HNK Gorica

This article is about the Croatian football club. For the Slovenian football club, see ND Gorica.
Gorica
Full name Hrvatski Nogometni Klub Gorica
Founded 2009 (as merger of NK Radnik and NK Polet Buševec)
Ground Stadion Radnik
Ground Capacity 8,000
Chairman Nenad Črnko
Manager Damir Milinović
League Druga HNL
2015–16 Druga HNL, 4th
Website Club home page

Hrvatski Nogometni Klub Gorica (English: Croatian Football Club Gorica), commonly referred to as HNK Gorica or simply Gorica, is a Croatian football club based in the town of Velika Gorica, located just south of the Croatian capital Zagreb. They play their home matches at the Stadion Radnik, which has a capacity of 8,000.[1] They won the 2010–11 Croatian Second Football League title and were initially promoted to Croatian First Football League, but their top license was revoked. The club regard themselves as the spiritual continuation of the former Prva HNL members NK Radnik, who went bankrupt and were dissolved in 2009. However, legally HNK Gorica is a distinct and separate club, and is not entitled to claim the history of the old NK Radnik.

History

There is a long lasting tradition of football in Velika Gorica and region of Turopolje. First organized clubs were founded during the 1930s but the most prominent football club, NK Radnik, was created in 1945, just after the end of World War II.

Radnik enjoyed average success during Yugoslavia, and its most impressive results came with a birth of free Croatia. With a newly built stadium for 1987 Summer Universiade Radnik was included into premier season of highest level Croatian league. It competed there for two seasons, 1992–93 and 1993–94. After being relegated in 1995, Radnik started with his downfall and mediocre results, even playing in the fourth tier of Croatian league football for four seasons (from 2002 till 2006).

During 2009 Radnik got into serious financial troubles and only solution for preserving Velika Gorica's top and most popular football team was a merger with one of financially stable local football clubs. A perfect partner was found in NK Polet from nearby village Buševec. NK Polet had a long lasting football tradition and was a competitive member of Treća HNL. In summer of 2009, merging between Radnik and Polet was agreed and HNK Gorica was formed. As a primal mission club stated winning the league title and reaching Croatian Second Football League after many years of absence. The goal was reached during the first season, Gorica won the Treća HNL West and achieved promotion to the Druga HNL for the 2010–11 season.

Before 2010–11 season it was stated that club's ambitions are not high and that everybody would be satisfied with top half finish. But as the season progressed, Gorica proved to be the best club in the league, this culminating with securing the title two rounds before the end of the season. As 2. HNL champion, Gorica earned a place in Croatia's first division, which was later denied after getting their top level license revoked.

Honours

Recent seasons

Season League Cup Top goalscorer
Division P W D L F A Pts Pos Player Goals
2009–10 3. HNL 34 25 4 5 63 20 79 1st ↑ Igor Hajduk 20
2010–11 2. HNL 30 20 4 6 54 21 64 1st Boris Bajto 11
2011–12 2. HNL 28 10 10 8 27 24 40 7th Tomislav Pek 6
2012–13 2. HNL 30 10 10 10 40 35 40 10th R2 Domagoj Abramović 12
2013–14 2. HNL 33 13 6 14 32 33 45 7th R1 Ivan Antolek, Robert Peričić 5
2014–15 2. HNL 30 13 12 5 46 26 51 3rd Tomislav Kiš 12
2015–16 2. HNL 33 13 8 12 40 40 47 4th R1 Benjamin Tatar 7

References

  1. ↑ "HNK Gorica". Nogometni magazin (in Croatian). Retrieved 1 September 2010.
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