Korona Kielce

Korona Kielce
Full name	Korona Spółka Akcyjna
Nickname(s)	Scyzory (The Buck-Knives); Złocisto-Krwiści (The Golden-Blooded)
Founded	10 July 1973; 51 years ago
Ground	Kielce Municipal Stadium
Capacity	15,700
Chairman	Artur Jankowski
Manager	Jacek Zieliński
League	Ekstraklasa
2023–24	Ekstraklasa, 14th of 18
Website	https://korona-kielce.pl/
Home colours	Away colours
	Current season

Korona Kielce (Polish pronunciation: [kɔˈrɔna ˈkʲɛltsɛ], Korona – Crown – symbol of club and city, Kielce – name of city where club is based) is a Polish professional football club based in Kielce, competes in Ekstraklasa in the 2024–25 season. From 2002 to 2008, the club belonged to a Polish holding company Kolporter Holding and achieved its greatest success – winning promotion to the top tier in 2005. Since then, Korona has spent 16 seasons in the Polish football top level (as of 2024–25). In the 2006–07 season, Korona played in the final of the Polish Cup.

Honours

League

Ekstraklasa
- Fifth place: 2006–07, 2012–13, 2016–17
I liga
- Champions: 2004–05
II liga (group IV)
- Champions: 1989–90, 1996–97, 2003–04

Cup

Polish Cup
- Runners-up: 2006–07
- Semi-finalists: 2006–07, 2018–19
Ekstraklasa Cup
- Quarter-finalists: 2007–08

Youth teams

Polish U-19 Championship
- Champions: 2009, 2019
- Runners-up: 1997

History

Korona Kielce team before the decisive match for promotion to the II liga against KS Lublinianka in 1975

The club was founded in 1973 after the union of two clubs from Kielce – Iskra and SHL. The new club got its first promotion to the Polish 2nd league in 1975. Unfortunately, the team did not play very well and was soon relegated. The next promotion was in 1982. Korona played in the 2nd league until 1990 when it was once again relegated. 1996 brought several changes. Nida Gips from Gacki became the new sponsor and the club's name changed to Miejski Klub Sportowy Sekcja Futbolowa Korona. During the 1998–99 season, Korona again played in the 2nd league but dropped down at the end of the season. In 2000 Korona merged with another club from Kielce – Błękitni Kielce and was renamed to Kielecki Klub Piłkarski Korona.

In 2002, the golden era for Korona had begun. Kolporter became the new sponsor, Krzysztof Klicki the new chairman, and the club's name changed to Kielecki Klub Piłkarski Kolporter Korona. In 2003, the team was again renamed, this time to Sportowa Spólka Akcyjna Kolporter Korona. The goal was simple – to be the best Polish football team. The dream started to become reality in 2005 when Korona won the 2nd league and for the first time in the club's history was promoted to the Polish premier league.

Away game with Polonia Warsaw played in the 2010–11 Ekstraklasa

Korona's first match in the Ekstraklasa was against Cracovia and the final score was 0–0. Korona ended the 2005–06 season fifth in the league table. Prior to the 2006–07 season, at a meeting with supporters, the chairman announced that club would revert to its historical coat of arms. Korona's second season in the Ekstraklasa started off strongly with an away win against Arka Gdynia (3–0). 20 September 2006 was a significant one in Korona's history. After an away victory against Odra Wodzisław Śląski, the club climbed to the top of the league table for the first time in its history although it ended the 2006–07 season in 7th place. Its third and final season in the top division was 2007–08, placing 6th but being relegated for its involvement in match-fixing in the 2003–04 season. In August 2008, Klicki sold the club to the city of Kielce for a nominal fee.

After one year, on 14 July 2009, Korona Kielce was promoted to the Ekstraklasa.^[1]^[2] In the 2019–20 season, Korona finished in 15th place and were relegated back to I liga.^[3] On 29 May 2022 Korona returned to the Ekstraklasa following a 3–2 win over Chrobry Głogów in the promotion play-off final after the winning goal scored in the final minutes of extra time. ^[4]

Stadium

Stadium of Korona Kielce

In response to Korona's successes and the club owner, Krzysztof Klicki's, affirmation that the club would play in the premier league and battle for European cups, Kielce municipal authorities approved the construction of a new stadium. Unfortunately, the stadium turned out to be much too small. Because of this the club played its first round in the highest division at its old stadium (currently used by reserves and youth teams) to permit further work on the new facility.

Only eighteen months after the start of the building project, the keys of the new stadium were officially handed to the club. The first premier league match was played on 1 April 2006 against Zagłębie Lubin.

The Korona stadium, although it stands on the same site as an earlier stadium, is an entirely new facility, built according to UEFA recommendations and modern design ideas. In this way it differs from most other football stadiums in Poland which were built during the communist era or earlier and only slightly modernized to meet basic UEFA standards.

Kielce stadium can seat 15,550 fans, however, due to Polish regulations, which require a buffer zone between local fans and the visitors section, league matches can only accommodate 13,823 Korona fans and 777 visiting fans. However, on one occasion the stadium was full to capacity during a league match. This occurred during the 2006–07 season when fans of visiting club Legia Warsaw were prohibited from entering due to the vast number of their 'red brigade' supporters who made the trip down to watch their club in Kielce.

Pitch dimensions are 105 x 68 m, and the entire surface is heated. Automatic sprinklers water the pitch in between match days. Kielce stadium has a complete system of monitoring, which could serve as a model for other Polish stadiums. Korona's stadium is also considered by the Polish Football Association for international games.

Since 2006, when the club moved to the most modern stadium in Poland, it often had one of the highest attendance statistics in the Polish league,^{[citation needed]} although these numbers have declined since the club's relegation at the end of the 2007–08 season.

