio, Apollon Limassol, and Legia Warsaw, finishing as undefeated group leaders with 14 points. However, they were eliminated in the Round of 32 by Juventus, losing both legs 2-0. After Akçay resigned in the 20th week of the league, Hami Mandıralı was appointed as head coach. Trabzonspor finished fourth, qualifying for the Europa League once again.
Before the 2014-15 season, Vahid Halilhodžić was appointed as head coach, and the squad underwent significant changes, with nearly 20 new signings, including Oscar Cardozo, Mehmet Ekici, Kevin Constant, Waris, and Yatabare. However, poor results led to Halilhodžić’s dismissal after the 10th week, and Ersun Yanal returned for a second stint. Under Yanal’s management, Trabzonspor performed better, advancing to the Europa League Round of 32 by finishing second in a group that included Metalist Kharkiv, Lokeren, and Legia Warsaw. They were eliminated by Napoli, losing 4-0 at home and 1-0 in the return leg. Trabzonspor finished the league in fifth place, and Yanal departed at the end of the season.
Before the 2015-16 season, Shota Arveladze was appointed head coach but resigned after an 11th-week loss to Medipol Başakşehir. On 6 December 2015, Muharrem Usta was elected president. The team was temporarily managed by Sadi Tekelioğlu until the mid-season break, after which Mandıralı returned as head coach. During this period, Trabzonspor faced financial difficulties and disputes over player payments, leading to some foreign players leaving before the season ended. The team finished the league with 12 wins, 4 draws, and 18 losses, totaling 40 points and finishing in 12th place. They suffered their worst defeat in league history, losing 7-0 to Antalyaspor in the 33rd week. Mandıralı resigned after the match.
Ahead of the 2016-17 season, Ersun Yanal returned for his third stint as head coach. Under the leadership of president Muharrem Usta, Trabzonspor initiated a restructuring process ahead of the club’s 50th anniversary. Many players were released, and due to financial restrictions imposed by UEFA, the club focused on signing low-cost players. After a disappointing first half of the season, finishing 13th with 18 points, Trabzonspor strengthened their squad during the mid-season break. Moving to their new stadium, Medical Park Arena, the team improved significantly, climbing to fifth place. Trabzonspor played their first official match at Medical Park Arena on 29 January 2017, defeating Gaziantepspor 4-0, with Fabian Castillo scoring the first goal in the new stadium’s history. Trabzonspor suffered their first defeat at the new stadium on 8 April 2017, losing 4-3 to Beşiktaş.
In the 2018-19 season, Ahmet Ağaoğlu was elected as president, highlighting the club’s financial difficulties. Under Ağaoğlu’s leadership, the club restructured its debts, and Ünal Karaman, a club legend from the 1990s, was appointed head coach. Despite injuries to key players and a transfer ban during the mid-season window, the team finished fourth, five points behind champions Galatasaray. However, a crisis between Karaman and Ağaoğlu at the end of 2019 led to Karaman’s resignation, and assistant coach Hüseyin Çimşir, who had previously won the league with Bursaspor as a player, was appointed as head coach.
2020s
In the 2019-20 season, thanks to debt restructuring and appropriate transfers, the team became one of the strongest candidates for the championship from the beginning of the season. It experienced its brightest period in the last 10 years, entering the break due to the COVID-19 pandemic as league leaders with 8 weeks remaining. However, just before the season resumed, Trabzonspor was banned from European competitions by UEFA for violating financial fair play regulations. Following the pandemic break, the team experienced a performance drop and, on July 19, 2020, missed out on what was its closest shot at the championship in 36 years. At the end of the season, Istanbul Başakşehir claimed the title. After the loss of the championship, head coach Hüseyin Çimşir was dismissed, and his assistant, Eddie Newton, was appointed as the new head coach. That season, despite narrowly missing the Süper Lig title, Trabzonspor defeated Alanyaspor in the Turkish Cup final, securing the trophy for the first time in 10 years, marking their 9th Turkish Cup victory.
Trabzonspor continued with Eddie Newton for the 2020-21 season. However, after failing to deliver the expected performance in the first 8 weeks, Newton was dismissed, and the club signed Abdullah Avcı as head coach. Under Newton’s management, the team had dropped to the relegation zone, but with Avcı’s arrival, Trabzonspor climbed to 4th place and finished the season in that position. Additionally, the Turkish Super Cup, which had been postponed the previous season due to the pandemic, was played on January 27, 2021, and Trabzonspor defeated Başakşehir to claim the trophy for the 9th time in their history.
In the 40 matches played in the league that season, Trabzonspor recorded 19 wins, 14 draws, and 7 losses, amassing 71 points to finish 4th. This result earned them a place in the 2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League starting from the third qualifying round. However, in the 2020–21 Turkish Cup, Trabzonspor was eliminated in the 5th round by Adana Demirspor, losing 4-3 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in regular and extra time.
Trabzonspor made a strong start to the 2021–22 Süper Lig season. In the 38-week league marathon, the team secured the championship in the 35th week, ending a 38-year title drought and claiming their seventh league title.
Crest and colours
Trabzonspor uses the team logo, which has the abbreviation of its name, composed of the letter "TS" in blue with a combined font on a burgundy background.[51]
Although a number of theories have been put forward as to why the club colours of Trabzonspor are claret and blue, it has been claimed that they were adopted after the club were sent a set of kits by the English club Aston Villa after their formation in 1967.[52]
Stadium
Trabzonspor's stadium is named after former goalkeeper and manager Şenol Güneş.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Out on loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Fatih Tekke, a former youth academy star and one-time Gol Kralı (top scorer)
Trabzonspor U21 is a youth team of Trabzonspor. The club competes in the U21 league, alongside other U21 clubs around Turkey. Notable former players include Hami Mandıralı (highest capped Trabzonspor player (558 times)),[58]Gökdeniz Karadeniz (most caps for the Turkish national team by a Trabzonspor player (50)), Fatih Tekke (2004–05 Süper Lig top scorer (31 goals)).[59]
Trabzonspor Kulübü Kadın Futbol Takımı are a Turkish women's association football club affiliated with Trabzonspor. The club was founded in 2007 and they are title holders of 2008–09 season of Turkish Women's Football Super League.
1461 Trabzon was founded as Trabzon Karadenizspor in 2008 as a feederclub in which Trabzonspor holds first buying option on players as well as being able to loan out youngsters to gain first-team experience.
^"Gol Krallarımız". Trabzonspor Official Website. Archived from the original on 16 December 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2010. After these achievements, he transferred to 1st League teams such as Beşiktaş and Altay.
^"Gol Krallarımız". Trabzonspor Official Website. Archived from the original on 16 December 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2010.
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