Club crest

A new club crest was introduced in 2002, featuring a redesigned coat of arms. However, many fans were disappointed by the removal of the beloved black crown from the emblem.^{[citation needed]}

Before the 2006–07 season, the chairman announced in a meeting with supporters that the club would return to the historical coat of arms. Thanks to the fans and good will of the chairman, Korona again has the crown in her coat of arms.^{[citation needed]}

Supporters

"We are the Buck-Knives"

Supporters of Korona are some of the most enthusiastic in the Ekstraklasa and have received many awards for their artistic match 'frames'. In the spring round of 2006–07, Korona Kielce fans were awarded 5 times in 8 matches for their superb 'frames'.^{[citation needed]}

Korona supporters' tireless cheering for their team often helps their team to victories. The most faithful fans are seated in the "Młyn" – "the Mill" – which contains 500 – 2,000 people.

On 14 June 2006, the Stowarzyszenie Kibiców Korony Kielce "Złocisto-Krwiści" (Korona Kielce Supporters Association "Golden-Blooded") was officially registered at a Kielce court. Official appointing of Korona Kielce fans had become a fact. This association brings together representatives of various Korona supporters groups.

Graffiti produced by fans of Korona Kielce on the abandoned County Hall Island Block in London, 2016

The association is a partner for the club and many institutions, which it wants to cooperate with. The fans are invaluable in the creation of memorable football events, and the association has an important role in increasing fan input on football life in Korona. The most important role of the association however is to improve the quality of support.

The association also organizes special trains and coaches for fans for away matches. It also organizes events promoting the Club such as "Golden-bloody stadium in Kielce", "Small toy – children's benefit" (fans donated toys to an orphanage), "Action Banner" (a lot of flags and banners were sewed). In short, the association has introduced a new supporting style at Korona matches which will attract even more fans to the stadium on Ściegiennego street.

Korona Kielce fans have a friendship with fans of Stal Mielec and Sandecja Nowy Sącz.

Their biggest rivals are KSZO Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski with whom they contest the Holy Cross Province derby. Other fierce rivals are Radomiak Radom and Wisła Kraków.

After a match...

Korona Kielce II

The club operates a reserve team.

Season to season

Season	Tier	Place
1973–74	3	4th
1974–75	3	1st
1975–76	2	15th
1976–77	3	6th
1977–78	3	10th
1978–79	3	8th
1979–80	3	4th
1980–81	3	4th
1981–82	3	2nd
1982–83	2	9th
1983–84	2	9th
1984–85	2	8th
1985–86	2	10th
1986–87	2	13th
1987–88	3	2nd
1988–89	3	4th
1989–90	3	1st

Season	Tier	Place
1990–91	2	17th
1991–92	2	13th
1992–93	2	18th
1993–94	3	7th
1994–95	3	3rd
1995–96	3	4th
1996–97	3	1st
1997–98	2	8th
1998–99	2	6th
1999–2000	2	23rd
2000–01	3	13th
2001–02	3	7th
2002–03	3	2nd
2003–04	3	1st
2004–05	2	1st
2005–06	1	5th
2006–07	1	7th
2007–08	1	6th
2008–09	2	3rd
2009–10	1	6th

Season	Tier	Place
2010–11	1	13th
2011–12	1	5th
2012–13	1	11th
2013–14	1	13th
2014–15	1	11th
2015–16	1	12th
2016–17	1	5th
2017–18	1	8th
2018–19	1	10th
2019–20	1	15th
2020–21	2	12th
2021–22	2	4th
2022–23	1	13th
2023–24	1	14th
2024–25	1

Ownership

Since 2020, the club is wholly owned by the city of Kielce, after it acquired the remaining shares held by the previous majority owner, former German international footballer Dieter Burdenski.^[5] In April 2017, he purchased 72% of the club shares and subsequently signed his son Fabian in June that year.^[6]

Current squad

As of 27 August 2024^[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	POL	Xavier Dziekoński
2	DF	CAN	Dominick Zator
3	DF	POL	Konrad Matuszewski
4	DF	POL	Piotr Malarczyk
5	DF	ESP	Pau Resta
6	DF	POL	Marcel Pięczek
7	MF	POL	Dawid Błanik
8	MF	BEL	Martin Remacle
9	FW	BLR	Yevgeniy Shikavka
10	MF	JPN	Shuma Nagamatsu
11	MF	ESP	Nono
13	MF	POL	Miłosz Strzeboński
15	DF	POL	Igor Kośmicki
16	MF	POL	Jakub Kowalski
17	MF	POL	Mariusz Fornalczyk
18	MF	ISR	Yoav Hofmayster


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
19	MF	POL	Jakub Konstantyn
20	FW	ESP	Adrián Dalmau
21	MF	MEX	Danny Trejo
24	DF	POL	Bartłomiej Smolarczyk
27	MF	POR	Pedro Nuno
28	DF	CAN	Marcus Godinho
37	DF	POL	Hubert Zwoźny
66	DF	POL	Miłosz Trojak (captain)
71	MF	POL	Wiktor Długosz
73	GK	POL	Marcel Zapytowski
77	MF	POL	Adam Chojecki
87	GK	POL	Rafał Mamla
88	MF	POL	Wojciech Kamiński
98	MF	POL	Mateusz Czyżycki
99	FW	POL	Daniel Bąk

Out on loan

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


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
22	GK	POL	Michał Niedbała (at KSZO Ostrowiec until 30 June 2025)


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
33	DF	POL	Radosław Seweryś (at Polonia Bytom until 30 June 2025)

Notable players

The following players received international caps for their respective countries. Players whose name is listed in bold represented their countries while playing for Korona Kielce.